Reviews

Bridge Between Worlds by Darren Shan

spiritedstories08's review against another edition

4.0

As a long time reader of Shan’s work I was not disappointed. I would definitely argue this series should be everyone’s introduction to his works as they’re much more tame than his other series... though that hell Jackal gave me some demonata vibes. This book was a lot of fun, fast paced and I finished it in a few hours. Darren Shan doesn’t disappoint, this reminded me of the world building from cirque du freak I grew so fond of. Just enough that you feel settled in the story but not enough you can predict the turns the story is going to take. I am dying to know more about Inez and the world of of the merge. How do people travel instead of wander? I have a lot of questions. I will be swiftly moving on to volumes two and three. All the elements of this story are well thought out. Well developed characters. Not too many and I feel I know them all. Good world building. And the mix of current world and merged is nothing short of genius.

stewardofbooks's review against another edition

adventurous lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

5.0

 This is such a fun story! I love the idea of the Merge. After the first few pages I thought the story was going to get dark and grim but it ended up being a lot more light-hearted than I expected. 

alreadspurpleprose's review against another edition

4.0

This was a joy to read! Fast paced, innovative and just enough intrigue to make you eager for the next installment. Darren Shan rarely fails to disappoint. 4 stars instead of 5 purely because it didn't WOW me, though as this is a trilogy there's still time. This book was largely a set up to get us used to the world so now that's been established, I can't wait to really get into the meat of the plot.

samsays's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

gizmo_42's review against another edition

5.0

Good read

A great book that draws you in and doesn't reveal much so wants you to carry on reading. A great introduction to the characters

mandyist's review against another edition

5.0

I was very excited when I heard that Darren Shan has a new series out featuring a young locksmith called Archibald Lox. I first discovered Shan's Lord Loss on the YALSA Top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers in 2006 and loved how gory and incredibly addictive it was.

The great news for a self-isolating world is that Shan has released all three books in volume 1 of the Archibald Lox series and the first book Archibald Lox and the Bridge Between Worlds is currently available for free - see DarrenShan.com.

Archibald Lox and the Bridge Between Worlds opens with Archie and his family in a state of grief, shocked at the recent loss of Archie's foster brother Dave. Unable to face another day at school, Archie bunks school and lands up in central London. There he witnesses a young girl being chased by axe and knife-wielding murderers before she disappears. It is at this moment that Archie discovers a whole new universe parallel to our own, a dangerous and fantastical place known as the Merge. Here he discovers that he is a locksmith, equipped with a unique skill that allows him to traverse the Merge and access secret portals.

With the help of his new friend Inez, Archie must traverse the strange and wonderful Merge, assist Inez in her quest and most importantly, stay alive long enough to make it back home.

Archibald Lox and the Bridge Between Worlds is a perfect middle grade book. It has a beautiful cover and an alluring title with the promise of high adventure. Most importantly? I couldn't put it down and read it in almost one sitting, starting last night and finishing at 5am this morning (I did grab some sleep in between).

I know I'm beginning to sound like a broken record but I'm just so damn grateful these days to find a book that grabs my attention from the very first page and manages to keep it long enough for me to actually finish the book. That's not to say there are too few good books out there, it's just that there is too much reality in the world at the moment and I can't concentrate on much.

For grabbing my attention from the very first page and making me excited about a series for the first time in ages, I give Archibald Lox and the Bridge Between Worlds a superb five out of five stars. I would highly recommend to fans of Harry Potter, Garth Nix's Keys to the Kingdom series and William Nicholson's Wind on Fire series.

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marla_arguelles's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious relaxing sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

3.75
It's always a pleasure to read books by Darren Shan.

The beginning of this one was pretty cute, and I was a little surprised when things started to twist (in a dark but good way). 

I understand that this is just an introductory book, and I'm excited to read the next installments. 

vivicusxi's review

adventurous lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

supernovaa's review against another edition

4.0

I thought the book was very interesting, and the world-building was unique, for the most part, I was not confused about what was happening. I like how Archie had flaws and was scared, he's not like most main characters that are not afraid of anything, and I found it easy to relate to him. I thought the concept of coming to the merge if you were murdered as a born was very interesting. It was a quick and easy read, I will definitely try to finish the rest to the series.

mat_tobin's review against another edition

4.0

The first in the Archibald Lox series would be fine for Y6+. Although I feel it might be for slightly older readers, there is nothing too haunting or gory in this first book that young readers might struggle with (except perhaps for those hell jackals...).

As with all Shan's books that I have read, he has an enviously uncanny knack for pace and a gripping sense of narrative. Without a shadow of a doubt, Cirque du Freak was my guaranteed 'reluctant reader' text in Year5+ and I can imagine this Lox series doing the same with slightly older readers. For the following reasons:

Archie Lox is a bit of a social outcast and reluctant hero. Currently in foster care, living in London and internally torn when a friend of his accidentally died, he finds himself a witness to an extraordinary event in which a magical hole opens in the ground and a young woman jumps through it right in the middle of the city streets. Although no one around witnessed the event, save for two looming and dangerous-looking men, Archie did and he suddenly realised that he has a gift: the ability to open doors to different realms that no one in his world can see...

What follows then, is Archie's tour through the Merge - a place riddled with realms that are utterly different to the human realm. As he wanders these places, he joins another on an adventure and Shan uses this to gradually reveal the origins of the Merge and the battles in which he will eventually be involved.

The plotting throughout, the battles and cliff-hanger chapter endings means that, as with his Darren Shan series, the reader is gripped and pulled along at a good place in which the author is in full control of those twists and turns throughout with enough story threads shared to keep you hooked but not enough for the full reveal. It's clever, clever stuff.