A taut survival story that digs deep into the part of the imagination where the subterranean meets the sublime.
Darkness, loneliness, and unseen danger lurk in an underground cave where a lost young boy waits to be rescued in this debut children’s novel.
Frederick Platt is rightfully apprehensive about joining a boys’ troop called the Woodlanders for a camping trip. Not long after his arrival, the bashful and bookish 11-year-old boy becomes the target of the group’s fierce ringleader, Craig, who leads him into the woods as a peace offering only to abandon him in an underground cave. Now, instead of overcoming his shyness with his fellow campers, Fred finds out what it’s like to be truly alone, without even his books for company. He settles into a cozy routine of searching for openings in the cave, foraging for food, sleeping to preserve his strength, and rationing his flashlight use to preserve the battery while he waits for help to arrive. The pitch-black setting lends an especially spooky ambiance to the adventure, with visceral treats such as dazzling rock formations, slippery bat droppings, and an epicurean description of what bugs taste like. Fred’s tantalizing and terrifying dreams shake him awake, adding to his frustration as he realizes that he is still underground alone. There are light religious undertones as he turns to Bible verses for solace and speaks to a magical crow. Finally, when all hope of rescue is seemingly lost, Fred faces his fear of the strange surroundings, fights through physical pain, and learns what it truly takes to survive. Fuller’s entertaining log ride of an ending is full of twists, turns, and splashes of water. In the illuminating recap of what was happening aboveground, older readers will note that Craig is more than just a bully—his humiliation tactics turn murderous when he fails to tell the adults where he last saw Fred before he went missing. But in retrospect, Fred wishes he would have turned the other cheek, which in this context translates to “don’t poke the bear,” and it’s solid advice for kids. Eerie and wonderfully tense, this tale delivers a strong protagonist grappling with the unknown.
A taut survival story that digs deep into the part of the imagination where the subterranean meets the sublime.Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-692-94220-8
Page Count: 110
Publisher: StoryDoor Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 30, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Strong writing, organic construction, and fully realized—a rousing debut.
A teenage boy and his younger sister take to the seas to escape the end of the world in Haight’s (Tempest, 2015, etc.) novel.
Considering his problems with alcohol, his brittle relationship with his mom and stepfather, and his almost nonexistent relationship with his ex-con dad, Jim Westfield is having a tough adolescence. He tries moving in with his father on an experimental colony more than 100 miles off the West Coast, hoping that the distance from temptation and the hard work required for colony life will straighten him up. Initially, Jim is less than thrilled with his new life and his thorny relationship with his father, but as he adjusts, things start to improve. Jim, however, discovers his father is involved in a number of shady enterprises just as a series of coordinated attacks upends his life. With his little sister in tow, the teenager faces multiple decisions and consequences that could prove dangerous if not fatal. Haight’s writing is raw and emotional, capturing typical teenage sarcasm and hopeful naïveté, and his worldbuilding is potent. The ragged nature of the colony, a floating island built from docks and tethered ships, registers strongly on every page, animating Jim’s life with the assorted oddballs, criminals, and misfits. Although many of Haight’s characters are of limited emotional depth—some, like Jim’s stepdad, Marty, barely register as more than a character trait or two—this can arguably be seen as reflective of Jim’s emotional depth, which broadens and changes as the story charges forward. The novel, the first in a series, ends in such a way that the narrative can move forward organically, yet doesn’t have to. As a result, the denouement and overall plotting feel like a natural progression to the story rather than a contrived cliffhanger.
Strong writing, organic construction, and fully realized—a rousing debut.Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-9893223-6-2
Page Count: 422
Publisher: Northern & 71st
Review Posted Online: Dec. 15, 2015
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Judian is on the verge of adulthood when his smitten brother Wils marries Annora, a beautiful woman who has a mystical knack...
A boy becomes embroiled in politics and magic when his country is conquered in this fantastical tale of war and survival, reminiscent of the works of Raymond Feist.
Judian is on the verge of adulthood when his smitten brother Wils marries Annora, a beautiful woman who has a mystical knack with animals. But instead of the couple settling into their new lives, Wils must accompany his father to where soldiers are gathering to fend off an invasion. Da entrusts Judian with a mission: if he and Wils don’t return quickly, Judian must take Annora and his young sister Morie up to the caves in the mountains near their home, where they will be safe. Judian embarks on his quest of survival with all the good sense of a farm boy used to managing resources, but he’s surprised to find himself gaining animal allies. First crediting the appearance of a huge black dog they call Weiser and a trio of helpful crows to Annora, Judian soon discovers it’s his own magic that called them. When Judian and his companions realize that the northwest passage through their mountains, which should be sealed with snow, has been held open by foreign sorcerers to allow troops to invade, they know they have to find a way to get the news to Da and Wils. Judian, an appealing narrator, brooks little nonsense—though some of what he considers ludicrous is a mark of his immaturity. He shows at times overconfidence, but the subtle arrogance of his narration is countered by his admissions of wishing his father would return and fix everything. By far the best developed of the characters, Judian is surrounded by strong women he doesn’t always understand but whom he respects, especially as teachers of magic. This debut YA novel’s fantasy world and magic system, filtered through a capable child’s eyes, are well-designed, with enough clues into the adult power structure to give the impression of complexity beyond what is described.Pub Date: Nov. 11, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-9909681-0-8
Page Count: 322
Publisher: Moon Road Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2016
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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