Entries Categorized as 'Fantasy'
Posted by Ruth
Categories: Adventure, Fantasy, Fiction, Older Readers, Review
Tags:Animals, Dragons, Funny, The Door Within, Unicorns, Wayne Thomas Batson
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Aidan Thomas has just moved to Colorado and is friendless once again. While exploring his grandfather’s basement one day, he discovers three mysterious scrolls that beckon him to enter another realm. He takes the plunge and finds himself in the land of Alleble, where he has been chosen to be the Twelfth Knight of the King’s Elder Guard. Aidan’s training is swift and the twelve knights set out on their mission to warn the kingdom of Mithegard against allying with the evil Paragor, the betrayer from long ago.
Adventure, excitment, and the battle between good and evil! A decidedly enjoyable story, and while I found many parts predictable, it didn’t take away from the plot at all. It is easy to relate to (and sometimes chuckle at) poor Aidan and his mishaps, and a strong allegorical thread runs through the entire book. (And it might be noted that this is one of the few fantasies I have read that actually includes unicorns in addition to dragons!)
Posted by Jordan
Categories: Adventure, Fantasy, Fiction, Older Readers, Review, Science Fiction
Tags:Award Winner, Madeleine L’Engle, Times Quartet
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Meg Murry’s father has been missing for years. All the family knows is that he went on a mission for the government. They have almost given up hope of his return, when three odd ladies, Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which, move into a supposedly haunted house. The three of them take Meg, her brother Charles Wallace, and her friend Calvin on a trip through space to rescue their father.
Although far from being L’Engle’s best book, A Wrinkle in Time is well worth reading. Older readers will pick up on the depth of the story, while younger readers will simply enjoy reading as the plot unfolds. I found that the characters weren’t as deep as in some of L’Engle’s other work, but that is to be expected, since this is one of her first books. Some parts of the story are just plain weird, and some are a little bit off theology-wise, but when taken with a grain of salt, A Wrinkle in Time shines through as a brilliant tale.
Posted by Ruth
Categories: Adventure, Fantasy, Fiction, Incredibook!, Older Readers, Review
Tags:Animals, Donita K. Paul, DragonKeeper, Dragons, Funny, Sad, Scary
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Three years after DragonKnight, Kale and Bardon, now married, emerge from The Bogs to find Amara in upheaval. Crim Cropper and Burner Stox have split, fighting against one another and destroying the country in the process, tossing armies back and forth like so many pots and pans. Kale is paired with her father to find and rescue a battalion of dragons, while Bardon remains to serve as best he can quenching evil and restoring peace. Both will face challenges greater than ever before.
As soon as I got my hands on a copy of this book, I stuck to it with a grip like a bodoggin on its next meal. I devoured it at breakneck pace, and my head spun for a day or two afterward. DragonFire delves deeper into the hearts and minds of Kale and Bardon than any of its predecessors. I felt that something was missing, though, and partway through the book I discovered what it was. No Toopka. No Librettowit and Taylaminkadot. N’Rae is mentioned briefly, but her whereabouts, as well as Granny Kye and Holt’s, are absent. But on the other hand, I think having so many familiar characters would crowd the book. This is an important one in the series to really establish Kale and Bardon and who they are. I’m glad DragonLight is coming, though.
Posted by Jordan
Categories: Advanced Readers, Adventure, Fantasy, Fiction, Review, Science Fiction
Tags:Animals, C. S. Lewis, Space Trilogy
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Picking up right where Out of the Silent Planet leaves off, Perelandra finds Dr. Ransom preparing to go to space again. But this time, he’s headed for Venus (or Perelandra). Once he lands, Ransom discovers that Perelandra is a newly created world which still exists in a Eden-like innocence. However, this new created state won’t last forever, especially when Professor Weston shows up once again. Ransom must stop Weston from corrupting Perelandra before it’s too late.
I normally think of C. S. Lewis as the guy who wrote Narnia. Big misconception. He wrote much more, and this particular trilogy is just as good. I found that Perelandra dragged a bit at the beginning and end, but picked up in the middle enough to compensate for that. Some bits of the story are quite funny, although not nearly enough to leave you in stitches the whole way through. I must mention that I have enjoyed the third and final book, That Hideous Strength much more than the first two. But as I’ve always experienced with Lewis’ books, this one’s a definite keeper.
Posted by Ruth
Categories: Advanced Readers, Adventure, Fantasy, Fiction, Mysteries, Review, Science Fiction
Tags:Garth Nix, Scary, The Keys to the Kingdom
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Arthur Penhaligon suffers from asthma. On his first day at his new school, he has a nasty attack and collapses. A strange man called Mister Monday and his butler appear and, along with some considerably confusing talk, give Arthur a mysterious key, shaped like the hand of a minute clock. Then they vanish. Arthur thinks it’s all just a weird hallucination, but that doesn’t explain why he still has the key — which Mister Monday will do anything to get back. Monday sends out his Fetchers (particularly nasty dog-faced men) to retrieve the precious item, and a terrible plague breaks out that no one can find the cure for. Arthur is sure he’s the only one who can help. But how?
It might be noted that the plot has much more depth to it than I’ve managed to portray in my summary! I thought it was very interesting. A definite page-turner, though much more intense (at least at the beginning) than I’m used to reading. Overall, I was quite pleased, and I plan to read the next book, Grim Tuesday.
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