Entries Categorized as 'Scary'
Posted by Ruth
Categories: Adventure, Animals, Dragons, Fantasy, Fiction, Incredibook!, Long Read, Older Readers, Review, Scary
Tags:Bryan Davis, Dragons in Our Midst
3 Comments »
Our rating: 
Several months after the conclusion of Raising Dragons, Bonnie’s father suddenly appears on the scene, claiming that Irene (Bonnie’s mother) is, in fact, still alive, but in critical condition. He insists that the only way Irene can recover is if Bonnie goes with him, so despite suspicion, Bonnie and her father depart for Montana. Billy, Professor Hamilton, Walter, and Billy’s mother uncover more clues and decide that things are not as they seem. They set off to the rescue, guided partly by a book that contains some of Merlin’s prophecies. But unknown dangers await both Bonnie and Billy, trials that will put to test not only their courage, but their faith.
I’m not sure whether the appropriate word to sum this book up would be “Wow” or “Whoa.” Both are entirely applicable. Plot twists and mysteries completely pack this book, and you can hardly stop to catch your breath between chapters while racing through with that age-old question of, “What happens next?” A very, very powerful story. I did rate it five stars, but I should note that in my personal opinion, it ranks at more like four and a half. However, this is entirely due to the fact that I have a rather severe case of medical phobia, and so a great deal of the content in The Candlestone I found to be unnerving. Setting that aside, this story is not to be missed!
(3 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
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Posted by Rebekah
Categories: Advanced Readers, Animals, Fiction, Incredibook!, Long Read, Review, Scary, Science Fiction
Tags:C.S. Lewis, Space Trilogy
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Our rating:
Mark Studdok’s love for his work, no, his love for being part of some important proceeding, has kept him away from home so much that his wife, Jane, is regretting ever marrying him. She has begun having very disturbing dreams, which are interfering with her goal of remaining a capable business woman. A company called the N.I.C.E. (National Institute for Coordinated Experiments) has made the college Mark works at an offer for a piece of land called “The Wood.” Mark joins the “progressive” side that wishes to sell the land, as the N.I.C.E.’s wish to bring their headquarters there would greatly benefit the college. So the land is sold and within days, workmen begin cutting down the wood, turning people out of their homes and generally creating havoc. What does Mark care? Lord Feverstone, another member of the college, (you may remember him as Doctor Divine from the first book) has offered him a job with the N.I.C.E. Mark accepts and finds himself engrossed in a dark world of intrigue, agendas, and a complete disregard for all humane feelings.
Meanwhile, Jane discovers that her dreams are actually coming true. She talks with a friend about it, who introduces her to a group of people dedicated to fighting the evil that the N.I.C.E. has brought about. But the group is small. How can it hope to succeed? They can do very little. Meanwhile, they wait, now doubting, now sure, while that Hideous Strength grows stronger.
I sat down to try and condense this amazing book into a summary and goodnight! It just doesn’t condense! That was the gist of it, but there’s so much more. Mark discovers that the N.I.C.E. is actually run by dark forces, and… Whew, it makes a tingle run up my spine just to think about it. This is a great book. As a warning, if you don’t handle mad scientist well, be careful with this story. There are some pretty detailed descriptions of the absolutely disgusting results of an experiment on a dead man. The N.I.C.E. is all about getting rid of red tape and being allowed to do whatever it wants to do. This is not in any way a “light and fluffy” storyline, but it’s hard to put down. The Meeting in the first chapter might bog you down, but don’t worry–it picks up quickly after that.
(No Ratings Yet)
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Posted by Ruth
Categories: Adventure, Fiction, Older Readers, Review, Scary, Seafaring
Tags:pirates, Wayne Thomas Batson
21 Comments »
Our rating: 
Isle of Swords (Hardcover)
by Wayne Thomas Batson
ISBN: 1400310180
Price: USD 11.55
27 used & new available from USD 6.24
It all starts when Declan Ross, captain of the William Wallace, and his headstrong daughter Anne take on a badly injured boy who has no memory of his previous life. As time goes on, the truth about a great treasure, long believed lost, is revealed. Hidden by a mysterious order of monks, this treasure must be reclaimed—and Declan Ross is the one to do it. Perilous dangers await in the journey, and Bartholomew Thorne, the most dreaded pirate on the high seas, is determined to find the treasure first. So begins a deadly race to the Isle of Swords with more at stake than first meets the eye.
Despite a few flaws, I was quite impressed with this book. A great page-turner, memorable characters, and many intricate subplots. I debated whether to mark this for ages 13+, like the other Wayne Thomas Batson books we’ve reviewed, or to bump it up to 15+. I will leave it at 13+ with a warning: Bartholomew Thorne is not a nice fellow, and he does not treat his prisoners kindly. Nothing was overly vivid, but it had me grimacing on several occasions. So do take that into consideration.
Also, I was under the impression that Isle of Swords was a stand-alone book. Be forewarned! I raced through the climax right to the end where the story is left at a cliffhanger. While the main plot is resolved, many mysterious puzzles are left unsolved. All that to say, I’ll be watching for Isle of Fire, the sequel.
(13 votes, average: 4.77 out of 5)
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Posted by Rebekah
Categories: Adventure, Animals, Dragons, Fantasy, Fiction, Older Readers, Review, Scary
Tags:The Door Within, Unicorns, Wayne Thomas Batson
16 Comments »
Our rating: 
At his first day in the new school, Aidan meets a girl by the name of Antoinette, who, he discovers, believes in King Eliam, but has never been to the Realm. She confides to Aidan that she’s been having nightmares lately, which Aidan believes is a sign of King Eliam calling her to the Realm. Mindful of his friend Robby, Aidan asks her to find Robby’s Glimpse and try to make him see the truth. Antoinette’s parents, who also believe, agree that she may go, and Antoinette journeys through the Door Within to face a danger greater than any of them imagined.
Paragor has not lessened his dark designs and is at work unleashing an evil, held captive since long ago. Antoinette is chosen to be the Twelfth Knight on a mission to convince Yewland’s queen that breaking an alliance with King Eliam would be fatal. They travel to Yewland only to discover the enemy has not wasted his time. The leader of the Knights decides they must warn another kingdom, but Antoinette has found Robby’s Glimpse. Lord Kearn, one of Paragor’s chief servants. She decides to disobey the knights and try to talk to Kearn. A choice that leads to a disaster only King Eliam can right.
I enjoyed this book immensely. I whipped through it in two days flat. Actually, a day and a half, then I read the third one in a second half of the second day. (How was that for confusing?) There’s a lot of action, and it felt very real as I read it. The characters weren’t cheesy or overplayed. In fact, I would find myself cheering them on or getting frustrated at Antoinette for her disobedience. Some of the fight sequences were a little more on the—how do I say this?—messy side of things. Let me see, what else might you want to know… The new badguys are very creepy, Yewland is pretty cool. Oh, and if anyone panics when Antoinette goes after Kearn, don’t worry. Nothing drastic happens, although I wouldn’t want to be in her shoes.
(9 votes, average: 4.11 out of 5)
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Posted by Jordan
Categories: Adventure, Animals, Dragons, Fantasy, Fiction, Incredibook!, Long Read, Older Readers, Review, Scary
Tags:Bryan Davis, Dragons in Our Midst
4 Comments »
Our rating:
Billy Bannister is not your ordinary kid. His breath is so hot that it sets off the sprinkler system at school. After this incident, Billy’s parents realize they need to tell him a big secret: Billy’s father used to be a dragon, making Billy a half dragon! Things are further complicated when a mysterious slayer appears, whose family has tracked Billy’s father since he took on human form. Now Billy and his new friend Bonnie (also a half dragon) are involved in a dangerous dragon hunt, fleeing from a mysterious slayer who will stop at nothing to kill Billy, Bonnie, and Billy’s father. Meanwhile, Billy’s friend Walter and his teacher Professor Hamilton try to piece together clues in order to aid Billy and his family.
And that’s just the basic plot! Davis tells a great story that is very believable. There’s all sorts of intense excitement going on all over the place, so much so that I don’t think I felt safe at all until the very end. As you can probably tell, the plot moves along at a lightning pace, barely stopping for long enough for you to catch your breath. Delightful, amazing, and (I know I’m gushing) brilliant!
(6 votes, average: 4.67 out of 5)
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