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A review by cutenanya
The Reluctant Assassin by Eoin Colfer
4.0
Actual Rating: 3.5 stars
This book reminds me a lot of [b:Time Riders|15792436|Time Riders (Time Riders, #1)|Alex Scarrow|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1344295673s/15792436.jpg|6973444], which is also about a bunch of kids from different time periods all gathered up together by fate and they have to meander through different time streams while their actions trigger changes to the future. Time traveling is always a mystery but I believe it should be possible to leap from one time stream to another. I imagine it as a flying fish, hopping from one river to another river. When the fish is in water, apparently it will flow in the direction of the currents (aka from upstream to downstream). However, when the fish flies, it is no longer bound by the restrictions of the current. It can fly backward to an earlier point in the river, or forward to a position more downstream. In addition, it can also hop into another river and experience a completely different environment.
The mechanism of time traveling does not seem to be the main plot in this story, rather it is learning the truths of their past and fending themselves against the villain that's the main issue. I have no problem with this setup but I have real problems with:
1) Underaged agents working for the FBI: if I am not troubled by time traveling, why would I have issues with FBI recruiting kids to work for them? That's because I am those old fashioned types who think kids should be at school and not be employed as cheap labor (not sure if they're even properly paid).
2) Characterization is another problem for this book: the characters are too flat and too typical in the YA genre. When there are over a million YA books out there, you've got to innovate to stand out. Artemis Fowl & Butler are INTERESTING, they're flawed but unusual. Granted Artemis is totally unrealistic, I still like him and find him worthy of the hero of his own series. Sadly, the same cannot be said of Riley.
3) The plot is too predictable and the villain too one-dimensional wicked. I prefer more complicated villains, not one-sided monsters who are way beyond redemption.
Despite these weaknesses, overall, it is fun to travel between old and modern London and there is enough material to earn a 3.5 rating from me but not more.
This book reminds me a lot of [b:Time Riders|15792436|Time Riders (Time Riders, #1)|Alex Scarrow|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1344295673s/15792436.jpg|6973444], which is also about a bunch of kids from different time periods all gathered up together by fate and they have to meander through different time streams while their actions trigger changes to the future. Time traveling is always a mystery but I believe it should be possible to leap from one time stream to another. I imagine it as a flying fish, hopping from one river to another river. When the fish is in water, apparently it will flow in the direction of the currents (aka from upstream to downstream). However, when the fish flies, it is no longer bound by the restrictions of the current. It can fly backward to an earlier point in the river, or forward to a position more downstream. In addition, it can also hop into another river and experience a completely different environment.
The mechanism of time traveling does not seem to be the main plot in this story, rather it is learning the truths of their past and fending themselves against the villain that's the main issue. I have no problem with this setup but I have real problems with:
1) Underaged agents working for the FBI: if I am not troubled by time traveling, why would I have issues with FBI recruiting kids to work for them? That's because I am those old fashioned types who think kids should be at school and not be employed as cheap labor (not sure if they're even properly paid).
2) Characterization is another problem for this book: the characters are too flat and too typical in the YA genre. When there are over a million YA books out there, you've got to innovate to stand out. Artemis Fowl & Butler are INTERESTING, they're flawed but unusual. Granted Artemis is totally unrealistic, I still like him and find him worthy of the hero of his own series. Sadly, the same cannot be said of Riley.
3) The plot is too predictable and the villain too one-dimensional wicked. I prefer more complicated villains, not one-sided monsters who are way beyond redemption.
Despite these weaknesses, overall, it is fun to travel between old and modern London and there is enough material to earn a 3.5 rating from me but not more.