Tag Archives: action

Ranger’s Apprentice series by John Flanagan

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rangersapprentice_johnflanaganAre you ready to hear about my favorite book series? Australian author John Flanagan brings us the Ranger’s Apprentice series, which has captivated me for several years. Each of the twelve books is exciting to read the first time through, and just as exciting a second time.

It tells the tale of a boy named Will, an orphan raised in a medieval castle’s ward. Come Choosing Day, when the orphans are selected for apprenticeships, not a single craftmaster chooses Will. Tears well up as his fellow wards are selected to become warriors, scribes, and diplomats, while he will become merely a farmhand. Then, Will receives the biggest shock of his life: he is selected to be trained as a Ranger’s apprentice (hence the title). The King’s Rangers are an elite and mysterious force of master archers, serving directly under the king. Their skill set includes tracking, wielding knives and bows, and vanishing into the forest with their mottled cloaks. The Rangers silently monitor the fiefdoms and watch over the citizens. Just like Batman. Though Will is apprehensive at first, he soon realizes that this life is infinitely more exciting than being a farmer. And so, for the rest of the twelve books I won’t summarize, Will and his master Halt go on all sorts of adventures spanning a variety of countries, from deserts to snowy mountains.

There are many reasons why this series has stuck with me so long. Every single book is a well crafted mix of adventure, humor, and well placed sarcasm. What’s more, all of their adventures are unique storylines, deviating from a lot of cookie cutter books out there. The language is wonderfully detailed; I can recognize Flanagan’s style from other authors by the telltale ways he writes his stories. Of course, the characters all have distinct personalities, likes and dislikes, so that everyone has multiple dimensions. We readers can better understand and sympathize with their decisions. In fact, some of the best scenes in these books come from byplay between friends, and outright clashes of different personalities.

Another aspect that I love about this book is how well Flanagan envisions the Ranger Corps. The common people regard them as an arcane group shrouded in mystery, a group dealing with matters more important than the peasant’s daily lives. When we follow the life and adventures of Will, it almost feels like we have become a part of the tight knit group, and we familiarize ourselves with each person. This is the reason I keep rereading these books— I’ve become emotionally attached to fictional characters!

So, when you’re ready to dive into this fantastical world of knights and villains, read through the Ranger’s Apprentice series. Become a part of the King’s Rangers.

The Ranger’s Apprentice series can be checked out from the Mission Viejo Public Library.

Spy Camp by Stuart Gibbs

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spycamp_stuartgibbsStuart Gibbs wrote Spy Camp as a sequel to his first espionage novel, Spy School.  Ben Ripley, a.k.a. Agent Smokescreen, is no “regular” kid for his age. He is a spy in training for the CIA and spent the last year learning and preparing to be a spy while his friends back home think he is at a dumb science school.  That’s how secretive the CIA is.  Even his parents think that he has a scholarship to this school. However, the school year is over now.  Ben is getting ready to come home for the summer when the principal notifies him that he and all of his other classmates are going to a spy camp.  Ben has never been to camp before.  He is a little nervous, but then he receives a contract from the enemy group, SPYDER, with a death threat.  This reminded me of the song, Camp Granada, by Allan Sherman.  In the song, the young camper details all the horrible circumstances he has to endure.

Ben is put under “extra extra protection” from SPYDER.  Despite these precautions, when his special training starts in the woods, his group is ambushed.  Ben only has his friend Erica, an amazing spy, to help him.  It is very unlikely he will come out of this situation alive.  For he is wanted DEAD OR ALIVE! It was at this point when I remembered the song “Double Agent” by Rush because both Ben and the song lyrics desire to be “anywhere but here”. Ben is scared and feels as though he is useless to solving the problem at hand. To make matters worse, nobody from his family and none of his friends know how dire the state he is in.

I would recommend this book to any young spies out there or anyone who read the first book. A big thumbs up to Stuart Gibbs for Spy Camp.

-Maya S.

Spy Camp is available for check out from the Mission Viejo Public Library. 

I Become Shadow by Joe Shine

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ibecomeshadow_joeshineI Become Shadow is a story about a society called F.A.T.E. Now, I forget what that stands for, but it’s basically a government agency that captures children at the age of 14 and trains them to be human weapons. Once these kids become fully trained Shadows at age 18, they wait until they are assigned to a “link.” Links are people who will one day make astonishing breakthroughs in science and technology and indirectly protect them until he or she makes their discovery. These Shadows are there to see but not be seen, to hear but not be heard.

The story is told in first person by Ren, a girl and social outcast who is kidnapped and forced to become a Shadow. Following her training process, she comes to realize that it isn’t so bad, and that she is actually trying to become better. Excelling through all aspects of transforming into a human weapon, Ren is given her link: a college guy named Gareth. Because of certain circumstances, Ren is forced to make direct contact with her link, breaking the rules that define a Shadow. Over time, she becomes friends with Gareth, and encourages him as he creates a wheat seed that can grow without water.

While I was reading this story, I thought it would be cool to have the abilities that the Shadows have, but it wouldn’t be cool to be taken from my family in the dead of night at age 14 and forced to undergo 4 years of rigorous training to not be seen again. If you’ve read and liked this book, want to read it, or read something similar, post a comment!

-Kyle H.

I Become Shadow is available for check out from the Mission Viejo Public Library. 

Book Review: Spy School by Stuart Gibbs

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spy_schoolThings are not always what they seem.  This certainly describes the “science school” which is actually an undercover CIA training base.  Ben Ripley, a twelve-year old math prodigy, aka “Smokescreen,” gets an invitation to attend the spy school for the second semester of 6th grade as a mysterious spot opens up and because of his amazing math skills and the strange project linked to him known as “Pinwheel.”  He trains to become a CIA agent for one school semester although he may not live that long.  As if spy school wasn’t hard enough, Ben must survive an assassin, find a mysterious mole, and make sure he looks good while doing it.  However, he’s not alone. He finds friends in other students, Erica AKA “Ice Queen,” Murray AKA “Washout,” Zoe, and Warren.

I recommend this book to fans of Alex Rider, Percy Jackson and Artemis Fowl because of the humor and action.  The way the story is written make you second guess everything as it unfolds in this suspenseful mystery novel.  Be warned, this book is not for the easily frightened or timid population as it contains confidential, top secret government secrets. Buy it at your local bookstore or rent it at your nearest library and you won’t be disappointed. Although, don’t expect any James Bond or anything, spying is a dangerous job, and is only accomplished by the best of the best, the cream of the crop, you get the idea. Spy school has all of the same things as normal school: bullies, boring teachers, bad cafeteria food, and occasionally someone tries to kill you.

This message will self destruct in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one…

-Evan G., 6th grade

Book Review: Endgame: The Calling, by James Frey and Nils Johnson-Shelton

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endgame_callingThrilling, suspenseful, page turning. Endgame by James Frey and Nils Johnson-Shelton is all that it promises to be.

If you are younger, do not let the size of the book intimidate you, as this book is almost impossible to put down. Full of action, the novel is written from the perspective of a different “player” every chapter. Even if you are like me, someone who is not a fan of books written in this way, your opinion, like mine, will change with this novel.

Taking place in the present, the book follows the storylines of twelve “players,” those older than thirteen, younger than 20. All are highly trained killers, “as deadly as any soldier on Earth.” Put together, these players represent every trait, from kindness, to stupidity, to evil. These twelve are specially chosen descendants of the twelve ancient lines, and must fight to the death for their people’s survival. Whichever player first finds the three keys, each hidden on a different spot on the Earth, this player earns survival for themselves and the rest of their line when the world comes to an end. Everybody else on Earth will die.

In my opinion, Endgame is the new “Hunger Games” series, so for those who loved Suzanne Collins’ series, the Endgame series is a new must read. Also, for those avid readers out there who want to try Endgame, you should be warned, I was literally not able to put the book down, so before picking up this new novel, make sure you have plenty of time to read. Endgame is definitely worth your time, and I am already looking forward to the second book in this thrilling series.

-Will R., 10th grade

Book Review: Taken, by David Massey

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takenSix teenagers on a trip across the ocean. Four are military veterans disabled in combat. The other two are “able” sea hands to help along the way. Things are cut short when they become prisoners of war of a man called Moses Mwemba.

Rio Cruz, is one of the two “able bodied” crew that was hired to help four teenage veterans, Ash, Marcus, Charis, and Izzy, who have been disabled in combat sail around the world for charity. Even before the six start the voyage, tension starts building between Rio and the other “able bodied” crew member, Jen. The tension only grows when Rio’s fondness for Ash emerges and when she finds a hidden letter. But all the tension and strife that was building gets cut short when they are captured to become political pawns.

This was a rather strange story. Unfortunately, I found it a bit too rushed. There were also some things that I would have like have a bit more explained. It is written in a first person point of view which does limit what explained in the story. Even so the plot was interesting. It is one of the types of plot that I have not read very much of. The characters were okay. I do believed they could have been a little more developed or described but the fact that they were disabled veterans, who were determined to show that they were not helpless, made up for some of it. I some times mixed up the characters due to the lack of explanation at the beginning of the book.

One of the themes of this book does make you think a lot about what people are. This is a book I would only recommend to at least high-school or older. There is quite a bit of violence in the story and there is many themes in this book that are hard to explain and hard to understand. To give this book a rating: 5/10

This is only what I think so read it for yourself and decide.

– Sarah J., 10th grade

Book Review: The Young World, by Chris Weitz

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young_world_coverFamous Hollywood screenwriter/director Chris Weitz has written his first novel, The Young World.   It is set in a world two years in the future and teens are the only ones alive and they are in control.  All of this was started by a sickness that killed everyone not experiencing puberty.  This is because of the special fibers created during puberty that keep the sickness at bay.  A group of teens living in Washington Square in New York have created a sort of community.  However, when the leader Wash dies from “the sickness” after turning 18, his younger brother Jefferson and four other teens, venture out of their community on a journey that may lead them to a cure.  This brings them on a wild adventure in which they face murderers, mole people, wild dogs, a bear, and cannibals.

Sci-Fi fans will love this book due to the post apocalyptic setting and show stopping action.  The cliffhanger will almost definitely lead to an intriguing sequel.

The book is written in first person but in the form of a movie script, which is no surprise because of the author’s twenty years writing and directing films such as Twilight: New Moon, American Pie, Antz, The Golden Compass, A Better Life, and the upcoming Disney movie, Cinderella.  I read my signed copy of this book in one day because I could not put it down.   I was lucky to hear him speak about his book last month in Mission Viejo where he told of his life in Hollywood and how this book came to be.

All in all, this is an excellent book and I highly recommend it to people who don’t mind violence, mild romance, and major cussing.  I recommend looking beyond the cussing to see the story for how great it is.

-Evan G., 6th grade

Book Review: Stormbreaker, by Anthony Horowitz

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stormbreakerAlex Rider is your typical 14 year old boy.  He likes girls, action movies and sports. However, when his Uncle Ian suddenly dies in a car crash, Alex knows the story is a lie.  The bullet holes in the windshield are all the evidence he needs.  Upon further investigation, he stumbles upon an astounding truth. His uncle was not the humble businessman that he had pretended to be, but a secret agent for the British secret service, MI6.

When Alex is chosen to replace his uncle as a spy, his life goes upside down.  He finds himself fighting goons, surviving a jellyfish attack, and stopping a crazy terrorist from destroying England.  I don’t want to give anything else away because the book is all about suspense.

This book is riveting!  Percy Jackson fans will especially enjoy this story as they are both written with similar first-person irony.  I also recommend it to those who are tired of predictable endings.  While in most books the good guys win, this guy wins in ways that not even the author could see coming!  Both boys and girls will find it is an action-packed, fun to read, page-turner.  This is an intense mystery.  I read it in two days because I could not put it down!

-Evan G., 6th grade

 

Introduction to the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson

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maximum_ride

Calling all Mutants!

It doesn’t matter whether you have a mother who gave birth to you or were simply born in a test tube– we, a flock of six who have wings, will be recruiting anyone who has a mutation, such as super speed, being a dog who can talk, or have a body part from a different animal.

If you have one of these requirements, join our army that is going to save the world!

And who are we? We’ll, we are six kids who were merged with bird cells, which explains our wings. If you don’t trust us, whether it’s because you don’t believe kids or think that we are part of the government that is trying to get you back, we will give you a description of us:

Max: aka Maximum Ride, is the leader of the six. She is fourteen years old, blond, a bit pretty, and because she is on the run, she doesn’t shower much and tends to smell. (Fang, I’m going to get you for that! -M) 

Fang: is also fourteen, and is always there if Max breaks into an emotional struggle. He is also very hot and sexy with his dark looks and wings. (Okay, the first sentence is true. Not too sure about the second. -M) However, his preference in girls seems to be red haired pretty girls, though some say he is in love with Max. (…Angel, please don’t write about what I think. And Fang doesn’t love me -M) (They are both truueee! -A)

Ian: also fourteen. Some scientists tried to make him be able to see in the dark, but it failed and caused total blindness. (Do you think we will scare others with this sentence, Nudge? -I) (Well, we should let them know that we are just like them with being experimented on. -N) (Hah! You said Total, like our dog’s name! -G) He usually wears glasses, and can be found playing practical jokes on the teachers with Gazzy.

Nudge: eleven years old. She has dark skin, and absolutely loves fashion. (And fashion, fashion, AND EVEN MORE FASHION!! -N) (I’m glad that this is a rough draft, because we aren’t putting that in there on the final. -M)

Gazzy: eight years. His name is short for the Gasman, which is because his farts are deadly. His typical practical joke on the teachers is to set off stinkbombs (They ruuuuuleeee! -G)

Angel: six years. She has hit the mutant jackpot, for she can read minds and do other things that are talented. (Aww, you make me blush. -A) She happens to know what is going on, so she’ll know if there is a traitor among us and who likes who in this group. She also seems to get whatever she wants, making her a sweet, yet spoiled brat. (Gaaaaazzzzyyyy! You too, Fang, I heard from you that you gave him that idea! -A)

So there you have it! We have been experimented on, put into dog crates, and tested on. Now, after four years of hiding, our foster dad is gone, Angel goes missing, we have to face our worst fear (school), and we all have the desires of wanting to be normal. Oh, did we also mention that we are being chased by boys who can turn into dogs, including a used to be cute three year old? Now we’re on the run, but if you want to join, contact Fang on his blog and we’ll come get you.

-Megan V., 9th grade

Book Review: The Maze Runner, by James Dashner

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maze_runner_coverIn celebration of the upcoming movie adaption of this exciting novel, I thought I would review the first book in this trilogy.

This dsytopian adventure is full of mystery and suspense, set in a chilling sort of “captivity” where young boys (and boys only) live in the middle of a dangerous maze that no one’s escaped or survived. The protagonist, Thomas arrives one day in “The Box” with no memory of anything and is immediately puzzled and disturbed by this place.

The boys live a puzzling life of trying to survive and attempting to make it out of the maze, with no idea of anything at all or who they are. The maze, which several of the boys try to brave but never make it out alive, holds terrifying creatures called Grievers.

One day, the disturbing cycle of everyday life is interrupted by the shocking arrival of- a girl. She brings a strange cryptic message before passing out. With her arrival, everything is shaken up. What happens then… you’ll have to read the book to find out.

This novel, although a bit slow at times, was a generally thrilling book that will keep you on the edge of your seat with a thousand questions running through your mind. Unfortunately, these questions are barely or not even answered in the first book, but the second and third ones do address them, and let me tell you – they will shock and excite and are not to be missed.

If you are a fan of dystopian stories like The Hunger Games or Divergent, I highly recommend this book (as well as the rest of the trilogy) for an entertaining suspense-filled read. Plus, you’ll be prepared for the upcoming movie, in theaters everywhere this September!

-Rachel L.,10th grade