Last word first: An exciting adventure with lots of appeal. (4/5)Description: Far away in the realm of Mythos, an evil entity has broken free of its prison to darken the land. However, entrusted with her father’s magic scroll – the only hope for the realm – young princess Dara summons six heroes from vastly different times and places to defend her: a hardened Roman legionnaire, a swift Japanese samurai, a mighty African warrior, a fiery Amazon archer, a spirited Shaolin monk, and a guitar-playing high school student named Alex.
My thoughts: I'd just like to start this review with a little note on visual appeal. I really enjoy a book that has a bit of an edge in this department. Whether you love or hate the cover art here, it's definitely eye-catching. And each page looks like it's printed on a scroll - fun, right? I'd take a pic but my camera is broken. OK, now, on to the review.
I love it when a book manages to grab my attention right off the bat. With Defenders of the Scroll (DotS), the action starts out fast and keeps on coming. Despite the difficulties in creating a smooth story that takes place in two worlds, Shiraz has skillfully meshed those worlds together in a way that keeps life interesting. And the world itself is fabulous. Mysterious and magical- I was entranced.
The characters in this book had plenty of appeal. Alex and Dara were my favorites, though. The funny thing about Alex is that he actually sounds like a teenaged boy, which most book characters don't. Or at least, they don't sound like my brothers when they were teens... Anyway, that's beside the point. I felt like the characters in this story had good chemistry with each other, which always makes the reading fun.
In the end, I think this book will particularly appeal to readers in the tween and young teen age group, boys and girls alike. I don't think DotS has the sophistication and depth to fully satisfy most older readers, although those who, like myself, enjoy the occasional middle grade fiction will find plenty to keep them entertained.
Stay tuned for my interview with Shiraz coming soon!About Shiraz: South African born, Shiraz was raised just outside Toronto, Ontario. Like the characters in this book, he currently has no home. His life as a software developer has allowed him to live on four continents and keeps him moving every few months. While he has had a passion for writing since he was eight, this is his first published work. He has every hope it is not his last. Read sample chapters and check out more info at the Defenders of the Scroll website.
Second opinions:
Zia @ My Life in Not So Many Words loved it!
Eleni @ La Femme Readers gave it 4.5 out of 5.
4 comments:
The cover and description almost remind me of a video game. It sounds pretty good.
Great review :)
I really enjoyed this book as well. I admit the cover made me question whether I would or not, but it was a quick and fun read.
I have seen this title once or twice online recently and I must admit that the cover was a drawback for me as well. I do like the added detail of the page design....not certain if I'll be reading this soon, but certainly enjoyed the review!
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