Jazzy Reads

The Golden Goblet – Book Review

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The Golden Goblet is about a young boy named Ranofer. Ranofer lives with his evil stepbrother, Gebu. Ranofer wants to one day be a master goldsmith, but his evil stepbrother Gebu will not apprentice him to any of the goldsmiths. Instead Ranofer is forced to work at Rekh’s goldsmith’s shop like a simple hireling.

One day Ranofer finds out that someone is stealing gold from the shop and he has a pretty good idea of who is doing it. But what can Ranofer do? If he tells anyone about it, Gebu will simply deny it.

With the help of his friend, Ranofer is able to get rid of one thief. And, much to his delight, Gebu stops stealing from the shop.

Things are starting to look up when, suddenly, Gebu takes him from his job at Rekh’s to being apprenticed in his stone-cutter’s shop.

Ranofer is horrified at having to work as a stone-cutter’s apprentice. To make it worse, Gebu is still getting rich. If he has stopped stealing from Rekh, where is he getting his money?

Together, Ranofer and his friends work on figuring out the mystery behind Gebu’s growing wealth. But they never expected what they found.

I liked The Golden Goblet because it had adventure and some mystery. I also liked the underdog theme in this story.

Book Details

Author: Eloise Jarvis McGraw

Publisher: Puffin Books, Reprint edition (May 6, 1996)

Age Range: 10-14

Media Type: PaperbackI

What to Expect: Adventure, Underdog-Type Story, Mystery,

Other books for you to enjoy:

Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze

A Single Shard

Mara, Daughter of the Nile

Moccasin Trail

Moccasin Trail – Book Review

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Jim Keath was a young farm boy impatient for adventure when his Uncle Russell showed up.

With rapt attention, he listened to his Uncle’s stories of Indians and wild prairies.

Awestruck, Jim secretly followed his uncle as he traveled out west.

By the time his uncle realized what had happened it was too late to turn back.

Everything had been fine, until that fateful day the day the grizzly got him.

It happened so fast. One minute they were hunting, the next he was running through the forest, an angry bear hot on his heels.

The chase didn’t last long. He took one final shot before the bear was on him, the icey hot talons tearing into him, then blackness.

When he woke up he found himself in a Crow village.

He was surrounded by a world he had never seen. One that he eventually became part of.

No longer was he Jim Keath, runaway farm boy, but Talks Alone, son of Scalp Necklace the Chief of the Crow.

He was no longer a white man but an Indian. Or so he thought.

He had been a part of their village until two years ago.

Longing to become part of the white man’s world and to speak English once more, Jim left the village where he had lived and once again entered the world of the white trapper

But now even this world of his was falling apart.

But then one day a letter arrived.

For the first time in over seven years, Jim heard from his brother Jonnie. Jonnie needed his help claiming land in Willamette Valley.

With the arrival of his brother’s letter and their reunion, Jim begins his journey to find himself to finally answer the question of who he is. Crow or white man.

Book Details

Author: Eloise Jarvis Mcgraw

Publisher: Puffin books; Reprint edition(October 7, 1986)

Age range: 11 and up

Media type: Paperback

Series: Puffin Newbery Library

ISBN-10: 0140321705

ISBN-13: 978-0140321708

What to Expect: Adventure, Excitement, Thrill

What I liked about Moccasin Trail;

I really liked all the action and adventure in this book.

Eloise Jarvis Mcgraw is an excellent writer.

She managed to write the book in such a way that it draws you in. You care about what happens to the characters.

What I didn’t like about Moccasin Trail;

I didn’t like the parts where it says someone is wearing a breach-cloth.

Other books you might like;

Swift Rivers:

The Great Wheel:

The Great Turkey Walk:

The Black Stallion and Satan – Book Review

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In this next exciting book by Walter Farley, Alec and the Black are finally reunited.

A letter arrives one day from Abu Ben Ishak’s daughter, surprising Alec with the shocking news that Abu Ben Ishak died in a tragic accident.

In the letter Abu Ben Ishak’s daughter tells Alec that her father stated that the Black was to become his.

Alec’s joy is bittersweet.

Once reunited, Alec loves to watch the Black as he roams about the field.

He is determined to let nothing separate them.

But, there is more than one person interested in the Black.

Everyone remembers the speed of the Black as he won the race against Sun Raider and Cyclone.

Not long after he and the Black are reunited, Alec decides to run the Black at the nearby park.

He accidentally reveals the Black to a police officer, who later tells reporters of the giant black horse he saw.

Suddenly, Alec’s hopes of keeping the Black’s return from the public go up in smoke.

Now everyone knows, and more than one voice shouts for the Black to run in the race for the fastest horse in the world.

In honor of  Abu Ben Ishak, Alec agrees, but he knows that the race will not be without its challenges.

The last time he had raced the Black in America, it was all that he could do to stay on, much less control the Black.

And this time the Black would not only be racing against the world’s fastest horses, but he will have to race against his own son, Satan!

Book Details

Author: Walter Farley

Publisher: Yearling; Reprint edition(April 14, 1992)

Series: The Black Stallion

Age Range: 10-14

Media Type: Paperback, Kindle

ISBN-10: 0679813462

ISBN-13: 978-0679813460

What to expect: Excitement, Adventure

What I liked about The Black Stallion and Satan:

One of the reasons I liked The Black Stallion and Satan is that the Black is back.

I also like how there is excitement in it.

Like there’s this one part at the end of the book where Alec and the Black are galloping for their lives against a raging forest fire.

The Black Stallion and Satan has many twists and turns. At one moment you think the story is going to be about the Black racing.

Then suddenly, the whole direction changes and now you find out that he’s running from a giant forest fire, among all the other changes that take place.

But despite all the twist and turns, The Black Stallion and Satan has a really nice ending where just about anyone who loves horses wishes this would happen to them.

What I didn’t like about The Black Stallion and Satan:

For me, I kind of wish the Black’s and Alec’s reunion had been a bit more dramatic and awesome.

Like it would have been really cool if the Black had instantly recognized Alec and galloped toward him, and stuck his head against Alec.

The Black Stallion and Satan is not at all that intense or lovingly dramatic in the beginning.

In my opinion, the reunion scene in the book shows the Black as more of a wild and untameable stallion.

While I did imagine the Black as being all of those things and more, I also imagined him with a deep and loyal love for Alec.

With the two of them having an inseparable bond that could never be broken.

While the other Black Stallion books have that, I don’t think this one portrays it in the beginning very well.

Other books you might like:

Book 1: The Black Stallion

Book 2: The Black Stallion Returns

Book 3: Son of the Black Stallion

Book 4: The Island Stallion

Book 6: The Black Stallion’s Blood Bay Colt

The Island Stallion – Book Review

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In this exciting adventure Steve Duncan goes with his friend, Pitch, to explore an uninhabited Island called, Azul Island.

Pitch thinks that they are there to look for lost Spanish relics from the Conquistedor time period.

But Steve is far more interested in the horses that live there than anything else.

Pitch’s brother tells Steve that if he stays there for two weeks he can have his pick of any horse there to keep.

Ever since Steve was a young boy he had dreamed of having a horse of his own.

Dreams of a wild fiery stallion named, Flame, had galloped through his head back then.

But the horses of Azul Island are but poor creatures struggling for survival on the barren waste land.

Steve’s hopes for finding a majestic stallion of his very own are very quickly dashed.

Then, one night as he and Pitch are sleeping in their tent, a shrill scream wakes him up.

There on the towering cliff above them stands a fiery wild stallion.

Is the barren wasteland and cliffs of Azul Island with its poor horses all there is? Or is there more to this Island than meets the eye?

Book Details

Author: Walter Farley

Publisher: Yearling; Reprint edition(March 12, 1980) At Amazon

Series: The Black Stallion

Age Range: 10-13

Media Type: Paperback, Kindle

ISBN-10: 0394843762

ISBN-13: 978-0394843766

What to Expect: Adventure, Excitement, Thrill,

What I liked about The Island Stallion:

I liked the Island Stallion because it is full of adventure and excitement.

Like, there is this one part where Steve and Pitch find some dark and secret tunnels.

But they end up finding a horrible secret within them and in their endever to get out they wind up getting lost in the tunnel’s maze of darkness.

I also like how it’s a series in a series. There are four books with Flame and Steve within the Black Stallion series that I know of.

There are three books with Flame, including this one, and then two books where Flame and the Black Stallion meet.

The books with Flame and the ones with the Black Stallion and Flame are interspersed between the other books in the Black Stallion series.

The first time the Black Stallion and Flame meet is when the Black washes up on the shore of Flame’s Island in The Black Stallion and Flame.(Book 14)

In The Black Stallion Challenged, the Black Stallion meets Flame for the second time in an epic race for the finish line!(Book 15)

That one will be really interesting to read because Walter Farley writes about both horses and both of them are main characters.

Each of them have an amazing amount of speed and stamina as well as a deep love and loyalty to their boys.

So who will exactly win this race?

For me it is kind of conflicting because you kind of want both horses to win.

But that’s not exactly possible, I mean he could have it as a tie, but there’s not really a true winner in a tie.

Although, if there is going to have to be a race between the two, I think that I would prefer a tie to anything else really.

So I guess I will just have to see when I get to that one.

What I didn’t like about The Island Stallion

I didn’t like the end of The Island Stallion quite as much because it kind of felt a bit unresolved in some ways.

At least, to me it did. I mean they have the whole story filled with adventure and finding this beautiful stallion, and then other stuff happens and then the end comes.

It feels as if their should be more to the story but there’s not. At least, not until you get to book 7, The Island Stallion’s Fury.

Other books you might like:

Book 1: The Black Stallion

Book 2: The Black Stallion Returns

Book 3: Son of the Black Stallion

Book 5: The Black Stallion and Satan

Son of the Black Stallion – Book Review

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Son of the Black Stallion is another thrilling tale in the Black Stallion series.

In this book Abu ben Ishak keeps his promise to Alec in giving him the first colt of the Black.  

When Satan arrives, Alec is thrilled to have a horse for his very own again.

Just like his father, Satan is wild and filled with fire.

But he also has an inner raging to kill, that very quickly puts Alec’s love  and determination to the test.

Together with Henry Daily, Alec does his best to earn the love of the majestic son of the Black.

But Satan is determined to fight them. Will Alec be able to earn his trust and train him in time for the Hopeful?

Book Details

Author: Walter Farley

Publisher: Yearling; Anniversary edition,(August 20, 1991) on Amazon

Age Range: 10-13

Series:  Book 3 in The Black Stallion series

Media Type: Paperback and Kindle

ISBN-10: 9780679813446

ISBN-13: 978-0679813446

Character of the Day: 

I think that the character of this one should be Satan. I mean, after all, the book is about him.                                 For most of this book, Satan is this wild fiery creature that can’t be controlled.

Until, that is, Henry breaks him and finally shows him who’s the boss.

He then ends up liking Alec and obeying him. And besides, inheriting his father’s looks, he also inherits his speed as well.

Towards the end of the book, he runs in some major races. And you’ll never guess who shows up at one of them!

What I like about the Son of the Black Stallion:

I think that it was nice that this book was about the Black Stallion’s son.

It was also cool how the author made them so similar. Although he did a good job on making them having differences too.

Like, for instance, Satan is more burlier and not quite as beautiful as the Black.

The author has Satan as a close match when it comes to speed to the Black, but the Black is still the better horse.

I also liked how in the book Alec never gave up on his horse.

He still tried to win his love and be kind to him even after Satan had showed how much he hated him.

The part that Henry played was interesting to read as well.

Even though Alec wouldn’t listen to his advice about getting rid of Satan, he still tried to help win Satan’s heart and obedience for Alec.

He continued to be a good friend even when he didn’t agree with all of Alec’s ideas.

This book is filled with excitement and is definitely a good read.

What I didn’t like about the Son of the Black Stallion:

For me I didn’t really like the idea so much that Alec would have a new horse to love and replace the Black, so to speak.

At this point in the series, you are kind of wondering if he is ever going to see the Black again or will Satan ever love him as the Black did.

Of course, if you keep on reading, everything turns out okay and in the next book he does see the Black again.

Although, I won’t say how he does.

Other books you might like:

Book 1: The Black Stallion

Book 2: The Black Stallion Returns

Book 4: The Island Stallion

The Gammage Cup Book Summary and Novel Review

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“The Gammage Cup” by Carol Kendall is a fictional book about the Minnipins defending themselves against the Mushrooms.   

Walter the Earl, Gummy, Curly Green, Muggles, and Mingy become outcasts from their village when their habits and differences become to much for the others.

As they begin working together building their new home they find out a terrible secret.

Mushrooms, the dreaded enemy of the Minnipins, are in their peaceful valley.

Walter the Earl, Mingy, Gummy, Curly Green, and Muggles work together on warning the villagers and defending the Valley.

Carol Kendall’s “The Gammage Cup” is a remarkable story showing us that differences can be good, listening more is important, and working together is essential.

Book Details                             

Author: Carol Kendall

Publisher: An Odyssey/Harcourt Young Classic Harcourt, Inc.

Age Range: 9-13

Media Type: Paperback and Hardcover

ISBN-10: 015202493x

ISBN-13: 978-0152024932

What to Expect: Adventure, Excitement, Fantasy,

Carol Kendall’s wonderful story shows us that differences can be good and are part of what makes each of us special.

In chapter one, Walter the Earl, Gummy, Muggles, and Curly Green wear different cloaks than the others and do different things than the others but that doesn’t mean they can’t be helpful(P.6,7).

If the villagers had tried to get to know them they would have realized that Walter the Earl knew a lot about their history that they didn’t know.

While Gummy looked like he was lazy all the time, he could work when he put his mind to it.

He made it fun for everyone too.

Each (Oh Them) had something that would contribute to making the village awesome.

Because the villagers looked down on them they finally decided to leave and live by themselves on the edge of the surrounding mountain.

But as they begin building their new home they find out that the Mushrooms have come through the mountains and are getting ready to attack the valley.

Together, Walter the Earl, Gummy, Curly Green, Mingy, and Muggles used their unique talents to help defend and warn the others.

Because they were different from the other Minnipins they were able to save their village.                   

Carol Kendall’s book is a remarkable portrayal of why listening more is important.

Because Muggles listened only to the villagers she didn’t find true friends until she listened to the others.

If the Periods had listened more they would have realized that their museum labels were all messed up and that they didn’t have the whole story about their ancestor, Fooley.

Instead, they stubbornly kept it the same way and looked down even more upon Walter the Earl, Gummy, Curly Green, and Muggles.

If the townspeople had listened they would have been more prepared to fight the Mushrooms and fewer Minnipins would have been hurt.

When the Minnipins in the village finally decided to listen they were able to defeat their enemies.

Finally, Carol Kendall’s book shows us why working together is so essential to life.

In order to survive, Walter the Earl, Gummy, Curly Green, Muggles, and Mingy worked together to build their house and gather food.

If they hadn’t worked so hard, they wouldn’t have had shelter when the Mushrooms attacked them.

Walter the Earl, Mingy, Curly Green, Gummy, and Muggles worked together when they set up a spying system to see how the Mushrooms were getting through the mountains and into their valley.

Because they did that, they were able to rally the villagers before the Mushrooms reached the village.

When the townspeople worked together they were able to defeat the Mushrooms.

Carol Kendall adds so much depth to her story by having these things portrayed in her book.            

In”The Gammage Cup” Carol Kendall shows us that differences can be good, listening more is important, and working together is essential.

By having these things in her book she makes it so much more enjoyable.

“The Gammage Cup” will continue to be popular because it shows continually why these simple truths are so important.

Walter the Earl, Muggles, Gummy, Curly Green, and Mingy’s companionship and care for each other should continue to find themselves in other peoples hearts for generations to come.

Other Books You Might Like:

The Whisper of Glocken(another tale of the Minnipins)

The Outcasts(The BrotherBand Chronicles)

The Black Stallion Returns – Book Review

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In The Black Stallion Returns The Black Stallion’s owner, Abu Ja’ Kub ben Ishak, turns up and takes the Black all the way back to Arabia back to his original herd.

Alec Ramsay is devastated by the loss of his beloved horse until one day when Mr. Volence, owner of Sun Raider, shows up.

Mr. Volence is in search of new stallions to race.

Alec convinces him that Abu ben Ishak would probably have the horses he’s looking for.

Not long afterwards, Mr. Volence heads to Arabia with Alec and Henry to find the great Abu ben Ishak and the Black.

But along the way their guide is murdered by a mysterious killer.

Mr. Volence, Henry, Alec, and Raj, their interpreter, are left stranded in the great desert with no food, little water, and one camel.

Together, in one last attempt to survive they head towards the mountains.

They reach the mountains just barely in time.

There they meet a young chieftain and his men riding majestic Arabian stallions, who show them the way to Abu ben Ishak’s tribe.

Walter Farley continues to thrill readers in this amazing tale of a boy’s love and endurance to find the horse of his dreams.

Book Details

When I bought my book I just got a used copy, so my cover is different than the most recent edition.

Author: Walter Farley

Publisher: Yearling; Anniversary edition( August 20, 1991){At Amazon}

Series: Book 2 of The Black Stallion

Age Range: 11-13

Media Type: Kindle, Paperback,

ISBN-10; 0679813446

ISBN-13; 978-0679813446

 What to Expect: Adventure, Thrill, Excitement, Danger, Hardship and Some Violence;

Character of the Day:

I think that the character of the day for this one is Alec.

When Abu Ja’ Kub ben Ishak takes the Black back to Arabia, Alec doesn’t give up.

Instead, he finds a way to see his beloved horse again.

Then, just after he arrived to Abu Ishak’s home to see the Black again, the Black is kidnapped.

While Abu Ishak is preparing his men for battle for the Black, Alec and Raj find out a terrible secret, which puts the Black and Alec in grave danger.

Only their friends can save them but will they get there in time?

What I liked about”The Black Stallion Returns”

I liked”The Black Stallion Returns” because it has lots of adventure and it also has some mystery.

One of my favorite parts is when Alec and Raj are spying on these Arabian guys and end up finding out where the Black is.

I also liked some other pretty cool things which I won’t tell so as not to spoil the book for you.

What I didn’t like about”The Black Stallion Returns” 

One of the things I didn’t like about”The Black Stallion Returns” is that the real excitement and adventure didn’t start until after I had reached the middle of the book.

Of course it’s not that big of a book.

Other Books You Might Enjoy:

      Book 1: The Black Stallion

      Book 3: Son of the Black Stallion

      Book 4: The Island Stallion

BrotherBand Chronicles – Book Five – Review

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In this thrilling adventure, Scorpion Mountain, Hal and the crew finally get to meet King Duncan of Araluen.

When they get there, King Duncan sends them on a special mission of great importance.

A man named Ikbaal has payed the Shurmel of a tribe in Arrida to put a Tolfa on King Duncan’s daughter, Cassandra.

(For those who don’t know what a Tolfa is, it is basically when this certain tribe hires themselves out as assasins to kill someone.

It is based on their belief that it is what their goddess wants them to do.)

With the fear that any day his daughter might get assassinated, King Duncan sends Hal and his crew, along with  Gilan, to destroy the tolfa by any means possible.

But at the same time, Hal is astonished to find that Ingvar plans to leave the Brotherband, for good.

Can Hal somehow manage to change Ingvar’s mind?

Can the Heron Brotherband and Gilan stop the Tolfa and save King Duncan’s daughter?

In this amazing adventure of the Herons you will find danger, excitement and much more.

Enter into the Heron’s world in this fifth adventure, Scorpion Mountain, and be prepared to be amazed.

Book Details

Author: John Flanagan

Publisher: Philomel Books

Series: BrotherBand Chronicles book 5

Name: The Scorpion Mountain

Age Range: 11 and up

Media Type: Kindle, Audiobook, Paperback, Hardcover;

ISBN-10; 0399163565

ISBN-13; 978-0399163562

What to Expect: Action, Adventure, Danger;

Character of the Day;

Of all the characters in the Brotherband Chronicles, Ulf and Wulf are the ones that bring a lot of the humor into the story.

Ulf and Wulf are constantly arguing with each other over the most crazy and ridiculous things ever.

For example, Ulf might say something like, Wulf is ugly as a dead deer and then Wulf will say something equivalent to that about Ulf.

They are identical twins. In fact, they are so alike that no one can ever tell them apart.

They often use this to their own advantage.

What adds even more to the humor is when Hal will tell Ingvar to throw one of them overboard.

John Flanagan did a good job adding humor in the right places in his books.

In Scorpion Mountain, Wulf and Ulf are shown a little bit more.

Well, at least, it seems to me that they are.

It is kind of ironic how they will argue with each other but the minute someone threatens one of them the other will be there defending him in a heartbeat.

Another character who is in Scorpion Mountain is one of the legendary rangers of Araluen named, Gilan.

Gilan was in the previous book, Slaves of Socorro, as well.

What I liked about Scorpion Mountain;

I like Scorpion Mountain because it is full of action and adventure. And it also has a good amount of humor.

One of my favorite parts in Scorpion Mountain is when Hal is working on one of his new inventions while the others go to an abandoned arena. Except for Jesper that is.

That particular part definitely made me smile.

I also like that Gilan is in Slaves of Socorro and in Scorpion Mountain.

It definitely gives an added perspective to them.

What I didn’t like about Scorpion Mountain;

In Scorpion Mountain there is some fighting and bloodshed in it.

Which to be honest, I’m not that crazy about.

In the book, there will be sword strokes called out or maybe it will say that someone fell down dead with a shocked look on their face, but it isn’t gory.

So there is definitely some of that in there. Though a good bit of the book they aren’t fighting.

The Brotherband Chronicles in order;

Book 1: The Outcasts

Book 2: The Invaders

Book 3: The Hunters

Book 4: Slaves of Socorro

Book 5: Scorpion Mountain

Book 6: The Ghost Faces

Book 7: The Caldera

Black – Book review – one of Ted Dekker’s best

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Thomas Hunter is a Jack of all trades who has done many different jobs over the course of his life.

His sister, Kara, works as a nurse and he, himself, works at Java Hut. Both of them are just trying to live normal lives.

Until one fateful day, when it all changed.

The day he began to dream.

Thomas Hunter was returning from work when bullets crashed into the brick wall next to him.

He runs down the nearest alley where he manages to take out one of the men chasing after him.

But just as he tries to escape, a bullet grazes his head and he feels himself beginning to fall as he goes unconscious.

As soon as he is knocked unconscious, he finds himself dreaming of a world split in half.

A world with two different forests one full of evil and malice the other with beauty and pure paradise.

Thomas quickly finds himself in the middle of a battle for survival between two different worlds.

In the world where he and Kara live, he unknowingly gives away the secret to the most lethal virus the world has ever seen to a terrorist group with strings around the world.

In the world in his dreams he finds himself living in paradise where all evil is kept separate.

There he is told that he is simply from a distant village and that all that he sees is real, that the world where Kara lives is just a dream.

All of it would be perfect if it weren’t for his mysterious memory loss.

The more he dreams though, the more he begins to see that the perfection and beauty of the Colored forest is in danger.

As time goes on Thomas Hunter quickly realizes there is more to the story than just mere dreams.

The fate of two entire universes rests on him, two different worlds so different and yet so similar.

Book Details

Author: Ted Dekker

Series: The Circle Trilogy; Book 1

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Age range; 12 and up

Media type: Kindle Book, Hardcover, Paperback, Audio Book,

Pages: 560

ISBN-10; 1595547304

ISBN-13; 978-1595547309

What to expect: Danger, Excitement, Fantasy Meets Other Worldly, Adventure, Romance;

Character of the day:

Probably one of my favorite characters in Black is Thomas Hunter.

I like how in the book he is funny but how he can also fight using karate or something like that.

I can’t remember the exact form of fighting that he does but it’s something like karate.

I also like how he takes care of his mother and sister. His humor, at times, is hilarious to read.

What I like about Black:

I like Black because it has action.

Like when Thomas Hunter is being chased down the alley with armed men coming after him in the beginning of the book.

Black also has adventure all throughout the book, there is hardly a dull moment.

In Black, Thomas Hunter is constantly going back and forth between the two realities of our modern world and that of a future world.

In addition to all of the adventure, excitement, and danger there is also romance.

Black is an unique mix of all of the above but it is done in such a way as to not be overbearing or melodramatic.

Ted Dekker’s creativeness and skill in writing this series is absolutely amazing.

What I didn’t like about Black:

In the beginning of Black they have Thomas Hunter being chased by these black furry bats who are biting him.

And at one point they say that his clothes get basically reduced to nothing so that he is only wearing a loincloth.

And another part says that his bottom gets bitten.

Those are definitely not my favorite parts.

You are not entirely sure what you’re getting into when you read those particular parts.

But besides that, Black is awesome.

Other books like Black:

Book 2; Red

Book 3; White

Book 4; Green

BrotherBand Chronicles – Book Four – Review

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In this book, Slaves of Socorro, the Herons have returned from chasing Zavac and have finally found a place where they belong.

As the days go by though, the Herons begin to miss the adventure and excitement of the old days.

Until that is, Oberjarl Erak gives them the special job of being the Araluen king’s ship.

This means that if the King has any special messages to be delivered or a special mission he needs done he would simply send for the Heron’s.

(NOTE: I can’t remember the correct word for their job in the book.

But this explanation is essentially correct. You will have to read the book to get the rest of the details.)

When they get there everything seems to go fine, they even meet one of the legendary Araluan Rangers.

They are getting accustomed to their new surroundings when slavers attack a nearby town.

They steal away twelve Araluans before setting sail for the slave market of Socorro.

Hal and his friends set chase after them following them all the way to Socorro.

In a valiant attempt to release the Araluens, Ingvar is left behind in the slave market.

There he is to wait and warn the Araluens of Hal’s plan.

For Hal and the crew of the Heron the stakes are higher than ever before.

For not only must they rescue the twelve Araluens but Ingvar as well.

One mistake, one wrong move and Ingvar could be lost to them forever.

Slaves of Socorro is an exciting and adventurous book. Once you start reading you won’t want to put it down.

Book Detail

This is John Flanagan’s fictional map of Skandia!

Author: John A. Flanagan

Publisher: Philomel Books

Series: The Brotherband Chronicles; book 4

Name: Slaves of Socorro

Age range: 11 and up

Pages: 482

Media type: Kindle book, audiobook, hardcover, and paperback,

ISBN-10; 0142427268

ISBN-13: 978-0142427262

What to Expect: Danger, excitement, Loyalty, Adventure

Character of the Day:

One of my favorite characters is probably Ingvar.

No matter what happens he is always loyal to Hal, even when things get rough.

When Ingvar is put into the horrible slave cell in Socorro he is still able to keep a stiff upper lip.

He draws strength from the bond he has as a crew member of the Herons.

What I liked about the Slaves of Socorro:

This is Hal’s ship, the Heron.

The Slaves of Socorro is a very interesting and exciting book.

It is the first one in the series where they are not chasing Zavac and returning the Andomal.

This is also the book where Hal finds Kloof.

Kloof is a giant mountain dog who is forever chewing things up.

Although to make up for it she is tremendously helpful when it comes to a fight.

And to top it off, the Herons end up meeting one of the mysterious rangers of Araluen.

What I didn’t like about the Slaves of Socorro:

In Slaves of Socorro there is definitely fighting. A good bit of the bad guys end up dying, but it is not gory.

So if you’re not okay with fighting or anything like that. Then this book is probably not what you want.

A list of the BrotherBand Chronicles:

Book 1: The Outcasts

Book 2: The Invaders

Book 3: The Hunters

Book 4: Slaves of Socorro

Book 5: Scorpion Mountain

Book 6: The Ghostfaces

Book 7: The Caldera