Kaimira: The Sky Village: Book One

I started this, but even with its unique premise and intriguing setting, I didn't get through it. One day I'll try it again and see how that goes, because I do like the ideas presented in the book.

http://lampbane.livejournal.com/594046.html

"The book follows two children in a post-apocalyptic word where machines and animals are locked in constant struggle, and the remaining human population stays in hiding. The concept is kind of neat, but the culture is pretty by-the-book. There's a "before time" to contrast with the now. Familiar concepts are twisted by ignorance. It's funny to think that they seem to be pushing this as a fantasy novel, but it's really science fiction. It is the future, and snatches of familiar culture will appear—half the book takes place in China, and bits of actual Chinese culture will pop up here and there.

Both your main characters are pretty by-the-book. Both are trying to save the people they love, and then they are handed a mysterious power that will let them do just that. The kids aren't unlikable, but they are pretty unremarkable. Standard YA heroes.

The book is split between them, existing on opposite sides of the world—one in China, one in Las Vegas. Their only interaction is through a 'magical' book, and a lot of that interaction isn't even shown, just described in passing. Because of this, there's no emotional connection between the two for the reader, and when they finally do meet in a later book it's likely to lack real emotional punch.

The boy, Rom, has a pretty straightforward quest to save his sister, and that's fine, though it's so straightforward that it reaches its conclusion almost too quickly and easily. You know what's going to happen. The girl, Mei, wants to save her mother, but there's no action on her part until the last few chapters. She doesn't actually *do* anything for most of the book. She whines about how much she doesn't want to be in the Sky Village, and why won't people accept her, and oh, maybe she likes it here but she still wants to save her mother, and then, boom, everything goes to hell, now we can do something but it's a very bad thing to do indeed. Sigh.

The two quests resolve themselves and then we are teased with the next quest for our heroine, but our hero knows nothing of it, leaving his part with a lack of closure for this volume at least." ( )

I found the book to be interesting but too confusing to hold my interest ( )

I sure wished I had read this book months ago when i got an ARC. I really enjoyed the demon fights! Plus, the idea of a floating city is just awesome. ( )

I loved the idea of an entire village living in the sky! I could imagine how terrifying yet thrilling it would be to walk the ropes between balloons. I also liked the idea of being able to create a creature solely from imagination; interesting idea. I will probably buy book two just to see where it goes.