Book Review- Robert C. O’Brien- The Secret of Nimh

Robert C. O’Brien- The Secret of Nimh (Scholastic 1982) 4 Stars

When Mrs. Frisby’s son Timothy gets sick with pneumonia just days before the ground is to be tilled, they must try to find a way to safely move him. After befriending a crow he leads her to the wise old owl for advice on what to do. The owl sent her to the rats with a suggestion on how to move the house. In the process she will find out things about her deceased husband that she did not know.

I remembered loving this book when I was in school, so I was happy to read this book again. The plot is not a complicated one, but it is solid and keeps moving along. I did not find my attention waning at any given time. The characters were fairly strong, although maybe could have used a little more depth. The ending was also clever and was a great way to conclude the novel. Overall it was a good book and I would certainly read it to my child.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com.

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Brad Meltzer- The Book of Lies

Brad Meltzer- The Book of Lies (Grand Central Publishing 2009) 3.75 Stars

Years ago Cain killed Abel, the first murder, but no one knows what was used to kill him. In 1932 gunshots took down Jerry Siegel’s father, leaving him all alone. To help him cope he creates Superman. Only now, years later has the gun been found again. Cal has just been reunited with his father when he finds his father after he is shot. Now they are on a historical hunt years in the making, trying to stop those who intend to use what they are seeking for evil.

The introduction was pretty good in this one; it certainly makes you interested in what there is to come. The treasure hunt/adventure type storyline made for some interesting puzzles to figure out and watch the characters hurry to beat the clock. I enjoyed the fast-paced nature of this novel that kept you wondering what was coming next. The big twist was kind of a surprise for me; I was completely thinking it was heading in a different direction. I also found it interesting to find out background information on the Superman story. The characters were decent in this one; I felt that they could have used a little bit more depth. I also really loved the ending as it was a great way to conclude the events. Overall I thought it was a pretty good book and will certainly be reading more by this author.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com.

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Raymond Khoury- The Devil’s Elixir

Raymond Khoury- The Devil’s Elixir (Dutton 2012) 3.75 Stars

This is a pre-release review. Look for it in stores near you in the new year.

FBI agent Sean Reilly has just received a phone call from an old flame; Michelle is ex-DEA and on the run from men who want her dead. Even odder is the fact that she is running with a son he never knew he had. Explaining this to Tess may not be so easy, but first he must save Michelle. He did not realize going in just what kind of trouble they were in, this may be more than even he can handle. Money, a new kind of drug, and powerful men seeking more power; a deadly mix for anyone who gets in their way. The question is, can Sean Reilly figure out what is going on and survive?

I found that this book started off a little bit slow, it doesn’t immediately grab your attention, but it does peak your curiosity. It also sets the stage with much needed background information. Once the prologue portion ends though, it does pick up the pace and turns into quite a fast-paced rollercoaster. It is full of heart-pumping action, with several big twists. One of these big twists is not very believable for me, but that would depend on your beliefs, as it delves into the paranormal, but I can certainly get past that. The conclusion was not the most realistic either, but it definitely added to the quick-pace. I enjoyed how the book involved great detective work and things did not come to them easily, as often times in thrillers, they just magically come up with answers; nice to see that it wasn’t so in this book. The characters also had great backgrounds and depth, so that they appear to jump off of every single page. One thing I really wasn’t fond of was the character shift from one page to the next. It was a bit distracting, but I do see where Khoury was coming from and it did help to fill out the storyline. Overall, I thought that The Devil’s Elixir was great. I enjoyed it more than I did his earlier works.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com.

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Andy McDermott- The Pyramid of Doom

Andy McDermott- The Pyramid of Doom (Bantam Books 2010) 3.25 Stars

Uncovering an ancient vault beneath the Great Sphinx is becoming a huge TV opportunity, but someone may be trying to beat the archaeologists to the prize. Macy Sharif, a student, has found out about their plan though and is now on the run for her life. Who does she run to but the shunned Nina Wilde and her ex-SAS husband. Together they are up against a rich cult who is on the hunt for an ancient secret behind death.

It took me quite a while to get into this book, kind of a slow start. I was hoping that it would have had a way better introduction that would get my attention right off the bat. Once it did pick up though it was quite intense and fast-paced. The plot was pretty good with some twists and turns, though none that I thought were fantastic. The characters were also pretty good with some depth to them. I did think that the bad guys were pretty stupid and gullible, so it would have been nice to see them be more of a challenge for Nina and her crew. I also thought that the plausibility was lacking and things just worked out a little too well. I also don’t understand how people could have gotten beaten up so much and still kept going on. Overall though it was an interesting read and it was good for a one-time pick.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com.

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Brad Meltzer- The Millionaires

Brad Meltzer- The Millionaires (Warner Vision 2002) 4.25 Stars

Oliver thinks he is on the fast track to a high profile career in a large bank and his brother works lower down in the bank. When faced with the chance to take three million dollars and no one knowing that the money is even gone, they are in a dilemma. Oliver soon discovers that he is just being used at the bank and won’t be going anywhere. Now there is nothing holding them back, but when people start chasing them and murder comes into the picture, things begin to go dangerously wrong.

The introduction was kind of interesting in this one; it kind of makes you curious and gets into the feel of the book. Next things start to pick up as you get further along and the action grabs your attention and makes it hard to put down. The plot has a lot of little twists and turns along the way surprising you with a big twist at the end. The twists are not completely unpredictable and you have to wonder with one of the big twists, how Oliver did not see it coming. The characters are pretty good and have a fair amount of depth. The setting was interesting as it changed and went into areas that people should know even if they haven’t been there. The ending was really good; it was action-packed and it was really hard to put down to go to work. I did not think that the epilogue was necessary and felt the book would have been stronger without it. Overall though, it was a really good book.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com.

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/