Science Fiction Fantasy Books

I like the idea of this book...main character has to flee home, his brother wants to kill him. Check. I like a good reluctant hero, especially a good one, entwined with magic talents..
But it wasn't enough to carry me through the entire book. The main character was mildly interesting...his magic talents were a little silly (i.e. didn't make much sense), and the story wasn't packed with a solid foundation.
You can have the greatest characters, but a story that's lacking...or a great story with lacking characters.. This book was equally flawed in both areas..
Robert Jordan is much better...or even Lorna Freeman...or Greg Keyes (Briar King).

This book, as well as book 2 "The Blood King", were recommended to me by Amazon. While they usually give me good suggestions, I feel that this particular purchase was a waste of money. The story is poorly written, there's no other way to say it. There are some fascinating themes and characters, but they're all so wooden and stereotypical, the whole thing resembles one of those dreadful European fantasy movies on basic cable. Unless cheesy B-movies like "Bloodrayne" and "Gryphon" appeal to you, you'd be better off looking elsewhere for your fantasy fix.

Right from the start, the story just seems shallow and formulaic. And though a fantasy story doesn't necesarily have to be realistic, there are some elements here that are just weak. For example, I find it difficult to accept the idea of a prince, a well-traveled master bard, and the captain of the castle guard all being 19 years old and best friends. As the story progresses, the stale dialogue and clumsy progression does little to make you keep reading. Even the battles are poorly described. And I could swear that the general plot is basically a hodgepodge of other popular fantasy stories (work from Tad Williams, Terry Goodkind, etc.)

The only good parts of this book are some of the depictions of magic, which are somewhat creative and well described. However, these can't rescue the story from itself.

This book is good! I read other reviews before I bought it and was a bit unsure. There was one place where the nomenclature got the better of the author, but if you can get past that one spot it is a wonderful book. The charactors are fully reaized, the plot is good and it has a nice fast pace. I read this book in two days, I just couldn't put it down! I highly recomend it to anyone who likes a good fantasy. You'll finish this book and then want the next in the series because this book is only half of the story so far. The ending is good, but you know there is more story to come.

Don't get me wrong, I like paint by numbers fantasy. A paperback novel telling the tale of a young hero who must right wrongs and save the kingdom is a great way to kill time on an airplane, commute, or relaxing on the beach. But only if the author is good at it.

The author of 'The Summoner,' Gail Martin, is not very good at it.

Given that this is PbNF, I didn't expect much when I picked it up on a whim recently. I expected the cardstock characters (evil usurper, dark wizard adviser, plucky princess, bardly bard, etc) and Hero's Journey plot checklist. I just didn't expect it to be so... inept.

The book is too long, first of all. We all know where stories like this are going, so why spend so much time messing around? It's not like there's any character development or anything, so it feels like the author's just yanking our chains for a few hundred pages.

Hint: If you're telling a paint by the numbers fantasy story, your page cap is 400. 300 would be better. 600 is fail. I mean, this is a series, right? Save some for book 2.

The characters are cardboard cutouts of cardboard cutouts. If you have seen one fantasy movie, read one fantasy book, or played one game of D&D, you know them all instantly. The only interesting twist, the main character is like the kid form the Sixth Sense and can see ghosts, is reduced to a chore as he spends most his time whining about it.

Hint: If you spend the more of a fight scene describing how your hero is shocked and aghast at killing a dude instead of describing the actual fight, you're doing it wrong.

Hint: People don't like their characters to be willfully stupid. If the captain of the guard can't do anything about suspicious activity surrounding the king, then perhaps he shouldn't be a captain, huh?

The setting is Standard Fantasy. Again, no problems there, but nobody needs the Geography 101 Info Dump or the Intro to Theology course we get once the quest finally gets underway.

Hint: Don't introduce new cultures/faiths by telling us. Show them so as to make them more real for the reader.

Hint: Of course, if your idea of showing involves long descriptions of boring rituals performed by standard Spunky Princess #2 (Now, with cute animal companion!), maybe you should just skip it all together.

Bottom line is, this book would have been much better for what it is if it were half as long and twice as well written. That way reading 'The Summoner' by Gail Martin would be more rewarding and less like trying to eat a bag of marshmallows - too long, too safe, too sickly sweet.

Easily the worst book I've tried to read in the past five years. Some books are fast reads because the pace whirls you along; others are fast because absolutely nothing happens. This book is unfortunately one of the latter. Normally I give a book 100 pages before giving up on it. For this one, I got to 75 and simply couldn't take any more.

The author's style is amateurish and shallow, with nothing paid attention to beyond the most cursory details. To a one, every single character can be described in five words or less, and each is a stereotype lifted from bad movies and the writings of adolescent pretenders: charming captain of the guard, standard-issue bard, evil patrocidic maniacal prince, and so on. You never get to know any more about the characters because at every opportunity for reflection, interaction, or development, the author instead chooses to gloss over things, plunging on to the next thinly described vignette in which nothing happens.

If nothing else, this novel demonstrates that one need have no real talent to get published.

Loved this book. Easy read, but Skye really gets you connected with the characters and the story. I loved the humor and sarcasm the main character has and found myself laughing a lot at his thoughts! I like Leven Thumps too, but this is my favorite from Skye so far. Definitely would recommend this to any reader!

The opening to this novel is as creative and fun as anything I've read in an awfully long time. This is his funniest work, in my opinion, the wit really pops.

The mark of a great story is a flawed protagonist that despite wanting to strangle them from time to time, you love and root for them anyway. Lead character Beck fits that mold perfectly. If you as a reader can't relate to Beck, you're probably a wax figure.

Two thumbs up. (and a toe) A fun summer read if ever there was one.

Obert Skye's Pillage is a step up in this genre. It is more mature, but not so much as to alienate young readers. I would suggest this book for older elementary level on up. Teens and Adults will enjoy this too. I actually found myself plotting out schemes to keep reading, I told a bank teller that she needed less tellers and more customers in line so that I could read my book! This book kept me turning the pages late into the night, and so quickly during the final third! The plot twists and surprises that await you will keep you thinking. Can't wait for the sequel!!!

Beck Phillips is an average though mischievous teenager. With a shift in family circumstances, he is sent to live with his reclusive and slightly crazy uncle in a secluded mansion. The expansive house and grounds provide endless exploration for Beck and his new friends, Kate and Milo, but he is given strict warnings to avoid the basement and the back yard - which of course provoke him to seek out those places first. Beck uncovers some strange family secrets involving his ancestors, a bizarre curse, and most unbelievably - dragons!

Pillage was an interesting and entertaining book. I liked the unique twists that Obert Skye placed on traditional dragon mythology. The story was built to uncover the mystery at a decent pace, and the action and adventure were maintained from cover to cover.

I also really liked the characters that Skye created. The dialog and narration were written with a good mix of youthful sensibility and humor that added realism to Beck and his friends. The story wraps up nicely in the end, making Pillage a great stand-alone fantasy novel and yet, readers will surely crave more of this great adventure!

Beck Phillips is a troubled teenager with a special gift. When his mother dies suddenly, he finds himself shipped off to an unknown uncle who lives outside a strange village called Kingsplot. But Beck's family holds a deep, dark secret. Why is the backyard forbidden? Why did they bury the basement? And why do plants seem to act strangely around Beck?

This young adult fantasy had me hooked from beginning to end. The mystery and suspense were enthralling, and the build-up was incredibly engaging. Obert Skye has created a wonderful legend with characters that pull you into the story. He has a real gift of creating suspense. And thankfully, the reveal was just as exciting. One of my favorite details was the addition of pages from a mysterious family book that Beck stumbles upon, which precede each chapter. We get glimpses of the family secret as the story unfolds.

Pillage is a wonderful book for all ages containing a fun mystery, adventure, interesting characters, magic, surprises, a climactic battle, and a moral about the negative aspects of greed.

The Spiderwick Chronicles continue one afternoon just after school when Simon Grace, while looking for his missing cat at the edge of the yard of the dilapidated estate is dragged into the woods by unseen captors. Jared and Mallory race off in pursuit with a new talisman that allows them to see the fairy creatures they've learned about in the field guide. You'll meet more mythical creatures like trolls, goblins, and hobgoblins (there is a difference) and enjoy more of this clever little tale and Tony DiTerlizzi's wonderful pen and ink drawings. I just wish I'd bought the whole boxed set! I have to wait until pay day to order the next volume; or maybe I should just order them all!

The Seeing Stone, like its predecessor, is a very short book. It took me roughly 20 minutes to start and finish this book. For younger readers, this is pretty ideal since many children are intimidated by longer books. Unfortunately, I thought the drawings of a cat roasting over a fire, along with mention of eating cats, kittens, and various other small creatures, to be more than a little disturbing. My family loves cats, and even though there's nothing very graphic in this book, both of my children (10 and 12) felt upset about the drawings and descriptions.

Otherwise, my kids enjoy these quick-read books.

Jared, Simon, and Mallory Grace are still adjusting to their new life after their parents' divorce. Not only do they have to adjust to a new school (Jared especially is having a hard time with this) but they are living in a house and area inhabited not only by humans but hobgoblins, trolls, fairies, and griffins. When Simon's cat disappears he goes looking for it and soon he also disappears. Jared and Mallory set off to help Simon, but they'll need some help in order to find him in time.

"The Seeing Stone" is the sequel to The Field Guide (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 1) and is the second book in "The Spiderwick Chronicles" series and for the most part it is pretty good fun. Children will love the fantasy elements of the goblins, trolls, fairies, griffins, etc. especially the rhyming Thimbletack. The Seeing Stone (which helps them see the Goblins) is a nice addition to the series and authors Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black invent a funny if somewhat gross way for the children to see the goblins without the seeing stone. What kept me from entirely enjoying the book is that I felt some of the scarier moments were a bit too scary for young children. I found the goblins especially bothersome with their cages full of kidnap victims. And the hint of what might have happened to Simon's cat may be traumatic for younger children.

"The Seeing Stone" is a good fantasy but parents may want to read it first to make sure their children can handle it.

The characters in the story are three kids Mallory, Simon, and Jared. They moved into a new house, that was their aunt's old house. The story builds up with each book because there are five books. At the end of each book, it begins a new book which is my favorite; it makes me want to read more. This book is a fun fantasy book for nine years old and up. One of the creatures in this book is a Goblin and it's army takes Simon. Jared and Mallory go out to find him.On the way, Jared finds a stone that lets him see the magical creatures. When they go and save him they find another goblin, the goblin spits in Jared's eye and lets him see the magical creature without the stone. I would recommend this book to others because if you start reading the book, it opens your mind and makes you want to read.If you really want to read this book, you need to start from the beginning of the book. It will also be a good idea to see the new movie and compaire the book to the movie. I love it when they make books into movies becausethey are completely different, like the characters personalities. The illistrations in the book helped you see the pictures in your mind. They are very detailed and also make you want to read more. The characters have their strengths. By reading the books you can tell that Mallory is the strong one in the family with her fencing. Jared is the adventure type. That is how they found the guide in the first book. Simon on the other hand is the scardie cat in the family. Im not sure if i would read another book because they were too easy.

The second installment of the 'Spiderwick Chronicles' is again very good.
It has an engaging story, good characters and interesting ideas, as well as excellent illustrations. Probably deserving of four stars, but it's just too short. I really don't see the need to separate the story into five small books. I can see if they were catering to very young readers, but with a storyline involving family pets being roasted and eaten by goblins the target audience has to be 9-12 year olds not 5-8 year olds.
Anyways well worth reading, but the series probably needs to be read all at once- at least for adult readers

I picked up the first in the series on a whim and have been caught up in the characters ever since. I like that life isn't always peaches & cream, but there is enough of the good to outweigh the bad, after all, this IS escapism at it's best, right?

This was a good book from start to finish. Hardly any down spots and as usual, plenty of action. Can't wait to see what the future holds for Cullen and Chynna. I recommend this whole series.

If you love the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs, and the two "Magic" series books by Ilona Andrews, you will love this third book in the Wilks series about werewolf/magic/demon/dragon and otherworldly folks. A really suspenseful and fun summer read. I enjoyed every page. This is not erotica, but there are some scenes not suitable for the under 12 age group. I particularly enjoy the writers style, it's not "namby-pamby-kiss-me-once-and-I-fall-in-love-and-take-off-all-my-clothes" kind of romance that fries my bu** and insults my intelligence. There is real thoughtful development of the characters, their relationships and most importantly, the plots.

I have to say, I love the tattooed woman on the cover of this book. But don't just buy this book for the cover. It's a good read.

Slap me silly or stuff my mouth with soap. I am so eating my words after having read this one...

So okay, 1 & 2 were, at times, frustrating to read, and getting used to the characters and Wilks' style could get trying, at times. In the end...totally worth it in this third installment, which ties everything--from plotting to characters to explanations--so well, I was marveled. And struck dumb.

As things stand: the world is on the cusp of falling apart and surviving Dis (i.e. Hell) was the easy part. It begins with a wham-bham-thank-you-mam tidal wave of magic that coats the entire globe, unleashing power and shifting realms. And creates general chaos and mayhem. By now, we all know that the female deity that the Lupi were created to oppose and eventually destroy, is behind all the trouble. However, to get that, she needs an ancient book, the Book of All Magic that was lost after the Purge, in order to enter this realm.

To be short, there are two interlaced romances and tales in and of their own right. They do develop rather slowly, but its not a bad pace, and this book's plotting is incredibly dense.

Lily's & Rule's tangoing is pretty much status quo and now has that 'awe...that's so sweet' element that was really frustrating, and uneventful (physical-wise), in the first 2 books. I've always appreciated, and rather enjoyed, Wilk's day-by-day spin on the romance part. Very realistic and more meaningful. Love and romance, however, are the least of their worries as Toby, Rule's young son, decided to up and leave his human family to spend Christmas with them, and becomes the center of a plan by Jiri, Cynna's old teacher and perhaps a puppet to Her. To add to the hectic pace and drama, Rule has become inexplicably entangled with his familial enemy, Leidolf, and becomes
embroiled within that pack's religious and political structure. It's still not clear if this is a good or bad thing, but one thing is for certain, it's something wholly unheard of, in any clan tradition.

The second romance is of Cullen and Cynna's, while written with a bit more force, and parallels Rule's & Lilly's, doesn't really bloom until 3/4 of the way. But, boy, is the outcome interesting...though the process of their flirting is subdued and dull, their ability to annoy each other can be amusing. And tedious, since they argue semantics and magical logics of their world, though its purpose is to explain what the hell is going on and why. Wilks may bring in a lot of weird stuff in, but she always gets it explained, and doesn't wait too long to tell you.

Meanwhile--Grandma Yu gets her chunk of play, as we begin to learn more about her and her overall role in things to come. Which is a doozy.

I realized the reason why I was put off with the first two in this incredible series. One, I'm used to a lot of exposition, character internalization of emotions and detailed accounts of emotional battles, both verbal and not. This series doesn't rely on that. It sticks strictly with dialogue exposition, almost entirely third person, and carefully placed descriptions of all action, physical, emotional, psychological, etc, which is hard to get comfortable with at times. There is no stream of consciousness, or much (if any) internal talking by characters. Thus, the narrator is both there and yet not, which is why the characters themselves can feel mechanical and distant. Also, there isn't the usual hot and heavy sex scenes. Which Wilks really isn't into, and doesn't find as essentially important as plotting, which is so well thought out, and focuses on character developments, which is either stable, static or meandering. It's not so much immediate growth, but things happen, and their digesting what to do. A bit more true-time if you imagine it like real life...

By now, the characters are growing on me. I still find them hard to relate to but I do like them, and I appreciate how consistent they're written and behave. Wilks has really made things logically reasonable and believable, consistent, despite the scope of her world, which she knows inside out. And everything else, really. Her style can be clinical, a bit mechanical and choppy sometimes, but she gets her points across that were hook-line-and-sinker for me to keep going, despite my misgivings and my inability to see romance novels out side the box. So thanks and huge kudos for her!

There's so much that happens, that after the other two, it's kind of disorienting but well executed. There's a lot of dialogue that you'll have to tread through carefully, otherwise it won't make as much sense. The one annoying thing is the constant recap and repetition of info that Wilks feels necessary to keep hitting you in the head with. However, I'm on tenterhooks to start the 4th...and thank god I stuck with it.

I'm a writer. And I have three boys who don't read. How embarrassing is that? But they have all picked up these books (10, 12, & 13) and I catch them reading instead of watching television. That is this mother's dream, and I'm so grateful. Incidentally, this was their favorite because they liked all the "war". Warning: your kids may feel especially heroic after reading this series. And I have a message from my sons Garth Nix, hurry up, they're waiting for Sunday! Kristin

Garth Nix creates two stories that comes together with a fantastic ending. Arthur is drafted into the Architect's Army, and Leaf volunteers to help on Earth by finding the one important object that will help stop Arthur's double from infecting people on Earth. For a little while, Suzie is left out...unable to do anything for Arthur or Leaf. But when she does get involved, she makes all the difference.

Leaf plays an important role in this version. She is a brave little girl trying to outsmart Arthur's double. Even though, Leaf does not want anymore adventures after her Border Sea experience from the last book, she steps up to the plate without hesitation. She becomes a key character in saving Arthur and the world. Meanwhile, Arthur is going through training in the Architect's Army and eventually fights in a battle with the Nithlings. He even gets washed behind the ears and loose his memory, but he gains it back just in time to face Sir Thursday.

My favorite character in this novel is Leaf. I really liked how Garth Nix puts her more into the book and made her very important to Arthur's success.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next one...Lady Friday.

Thanks.

This is the fourth book in the Keys to the Kingdom series by Garth Nix. I think this is easily the best book in the series so far.

Arthur is anxious to return back to his own world when he finds out about the presence of the Skinless Boy. He finds he is unable to return to his world and has been drafted into Sir Thursday's Army. Arthur is also very concerned about the magical contamination he has received from using the keys. If he gets too much magical contamination he will turn into a Denizen and never be able to return home. As if this all wasn't complicated enough someone has started killing the former Days. Arthur needs to disable the skinless boy and get the 4th part of the will along with Sir Thursday's key but how will he do all of this from the Army's ranks?

This was a great book. Arthur is finally starting to grow up. At least in this book he only spent 20% of the time whining instead of 60%. I am glad the Suzi Blue was in the book more and even more glad that Leaf played a larger role in this book too. The book was a little slow in the middle but the end was full of non-stop action. I thought the role of the Piper was interesting. Also the mention of Lady Friday at the end of the book was very ominous.

My only real complaint in this book is (again) Arthur's whining. Also there are points in the book where he seems to be helpless and then suddenly he takes action; it seems a bit inconsistent. This book is still the best of the four so far. I am interested to see what happens in Lady Friday (the next book). I have found it interesting how the personality of the Will changes as more and more parts of it are found. This book does end with a bit of a cliff hanger that will have you wishing for the next book.
[...]

The keys to the kingdom books are great for pe-teens up. Arthur is the lead role in the book, and he copes with his new found powers well. He shows caring and compassion for his friends and family, he does what is nessacery to protect them from the baddies while trying to complete his new tasks to gain a new key of power. It is a fansty type book, it does have some dangerous situations, and it is a series, so if your thinking about buying this please read the other books that are before it in the series. The story line is not so complicated that a young reader couldn't follow it with easy. Adults would enjoy it also. It's a good book.

Garth Nix's Keys to the kingdom series is an excellent read. easy to comprehend and follow. I highly reccomend this series. the books are short and you can get them cheap right here on amazon.com

the books are in order
Mister Monday (The Keys to the Kingdom, Book 1)
Grim Tuesday (Keys to the Kingdom, Book 2)
Drowned Wednesday (Keys to the Kingdom, Book 3)
Sir Thursday (The Keys To The Kingdom, Book 4)
Lady Friday (The Keys To The Kingdom, Book 5)
and two more on the way!

I love warhammer 40k. If you do read the books...Armored Space marines with chainsaw swords and machine guns killing aliens. Whats not to love?

A necessary read if you have started the awesome Annihilation storyline. Richard Rider is infected with a technovirus and must fight to keep it at bay while two familiar faces are hot on his tail. These persuers are part of the Phalnx Select that Richie so desperately needs to stop. Richard finds some friends along the way, one being a talking version of man's best friend and the other a former New Mutant who may be the secret to the Phalnx's demise. A great take of for the Human Rocket, he got me hooked on this series.

Fast pacing and nonstop, suspenseful plots make it impossible for the readers to put down the book. Readers of this book will love Bobby Pendragon. Put down the wands and spellbooks and get ready to hop into a flume. Hobey-Ho!

Hobey-Ho!

"People don't communicate with real people anymore, they're too busy living inside their own heads and creating characters to act in their own personal dramas. Nothing is happening. Nothing is moving forward. Nothing is real. Veelox is dead."

Prophecy about our own future? Possibly. Description of what happens to a world that is so engrossed in their own fantasies that reality is ignored and the world deteriorates. Definitely.

Saint Dane has outdone himself on Veelox. Aja Killian, the Traveler from Veelox, believes she has the answer to defeat Saint Dane and resents the appearance of Bobby who we find out in this edition has been designated (by whom we do not know.....Uncle Press?) the "lead Traveler". Aja is very smart, but she is also arrogant and naive. A bad combination when you have to fight the ultimate evil.

Veelox is a world in neglect. The inhabitants spend their lives "jumping" into a fantasy world within their minds using a technology called "Lifelight". A jumper lies down in a bed of sorts, is connected to Lifelight, is fed via electrodes attached to their skin and enters a perfect world of fantasy where all their dreams can come true. The perfect fantasy is something everyone wants and gets. It is also something Saint Dane has been planning to use to bring down his first territory. When everyone is jumping, there is no one to fight a takeover.

To fend off Saint Dane, Aja realizes that she must make the fantasy world a little less appealing so that people will jump less and return to their deserted homes and back to reality. To do this, she has developed a "reality bug", a software program that injects just a bit of reality into every jump.

For example, in my ideal fantasy I am spending my life on the beach in Kauai. Since I am perfectly happy, I want to spend my entire "life" there and reality can take care of itself without me. But the reality bug might produce a hurricane, or I might get bitten by a thousand mosquitoes....anything to force me to spend less time in my jump and more time taking care of my home..... and reality.

Aja explains the reality bug plan to Bobby. They agree to load the reality bug and, hopefully, save Veelox. Unfortunately, Saint Dane is not only evil, but, he is patient (often setting up the path to destruction years and years in advance), and clever. Once the reality bug is introduced into Lifelight something terrible happens. The bug is far more dangerous and lethal than Aja meant for it to be (guess who had a hand in helping Aja design it?). Fantasy crosses over into reality. The reality bug feeds on the jumpers fears and grows into a monstrous killer as it is fed by millions of jumpers.

While Bobby, Loor, and Aja struggle to save Veelox, Mark and Courtney on Second Earth find out that they have been pre-ordained (Bobby's journals are sent to them) to be acolytes (people who help the Travelers by providing clothing, food and other assistance in each territory). And Gunny has followed Saint Dane to Eelong to try and head off his attempts to bring down that territory.

"Pendragon The Reality Bug" is a tremendous book full of action, thought provoking ideas, and plot twists that will leave you sitting on the edge of your seat until the very end of the book.....and beyond. The Pendragon series has taken a sharp turn to the dark side and the rules have changed. Bobby, Mark, Courtney, Loor, Gunny, Aja and the rest of the Travelers and acolytes are in for a real battle in the books ahead. They will need to step up to the challenge or Halla will be under the rule of Saint Dane. If one territory falls, they may all fall like dominoes.

Saint Dane makes He Who Must Not Be Named look like a wimp.

By TracyReaderDad

I have a love/hate relationship with this book. On one hand it's one of the most AMAZING scifi books I've ever read. On the other hand it's just sad.
If you've been following the series you'll know that Bobby hasn't lost a territory yet. Well in this one he does. That's all I'm going to tell you. You'll just have to go and read it for yourself but be warned. It's not what you think it is.
You find out really interesting things when you read this book. You also watch Bobby mature into a young man. He becomes solemn, tired, and worn out. This battle isn't about a little kid being a hero anymore. It's a real fight between good and evil and there's a chance that evil will win out in the end.
Definitely one of the best, but also a very sad book.

This book was pretty good especially the amazing detail of all of the crazy things such as lifelight. However, thats just as always (especially the things on Cloral.) Although it was detailed I really wasnt as " i cant wait to read this book whn i get home" as i was with the others. Its definatley worthy of a 4 star but nothing more because it kind of lagged in certain spots like with lifelight the same thing keeps happening. But as i said earlier, its worthy of a 4 star but nothing compared to the others; I hope book is going to be good and all the rest (especially book 8.)

This book seemed just a tad bit dreary as far as the world goes but nonetheless it was a totally great read!

Well, heck, if this isn't just one of the cutest things I had ever had the pleasure of reading. Yes, I have read Ms. Osborne before, but I was still sadly wary of a book like this. How surprised I was to see her skill put into an excellent and educational fantasy that works wonderfully for the kids? My first-graders (at least the ones with the capability of listening to longer books) were entranced, and I have to admit that the tight, creative plot had me absorbed, as well. I realized shortly though that "The Magic Tree House" is best read serially, but this still was perfectly understandable on its own. Great job!

When I first suggested this book to my four year old she exclaimed "Where are the pictures?" I told her that she could create her own in her imagination and she sure did!
We both enjoyed this book and look forward to more of the series.

"The Blizzard of the Blue Moon" is a very good book. We have a 10 year old Autistic grandson who did not like to read. We started reading for 20 minutes every day and sometimes longer because he wanted to find out what would happen next. During the holidays, he read 3 of the Magic Treehouse books! I like this book and the series because Mary Pope Osborne weaves historical facts that we can discuss together, in her fictional books. I am so happy that there are many books in the Magic Treehouse series, and we look forward to the next new book in March! Thank you, Mrs. Osborne, for helping our grandson become very enthusiastic about reading!

This book is about two kids named Jack and Annie who have a magic tree house. They have a mission to find a magic animal, but it is snowing really bad. They meet a giant who plays the weather band. Teddy and Kathleen help them. They think the magic animal is at the zoo, but is it?
The magic animal's powers may go away forever! Will they find the magic animal? Will it keep its powers? Find out in the book, Blizzard of the Blue Moon!

I read this wonderful book to myself the day I got it. I was thrileed and couldn't wait for the next book to come out. It takes place in New York City in 1938 during the Great Depression. jack and Annie have to find a unicorn. But how will they find one in a big city? Finally Jack and Annie find the unicorn, whose name is Dianthus. But just then two teenagers named Balor and Grinda burst in and try and take Dianthus. Jack and Annie escape with the unicorn, and stop in Central Park. There, Balor and Grinda show up, and Annie recites her favorite magic rhyme, Turn Into Ducks. Balor and Grinda turn into ducks.

Teddy and Kathleen, Merlin and Morgan, show up and the two other teenagers ride Dianthus home to Camelot. Jack and Annie travel home in the Magic Tree House, and merlin and Morgan take a ride around New York City.

For ANY fans of the magic tree house, MAGIC TREE HOUSE #36: BLIZZARD OF THE BLUE MOON, I reccomend you read this wonderful book. You will be so surprised that you read this book over and over again!