The spiritual metamorphosis of a boy into a man is juxtaposed with the transformation of a pacific planet in this intergalactic thriller. Raised on Earth by a doting aunt, Walt is completely unprepared to join his father, famed terraformer Colonel Angus Elliott, on the planet Aqua. Walt's hero-worshipping fantasies fade beneath the barrage of beatings from classmates and his sadistic father's lack of interest. Walt's accidental fall into a hidden cave leads to a meeting with Aqua's telepathic amphibious lifeforms, nicknamed ``Greenies.'' When Walt learns that tidal waves are about to sweep over the entire planet, he and his pal Solveig must convince the colony to evacuate. Looming disaster pushes the plot forward at a compelling pace, but Hughes (The Crystal Drop, 1993, etc.) drains excitement from such pivotal moments as Walt's departure from Earth and the initial meeting with the Greenies, both presented in a straightforward, anticlimactic manner. Some scientific methods used by the terraformers seem a bit questionable, yet readers can put their faith in the future of the men's movement. Although Angus is a one- dimensional tin soldier, the character of Walt is a realistic, sensitive portrait. A case of ``hysterical amnesia'' catapults the colonel from being all-bad to all-good, but fans will welcome Walt's forgiveness as genuine. (Fiction. 10-14)
Pub Date: July 1, 1995
ISBN: 0-671-50543-2
Page Count: 186
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 1995
A sequel to the most popular of Paulsen's three Newbery Honor books (Hatchet, 1987), based on an unlikely premise— government researchers want Brian to reenact his northwoods survival so that his strategies can be observed and taught to others. Derek, a young psychologist, and Brian are dropped off at another Canadian lake, near the first one, equipped only with knives and a radio that Derek has promised not to use except in a dire emergency. Everything goes all too smoothly until their camp is struck by lightning, zapping the radio and leaving Derek in a coma. Brian manages to float Derek 100 miles down a river to a trading post, thus saving his life. The lyrically described details of Brian's adventure— building a fire, making a raft—are of most interest here; for all its graphically evoked perils (rapids, the craft's unwieldiness, exhaustion), the journey's successful outcome seems less in doubt than did the outcome of the compelling autobiographical wilderness experiences described in Woodsong (1990). In Hatchet, Brian discovered his own strength, adding depth, complexity, and tension to the story; here, that strength is a given—as he himself points out. Perfunctory in design but vividly written, a book that will, as intended, please the readers who hoped that Paulsen, like Brian, would "do it again." (Fiction. 11-14)
Pub Date: June 1, 1991
ISBN: 0-385-30388-2
Page Count: 133
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 1991
Awful on a number of levels—but tidily over at last.
The rebellion against an evil archmage and his bowler-topped minions wends its way to a climax.
Dispatching five baddies on the first two pages alone, wand-waving villain-exterminator Vega Jane gathers a motley army of fellow magicals, ghosts, and muggles—sorry, “Wugmorts”—for a final assault on Necro and his natty Maladons. As Necro repeatedly proves to be both smarter and more powerful than Vega Jane, things generally go badly for the rebels, who end up losing their hidden refuge, many of their best fighters, and even the final battle. Baldacci is plainly up on his ancient Greek theatrical conventions, however; just as all hope is lost, a divinity literally descends from the ceiling to referee a winner-take-all duel, and thanks to an earlier ritual that (she and readers learn) gives her a do-over if she’s killed (a second deus ex machina!), Vega Jane comes away with a win…not to mention an engagement ring to go with the magic one that makes her invisible and a new dog, just like the one that died heroically. Measuring up to the plot’s low bar, the narrative too reads like low-grade fanfic, being laden with references to past events, characters who only supposedly died, and such lines as “a spurt of blood shot out from my forehead,” “they started falling at a rapid number,” and “[h]is statement struck me on a number of levels.”
Awful on a number of levels—but tidily over at last. (glossary) (Fantasy. 11-13)Pub Date: Feb. 26, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-338-26393-0
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2019
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