Actually choosing the book was the hardest part of this novel. Going through my free Kobo ereader selections, I decided to at least download this to my cell phone. Two books later, and bored I decided to pick it up and take a go at it. Suprisingly, the book proved to be pleasantly distracting. It was refreshing and not too heavy, something I would read in the car on a trip to somewhere.
The Look
I found the cover to be less than impressive. A boy walking in the forest towards a blue thing. I know that there is a lot of fantasy art out there and maybe the intention was to be a little different than a regular fantasy book. Unfortunately, it came nowhere near to grabbing my attention on the bookshelf.
The Story
James is a normal boy who lives with his grandparents. His parents were killed in a car accident. He is a little geeky, sometimes nerdy. He roleplays with his friend and keeps a low profile at school. His grandfather keeps wanting James to get a job and one day slips a job announcement in his lunch bag. Little did he know what would happen.
James enters the office and is transported to a medieval world where magic is a reality. A little blue man tells James that he must adventure to discover the reason he is here. He travels from a little town, to a larger city, and meets a future companion Miko, a street urchin. They become quick friends and travel together to many adventure which lead then to the city of lights. The town is attacked by the empire, an evil nation ruled by an iron fist where slavery is commonplace.
Impressions
The book was a pleasant to change to the regular fantasy that I read. The writing is simple and many of the characters are believable. James' discovery of his ability is gradual and measured throughout the novel. The novel is quite predictable and if the reader is looking for something to really sink their teeth into a good solid novel, this is not the novel to read.
If you are looking for a light read, this book is for you.
I give it a blast 3/5.