Despite its length, this is a nicely paced adventure that attaches readers to the bookworm Hazel and the heroic Hob and...
Neff offers a meaty, nearly 600-page series opener, an indulgence for readers thirsting for a futuristic cloak-and-daggers plot with magical creatures, including an elusive dragon that fraternizes only with the royalty of this post-Cataclysmic Earth.
After a prologue, readers meet young Hazel Faeregine, who is not interested in her family’s royal position within Impyrium. It is not only her lack of interest in politics that sets her apart from her olive-skinned sisters; Hazel is an albino, the only one in a set of triplets, which caused speculation of possibly wicked sorcery and makes most uneasy in her presence. Alternating chapters turn to 13-year-old, nut-brown Hob Smythe, who works in the mines beneath the Sentries Mountains. A stranger shows up in Hob’s small village of Dusk, revealing himself as a member of the Fellowship and recruiting young Hob to spy on the Faeregines to gain secrets that could possibly liberate the people under Impyrium rule. Hob accepts the invitation, which brings him together with Hazel and ultimately uncovers much more than anyone thought. The heady politics of the story mimics the classic rulers-versus–the-impoverished narrative, with an adolescent version of a Game of Thrones–like plot that unfurls with players on both sides vying for their rightful places.
Despite its length, this is a nicely paced adventure that attaches readers to the bookworm Hazel and the heroic Hob and leaves plenty of room for future installments. (character list and glossary) (Fantasy. 10-14)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-06-239205-3
Page Count: 592
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2016
Brilliant.
Young heroes rise to the challenge of protecting their home, family, and world when a new villain threatens the Glimouria Archipelago and the Immortal in this third series entry.
“New trouble” comes to the sanctuary of Glimt when Irian Guinne is kidnapped and Teren, the young Immortal, is threatened. Christopher Forrester, former princess Anya, jaculus dragon Jacques, and ratatoska navigator Ratwin undertake a series of herculean tasks to fulfill the kidnappers’ demands and free Irian, all without Nighthand’s knowledge or help. Christopher seeks knowledge from Naravirala the sphinx to understand his new, deeper connection to creatures (“It is the people you love who anchor you”), while Anya leans into her warrior nature (“What if I was born to be brave?”). Meanwhile, bandits with ouroboros bracelets pillage and burn across the Archipelago at the command of Astor Morax, and a fearsome tiger spies through mirrors. The white-presenting leads’ quest to save Irian is central, but brief sections visit Irian, Nighthand, and beautiful, deadly Carla Venasque. The climactic Battle of Glimt features ferocity, cleverness, sacrifice, and bravery, and the ending is more Shakespearean comedy than tragedy—but the danger to Teren is not over, leaving eager readers to await the fourth installment. This is a perfectly paced, mythology-laced tale of action, adventure, and heart that reminds readers that “the only thing stronger than fear is love, unceasingly and exultantly given.” Final art not seen.
Brilliant. (map, bestiary) (Fantasy. 10-14)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2026
ISBN: 9780593809945
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: July 6, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2026
Is this the end? Well, no…the series will stagger on through at least one more scheduled sequel.
Sure signs that the creative wells are running dry at last, the Captain’s ninth, overstuffed outing both recycles a villain (see Book 4) and offers trendy anti-bullying wish fulfillment.
Not that there aren’t pranks and envelope-pushing quips aplenty. To start, in an alternate ending to the previous episode, Principal Krupp ends up in prison (“…a lot like being a student at Jerome Horwitz Elementary School, except that the prison had better funding”). There, he witnesses fellow inmate Tippy Tinkletrousers (aka Professor Poopypants) escape in a giant Robo-Suit (later reduced to time-traveling trousers). The villain sets off after George and Harold, who are in juvie (“not much different from our old school…except that they have library books here.”). Cut to five years previous, in a prequel to the whole series. George and Harold link up in kindergarten to reduce a quartet of vicious bullies to giggling insanity with a relentless series of pranks involving shaving cream, spiders, effeminate spoof text messages and friendship bracelets. Pilkey tucks both topical jokes and bathroom humor into the cartoon art, and ups the narrative’s lexical ante with terms like “pharmaceuticals” and “theatrical flair.” Unfortunately, the bullies’ sad fates force Krupp to resign, so he’s not around to save the Earth from being destroyed later on by Talking Toilets and other invaders…
Is this the end? Well, no…the series will stagger on through at least one more scheduled sequel. (Fantasy. 10-12)Pub Date: Aug. 28, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-545-17534-0
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 19, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2012
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