Action and Adventure Stories

Do you go through reading phases? I do, and lately I have been on an "action & adventure" kick. In the last couple of weeks I have read several books that kept me entertained during these rainy Spring days, so here's a quick blurb about each of them.

1) The Chase by Clive Cussler. I know I blasted Cussler's predictable writing style in my review of his last NUMA novel, but this book is a bit of a departure for him. Yes, the plot jumps from recent times, to about a hundred years ago, then ends in the present day, but the main storyline is consistently taut and fast-paced, as any decent book with this title should be. The Chase is about a fictitious serial bank robber and killer who consistently evades capture. Set during the turn of the last century, there are getaways and pursuits involving private detection agents, horses and wagons, locomotives, and the new-fangled automobile. Cussler has set the major portion of this book in San Francisco around the time of the fabled earthquake, so there are some historical elements that make the novel more compelling and believable. Although written for an adult audience, this one could easily find its way onto high school library shelves and teen reading lists. It is available locally for check-out from Paris Public Library.

2) Airman by Eoin Colfer. Okay, confession time: I have never read a book by this author. I know his Artemis Fowl series has been hugely popular, but I just always thought of them as a poor substitute for readers waiting for the next Harry Potter to hit the shelves. Airman intrigued me first of all because it's supposedly a stand-alone novel, (We'll see how long it takes to become the first in a series!) and secondly because I liked the cover art. (Yeah, I know: "Don't judge a book by its cover.") The story is set on a tiny mythical island nation off the coast of Ireland in an indeterminate time in the past, say 100 or so years ago. Conor Broekhart, born while his mother was aloft in a hot-air balloon, is raised in kindly King Nicholas' court until he finds himself framed for the murder of the king and his own scientist teacher. Removed to a terrible island prison, coarse, brutal inmates and guards make young Conor's life miserable and further his desire for revenge against those who plotted against the king and are still seeking to take over the throne from the surviving princess. But the hard prison work only makes Conor grow stronger, and the time alone gives him the opportunity to plan his escape and eventual confrontation with the real evildoers. This book is suitable for intermediate grades on up and is available in SMS Library.

3) Ranger's Apprentice #4: The Battle for Skandia by John Flanagan. There's a waiting list of teachers and students at Stone who will be thrilled to know the fourth book in this series is finally in print in the US. (Australians have had the entire series for awhile now, but the publishers are staggering their release in America over several years.) Let me just say it has been well worth the wait. Will and Evanlyn are on the run from being captured as slaves by the Skandians in book 3. Ranger Halt and soldier Horace are on a journey to find them when they discover the dead bodies of Skandian guards at one of the border crossing stations. Who is killing their enemies and did they also capture Will and the Princess? Following the tracks in the melting snow is becoming difficult, but eventually the four meet up and a new and more powerful enemy is revealed. The party from Araluen has a decision to make: team up with their former captives from Skandia, or take a chance on sneaking past these new ruthless killers that block their path home? Get ready for some lessons in war strategy, scenes of violent battles, and some old scores settled through new alliances. Flanagan is a master storyteller, and his magical prose had me at times cheering and weeping for characters I have come to know so well. I strongly endorse this entire collection of books and eagerly await the next installment. All four volumes currently available in America are accessible at SMS Library. They are suitable for intermediate grades and older.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

Finally, somebody has written the perfect middle school book! Author Jeff Kinney must be a 12-year-old, because he certainly has an eye for the daily ins-&-outs of what it means to be a modern day middle-schooler. Just about every subject is covered, from dealing with classmates of assorted shapes, sizes, and mental abilities, to the constant pursuit of popularity, to keeping a back-up best friend, to participation in local urban legends like "touching the cheese." Protagonist and self-proclaimed wimpy kid Greg Heffley fills his journal ("It's not a diary!!)" with insights into the middle school mind. He has to deal with not only his own family, but the parents of his friends, too. He has to look after his spoiled little brother, get along with his surly older brother, and avoid carloads of roving revenge-seeking teenagers on an almost daily basis. This novel in cartoons will surely remind older readers of their own junior high days and maybe, just maybe, it'll help a few kids who are going through those days right now to realize that they are not alone in their experiences. The writing is spot-on and funny. I even had a milk-thru-the-nose moment at one point while I was reading it. I'm telling you, this book takes adolescent humor to a new level. Now I can't wait to read the sequel!
Copies of the first two books in the "Wimpy Kid" series are available from SMS library. They are recommended for intermediate grades (4th -5th) and up, although some of the situations may not make sense for anyone that has yet to go through the true middle school experience.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

It isn't every 533-page book you can sit down and read in an afternoon, but with this one it's certainly possible. But why rush when you can take your time and savor every inch of this delightful publication? Part novel, part picture book, part graphic novel, and even part movie, it's no wonder The Invention of Hugo Cabret has been garnering so much attention from the publishing world...and now Hollywood. It was recently named as the 2008 Caldecott Award Winner for best illustrated children's book, and only days ago it was revealed that Warner Bros. had bought the film rights for the book. Martin Scorsese is already on tap to direct. Turns out the author is a distant relative of famed movie director David O. Selznick, and Scorsese wants to see that name put back on film.
Soft black and white pencil drawings connect brief passages of text to help readers visualize the story of young orphan Hugo as he tends the clocks in a busy Paris train station after the sudden disappearance of his uncle, the timekeeper. Twelve-year-old Hugo lives in a small, cramped crawlspace behind the walls of the station and becomes a petty thief in order to survive, taking milk and bread from unwitting vendors. Unfortunately, he eventually gets caught stealing toys from the old man in the little shop he can see from his dingy hiding place. Hugo doesn't actually need the toys, but their wind-up mechanisms fascinate his interest in all things mechanical. Hugo's notebook of his own father's intricate machine drawings is taken by the old man in exchange for him agreeing to work in the toy shop to pay off his debt of stolen items. Through his time at the toy shop, Hugo meets Isabelle, the toymaker's goddaughter, and the two strike up a tentative friendship. She introduces him to Etienne, a film student and, like her, an avid reader. The new comrades eventually discover connections between the old toymaker's creations, a hidden box of mysterious drawings, and the early days of cinema. To say more would give away too much of this wonderful plot. And who am I to spoil all the fun when you can literally flip page after page of this magical story to quickly reach its satisfying conclusion.
A copy of this book is available at SMS library is recommended for all ages.