Confined to three rooms for most of his life, Theo finds his situation radically changed after he accidentally melts a burglar on his 12th birthday. Finally free to explore life outside of his prison, Theo joins the Society of Unrelenting Vigilance, a secret society that is dedicated to preventing villains from accomplishing their work—villains who are being led by Theo’s one-time guardian, Dr. Saint, under the deliciously doublespeak name of the Society of Good Works. Dakin skillfully brings moral ambiguity into the narrative, giving the writing a more sophisticated flair than standard superhero fare. Fast-paced action, gleefully ghoulish monsters and intrigue keep the narrative flowing. Though amusing, the bumbling villains would be more provocative with a darker edge, one that will perhaps emerge in sequels. Theo’s refreshing ignorance of the world successfully engages readers and invokes their sympathy. A bright light in the fantasy genre, this debut novel will leave fans eager for further illumination. (Fantasy. 10-14)
Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-60684-015-3
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Egmont USA
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2009
BOOK REVIEW
A literal cliffhanger leaves eager readers hanging; next stop: Greece—and Tartarus.
After waging two separate quests (The Lost Hero, 2010; The Son of Neptune, 2011), the Greek and Roman demigods of Riordan’s Heroes of Olympus quintet join forces.
With his now-trademark zero-to-60 acceleration, the author engineers a ghostly possession to set Greeks and Romans at odds and initiates the Prophecy of the Seven, hurtling Annabeth, Percy, Piper, Leo, Hazel, Frank and Jason into a pell-mell flight on the magical trireme Argo II. They seek the titular Mark of Athena, which they hope will provide the key to defeating the vengeful Earth mother, Gaea, or at least some of her giant offspring. As the trireme crosses the country, the pace drags while the demigods sort out relationships and work to figure out both cryptic prophecy and nightmare visions. With sweethearts Annabeth and Percy once again united, much of the tension that powered earlier books is gone. Once the Argo II leaves the United States, though, the pace picks up, and the comically instructive set pieces Riordan’s so good at emerge. A Luddite god rails against what he calls the “b-book,” which displaced the far superior scroll technology; Annabeth gets a crash course in the cult of Mithros far below the streets of Rome. Here, Riordan’s infectious love for his subject matter really comes through, even as he takes some real risks with his characters.
A literal cliffhanger leaves eager readers hanging; next stop: Greece—and Tartarus. (glossary) (Fantasy. 10-14)Pub Date: Oct. 2, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4231-4060-3
Page Count: 608
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: Oct. 9, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Hope prevails in this story, filled with a resounding authenticity.
Terrifying statistics run through Zoey’s mind day and night, controlling her decisions.
After her father dies in a bus accident, anxiety-ridden 12-year-old Zoey Turner, who presents white, spends her summer escaping into the familiar world of her favorite fantasy series, the Magic of Ever After by Raven M. Wells. When a book signing ends in a panic attack, Zoey receives a pencil allegedly belonging to Wells herself. Zoey writes a story with the pencil, which seems innocent enough until the next day, when the events of her story happen in real life. Always the type to practice extreme caution, the nervous seventh grader asks Derek Beal, the redheaded president of a fantasy club with his own anxieties and fears, for help in how best to use her new magic. She keeps the pencil a secret from everyone else in her life, even her Lebanese American best friend, Lena. Zoey fears losing Lena when secrets and fears begin to separate them. As Zoey sharpens the pencil with each new story, her chances of writing the perfect ending dwindle away. She’ll need to find her own magic before it’s too late. This emotional narrative skillfully informs readers about anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder and will comfort anyone facing challenges similar to the main characters’, reminding them to look for the pockets of joy in every day and inspiring them to discover their own forgotten magic.
Hope prevails in this story, filled with a resounding authenticity. (Fantasy. 10-13)Pub Date: Jan. 14, 2025
ISBN: 9781665952255
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2024
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