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Unlike most fantasy stories you read (not that it would be strictly put under a fantasy heading, but that is probably where it would fit best) Shadowmancer is not set in La La Land from way back a long time ago or in a different dimension. It�s set on the Yorkshire coastline � that�s a real place � and within the bounds of well-known history. And here�s the real catcher: some of the characters are, like...admirable in some sense! Too many modern books have you wanting to jump in the story and slap the characters around for a couple hours to get them come to their senses, but you feel more of a sympathy for the protagonists in Shadowmancer. Also, if you are learned in the book of Revelation in the Bible, you will find some very interesting parallels and theories.
Overall, I would say to go ahead and read the book. It has plenty of tie-your-tongue-in-a-knot adventure, and it won�t waste your time. Er...just don�t read it in the dark, okay? You might have a heart attack, especially if you have a fear of ravens. Happy reading!
Beginning with a vivid and in some ways amusing description and interaction of the three main characters, it wastes no time in going right into action: the grand entrance of Aristophenix, the pudgy bear who makes his point in using his most horrid spur-of-the-moment poetry, Listro Q, the dyslexic purple fox with a tuxedo and a mowhawk who excessively uses the word "Cool," and Samson, the dragonfly who is part ladybug and sports a lovely glowing tail. Now, if you aren't saying, "Whoa, I want to read that book!" by now, slap yourself around for a few moments and hopefully you will come to your senses. Oh, don't worry, it isn't a little kids' book filled with all these cuddly, fuzzy little animals singing little ditties such as, "Will you be my fwiend?" In fact, far from it. The book is filled with pulse-pounding danger, side-splitting humor, and a moving message.
Our three new arrivals come sliding down the fireplace like Santa Claus (and, unfortunatley, while a fire was lit, but no one was harmed...seriously, anyway) due to Listro Q's horrible aim with the Cross-Dimensionalizer. They are from the land of Fayrah, where the government pays them taxes, creatures give other animals presents on their own birthdays, and it is always give not take. Earth's concept of "Survival of the fittest" is completely foreign to them -- thusly, the name they give Earth: "The upside-down kingdom." Which, of course, makes our three main characters (Denise, Nathan, and Josh) -- yes, you guessed it -- the upside-downers. The three Fayrahnians, in response to the accidentally-sent distress signal, whisk them off to Fayrah. After a dangerous journey through the Center, they find themselves in this strange land where the water is made of words and the mountains glow blood-red. Unfortunatley, there are others with plans for the three upside-downers...
Through their journeys in dimensions such as Fayrah, Biiq, and Keygarp, then learn to overcome selfishness and pride and come to understand the true depths of the Imager's love and passion for his "upside-down" people.
We�ll start with the bad things about this so that we can end on a good note. For one, I have found the Elts very too much like J.R.R. Tolkien�s Elves � forgivable, I suppose, since everyone is nuts about Tolkien�s Elves, and the Elts do have their own little unique things that just makes them cool. Like I said, these are petty, so I�ll go into another one that came up a few times in the story and annoyed me: bad temper is portrayed as an admirable or cute character trait. I notice that bad tempers are frequently glorified in books and movies, and I haven�t the slightest idea why. Have you ever been on the bad side of someone with a bad temper? I hope you haven�t, not unless you have some skill in self-defense or a really big gun. Then there�s the rather odd idea of Aeryc and Aeryon, god and goddess. If these people both have the ultimate in supreme powers, how do they settle arguments (whose turn it is to do the dishes, for instance) amongst themselves? Just a thought...
Alright, now to the better things. Horse. Need I say more? Alright, well, if you insist, yes, I will say more. One thing I really appreciated about Green Rider is that it wasted no time going into action. I mean, just one or two pages, then BOOM! a dead rider comes flying out of the forest with an urgent message for the king! Karigan, Sacoridia is depending on you! You must take this upon yourself! I also noticed a lot of very clever, clean-cut, easy-to-understand-but-still-keeps-you-wondering-until-it-all-comes-out-in-the-open plot twists and explanations. Like the black arrows, the Gray Man, and the really strange Elt named Shawdell, for instance. I also like the portrayal of good balance in government: tyranny is oppressive, but anarchy is dangerous.
Well, as this is a long, complicated story, I won�t go into any more (although there is a lot I could go into) and I�ll just leave it to you to read it all the while gripping the pages with white-knuckled hands throughout the swallow-your-tongue adventure. There is also a sequel to it, I believe, which I have not read and I can�t remember the name to, but it has either Green or Rider in the title, but not both. Did that make any sense? Oh, well. Happy reading!
My first nitpicking I�ll do has to do with inconsistencies. This mainly occurs with physical description of the characters. With some characters, it just about changes with each book. It is quite maddening, and I personally think Mr. Morris would do well to go through his series and fix these to give them that overall validity and near-perfection. Then there�s a matter-of-opinion thing with all the stupid romance. Ick. I can�t stand it! Fortunately, this is not a major thing throughout the series, and I think the worst thing is kissing scenes, but I think there�s just two, at most. The third thing is another matter of opinion, but I find too many...cliche�s, for lack of better term. Several of the books are pretty unique, but the second one has to do with an underwater city, the third one has to do with a medieval type environment, and fourth one is the whole caveman/dinosaur thing. It�s like the whole series is trying to cover all different environments and styles that have ever existed in stories and legends. We get a strange blend of sci-fi, fantasy, and historical that really doesn't fit together at all. I don�t know quite how to explain it, but it�s odd. But we�ll be good now and, now that we have mentioned those things, will overlook them. Now, getting on to more important things: the adventure. Something is always happening, someone�s always fighting or getting beaten up or dying and all that other really cool stuff. And when that isn�t happening, there always seems to be some kind of emotional stress: arguments, jealousy, pride problems, dealing with really bratty princesses, and other things of that nature; it gets so bad at some points that some may call it cheese, and I'm afraid I can't argue that point with much luck. But don�t get me wrong: these people are all great friends, maybe even the kind of group that you would like to join, even aside from the fact that they�re always doing all this fun save-the-world stuff. Which brings us to the characters: overall, they can be quite funny in their best moments, and really annoying in their....not-so-best moments. They're imperfect heros. Josh is the clumsy leader who is always having his authority challenged, Abby is the pretty and charmingly spoiled girl who can manipulate people to do pretty much whatever she wants them to, Reb is a wild born-too-late Confederate who likes riding things � anything that moves � and has such skills as busting people out of jail with the use of skullpoppers � these are just three of them, but you get the idea. And, of course, as you will find with almost all books written for the younger generations, there�s little lessons slipped in here and there, such as forgiveness, leadership qualities, and the value and dangers of trust. Not to mention, you really learn a lot of cool things, like how to bust people out of jail and joust. You know, in case the urge to dress up in chain mail and get on a horse with a ten-foot spear should ever come upon you...
Well, that was very little said about such a long series, but I think that most kids would find it interesting, and maybe some adults that aren't avid readers and need things simply put. Once again, I would not advise reading this in the dark. With that warning, have fun, or lack thereof!
The first book was good. The characters had us hooked as well as a seemingly interesting and mysterious storyline. We also have to appreciate the depth of plot that the books have � there�s a whole lot of really confusing background that you don�t truly get figured out until about the end of the first book�or later, if you�re stupid enough to keep reading. You know, like us.
Now to our complaints: firstly, the characters are shallow. They�re just�there. Not much else. The men were stupid to start with, and the women grow more obnoxious with each passing chapter. They will snap any given person�s head off at absolutely nothing and try to run the world in between them. If all they�re words could be summed up in one sound, it would be similar to cats fighting on the roof � only a lot more annoying. One thing we will say is good about this aspect: it certainly motivates us to be more sweet-spirited so we don�t ever sound like Nynaeve or Egwene or (HEAVEN FORBID) the hideous Avhienda. The only one that didn�t remind us of a chipmunk who has just had its tail stepped on was Moiraine, but she doesn�t count because she dies.
Secondly, the friendships are very shallow. All the characters seem to have one thing in mind: look out for Number One no matter who it hurts. The three main characters (Rand, Mat, and Perrin) are constantly bickering, snapping, or telling each other how stupid they are in spite of the fact that they�re supposed to be best friends. It doesn�t help, of course, that Rand is slowly losing his sanity due to his contact with the male half of the �one power�, (tsk tsk. Stinks to be you.) but Mat and Perrin do not provide much support. They often cringe from Rand and avoid being with him as his destiny as the Dragon Reborn reveals itself. In fact, for a series that starts out focusing on the way the three interact, the appearances of all of the boys at once grow surprisingly sparse. As time wears on they seem to spend more time having pity-parties than with one another.
Lastly, the moral message it sends is poor. We found it difficult to read the second book due to nearly constant and excessively graphic descriptions of torture and death, including the massacre of an entire village. While the books give the impression that the characters are doing what�s right, they rarely question the morality of a situation. The younger ones have smart mouths and unchecked tempers and no one seems to do anything about Mat�s gambling problem. Rand seems to have four �true loves� who all �love� him back. And don't even get us started with all the naked people running around all the time, with a little fornication thrown in here and there for good measure. It doesn't get into all the nitty gritty details, thank the good Lord above, but it still gives a major disregard for any honor the characters had to begin with plus it's just plane old annoying. It would be nice to just tear out all the pages with that kind of stuff in it and only read the good parts, but then there would only be, what, thirty pages left? Without a firm basis on morals and distinct ideas of right and wrong, misdeeds run rampant.
Without any deep characters, relationships, or morals the in The Wheel of Time series it�s hard to keep any interest for long. So if you�re looking for a good book to pick up, try reading the first, but unless you want your intelligence insulted, stop there.
Okay, now to Wonderful Thing #1 in details: adventure. By the time you have finished the book, your nails will undoubtedly be chewed to the cuticle. Murphy does a bunch of cool things, like knocking a lion unconscious, traveling a medieval sewer system to stop a human sacrifice, and nearly getting stuck in a pyramid. Then there�s also this really bad guy named Talon who has a fake finger with a blade on it � he, generally, will be found slitting people�s throats at regular intervals. Or crushing windpipes, or sicking falcons on people...One bad things about all this is you do have a lot of blood and guts, so if you�re the type who screams at the sight of a paper cut, I would really recommend opting for a more laid-back book such as Help, There�s a Cat Washing in Here! (I kid you not � there really is a book by that title. It mostly had to do with a bar of soap and glue, though...) Also, another thing that makes it so incredibly interesting is all the history. It reaches excessively into the Babylonian Empire (um, yeah, it is called Babylon Rising...), ancient languages, particularly Chaldean, and an ancient sewer system. I really liked the sewer system part, as you can probably tell, but you�ll have to read it to find out what happens there. Lastly, the characters are just gotta-love-em kind of people. My particular favorite is a lady named Isis who spends most of her time locked up in a massive library reading books. Sounds like heaven. Because of this, she is well-informed in matters such as history and obscure dialects of dead languages. Her intelligence comes in handy quite a few times, such as when she and Murphy were in the ancient sewer system in Arabia.
Overall, it�s quite a spectacular thriller, and, if that isn�t good enough, we have more coming! The sequel, The Secret on Ararat, is out already. I probably won�t review this because I imagine it will be in the same line with the prequel...series usually do that, you know. Happy reading!
Beginning with our little gripes, we generally have few problems (and Mhiko has even less). Firstly: cliche. It has a lot of run-of-the-mill typical fantasy stuff. The Elves, for all purposes are identical to Tolkien�s (although this is a problem you find with a LOT of fantasy writers). Ra�zac similar to Nazgul. Evil emperor taking over the world. Magic. You know: the standard. It does, of course, have many very unique ideas in most respects, but every once in a while you do hit a cliche that's annoying. Another thing is the excessive blood (although not as bad as The Wheel of Time series). DON�T read it while your are eating or have anything in your mouth or stomach. Don�t read it before dinner. Don�t read it after dinner. In fact, if you ever plan to eat again, don�t read it at all (although this mainly seems to be a problem with Sera). Mhiko also declares that the first chapters seemed a little slow. Rolling, rolling, rolling�ACTION!!! DOES ANYONE UNDERSTAND THE WORD ACTION?! Fortunately, this is only limited to the beginning, and Sera actually did not find it boring (as Mhiko screams, �Blood!!!�). Another problem we have is the snooty lady. It seems all books have them. In this book, snooty�s name is Arya. Oh, she�s strong and doesn�t need a group of soldiers around to protect her as she cowers in a corner, yes, that�s admirable, but does this give her a reason to stick her nose up in the air and push people off when they are concerned for her welfare? We simply can't stand that part of her character. In fact, Mhiko wants her blood, although Sera would not go to such extents to humble the lady (like death). Another bothersome and disturbing idea in the book is that of calling up spirits. It says it�s alright to call up spirits as long as you don�t let them possess you. However, in the Bible it clearly warns of the witchcraft of calling up spirits.
Well, now that we have thoroughly complained and you probably think this is a terrible book, let�s go on to nicer thoughts. Dragons. That just says it all, doesn�t it? Now, let�s go onto the next thought: Dragons. Now, in conclusion�what�s that? You wanted to hear more about the book? Alright, well, I guess we could arrange that. Action! Yes, I know earlier we complained about this, but that�s only for the first few chapters. It gets really interesting as it goes on. You get a lot of slayed towns, people dropping dead left and right, and, most of all, dragons! When they saved a complete stranger who was dying in some prison cell, for instance, (yes, see? Action!) And add to the action drama: character conflict! At one point we have Eragon and another guy named Murtagh (and these people are supposed to be friends, understand) busting each other up, which is pretty cool until Saphira breaks it up (party pooper�). There is also the terrific idea of actually earning magical abilities�you know, will work for magic. Finally, aside from the plot itself, the best thing about this book is probably the whole writing style -- descriptions and the like. It's pretty near flawless. The descriptions don't get long and very boring, but what we do have of them paints a vivid picture that you can for all purposes use all five senses on. Even the descriptions of the characters' feelings somehow worm their way into your head so that you can identify when you've felt similar things.
All that said, it�s a pretty terrific book, and, as it is a trilogy, we will eagerly await the next installment. If it ever comes out, in which case, Mhiko will probably hunt down the author and hold him for ransom until he finishes the next book. I hope she can still come and spend the night at my house when she�s in jail for that. (Mhiko: Only if you pay for my bail.)
Despite the fact that there�s little or no mysterious danger that manages to pull the terror string in your brain, it still keeps you on the edge of your seat with adventure. Mortal adventure, true, but adventure nonetheless. The books also tend to give you an omniscient point of view, where you�re looking at what�s happening to all the characters, not just the good guys and not just the bad guys. Such as Lawrence and Mr. Clemspool. We, the readers, know Mr. Clemspool�s agenda, but Lawrence doesn�t and decides to trust him while all the rest of us are screaming, �No, NOOOOOOOO! Don�t do it!� You also find yourself constantly wondering when, where, how, and if ever the different characters are ever going to meet up and how they will react to each other. And the story is, of course, completely immersed in history. You won�t miss questions on your history exam regarding these particular environments in this particular time period. The books also do not shy away from important aspects of the culture back then, such as religion, which many people today would consider taboo and, thusly, ignore it.
Overall: good read. Quite adventurous. There�s no dragons in it, but you will learn more about things on planet Earth in times of well-recorded history, something I�m sure everyone could use, especially us fantasy-readers who could carry on an intelligent conversation about the Valar but can�t remember when the War of 1912 was fought. I mean...War of 1812. 1712? 1716? It was between the Incas and the Celts, right? Well, anyway. Happy reading!
Generally, we really don�t have anything to complain about in this book. Peretti is a terrific writer, really, and it�s hard to find flaws. Unless you have a weak heart, of course � we nearly had several heart attacks throughout the story. We don�t want to spoil it for you, so let�s just say that when you finish the second chapter: prepare yourself before turning the page. Other than that, we looked, honestly, but we just really couldn�t find them. Oh well. We�ll tell you what makes it good, though. Like the glow-in-the-dark cover! Now that�s just cool. But the best part, really, is when you open the book up. True to Peretti�s style revolves around, yes, you guess it, scaring the living daylights out of anyone and everyone that happens to read it. His vivid descriptions really make the ghost come alive with every freaky detail involved aptly portrayed. In the beginning, Frank Peretti created fear. The reader�s first encounter with the ghost of Abel Frye is a terrifying one to say in the least. Peretti spends the first few pages building up the fear of Jim Boltz. It begins as the tiniest of inklings, nothing more than a dot in a sea of football game, nothing that anyone would notice. But slowly, it grows, until it infects his very soul, he is unable to think, his game falters, breathing becomes difficult, and then he sees...it. What is it, you might ask? For heavens� sakes, haven�t you been reading this review? It is...him. We needn�t tell you what we mean by him. Standing in the end zone is the all-fearful ghost of Abel Frye! (Click here to hear what people say when they see Abel Frye). Now...where were we? Oh, yes, Abel Frye. Naturally, such a ghost and such mystery behind it makes quite an intriguing storyline, one that you cannot interrupt to do trivial chores such as that sweeping your mother wanted you to do. In fact, even eating may have to be foregone. Alright, well, maybe a cookie is alright. In addition, the whole story is quite immersed in��no, not peanut butter cookies��but a lot of scientifical mumbo jumbo. As well as historical, geographical, and a bunch of other -ical�s. Because of this, it is quite believable, even if they are fakes amongst the -ical�s (which does not include �tickle� for spelling purposes). However, it is not just all horror and intrigue, or even peanut butter cookies (yes, please ignore our sudden fascination with peanut butter cookies), but a strong message. It tells us not to pick on people just because they are different or weird, but to be kind to them and give them somewhere to go when they need a friend. Because bullying might hurt someone�s feelings. And, besides that, you might get a ghost sicked on you. On another note, it gives subtle tips on how to combat people who follow today�s philosophy on relativism and the theory that there are no absolutes.
And now we shall close, as our infinite supply of peanut butter cookies is suddenly no longer infinite...and, unfortunately, neither are our ideas. Overall, the book is a worthwhile read, unless your one of those people who believes anything and/or is especially terrified of ghosts and spiders...mainly spiders.
Okay, let�s start with the best of the story and make our way down to the worst. I am sad to say, I have not found a best of the story, so let�s just get to the least bad thing first. The story, of course, is entitled to be quite confusing in the beginning because it is the second in a series. However, I think that the author made it much more confusing than it needed to be. Let�s take Marcus Scaurus. Sometimes, in the story, he is referred to as Marcus. Other times he is referred to as Scaurus. And, still other times, he is referred to as �the tribune.� I went through a number of pages before I figured out that Tribune Marcus Scaurus was not, indeed, three different men. Of course, that could just be my stupidity. I�ll leave it to you to decide, I suppose. Let�s go to Really Bad Stupid Thing #2: at one point in the story, the legion runs into a camp of the enemy and are far outnumbered. So what do you think they do? They gather up all the cattle in the area, tie branches to their horns, and set them on fire to frighten the enemy into thinking that they are demons and send them fleeing. Yes, it sounds funny, but not when you think about it. Cows are just as capable of feeling pain as human beings are, and I�m sure that neither you or I would find it amusing to be set on fire. The fact that cows are such stupidly innocent and trusting animals makes it worse. And, while we are at it, what about the civilian owners of the cows? The legion has just killed off their livelihood. Now, moving on to another large complaint: do these characters know that the institute of marriage exists? Every single major character in the story has a �partner� (or two...or three...) and many times a child or two along with it. And when the �partner� dies or breaks up with them, of course, what else is there to do but get another one? Undoubtedly if someone made a habit of buying and getting rid of a dog once a month, he would be considered irresponsible (rightly so). But do the same thing with a man or a woman, and it is merely normal. EARGH! Accepted fornication and adultery are the very trademarks of a bad story. There were only two or three married couples in the whole book. All this, of course, goes hand in hand with other things, such as excessive drinking and swearing. So the �heroes� really have nothing heroic about them. In fact, if I ever began bearing the vaguest resemblance to one of the characters in the story, I think I would beg of someone to hold my head under water until I stopped moving. I found myself frequently cheering for the bad guys to win and kill or at least injure or torture the main characters. Sadly, I was often disappointed. Well, you say, perhaps all of this wouldn�t be so bad if the story itself was intriguing. Well, actually, no, I can�t say that for it either. The plot is extremely cliche�I could even handle that if the story were interesting�but it really isn�t all that interesting either. There are many long pages where nothing is happening but the legion sitting in their camp. They�re not even carrying on interesting dialogue or cracking funny jokes. They are simply existing, and existing in a very boring and immoral existence at that.
Overall, the whole book reeks of cruelty, selfishness, and immorality and isn�t worth the paper it�s written on. I do hate to have wasted seven dollars, however, so I�m going to use it for fuel for fire in the wood burning stove. Or perhaps I can keep it as backup when we run out of newspaper to put in the bottom of the birdcages....hm. Well, I�ll figure out something. This�ll be fuuuuuun...But, anyway, take a lesson from a sucker like me and don�t buy the book! Don�t touch the book! Do not even look at the book! Now, if you�ll excuse me, I�m going to go see what color flames the cover makes when it burns...
Well! That was a long plot. Now getting on to the good points and bad points. Let us start with the best point: reverence for the Almighty. Whoa! It�s about time someone got some good consequences for cursing God, even if it is in a book. And, of course, when you have God, you have good, strong morals, something which I am quite pleased with, especially after reading that hideous thing that people are trying to pass off as a book called An Emperor for the Legion. The part where the angel came down and condemned Vanderdecken and the ship was the shining moment of the book and my absolute favorite bit. Going on to another good thing, we have the classic, heartwarming relationship between boy and dog. Beautiful, isn�t it? The only thing more wonderful is the relationship between girl and horse. Oh, and don�t even get me started on the relationship between girl and bird! Well, anyway. Also, if you are a fan of puzzles and riddles, you will thoroughly enjoy the ancient encrypted messages that the villagers have to decipher in order to find the deed. As to my complaints, I just have one, but it is a major one: the book is slow. Oh, the beginning was intriguing, can�t-put-it-down kind of stuff and the large-scale plot was terrific, but let�s face it: there�s just not a whole lot to do when you�re following riddles to find a deed for a chunk of land. Oh, yes, perhaps it�s nice to have all the little friendships and the little trips to the ice cream shop, and saving a town is certainly an admirable thing, but when I�m reading, I�m more of a fan of saving the world from mass destruction than saving a town from an industrial development. If a book does happen to have a slow-moving plot, it is usually helpful for it to be filled with split-your-sides humor. Pretty much the only large-scale humor matter was the four men that Maude Bowe kept speaking of that were coming to scare Mrs. Winn into giving up her house. You�d think they�d be four, imposing, frightening figures with long trench coats, but no. They steal a car, get lost, get hungry, break a companion�s nose, then go straight into town only to get arrested. It�s a riot, really, especially their conversations. But that�s going off on a side road: getting back to the slowness of the book, I think that there was much more possibility that the author could have had with the plot he created in the beginning with the curse of the ship. He could have somehow tied in the town with the ship and made it into a large-scale matter, perhaps someone gets stuck on the ship...all sorts of things. Yes, I want to hear more about the cursed ship. I mean, come on, cursed ships are just so...cool...
Well, in conclusion, as far as my recommendation: it depends on what you like. You probably would not find it an extremely worthwhile read if you like dragons incinerating towns and stars falling from the sky to destroy the earth, but if you enjoy a cozy, comfortable little story here and there, go for it. And, like I was looking for, it IS unique. But I think for the next book I read I�m going to make sure it�s heart attack quality. Maybe something with blood on the front...Muwahahahahahaa...
GREGORY BENFORD
Looking at the good points of the book first, Furious Gulf certainly had plenty of adventure. Ah, mass destruction. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I�m up to five thousand just off the top of my head. The excitement of being chased by mechs, descending into a black hole, and even just the fact of frequent attempted mutinies can really keep your mind racing. There�s even adventure�or at least a point of interest�in the emotional conflict of Killeen and Toby. Killeen has been hardened by his duties as captain, and Toby wants him back again the way he used to be. However, while I enjoyed the suspense, I think that a lot of it was far too drawn out. They spend probably two chapters simply descending into the black hole, but by the time it was halfway through the first chapter, I was sick of reading about their descent and simply wanted to know where it was leading to. The latter part of the book, when Toby is accidentally caught up in a pocket of different space-time, is even worse. It was extremely monotonous and the moments that weren�t were exceedingly confusing. It almost seemed like a filler, something to just make the book longer.
Another nicer aspect of the book is the mind games that space-time physics plays with the reader. The author is actually a professor of physics, so that gives him quite a bit of credibility as to his theories and facts on the matter. Unfortunately, most human beings won�t be able to understand any of it, but that�s okay�the way it boggles your mind will make you feel that the book is mysterious.
However, I am afraid that the two above-mentioned things are the only things I found good about the book. As I said before, it is painfully long-winded and confusing. I even had trouble following the descriptions. I also found the �humor� in it to be rather disgusting; it has all the intelligence and wit of a four-year-old who thinks boogers are funny. But what really makes the book a failure is its evolutionary outlook on life. I would think that the author, being a man of science, would realize the impracticality of evolution in the first place�certainly if someone shook up a box of computer parts, no one would expect a computer to come out of it even in millions of years. And just a few strands of DNA are far more complex than any computer. But putting aside its impracticality for the moment, this evolutionary influence contributes to a lot of immorality in the story. Because, if everyone is simply a big accident and has no hope of the future after their death, why shouldn�t they live for the here and now, only their pleasure, regardless of what it does to other people? It�s why the crew keeps mutinying: because all there is is this life, and they don�t want their little blip of time in all of eternity to end sooner than they think it should. It�s why Killeen inserted a Personality (that is, a little chip containing a dead person�s genetic what-not and inserting it into someone�s spine so that what�s left of the dead person can live in a strange way inside the implanted person�s head) of his long-time girlfriend, Shibo, into Toby�s spine despite the fact that it may drive Toby insane (and nearly does, in fact). And, of course, this evolutionary influence is at the root of one of my least favorite things in the world: sexual immorality. Sheesh, I felt defiled just reading it and found it necessary to skip over several parts. And, of course, these people feel no shame or remorse for all these awful things they do. But it all goes back to the evolutionary philosophy: why shouldn�t they? It�s all about living for the moment.
The influences of evolution also contribute to weak characters. Even Killeen, who is supposed to be the stoic, can�t control his emotions enough to keep from blowing up at Toby or other certain people. And with everyone sleeping around all the time, we lose any respect we had for any of the characters in the first place.
Finally, the worst thing in the whole book is the utter hopelessness of it all. I don�t understand why these people are running from the mechs to the black hole, looking for safety, when they are going to die one day, anyway. So what does it matter if they die now or later if they are simply going to cease being no matter what they do? There will be no afterlife�they won�t be able to enjoy things ever again, and they won�t even be able to look back on the memory of the good times in their lives. And why shouldn�t they die? They�re just making room for higher life forms, am I right? I could tell throughout the book that even the author was groping for a desperate remedy for this hopelessness: the fact that these people had bred out weaknesses so that they cannot die of old age but only of illnesses or being murdered (which I don�t like, as it implies that they killed off all the people deemed not worthy for creating a better human race, or, if not that, they must have at least forbade certain people to have children, which isn�t right). The fact of Personalities and Aspects. He even makes a desperate attempt with the Restorer, something that can take a Personality and form it back into a living human being again. But why would someone even want to return to life when it�s so full of heartaches and troubles, and they will simply just have to die all over again?
While this book really had potential, its philosophies on life make it a complete miss, and I really wouldn�t recommend it to anyone. And, I have to say, I am so glad that we can have hope in this life and do not need to be afraid to die�because all death will mean for us is a new beginning. So you can stop reading this review right now and thank God that He�s given you hope. Go on, now. Don�t worry about me, I�m going to go look for another book to read. I think I need another dragon fix...
For Bobby Pendragon life was great. He was respected at school, his best friend wasn�t a jerk (mostly), and his family was normal� well, almost normal; there was Uncle Press. Most of Bobby�s memories of Uncle Press involved weird things happening; not that Bobby minded because that usually meant really cool gifts, but something about Uncle Press always seemed different. Bobby was about to find out how different Uncle Press really was.
What started as a motorcycle ride to an abandoned subway station became a dangerous journey to Denduron, a dimension on the other side of a star-marked door. Soon Bobby learned of a violent civil war between the honest Milago miners, the tyrant Kagan, and the evil man who started it�Saint Dane. If something isn't done, the Milago and their ruler will destroy each other. Why does Bobby care? It�s his job to save them, and if he doesn't he will never see Uncle Press or his missing family ever again.
And he thought winning the county basketball semi-finals would be tough.
The Merchant of Death is a very fun read, but underneath all the danger, mystery, and drama lies deeper meanings. Bobby�s selfishness and pride melt away as he soon discovers that perhaps he was not as strong, smart, and brave as he thought; while the evil Saint Dane exposes the dangers of obsessing over a lust for power. D.J. MacHale�s opening to the Pendragon series truly pulls the reader in and leaves room for more. With enough action to keep busy with, witty humor, and a teenager�s blunt point of view, The Merchant of Death is a welcome addition to any fiction-lover�s bookshelf.
Mhiko�s Rating
8 out of 10
Lose two points for the unnecessary kissing scene that has nothing to do with anything (yuck!)
Mhiko: But it was fun...
Sera: Indeed.
Mhiko: Actually, we have a good reason for doing a discourse this time, because the two of us have slight contention on exactly how good this book was.
Sera: I, personally, thought it was spectacular, especially after reading Shadowmancer (which some of you have probably read my review on). Shadowmancer was good. Wormwood is better. It�s just that simple.
Mhiko: I haven�t read Shadowmancer. I did not enjoy Wormwood as much as I could have, sadly enough. G.P. Taylor�s style is incredibly descriptive and very intriguing, I will give him that. The book, however, made my stomach turn. Multiple times.
Sera: Like the thing with the roosters.
Mhiko: Actually, I was thinking about the bloody chest cavity thing.
Sera: Whatever. The rooster thing was worse. In one of the beginning chapters, Taylor gives quite a gruesome description of a cockfight. Cockfights are barbaric. Chickens are among the most stupid, innocent little animals on earth. They shouldn�t be torn apart like that. And, besides, the fight really had nothing to do with the story. In a word, it really stunk! Get rid of it!
Mhiko: Well, before we get too much into our praise or lack thereof, let�s give you an idea of what this book is about.
Sera: Right! It revolves around Wormwood.
Mhiko: Duh.
Sera: I just love it when those titles coincide with something in the story!
Mhiko: Tell them about the book, darn it!
Sera: Er...yeah, okay. There�s this dude...er, scientist named Dr. Blake Sabian�
Mhiko: Sabian Blake.
Sera: Darn it! Yeah, Sabian Black.
Mhiko: Blake.
Sera: Right. Sabian Black Blake.
Mhiko: GET ON WITH IT!!!
Sera: Um, yeah. So Dr. What�s-his-name gets this prophetic (or so-called) book called the Nemorensis. He finds in the Nemorensis a prophecy that a star called Wormwood will fall from the sky and poison the waters. Many will die from its bitterness. Which is actually a passage that can be found in the book of Revelation, but the Nemorensis, in this book, seems to want it to happen prematurely. Shame, shame!
Mhiko: Blake�s young maid Agetta also meets a strange lady named Yerzinia who appears to have demonic connections of some kind. No plot spoilers, so there.
Sera: And, yes, indeed, we do realize that these two things together don�t make sense, but they do when you read the book.
Mhiko: The end of the book. Well, anyway, the main plot of the story revolves around where, when, and what to do if the star falls and what role the Nemorensis (which everyone seems to be trying to get their hands on) truly plays.
Sera: And what role everyone else truly plays.
Mhiko: ON WITH THE CRITIQUE!
Sera: Can we have some charging music please?
Mhiko: There are some good things about this book, even in my opinion.
Sera: Yes. Like the mystery. Just take the characters themselves: who is good? Who is bad? Who will be redeemed? And why does Cadmus Lamian have an angel chained up in his attic?
Mhiko: But I found the true mystery of the book!
Sera: What�s that?
Mhiko: WHO THE HECK ARE THE GOOD GUYS?!?
Sera: But that just adds to the adventure! I mean, who is the weird guy who sits outside of Blake�s window and keeps running into Agetta and telling her to watch where she�s going? Looks like someone needs to teach the kid a lesson, and this mysterious guy is the one who can do it.
Mhiko: Um...Sera?
Sera: What?
Mhiko: That was Abram Rickards.
Sera:...Who?
Mhiko: The guy who made the Diakka explode by�
Sera: Oh, yeah! Well, anyways, as you can see by the talk of an exploding Diakka, the book is also quite adventurous.
Mhiko: An example at the beginning of the book when Blake�s friend Isaac Bonham is about to be attacked by three crazed dogs on Blake�s doorstep, and Blake, darn the man, can�t find the key!
Sera: And even when he does, he can�t unlock the door!
Mhiko: That�s what you get for having three bolts on your door.
Sera: Really. The beginning, actually, is the less adventurous part. The latter part of the book actually had my adrenaline going so badly I had to put it down or die of a heart attack.
Mhiko: And, as I mentioned above, it is extremely well-written. In fact, it�s one of the only things that kept me reading it.
Sera: It does have a way of sticking with you, whether the style it is written in or simply the storyline and emotional conflict. It just pierces your heart and then stays there.
Mhiko: How poetical. Actually, it settled in my stomach and, much to my dismay, stayed there. This, of course, brings us on to the section that I can�t wait to get to: the bad parts. It was DISGUSTING! Blood and, even me, who craves an occasional spurt of blood, had a hard time handling it.
Sera: True. I mean, a Serakis eating a heart �like an apple� is really...gross.
Mhiko: Excuse me while I go hurl.
Sera: Um...Mhiko, can you make sure you go to the toilet or sink or something while you�re doing that? I mean, you can use that instead of the floor.
Mhiko: You are too kind.
Sera: Well, while she�s making a mess that I�m sure I�ll have to clean up later, I�ll continue on. My biggest gripe with the book (although, I confess, I didn�t have many�I liked it. I only say that because Mhiko is not supposed to be here right now and, thusly, cannot strangle me!) is the ending. Shadowmancer ended in a similar way: it ends before the conflict is quite resolved. Is Tegatus redeemed from his partially fallen state (despite having his feathers clipped, his head shaved, his fingernails pulled out, and looking like a torched marshmallow) by his final act of unselfish...unselfishness? And what happened to our secondary villain, whom I will not name? Did he get in trouble? Did he repent? Did he get thrown off a building like I hoped? These things are left unresolved and really bother me. Oh, look, Mhiko�s back again! How do you feel?
Mhiko: Sick.
Sera: Augh! Get away from me! Don�t hurl all over the laptop! I just got the keyboard waxed!
Mhiko: That�s...interesting. Now, my turn to talk. Shut up!
Sera: Yes�m.
Mhiko: My biggest problem with the book was that G.P. Taylor seems to have no concept of what the term �good guy� means. The only person/creature/thing who can really be called good seems to have an obsession with things that explode (which, I confess, I am guilty of). I also liked the little talking evil thing that exploded. And I liked Tegatus. Who suffered because of an explosion.
Sera: I see a pattern here.
Mhiko: It seems that there is no middle ground: you either have bad guys, or really, really bad guys. One really finds himself choosing between the lesser of two evils.
Sera: On the other hand, you do have the main characters changing throughout the course of the story and eventually become...good guys.
Mhiko: Imagine that.
Sera: Of course, God is a good guy.
Mhiko: He always is, so He doesn�t count in this case.
Sera: Another more minor thing is that I think that the author could have used his book more to get a message out to his millions of readers. Which I guess he kind of did...in his own strange, gross, twisted way. But, hey, he�s a guy and guys are like that, so we shall forgive. Overall, I thought the book was terrific, and G.P. Taylor is fast worming his way amongst my favorite modern-day authors. In fact, I would even go so far as to recommend it to all you out there reading this.
Mhiko: In retrospect, I should have just taken Sera�s word for it. It would have saved me a good deal of quality time I spent with the toilet.
Sera: Perhaps I should have added: I would recommend this book to all of you except for people who have weak stomachs. But, then again, all the books I read seem to be bad news for people with weak stomachs.
Mhiko: And, in tribute to G.P. Taylor�s endings, we shall leave it at that.
(Hours pass)
Sera:...Where did everybody go?...
I would, of course, never say that Nephilim is cliche, but it does tend to have the style of a typical adventure book. I�m not saying that�s bad (those types are always very interesting), but if you want a completely new and fascinating twist(like I�m always looking for), the story is slightly lacking.
Also, for a book written by a Christian, I think the doctrines of the faith could have been a little clearer. They didn�t present a problem for me, but I could see where they might confuse new believers. The phrase is, �He�ll take your pain� instead of a more specific, �He took the penalty of your sin because you can�t do it yourself.� Mac�s conversion is a huge emotional thing, which is alright, but I think it could have defined that conversion doesn�t have to be some strange feeling of some huge change. In fact, many times, it�s not. I think it also placed a little too much emphasis on the book of Enoch, something that may be a partly valid record of some points in history but should certainly not be trusted as certain since it is not part of the canon. Fuzzy�s the word. While nothing in the book is wrong, it�s just fuzzy. Unclear.
Those things put aside, however, let�s just face it: the book is still absolutely fascinating. I mean, come on, aliens? Just cool. I really love the theory the author takes on: there have been some undeniable alien sightings, and there are clearly no little green men living on Mars, so what can they be? Fallen angels, of course. It makes sense when you think about it. And so many freaky aspects about it! Cow mutilations (poor cows) and spaceships, for instance. It will give you goosebumps for sure. And, yes, of course, the book had one of my favorite things in it. If you have before read my reviews, you know what I�m going to say: mass destruction. I especially appreciated the end�it really climaxed beautifully when the Nephilim escaped and started destroying all those soldiers. Kind of bloody, very sad, but completely adventurous. A true work of art designed to make the reader cry, rejoice, and beat up the next person who walks in the room that�s over six feet tall, all from one little section of the book. I also really enjoyed the little Nephilim embryo thing. Scratching, hateful, and writhing�it�s the kind of thing you would love to keep in a jar on the dresser in your room so you can fascinate yourself for hours poking at it with a pair of tweezers. I want one for Christmas.
Final verdict: worth the read. It may not pierce your heart the way some books do, but it will fascinate your mind. And you don�t have to worry about all that smut that, tragically, is so common in so many books. So, while you�re reading that book, I will be working on my next project. It�s the one you�ve all been waiting for: a book about...DRAGONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh yeah...
I was slightly surprised by the turn the story took from the first few chapters to the next. I was expecting it to be like The Oath: completely terrifying all the way through. However, it was only completely terrifying for the first few chapters, then it changed to a more regular-paced adventure. It�s a nice balance: I was able to get all the horrifying parts done before it was time to go to bed, so I didn�t have to lie awake all night, eyes darting around waiting for a bogeyman to come and strangle me. Even after the initial heartattack fear, however, it still remains interesting. It really keeps your attention and manages to draw out the rescue through the rest of the book without making it SEEM drawn out. The search is frequently broken up by showing things from Beck�s point of view, as well as a mutiny and some people dying (those kinds of things are always interesting). The only thing I found somewhat boring was much of Cap�s search through the laboratory. I didn�t think it was EXTREMELY necessary for it to take up so much time.
As for the characters, they�re very realistic and believable, the good guys are really good, and the bad guys are really bad, but none of them were really something to write home about. They didn�t leave as deep an impression in me as, say, Wizard Fenworth or Bilbo Baggins did. However, we still do have one character that borders fascinating: Beck. She probably reminds most readers of themselves, since she is frequently thinking about some fantasy off in a book, expecting fairies to come out of the flowers and phantoms to come out of the night. She also treated her captors very much the way she should, something that most people probably wouldn�t do.
Finally, as we usually have in Peretti�s books, there is a message and a moral: don�t fool around with monkey genes! It�s bad! To be more specific, it brings out the fact that mutations don�t work, even in a laboratory (although I could have told you that beforehand), and messing with God�s creation will only result in really strange things that scream like dying women. Also, I don�t know if this was intentional or not, but I found a more subtle message coming through concerning the sacred relationship between human and animal. Rachel�s constant concern for Beck and the way Beck got so attached to her and missed her when they separated is truly touching, especially to animal owners such as me.
In conclusion, the book is a good read, with the slight additional forewarning that it DOES have some gross parts in it regarding blood, monkey vomit, and similar things. Yucky. But I guess it�s just something all readers have to deal with.
Each character is armed with a set of quirks and witty humor that makes them that much more interesting. Take, for example, the Wizard Fenworth. An absent man, to be sure, and completely serious about his ramblings. For instance, when those nasty, ankle-biting blimmets charge into the camp, attacking everything that bleeds, Wizard Fenworth calmly sits by the fire, muttering to his librarian friend, Librettowit, �What are those two things that make water?� �Hydrogen and oxygen, Fen,� Librettowit swiftly replies. �One part hydrogen and two parts oxygen?� �No! The other way around!� Snow instantly assails our heros. �Wrong temperature!� shouts Librettowit. �Oh, dear. Tut, tut,� Fenworth ponders. The fuzzy Dar is a classic portrayal of a teasing big brother in his relationship with Kale, and Gymn with his repeated spells of fainting is truly a masterpiece.
The interest level in the book is also a plus, even aside from the characters themselves (although they still make up nearly half of it). It�s on page five that the first adventure occurs when Kale is brutally assaulted by ugly grawligs�it certainly wastes no time in jumping into the lap of danger. There was also a lot of allegory in it, which always makes for a story to be almost twice as interesting as it would be normally. Our only complaint is the fact that we didn�t get enough of the ultimate bad guy, Risto�it was mostly just his henchmen, and that wasn�t half so interesting. The final encounter with the evil wizard was extremely weak, as well. Other than that, however, it still can easily keep you on the edge of your seat.
Our main complaints lie in small technicalities of the book. We didn�t feel that we got enough background, for instance�there were many parts that left us going...�Huh?� We never do get a good idea of what in the world an o�rant is. There is also apparently some significance to Kale�s last name (Allerion) that is never revealed. Then we also have a little problem that we like to call the Him/him thing, or (to avoid confusion) the him/Him thing. In the book, the Wulder represents God; the pronouns referring to him (or Him) are all capitalized. However, the pronouns in reference to Paladin, the representation of Jesus Christ, are not. It might give the impression that the Wulder and Paladin are not one and the same.
Our final verdict: read it, at all costs! Anything wrong with it is petty at best and probably would have been overlooked had we not pointed it out to you. Well, no need to thank us; that�s what we�re here for!
One thing that really stuck out at me in the writing style was the accurate portrayal of emotions. A lot of what the characters feel really make sense, and they are described in a way that we can all probably relate to. The prime example is when Nora, after nearly being killed by terrorists, ups and follows the few leads she has to Paris, and the exhilarating feeling she has of excitement and taking control of her life. You can almost feel it right along with her. Areas that I think perhaps could have needed a little more work involve the confusing beginning (I think we had way too many names and locations to keep up with, or maybe I�m just really impatient and don�t pay enough attention) and scant description work. The descriptions lean toward being the kind that doesn�t tell you what�s there in the location until one of the characters actually uses it, and that can be slightly confusing at times. But, of course, I can�t say anything more about that aspect, because I�m guilty of exactly the same thing in my own random writings.
My biggest complaint with the whole story, however, by far, is the characters. Lazarus, for instance, seems too...weak. I can understand his weariness and the frustration he has with evil after dealing with it for 2000 years, but along with the growing frustration, he also should have had a growing relationship with God over those 2000 years, which would give him the strength to go on willfully and cheerfully. The little implied romance thing between him and Nora only succeeded in weakening his character. Nora, while realistic, really wasn�t the kind of character that I could get attached to; while I have nothing against her, she seemed just sort of...blah. In fact, my favorite characters have to lie with the much more infrequent Order of St. Lazare, particularly Father Thierry and Father Stephen. Sheesh, Father Thierry had far more faith than Lazarus, and he was only seventy or eighty something as opposed to Lazarus�s 2000 something. In fact, it really made me sad when...well, I won�t spoil it for you.
However, despite any previously mentioned complaints, I still enjoyed the story immensely, because of the story itself. The storyline is extremely creative and keeps you wanting for more. Interest level is extremely high; Lazarus dies and comes back to life a few times throughout the story, Nora keeps almost dying, there�s bad guys running around all the time, chasing them all over the place, world conflict...ah, it�s just beautiful. And Lazarus�s explanation to Nora at Claere�s grave really came out of nowhere and is quite surprising.
Overall, the book is worth a read, if nothing else a relief for that boredom that comes sometimes over summer vacation, when you don�t have your driver�s license and your parents are busy and you live fifteen miles from the nearest feed store and nobody�s home and it�s too hot out to ride your horse...you know. Those moments. Those moments when we can aaaall use a good book to read...