Book Review: Rogue Knight makes you expect the unexpected

Hi everyone. Time for another review.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Story:
Cole, Mira, Twitch, and Jace travel to the kingdom of Elloweer to find Mira's sister Honor, whose star has appeared in the knight sky. Along the way they encounter enforcers of the High King, determined to capture and bring them before the evil monarch. Just before they arrive in Elloweer they hear of a mysterious monster that's causing problems in the kingdom, and the mysterious Rogue Knight has been unseating knights from power, much to the government's disdain. As they travel through Elloweer the friends will meet old and new friends, encounter powerful enemies, and learn secrets that will leave none of them unscathed.
When I was reading Sky Raiders the kingdom of Sambria really took imagination to the extreme. In Elloweer, enchantments and illusion reign supreme. Nothing is what it seems and surprises lurk around every corner. Just when you think you've got something figured out an unexpected twist occurs. The Five Kingdoms series is definitely not your average fantasy series, and a ride you do not want to miss. If you enjoyed the Beyonders series then you'll want to read this book because it shows although on different worlds the two series are part of the same universe.
Caution:
Characters are in peril. A kid gets abducted. Animals appear to devour a man, but turns up fine. Knights fight and kill people. In a dreamscape characters get chased by monsters. A witch-like beast takes possession of people.
Lessons:
Don't rush to judgement. Things are not always as they appear. Be cautious with what information you share with others, because you never know who you're talking to. Nobility and honor comes in all shapes and sizes. Always remember who you are. Never give up on those you love or yourself. We all have hidden talents and gifts that can benefit everyone.

Birthday update

Hi everyone. I thought I should take the time to change course from my traditional book reviewing and blog about how my birthday went. I'm sure all of you deserve a change on this blog.
This year I turned twenty-four. I had a hope as to what I would find that day, and I was not disappointed. My brothers got me a double-feature of How to Train Your Dragon 2 with the bonus short Dawn of the Dragon Racers. I was really happy to see that. I also got a new watch since my old one broke. I did buy myself some DVDs from the bookstore too: Quest for Camelot and Brave. I thought it would be best to find stories revolving around my English-Scottish heritage. Of course that doesn't mean I can't enjoy other stories based on other nationalities as well.
Anyway, back to my birthday for fun we went to the Museum of Ancient Life. I wanted to show my brothers how it was designed. We had fun while we were there. There was a place where we could put together our own dinosaur. We ended up making a six-legged, four-headed (three at the front, one where the tail should've been) dinosaur. Josh dubbed the creature a Chimerasaurus. We all enjoyed the interactive exhibits.
For dinner we ate at a restaurant called Golden Corral. We hadn't been there for a while, and we always enjoyed the buffet. I have to admit I was embarrassed when people came and sung Happy Birthday to me. I don't know how kids can handle it. If anyone finds out please let me know. I would love to know.
Well that's it for now. Sorry for the lack of pictures. I'll try to make sure I have a way to transfer pictures from my phone onto my blog in the future. Maybe I can try to figure that out this week and post some of the videos and photos on here.

Review: Tanar of Pellucidar is a swashbuckling romantic adventure

Hi everyone. I was able to finish another story, which means I can give you yet another review. This continues one of my favorite series by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Story:
While talking to a fan on the surface, Edgar Rice Burroughs receives a message from Perry in Pellucidar. The empire he and David Innes helped set up has been attacked by pirate-like Korsars, vicious men who kill for the sake of it. They've taken several Pellucidarians captive, including Tanar, Prince of Sari. While Tanar is among the Korsars he encounters the beautiful Stellara. Along the way the two of them will face Korsars, prehistoric beasts, even the undead, but nothing can prepare them for the greatest foe they will encounter on their adventures: their feelings for each other.
I enjoy the adventures in the primordial world of Pellucidar, and this adventure was interesting. I enjoyed seeing more of the seas and islands of Pellucidar, and here Burroughs takes the opportunity to create a swashbuckling tale in a prehistoric world. How often do you get to read about that? For romantics out there the story has plenty of elements for a romantic story, but those who don't care it doesn't get carried away. The only problem I really had was the pacing. Burroughs could've taken the time to expound on the story. The adventures of Tanar could've been expounded to another book, especially at the end. It seems that he probably planned to write about those exploits at a later time, but never did. Maybe someday someone will be asked to expound on those adventures, but for now we can use our imaginations to decide what happened, and enjoy the stories he's given us.
Caution:
Korsars threaten the characters. Swashbuckling action abound. Characters encounter zombies that try to eat them.
Lessons:
When dating we should learn to understand each other's feelings. The greatest form of love is to be willing to give our lives for another.

Review: Drums of Desolation raises the stakes

Hi everyone. Time for another of those reviews I meant to do. This book I've been waiting for a while to read, and I was not disappointed.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Story:
The story continues with the Hawkins/Plimpton family scattered across time and space, some being in ancient Israel, the rest being at different parts of ancient America, and neither side of the world is safe from harm. While Josh and Marcos pursue the sorcerer Akish the majority of the family is preparing to witness the battle that will close the chapter on one of America's civilizations. Danger abounds everywhere, as darkness encircles the family many will find their faith tested like nothing they've faced before.
If you haven't read the first books in the series this won't make a lot of sense. What really got me excited was now this series ties in with the books Passage to Zarahemla and Escape from Zarahemla. Chris Heimerdinger combines elements of fantasy and science fiction into the stories while doing extensive research to create the ancient worlds. The stories do tend to get dark at times, but it shows how devastating evil can be upon a people.
Caution:
A sword tries to lead someone astray. Ancient American warriors threaten the characters, and may appear intimidating at times. A jaguar kills men. A man is hanged. People drown and are threatened by a mammoth. Warriors fight and kill each other. Sorcerers use dark powers to try and kill the characters and monsters are seen.
Lessons:
Parents might want to use this book to show how secret combinations can destroy civilizations. We may not understand why things happen to us, but we can trust that it will work out in the end. Through faith in the Lord our weaknesses can become our strengths. The Lord will not desert us in our time of need.

Review: King's Ride is an entertaining uplifting adventure

Hi everyone. I know I haven't been blogging a lot. I hadn't had a lot to blog about. I did have a birthday this week. Maybe I'll tell you about it later, but for now I've got some reviews to do. First up is Legends of Astarkand: King's Ride.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Story:
Picking up where A Shadow on the Land left off, Bjorn Horsa finds himself needing to become the king that Astarkand needs. However not everyone is pleased with the changes. The evil elf Vodan, or Woden as the people of Astarkand call him, knows that if Bjorn is crowned king he will lose all power over the land, and he's determined to not let that happen. There are people in the court who also don't want to see Bjorn become their king, and seek to try to get Olaf's heir Weinolf to take the throne. Will Bjorn be able to unite the people during his ride to Hearthing or will Vodan succeed to keep Astarkand in fear of himself?
This book covers important problems that most people ignore when writing of kings ascending the throne. Not everyone will be thrilled of some stranger from another land becoming their new ruler. Krystine Kercher not only captures the reality of opposition in this novel, but she also shows the power of goodness against the forces of darkness. Also if you enjoy reading about mythical creatures you're in for a treat because here we get to see creatures like elves and mermaids.
Caution:
An elf casts spells which may frighten some people. People gather peasants into an army which frighten people.
Lessons:
Prayer can be a powerful weapon to ward off the influences of evil. We can find peaceful solutions to problems. We should love our family.

Book review: Spirit Animals: Tales of the Great Beasts builds the world and history of Erdas

Well Halloween has come and gone and I wasn't able to do any related blog posts. For that I am sorry. I meant to get this up yesterday but got distracted playing Skyrim. Anyway, here's my review of the latest book in the Spirit Animals series:

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Story:
Tales of the Great Beasts gives us stories revolving around the Great Beasts that if you've been reading the series are referred to as the Four Fallen: Jhi the Panda, Briggan the Wolf, Essix the Falcon, and Uraza the Leopard. The book spans the first war against the Devourer/the Reptile King and the forces of the Conquerors, from how it started all the way to the end. We see ordinary kids rise up to the challenge of helping their families, friends, and their homes against the darkness and how the Great Beasts got involved in the war. Everyone has their own problems, human and Great Beast alike, but both work to overcome their challenges to save Erdas at great sacrifice.
I like how the series encourages friendship and teamwork, and the layout of this book was clever. Five authors, including the author who started the series, each contribute a story involving one of the Great Beasts and each have found a way to make the stories unique while fitting together perfectly. The views switch from first person to third person depending on which story you're reading, but that helps to build the story by giving opinions and showing how this war affects everyone.
Caution:
Animals and people fight and do get hurt. A snake possesses people. A woman adjusts her teeth to match those of her Spirit Animal, which may be disturbing to some. A leopard threatens to eat people, and injures some. Wolves attack people, though nothing graphic is described. A snake and a gorilla get really violent. A boy is sick and sometimes coughs up blood.
Lessons:
We can overcome our differences and learn to work together. There is no greater act of love than to give your life for another. We must not let personal ambition lead us down the wrong path. Parents might want to use the Bile as a comparison to the dangers of taking drugs when reading with their children.