Review: The Black Reckoning

The Books of Beginning trilogy has come to close with The Black Reckoning. I have been waiting on the edge of my seat for this title since The Fire Chronicle came out in 2012. If you are unfamiliar with The Books of Beginning series by John Stephens, please do not jump into book three without listening (or reading) The Emerald Atlas and The Fire Chronicle. Each book picks up the story after the other ends. Characters from previous books also return (or continue) their appearance(s) in book three.

It's such a fantastic story! It's a book that I don't want to describe; I just want other people to read it. Stephens takes the reader on an emotional roller coaster - sweet surprises, bitter ends, hilarious circumstances, and terrifying traps. One character described the adventures as a great swelling of the heart following by heartbreak and I can only agree. Their statement wrapped up the storyline so well. I laughed, I cried, I lived another life and visited a new place. Okay, a lot of new places. There is a quite a bit of traveling in each of these books. I would recommend The Black Reckoning to middlers, teens, and adults. It's so good! Well done storytelling, Mr. Stephens!

Jim Dale narrates The Black Reckoning as well as the previous titles. He is one of the top rated audiobook narrators. He's very consistent with his voices in this book as well as in the series. Dale shares believable emotions as well as male and female characters. Well done storytelling, Mr. Dale!

Reviewed from a library copy.

Audio Book Details...
The Black Reckoning by John Stephens
Series: Book 3, The Books of Beginning
Read by Jim Dale
Produced by Listening Library
Number of Discs: 11
Total Time: 13 Hours
ISBN: 978030791517

P.S. Now that The Books of Beginning series is complete, what will John Stephens do next!?

Review: Rogue Knight

Rogue Knight by Brandon Mull


Cole, Mira, Twitch, and Jace escaped the Sky Raiders and defeated Mira's shaping power. They are on their way to Elloweer. Their goal is to find Mira's sister, Honor. Her star in the sky came out, then disappeared. She needs her help, but only Mira saw the sign.

Rogue Knight picks up where Sky Raiders left off. If you can't remember the whole story of book one, I would highly recommend re-listening to Sky Raiders. I started with the last disc of book one and it helped immensely.

Rogue Knight was just as captivating as Sky Raiders. Elloweer's shaping power is different, so the group meets new friends and enemies along their travels. Cole also comes in contact with others not from the Outskirts. (I don't want to give anything away!) In addition to meeting others who help (or hurt) the young warriors, share more information about themselves. The story is slowly unfolding, but there is so much more to come!

Mull wraps up Rogue Knight well. There is humor, magic, battles, and surprises. I didn't feel that there was a cliff hanger, which I appreciated! I'm still invested in the story and the characters, so an intense cliff hanger is not needed. As with the first book, middlers will enjoy this adventurous tale, but younger ones might be unprepared for the battle scenes. I would advise adults to preview the tale for any nervous younger readers. It's reported that the next title comes soon. Mark your calendars, readers! I know it's on my to-read list.

Keith Nobbs returns to read Rogue Knight! I think he maintained his characters well. It was a good listen. I think Callista's voice might have been my favorite in this book. I hope that he will return for the next title in the series, Crystal Keepers.

Reviewed from an Audiobook Jukebox copy. Thank you, Simon & Schuster Audio!

Audio Book Details...
Rogue Knight by Brandon Mull
Series: Book 2, Five Kingdoms
Read by Keith Nobbs
Produced by Simon & Schuster Audio
Number of Discs: 11
Total Time: 13 hours, 39 minutes
ISBN: 9781442372535

Sky Raiders

Sky Raiders by Brandon Mull


A haunted house on Halloween goes horribly wrong! Cole and his friends wanted a holiday adventure, but their haunted house hosts take them to another world called the Outskirts. Cole desires to rescue his friends, but he needs more help. The best options are survival and gathering more information about The Five Kingdoms.

Brandon Mull's newest titles, Sky Raiders, is the start of a fantastical adventure in a place called The Five Kingdoms. He weaves contemporary children into a world of magic, power, slavery, and survival. I greatly appreciated how the character of Cole jumped into a new world and needs to inquire about the place where he now lives. It's not out of place questioning throughout the story, so the reader understands the world at the same pace as Cole.

Danger lurks around every corner, but it shouldn't make your hair stand on end. Most dangerous elements in the Five Kingdoms leads to death, so it is best to have a Plan B and learn as much as you can of the new world. Everything cannot be revealed in this first title and Deklan shared it well, "you don't need to understand everything about a world to live in it."

Middlers will enjoy this adventurous tale, but younger ones might be unprepared for the battle and death scenes. I would advise adults to preview the tale for any nervous younger readers.

The story wraps up well as one adventures leads into the next. The cliff hanger is present, but for me, it was a gentler one compared to other titles I've enjoyed. It's reported that the next title comes out later this year. Mark your calendars, readers!

Keith Nobbs shares Brandon Mull's book. I previously heard him read the Keepers of the School series. He has a pleasant tenor voice with different character voices throughout the text. My favorite accents were the Irish ones. Those were such a wonderful surprise! To maintain consistency, I hope Nobbs will return to read the other Five Kingdoms novels.


Reviewed from an Audiobook Jukebox copy. Thank you, Simon & Schuster Audio!


Audio Book Details...
Sky Raiders by Brandon Mull
Series: Book 1, Five Kingdoms
Read by Keith Nobbs
Produced by Simon & Schuster Audio
Number of Discs: 11
Total Time: 12 hours, 30 minutes
ISBN: 9781442367678

The Son of Neptune

The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan


The Heroes of Olympus return! In the previous novel, The Lost Hero, a new camper arrived at Camp Half-Blood. The Son of Neptune picks up the other half of the story with the reappearance of our good friend Percy Jackson. Instead of returning to Camp Half-Blood, he is drawn to the Roman camp. His memories are gone, but his new friends help me maintain his grip on reality and even team up on a quest to the Alaska, the edge of the world!

Riordan is very compelling writer. I started listening to The Lightning Thief with the intent to become familiar with the series. I never thought to continue. Yet, here is a review for book two of series two. Riordan's books are excellent reads for tweens, teens, and adults. On a side note, recently watching The Eagle (2011) helped my understanding of Romans and their dedication to the eagle (pictured on the front of the novel).

Joshua Swanson returns as the reader. I appreciated that the selected reader for the series is consistent, but Swanson is not my preferred voice actor. I have grown accustomed to his renditions, but they fall flat for me. You might wonder why I bother to continue to listen rather than read. I began the Olympian series as audiobooks, so I must finish the series as an audiobook. It's consistency.

Reviewed from a library copy.

Audio Book Details...
The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan
Series: Book 2, Heroes of Olympus
Read by Joshua Swanson
Produced by Listening Library
Number of Discs: 11
Total Time: 13 hours, 28 minutes

Fablehaven

Brandon Mull created the world of Fablehaven in 2006. The idea of a sanctuary for mystical creatures intrigued me and I set the book on my "to-read" list. It wasn't until I discovered the audiobook of Fablehaven at the library in 2009. What a great solution! I will listen to Fablehaven. I was blown away by the story and the narrator E. B. Stevens. I was also thrilled to have jumped in late as a reader. I only needed to wait one year for the last installment of Fablehaven. I don't want to give too much information away, but I want to interest every reader (or listener) to find Fablehaven and enjoy Mull's creation.

Fablehaven opens with Seth and Kendra being dropped off at their Grandparent's home. They have never been there and they would rather not be there. Grandpa welcomes his grandchildren and shares a mystery with Kendra. Kendra uncovers a secret and precocious Seth follows right along (at least when he's not running ahead and getting into trouble). When the siblings realize the enormity of Fablehaven's existance, there is no going back to living normal. Their journey continues as they meet friends, enemies, creatures of light and creatures of dark. Friends and loved ones come and go, but Fablehaven needs to stand so the Sorenson family has a home and the world will not be overrun by dark creatures.

I could listen to this series over and over again. Mull's play with words is fantastic. He doesn't use simple words for little listeners (or readers). Adults, teens and tweens will enjoy these novels. Similar to Rowling, Mull doesn't shy away from difficult subjects including betrayal, loss and battle. As people have stated for years..."I laughed, I cried, it was great!"

The narrator, E. B. Stevens is amazing. Stevens created so much feeling with each character. Some characters required a some computer enhancing, but it did not take away from the storyline. I believe it enhanced the characters. Stevens creativity places next to Jim Dale in my book. I look forward to hearing Stevens' voices again.

Fablehaven (2006)
8 CDs and 9 hrs, 30 mins
Rise of the Evening Star (2007)
10 CDs and 12 hrs
Grip of the Shadow Plague (2008)
11 CDs and 13.6 hrs
Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary (2009)
12 CDs and 15.6 hrs
Keys to the Demon Prison (2010)
14 CDs and 17 hrs, 45 mins