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olivialandryxo 's review for:
The Storm Runner
by J.C. Cervantes
3.5 stars
The Storm Runner is the first book I’ve read from Rick Riordan’s publishing imprint, Rick Riordan Presents, and it was a fun read. It reminded me of my carefree childhood days reading Percy Jackson, and this was unexpectedly nostalgic.
I really liked all of the Maya mythology. I knew essentially nothing about any of their gods or myths before reading, and while I know a novel like this is not intended to educate, I did learn quite a few things. The best part, in my opinion, is that there’s a Maya goddess of chocolate. Sure, it’s mostly irrelevant, but it’s interesting nonetheless.
I also liked the characters. Zane was a snarky protagonist I couldn’t help but root for. He has a bad leg and uses a cane, and while that does impact his life, it isn’t the entirety of his character. He’s also Latinx, but as I am neither Latinx nor disabled, I cannot speak on either representation.
The side characters were interesting as well. Zane’s family is so supportive, though his mother is absent for most of the novel and his quest. I liked his uncle Hondo, a younger man obsessed with wrestling and determined to help Zane no matter what. Brooks was a mysterious companion that piqued my curiosity. However, my favorite was undeniably Rosie, the three-legged boxer-Dalmatian mix that Zane found, abandoned, and gave a home. She was the sweetest doggo and I’m glad things worked out, at least in that regard.
It becomes clear fairly quickly that Zane has a crush on Brooks. While I don’t have anything against romantic storylines, I appreciate that Cervantes put the plot first. I’m not sure a romance won’t develop in forthcoming novels, but for now, it was nice to read a story sans romance.
My biggest issue with this novel was the pacing. As intriguing as the story was, much of the middle dragged and I even considered DNFing. It was only my curiosity that made me push through, and upon finishing I do believe this could’ve been shortened. The ebook was nearly 630 pages, and that really didn’t seem necessary.
All in all, The Storm Runner was an enjoyable Middle Grade novel, but I don’t think I’ll read the next installment.
Representation:
• Zane, the protagonist, is Latinx and disabled; he uses a cane when walking.
CW: death of pet
The Storm Runner is the first book I’ve read from Rick Riordan’s publishing imprint, Rick Riordan Presents, and it was a fun read. It reminded me of my carefree childhood days reading Percy Jackson, and this was unexpectedly nostalgic.
I really liked all of the Maya mythology. I knew essentially nothing about any of their gods or myths before reading, and while I know a novel like this is not intended to educate, I did learn quite a few things. The best part, in my opinion, is that there’s a Maya goddess of chocolate. Sure, it’s mostly irrelevant, but it’s interesting nonetheless.
I also liked the characters. Zane was a snarky protagonist I couldn’t help but root for. He has a bad leg and uses a cane, and while that does impact his life, it isn’t the entirety of his character. He’s also Latinx, but as I am neither Latinx nor disabled, I cannot speak on either representation.
The side characters were interesting as well. Zane’s family is so supportive, though his mother is absent for most of the novel and his quest. I liked his uncle Hondo, a younger man obsessed with wrestling and determined to help Zane no matter what. Brooks was a mysterious companion that piqued my curiosity. However, my favorite was undeniably Rosie, the three-legged boxer-Dalmatian mix that Zane found, abandoned, and gave a home. She was the sweetest doggo and I’m glad things worked out, at least in that regard.
It becomes clear fairly quickly that Zane has a crush on Brooks. While I don’t have anything against romantic storylines, I appreciate that Cervantes put the plot first. I’m not sure a romance won’t develop in forthcoming novels, but for now, it was nice to read a story sans romance.
My biggest issue with this novel was the pacing. As intriguing as the story was, much of the middle dragged and I even considered DNFing. It was only my curiosity that made me push through, and upon finishing I do believe this could’ve been shortened. The ebook was nearly 630 pages, and that really didn’t seem necessary.
All in all, The Storm Runner was an enjoyable Middle Grade novel, but I don’t think I’ll read the next installment.
Representation:
• Zane, the protagonist, is Latinx and disabled; he uses a cane when walking.
CW: death of pet