A fun little MG Paranormal SF that may require some explanation of history.

BOOK DETAILS:

Only You Can Save Mankind by Terry Pratchett, read by Richard Mitchley, published by Random House Audio (2011) / Length: 4 hrs 11 min (this is the Unabridged version)

SERIES INFO:

This is Book #1 of the "Johnny Maxwell" trilogy. All of them are available on audio.

SUMMARY:

Like most Pratchett book, this one is a pleasure to read for people who love interesting characters.

Note: It takes place during the first Gulf War; so you might need to explain who "Stormin' Norman" is, and other such things, to children who are going to read it. It isn't absolutely necessary though. The book has some interesting commentary on how the war is just another "show" to kids who have grown up with lots of different screens in their lives, and yet they can't help but be affected by it.

An enchanting MG Contemporary Fantasy

BOOK DETAILS:

Nim's Island by Wendy Orr, read by Kate Reading, published by Blackstone Audio (2008) / Length: 2 hrs 25 min

SERIES INFO:

This is Book #1 of 3 in the Nim series. It is the only one available on audio.

SUMMARY:

It could be argued that this book is not really fantasy, it is just a book about a very imaginative little girl who is good with animals. That's probably true; but it reads more like a fantasy than a straightforward contemporary, so I feel comfortable reviewing it here on the blog.

Although the book is very short, it feels longer (in a good way). And it is strong in all three areas I generally review (see below).

A quick, fun SF adventure that's perfect for MG boys (and girls).

BOOK DETAILS:

Crash Landing by Zac Harrison, read by Michael Fenton Stevens, published by Audible Studios (2013) / Length: 3 hrs 55 min

SERIES INFO:

This is Book #1 of 6 in the "Hyperspace High" series. All are available on audio.

SUMMARY:

This is a fun story that both I and my young nieces & nephews enjoyed.

There are a few over used elements here: 3 friends (2 boys & 1 girl), 1 snooty nemesis boy, and a wise headmaster at a boarding school. But it is very different in many ways as well. First of all, this is SF. And second, the series is a set of independent adventures that take place over a single semester, rather than a larger tale divided up into years.

I like that they didn't try and Americanize this. That means younger readers may need to find out what things such "trainers" are (sneakers).

I didn't expect to enjoy this SF comedy as much as a did.

BOOK DETAILS:

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, read by the author / Length: 4 hrs 59 min

SERIES INFO:

This is Book #1 of 5 (6 if you count the sequel written by Eoin Colfer) in the "Hitchhikers..." series. All of the books are available on audio (both unabridged and as radio dramatizations).

SUMMARY:

I received this book for free (many years ago). I had heard of it, of course, but didn't expect to enjoy it much since I am widely believed to be humor impaired, and I really don't like farce. However, I found this unexpectedly enjoyable. (I only made it through about 1.5 of the sequels though.)

It was fun, with occasional thought provoking comments on the human condition.

A fun little MG Fantasy with some very nice details.

BOOK DETAILS:

Into the Land of the Unicorns by Bruce Coville, read and published by Full Cast Audio (2009) / Length: 3 hrs 37 min

SERIES INFO:

This is Book #1 of 4 in "The Unicorn Chronicles," all four are available on audio.

SUMMARY:

Many of the elements of this story are straight out of the fantasy playbook, but Bruce Coville's style of writing almost always manages to suck me in and keep my attention. This book is definitely more on the plot driven side, rather than my preferred character driven tales; yet the glimpses we get into what is going on with the characters is intriguing.

CHARACTERS:

Cara: In such a short book, we don't get a lot of character development for her but it was enough. She is loyal, brave & compassionate, but not unbelievably so. Note: She always wanted to live in a library, which is an excellent life goal.

We don't learn a lot about anybody besides her, but my favorite side character so far is Thomas (the Tinker and philsopher).

WORLDBUILDING:

The world seems to be a standard fantasy setting (forests & caves, unicorns, dwarves called Delvers, dragons, etc), but also includes a couple of unique creature people who aren't fully explained in this volume. There are good descriptions of the colors, sights, sounds, and smells of the world. The history of the unicorns & hunters is quite interesting.

PLOT:

The book starts right in with a couple of action scenes that do a good job of setting up the mystery & danger Cara will be dealing with. We then meet the main individuals who will be going on our quest. The book is very short, but doesn't feel under developed. It moves along at a good pace with a mix of action and talk. There is an ending to this quest, but the overall plots regarding Cara's family and the danger to the unicorns remains open.

HIGHLIGHTS / CAUTIONS:

• The home & library of the Keeper of the Chronicles - Just like Cara, I want to live there.
• Thomas' cart/wagon
• Cara's interactions with the dragon

CAUTIONS: Cara believes that her parents abandoned her and suffers a great deal of emotional trauma as a result.

NARRATION:

Full Cast Audio uses different actors for all the main roles, and casts actual children as the younger characters. I am particularly fond of Bruce Coville's voice, and he is very good at emoting. In this one, he serves as the narrator. I also especially liked the voice of the dragon. I did NOT like the voice of the Squijum though, and am very grateful that it didn't appear much. I am also not very fond of music in my audiobooks, although it wasn't as bad in this one as some others. I did have to bump it up to 1.5 speed (rather than my usual 1.25) since it was a bit slow.

BOOK DETAILS:

Into the Land of the Unicorns (Unicorn Chronicles #1) by Bruce Coville, read and published by Full Cast Audio (2009) / Length: 3 hrs 37 min Buy Now | +Goodreads

Talk to Me (pretty please)

• What's your favorite unicorn book?
• Do you like music in your audiobooks?

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