Summary: Young Adult fantasy series that is well-plotted, character-driven, and relatable. I first read the Gateway Chronicles series about four years ago. That is long enough ago that I have forgotten a lot of the specific plot details and twists, but I still remember the broad strokes. As I re-read the series, it felt like … Read more
Summary: The final chapter. Writing about the final book of a series is always difficult. I assume most people reading this have not necessarily read the previous five books in the series. (But you should and they are The Six, The Oracle, The White Thread, The Enchanted, and The Scroll). I want to give enough … Read more
Takeaway: Well-crafted stories are a joy! The Scroll is the fifth book in the series. Discussing the book without giving away some spoilers from earlier books is impossible. So, if you have not read the earlier books, you may want to stop and read my reviews (in order) of The Six, The Oracle, The White … Read more
Summary: The last book ended in tragedy. Now Darcy, and the others want to fix their error. The problem with reviewing a series is that the longer into the series, the harder it is to discuss the book without giving away important plot points from earlier books that are essential to the describing the story … Read more
Summary: Does the prophecy (which says that the six will overcome the evil) really mean what it seems to mean. Young Adult fantasy is a popular category for both adults and teens/pre-teens. It is common to ridicule it, but there is something comforting about YA Fantasy. As I have thought about it previously, and written … Read more
Summary: Young adult fantasy that knows the conventions of the genre, but isn’t reduced to them. Thirteen year old Darcy Pennington doesn’t have any friends. Her real love in life is horses. For the past several years she has gone to a summer camp dedicated to riding horses. But this year, both because of financial … Read more
Summary: Classic children’s fantasy. I think probably the best children’s epic fantasy series. Reading the excellent Gateway Chronicles this year has made me a little nostalgic for the fantasy that I read in my youth, mostly Prydain Chronicles and L’Engle’s Time Quintet. (There is much fantasy that I read in my youth that I have … Read more
Summary: On the fourth return to Alitheia, Darcy realizes she has fallen in love with Prince (soon to be King) Tellius. But each of their own desires to protect the other keeps them apart. The Gateway Chronicles has reminded me of the advantages of waiting until a series is done before starting it. That is not … Read more
Summary: I read it (a sixth time?) through my kids’ eyes, who were reading/listening for the first time. I love reading books to my kids, a lot more than my kids love being read to. I didn’t write about it here, but I started Wrinkle in Time a couple months ago and my kids did … Read more
Summary: A retelling of a Siberian folktale. I have come to The Carver and the Queen because I have begun to follow the work of Owl’s Nest Publishers. It is a relatively new small publisher (about 2-3 years old). One of the founders is the author, KB Hoyle, and I am a big fan of … Read more