Synopsis:
"While spending the summer with their grandparents on a remote farm in South Carolina, Ben Alderman and his sister Casey uncover a hidden world of magic; a world their grandmother is secretly visiting. It is a world where elves and dwarves are locked in mortal combat against a witch who is trying to free the last surviving wizard from exile. The witch has been defeated once before but with the combined power of the wizard, no one will be able to stand against them. Much to Ben's dismay, he learns that he is the one foretold in the ancient elfin prophecies to bring about the downfall of the witch and save this exciting new world from destruction." Synopsis from Goodreads.com.
My Review:
We meet Ben and Casey Alderman at the end of the school year. Their mother has been in a coma for 2 years, and their father must go away on business - off to Grandmother's House for the summer! Turns out, there's a bamboo patch on the farm, with a magical Merlin Tree, that transports those who walk through it to the world of Camelot. Camelot is in danger. An evil witch is hunting the thirteenth unicorn, while snakers roam the land.
This is an ok adventure story written for the very young adult crowd. The writing isn't too stellar, and the action is swift at best. Example: "The battle was over as quickly as it had begun." Literally. I wish the battle scenes had been more fleshed out and more exciting, and the danger had been more intense - but as a whole, I liked the concept of the book, and found myself wanting to go to Camelot.
Definitely not recommended for those looking for a literary masterpiece - but for young readers looking to get in to the fantasy genre, it's not a horrible start.
No comments:
Post a Comment