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3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
I once tried to listen to Jim Dale read the first Harry Potter book, and stopped less than an hour in. I won't say I've been completely won over to his voice, but it did feel well-suited to this fantasy/time travel adventure, particularly the voices of the dwarves!
While the story itself didn't feel completely original, it did have a few elements that made it feel fresh. I enjoyed the combination of traditional children's fantasy (the evil Countess and her frightening creatures, the dwarves, the children setting off on a quest/adventure) and time travel, which I tend to think of as it's own category (traveling to an actual time in our history, as opposed to traveling to a time in a fantastical history). Some of the characters felt a bit flat at times, and I occasionally had trouble remembering which child had which adventure. Apart from that, an enjoyable story that I'll recommend to my legions of fantasy fans.
Source: my public library
While the story itself didn't feel completely original, it did have a few elements that made it feel fresh. I enjoyed the combination of traditional children's fantasy (the evil Countess and her frightening creatures, the dwarves, the children setting off on a quest/adventure) and time travel, which I tend to think of as it's own category (traveling to an actual time in our history, as opposed to traveling to a time in a fantastical history). Some of the characters felt a bit flat at times, and I occasionally had trouble remembering which child had which adventure. Apart from that, an enjoyable story that I'll recommend to my legions of fantasy fans.
Source: my public library
Heard great things about this one, but it was a chore to get through. Flat characters and lots of copy cat elements from other fantasy classics like HP and Narnia. Maybe the kids will like it though...
adventurous
sad
medium-paced
Great YA read
Loved everything about it. Am looking forward to reading the others in the series. Along with everything else by the author.
Loved everything about it. Am looking forward to reading the others in the series. Along with everything else by the author.
I listened to this as an audio book and would definitely recommend it. The narrator does a fantastic job. The story was an enjoyable young adult adventure story. It was described to be as a combination of A Series of Unfortunate Events and Narnia, which I think is accurate. I will continue the series.
We ALL (ages 9 to 45) loved this one! It had a little bit of everything... science, magic, time travel and dwarves! It was very well written on at a fairly high level.
Not impressed. Couldn't hold my interest.
I kept wandering off in my head to other places.
I kept wandering off in my head to other places.
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
4.5. I really really enjoyed this book, especially on audio read by Jim Dale, of Harry Potter renown. The story kept me engaged the whole time, lots of interesting world building and action. Many moments almost made me tear up, they were so touching. I loved all the characters. I can't wait to read the next one in the series!
I started this with a fair amount of skepticism. Considering this has all the hallmarks of the usual derivative fantasy: "children of destiny", a missing magical object upon which the safety of the world hangs in the balance, a very evil bad person, an angelic good person, DWARVES, a wizard, etc etc...really, I should have been rolling my eyes so hard they fell out. But I wasn't. I really, really liked it. The place and time feel like the present, and yet not quite (in what Baltimore is there an Edgar Allen Poe Home for Incorrigible Orphans? love that). The three children who have such a magical destiny are normal squabbling siblings who just wish they could find their parents, or at least a better place to live. The dwarves are the highlight in humor, entering the story as they do after some very serious monster encounters. And yet this is not comic fantasy. Frightening things happen, and the children must discover their strengths and trust in each other to make it through. I look forward to the next tale, to see how this author builds his story. Very curious! (written Nov 2010)
***a shout-out for the audio book, read by Jim Dale. I'm ready to go on to the next one now.
***a shout-out for the audio book, read by Jim Dale. I'm ready to go on to the next one now.