Tag Archives: fantasy

Manga Review: Elemental Gelade, vol. 2, by Mayumi Azuma

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elemental_gelade2Note: this manga contains mature content and may be best suited for an older teen audience.

The second volume of Elemental Gelade takes place mere seconds after the first volume ends. The tyrant is holding onto Ren and Cou is having a minor breakdown over the fact that his Edel Raid is saying horrible things about him, and that she is considering working for the enemy. After Ren uses her powers to blind the leader; his Edel raid is now hurt and betrayed that he would choose to pick the “object” he was about to sell over her, and he lashes out at her to work properly. This gives Cou and Ren time to unify and she turns into her weapon form. They take care of the bad guy with haste and they all leave the village. The steam factory is destroyed and the windmill is spinning again providing free power to the villagers.

The story of this issue is given far more room to work with than in the first volume, as there is already a basis for the plot and characters are defined well, with more depth. The comedy in issue is also slightly better, but still the main focus is on the characters and the action– and there is plenty of action.

Out of the first two, this is the better issue and if you were only “meh” on the first issue give the second one a try. It broadens the universe and frankly it’s worth checking out if you liked the first enough to finish it. (See my review of volume 1 here.)

Overall: 8/10. A great read.

-Cameron S., 12th grade

Book Review: The Merchant of Death, by D.J. MacHale

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pendragon1_coverBobby Pendragon is a seemingly normal teenage boy living in Stony Brook, Connecticut. He has everything going for him: the girl of his dreams, good grades, and a position on the basketball team. But his life is about to be thrown upside down.

When Bobby’s Uncle Press shows up at his door and whisks him off to a flume, or a portal to different worlds, his life takes a huge turn for the worst. The next thing Bobby knows, he’s thrown into a parallel universe, fighting for his life. He comes face-to-face with monsters and despicable villains, and he also learns the true meanings of courage and sacrifice.

D.J. MacHale’s novel Pendragon: The Merchant of Death is a good example of a coming-of-age book. Bobby and his friends must learn the true meaning of friendship, loyalty, maturity, and sacrifice for the greater good. The tight bond they share is shown to be stronger than the obstacles they face. MacHale’s book delivers many messages to adolescents to help them through a difficult time in their lives and does it in a way that captures the minds of the readers and keeps their interest.

This series has many fantasy aspects to it, similar to books like Harry Potter. However, these books are shorter and written to appeal more to the teenage mind. McHale gives the readers a story where a normal teenager goes from being nothing more than an average student and star basketball player to being an important figure who has to help save not just the world, but the universe.

The reader is shown the doubt and fear Bobby faces throughout the book, and how he must grapple with the new responsibility and experiences. This shows adolescent readers that it is all right to be scared, but that doing the right thing is a part of growing up and transitioning into adulthood. This book is a must-read for any pre-teen or teenage reader who loves adventure and fantasy.

-Julia D.

Book Review: Dragon Rider, by Cornelia Funke

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dragonrider_coverFiredrake, a brave young dragon, his loyal friend Sorrel, and a lonely boy called Ben are united as if by destiny. Together, they embark on a journey to find Firedrake’s people where he can live forever in peace, safe from humans. With only a strange map and the whispered directions of an old dragon, they fly for miles to reach the highest mountains in the world and face a treacherous adventure along the way.

Throughout the journey, they discover courage they never knew they had and make new friends in unlikely places. At first they bicker and argue amongst themselves, but they must soon learn to cooperate and accept each other for who they are. Just as well, for the greatest enemy of all is never far behind. A monster far more powerful than any of the dragons seeks to destroy all of the dragons.

This book is one of those truly remarkable, beautifully written stories that can warm a person from the inside out. While the writing is brilliantly done, the plot line is rather basic and straightforward, making it a better fit for younger readers while still holding the interest of readers of any age.

Cornelia Funke has taken a common and greatly feared mythological creature and put her own unique and intriguing twist on it. Dragons and other fantasy creatures, such as brownies, dwarves, and talking rats, are cleverly integrated into the plot and help drive the plot, keeping the reader interested for the whole story.

This was one of my favorite stories when I was younger, and the many exciting events that form the adventure of Dragon Rider mean there is never a shortage of action and excitement throughout the chapters. I found myself captivated and hurrying to turn every page. This story will have you cheering on your favorite characters, and it will entrance you in excitement and wonder right up until the end.

-Julia D., 8th grade

Manga Review: Elemental Gelade, vol. 1, by Mayumi Azuma

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elemental_gelade_coverI should start out saying this is my first real manga that I ever read, or at least, entirely to as much as I could. It helped form my current opinions on the style of Japanese comics. It is also the first time in a long time I wanted to skip reading a part in my book.

The main plot of the story is about Eldel Raids, or one of the 7 Glittering Jewels known as Ren. In the Glittering Jewels line, she is the last. She is the only living member now, and this is where the journey begins. After a very good start, I find the middle to be slightly lacking. However, it picks up extremely well when the story takes a sudden twist. Sadly the first issue ends on cliffhanger, but the Mission Viejo Library has all of them available up to issue 9! (Shameless plug.)

Now onto the book itself which is overall very good and done well. The art style isn’t well used outside of the weaponry in my opinion. That being said, when it is used well it is downright fantastic. The weapons all look unique and special giving them all a reason to be remembered. I think the characters could be a bit more fleshed out, but it put them at a great starting point. The story is well crafted in its entirety, and I personally really like it. The next issue is even better, and this one is worth a look.

Overall, I give this volume of Elemental Gelade a 7/10. A great manga. If you think it’s worth a shot I give it a full recommendation.

Book Review: The False Prince

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false_prince_coverThis is my first time writing a blog. Enjoy!

The False Prince, by Jennifer A. Nielsen is a good book for people of all ages. It is a book that quite nicely combines fantasy and mystery, with an added element of suspense that always keeps you hooked.

You, as the reader, discover secrets that would never have even crossed your mind. The False Prince is the kind of book that you’d never want to put down. An excellent book that you wouldn’t want to miss out on, it is the kind of book that just makes you want to read it as often as you can.

At the beginning, our protagonist, Sage, lives in Mrs. Turbeldy’s orphanage for boys. However, one day, a nobleman named Conner comes to the orphanage and buys Sage. Sage meets three other orphan boys: Roden, Tobias, and Latamer. Connor takes the four of them away, and gives hints to what his plan would be: to choose one of the four boys, and have him take the throne that belonged to lost Prince Jaron of Carthya! The reader also learns that whoever isn’t chosen would be killed to protect the secret!

A fantastic book that you wouldn’t want to miss, The False Prince is a book that I highly recommend reading. The False Prince is only the first in the Ascendance trilogy. The second book, The Runaway King, the second book in the series, is just as great. I also recommend reading that one as well.

-Linna C., 6th grade

Book Review: Middleworld, by J&P Voelkel

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middleworld_coverMiddleworld, the first book in The Jaguar Stones series by J & P Voelkel, is a very interesting and exciting book that many teens would enjoy. However, this book is directed towards boys more than girls. If you like action adventure books, this is for you, as it deals with a 14 year old boy named Max Murphy who lives in Boston.

One day, Max is mysteriously sent on a quest to the South American jungle to rescue his missing archeologist parents. Max has a very difficult time, as his biggest talent is playing video games, and he wants nothing to do with nature. On Max’s journey, he teams up with a witty and clever Mayan girl named Lola, who helps Max rescue his parents from the Mayan underworld.

Middleworld has a story within a story, and can be a little confusing in the beginning, as when Max goes to live with his uncle in South America, who Max thinks is in the banana business, but is really a smuggler. Also, Tiny Jim, the uncle’s right hand, seems to hate Max, but surprises the reader at the end of the book.  As this book draws to a close, all of these events will make sense.

There are many funny and scary moments in this book, making the book hard to put down; such as when Max finally faces the Mayan Lords of Death, and has to outsmart them, or when the Mayan villagers play a practical joke on Max by giving him very spicy stew to eat. This book also provides a lot of interesting background information on the Mayan people, and their relics and pyramids, so if one enjoys history, this book will be especially interesting.

Overall, Middleworld is a very exciting book, and I am really looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series.  This book is definitely one that everybody should read, and once they start, I promise that they will not be able to put it down until they are finished.

-Will R., 8th grade

Book Review: Ruby Red, by Kerstin Gier

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ruby_red_coverRuby Red is a fictional love story written by Kerstin Gier. Sixteen-year-old Gwen is a typical girl with a rare gift. Her family carries an extraordinary gene that seems to only pass down the female line. Gwen’s cousin, Charlotte, seems to be the gene carrier, and has been specially trained since the age of eight. When Gwen finds out she is the gene carrier, things get a little out of hand.

Gwen must be trained on such a short notice, while Charlotte has been training for years. An unexpected twist happens when Gwen falls in love with a male gene carrier named Gideon. Gideon is mysterious and doesn’t trust Gwen, as she is a new comer and does not know of the secrets of the chronograph. Most of all, Gideon doesn’t trust the fact that Gwen may be involved with Lucy and Paul, the traders of the gene.

At the end of the story Gwen and Gideon have just returned from their latest mission. The story continues in the next book, Sapphire Blue. This story makes you wonder if time travel can ever be possible. In this trilogy, you will find exciting moments, and twists at every corner.

-Annika C., 6th grade