Kaimira: The Sky Village by Monk and Nigel Ashland

ISBN: 978-0-7636-3524-4

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Hardcover: 416 pages

Genre: Science Fiction / Fantasy

Reading Level: 9-12

First Lines: Hundreds of hot-air balloons bobbed in the wind, their baskets tied together with long stretches of rope. From the ground, the Sky Village looked like a giant net, poised to capture the clouds as it drifted far above.

One Word Review: Spirited

Published: 2008

The Trinary Wars, a series of devastating battles for global domination among humans, beasts, and meks (machines), have resulted in a world where chaos reigns. In China, a young girl named Mei is forced to leave her home on land and join the Sky Village after her mother is kidnapped by a brutal band of meks. Before she departs, her father gives her the Tree Book, a mysterious and possibly dangerous creation that allows her to communicate with Rom, a boy struggling to keep himself and his sister alive in the desolate ruins of Las Vegas, where beasts roam free. The first in the Kaimira series, The Sky Village follows both children as they attempt to make sense out of the book and some new found abilities.

A dazzling start to what promises to be a sensational new series, The Sky Village hosts a likable and sympathetic cast of characters, an exciting and fast-paced plot, and a wonderfully rich and believable setting. Occasional illustrations compliment the story nicely by allowing for better visualizations of this fantastical world and its inhabitants. While I enjoyed almost everything about this book, I especially liked the descriptions of Mei's life on the balloons. The Ashlands have created a unique landscape that spoke to the child in me. I could see the sky walkers dancing across ropes from balloon to balloon as Mei watched breathlessly. It was a stark contrast to the dark underbelly of Las Vegas that served as home to Rom and his sister, Riley.

Geared toward middle readers, I think even adult fans of science fiction and fantasy books will be pleased with The Sky Village. I'll definitely be looking for the second installment, when hopefully we'll be introduced Lizard Girl, another Tree Book owner we've yet to meet.

Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer

Publisher: BBC WW

Audiobook (Unabridged): 8 Hours and 22 Minutes

Narrator: Nathaniel Parker

Author Website: http://www.eoincolfer.com/

Book Website: http://artemisfowl.com/

Reading Level: Young Adult

Genre: Science Fiction / Fantasy

First Line: Happy was not a word often used to describe Artemis Fowl's bodyguard.
One Word Review: Delightful

In this fifth installment of the wildly popular and award winning series, Artemis Fowl sets out to save his fairy friends from being exposed to the human world. With former LEPRecon (cute, huh?) officer, Holly Short, and a few new friends at his side, he's battling time and demons all the while dealing with the onset of puberty.

First, let's discuss the book itself. As always, Eoin Colfer has created a wonderful mixture of action, suspense, humor, emotion, and techno-gadgets that captures the reader from the first page and carries him happily to the end. Having read all of the previous books, I won't say this one was my favorite - that honor goes to book #3, The Eternity Code, but it still left me feeling that Artemis isn't the only genius at work here. Not only has Mr. Colfer built a wonderfully believable alternate reality in which to set his stories, but he crafts his characters so well that they feel like friends. And, unlike some other series books I've read, the characters develop as the series moves forward. The relationships and the people / fairies themselves don't remain static but evolve as they should.

Moving on to the narration. I've been listening more and more to audiobooks on my iPod. It's so convenient to just plug up my headphones while I'm working and be entertained at the same time. Having experienced several different books over the past few months, I have come to the conclusion that all narrators are not created equal, and that they will, in turn, largely affect the listener's level of enjoyment. Even, I believe, the best possible books could be turned into an unpleasant experience. So, what do I think of the narration of The Lost Colony? In a word, brilliant. Nathaniel Parker is spectacular in this role. His narration is flawless, and he does each character's voice as it has always sounded in my head when I've read the books. It is audio theater at its finest.

The next Artemis Fowl is set to be released in a couple of weeks, and it looks to be just as fabulous as the previous books.

The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm by Nancy Farmer

The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm is an adventure fantasy novel about 3 over-protected children in futuristic Zimbabwe. When they decide to break the bonds of their sheltered existence for a day, they find themselves in a series of perilous situations which lead them further and further from home. The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm are the unusually gifted detectives who are sent out to find the children.

This is a wonderful story made even more rich with Nancy Farmers vivid descriptions. It's beautifully written, and the originallity of the story makes it a refreshing addition to any library. While it's apparently geared toward children (middle grade to teen), the complexity of the story coupled with Nancy Farmer's wonderful storytelling, will captivate adults as well.

The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer

The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer tells the futuristic story of Cosmo Hill, a 14 year old boy living in the Clarissa Frayne Institute for Parentally Challenged Boys where he and the other the 'no-sponsors' are forced to undergo dangerous and painful product testing. Cosmo takes an opportunity and escapes from the orphanage joining up with the Supernaturalists, a band of young people trying to rid Satellite City of Parasites (creatures that feed on human life force).

I downloaded the audio version of this novel from audible.com onto my Ipod. I'm not sure if it was the audio aspect of the book, or what, but I had a hard time following some of the story. It wasn't difficult, it just didn't seem to flow that well. Still, I thought it was pretty entertaining - not captivating, but a good solid read.

As to the audiobook specifically, the narrator, Chiwetel Ejofor, was particularly good. He did all the voices flawlessly, which was really helpful in keeping up with who was talking and what was going on, and his narration was really pleasant.

Overall, I think it's worth a read, but I still prefer Colfer's Artemis Fowl books.

The Traveller by John Twelve Hawks

The Traveller by John Twelve Hawks was disappointing. I really wanted to like this book - the plot seeming to have such potential. But, while it wasn't horribly awful, I can't say I enjoyed it. First of all, it's the first book in a trilogy. I didn't realize this until I was about 350 pages into the book (my copy didn't actually say anything about that on the cover, and I only realized it when I read an online review of the book - probably should have done that before I started reading). At that point, I didn't feel that involved in the story, but my compulsive need to finish a book I had invested that much time in left me wanting to see it through to the end. So, finding that it was just a first installment, I was a bit put off because I knew I wouldn't really get any closure at the end (I can't tell you how much I hate that), and I was fairly certain that I wouldn't be reading books 2 and 3 - having finished the book, I'm completely certain I won't. This book has been compared to The Matrix and Orwell's 1984. Although I can see where that comes from, it just didn't work for me. The story wasn't bad, exactly, but it was excruciatingly slow for most of the book. The meat of the book could easily have been pared down a couple hundred pages, and I think it would have been much improved. It wasn't the worst book I've ever read (far from it), but it wouldn't be high on my list of recommendations, either. I have a feeling it's one of those forgettable novels I'll find in a used book shop in a few years and think "Oh, that looks interesting...."