Plot: A gypsy boy lives with his sister and her little girls in trailers, wherever they can find a place to park. He uses his natural fighting instincts to protect his family against anyone who dares provoke them. When the police want him to infiltrate an illegal bare-fisted fighting business, he has to choose to either work for those he's avoided all his years or earn money for a house by taking part in the fighting.
Comments: this book is good for when you want to read something real yet surreal, something entertaining and dangerous. This book had action, a plot, and well rounded characters. I like the main character, Freedom; I like the way he talks, how he acts, and the decisions he makes. His nieces add something sweet and innocent to a story that would otherwise be all action and a fast-paced, dangerous plot. Some characters aren't easy to imagine, however, like Wren, and Freedom's brother-in-law.
The plot is very creative and it poses a problem that could very well be real, and probably is or was. It's an interesting mix of plain, dirty, illegal boxing and elaborate, cruel, illegal experiments. Science and macho-ness. I like the ending, but I think Wren changes sides too often and there isn't a whole lot of room for Java to be in the story after the book (not a sequel, just carrying on the story).
Rating: I shall give this book a seven and a half out of ten.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Mariah Mundi: The Midas Box by G. P. Taylor
Plot: a boy, Mariah, and a girl, Sacha, working at a famous hotel discover a dark secret that the hotel owner is hiding. They begin to realize why all the boys previously working in Mariah's position disappear, unfailingly, and where they have all gone. Meanwhile, the hotel owner finds out they are close to learning his secret, and begins a mad chase to the finish.
Comments: I liked this book, and it's good for a rainy day. The characters are mostly well rounded, easy to imagine, and life-like. The plot was very creative and interesting, and there were a few twists and turns I had not forseen, creating a sense of mystery. I can easily imagine that this book is really a story that actually happened, which I like. The character names are occasionally confusing, especially in the beginning, since in my experience, Mariah is a girl's name.
The secret is very interesting, and fits nicely into the puzzle of the plot. In my opinion, some of the questions were not answered at the ending, which left it a little bit confusing. This book was entertaining and witty, and it made me smile.
Rating: I rate this book a seven and a half out of ten.
Comments: I liked this book, and it's good for a rainy day. The characters are mostly well rounded, easy to imagine, and life-like. The plot was very creative and interesting, and there were a few twists and turns I had not forseen, creating a sense of mystery. I can easily imagine that this book is really a story that actually happened, which I like. The character names are occasionally confusing, especially in the beginning, since in my experience, Mariah is a girl's name.
The secret is very interesting, and fits nicely into the puzzle of the plot. In my opinion, some of the questions were not answered at the ending, which left it a little bit confusing. This book was entertaining and witty, and it made me smile.
Rating: I rate this book a seven and a half out of ten.
The Tiger's Apprentice by Laurence Yep
Book One in The Tiger's Apprentice series.
Plot: A Chinese-American boy, a tiger, a monkey, and a dragon together guard a powerful talisman from an evil being. If the artifact falls into the wrong hands, the world would be destroyed.
Comments: this book was ok, good for a lazy day with nothing to do. The characters were pretty well rounded, and I like how some characters were pulled from different stories (namely the monkey, from a famous old Asian story). I don't like how the boy reacts to all that happens. He doesn't want to help guard the talisman, and he's rude and ungrateful to the sacrifices that others make.
The descriptions of the characters and setting were good, and I could imagine myself in the story, watching the plot unfold in front of me. The plot is creative, but I think it begins too fast. The reader knows nothing when they are plunged into a battle at the start of the story, and though that's purposeful, it's a little annoying. All in all, this book was not very entertaining.
Rating: I rate this book a five and a half out of ten.
Plot: A Chinese-American boy, a tiger, a monkey, and a dragon together guard a powerful talisman from an evil being. If the artifact falls into the wrong hands, the world would be destroyed.
Comments: this book was ok, good for a lazy day with nothing to do. The characters were pretty well rounded, and I like how some characters were pulled from different stories (namely the monkey, from a famous old Asian story). I don't like how the boy reacts to all that happens. He doesn't want to help guard the talisman, and he's rude and ungrateful to the sacrifices that others make.
The descriptions of the characters and setting were good, and I could imagine myself in the story, watching the plot unfold in front of me. The plot is creative, but I think it begins too fast. The reader knows nothing when they are plunged into a battle at the start of the story, and though that's purposeful, it's a little annoying. All in all, this book was not very entertaining.
Rating: I rate this book a five and a half out of ten.
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