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The Dark Hills Divide by Patrick Carman
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The Dark Hills Divide

by Patrick Carman

Series: Land of Elyon (1)

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674106,715 (3.7)19
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Starts out well but it seems about 2/3 of the way through the book the author must have gotten anxious that the book was getting too long, so he had the main character do a quick 180 degree reversal (plot holes be damned) and slapped together a quick ending which frankly doesn't do much to encourage me to read the sequel. ( )
  readingrat | Jul 15, 2009 |
Solid fantasy ( )
  arak | May 27, 2008 |
a good book which gets started into the next 2 books. an amazing plot, characters, and overview. it may be a little boring in the beginning but an un-believable ending and books ahead of it. it all comes together in the end..... ( )
  mitchellf3 | Jan 22, 2008 |
Alexa had me pinned by the collar until she returned to Bridewell after her foray into the forest. At this point, she was well-armed with crucial information, information she was instructed to tell no one. And how could she? The story she would have to tell in order to relay this information was too fantastical for adults to believe.

But she told them anyway and they believed her.

I suppose this may seem to some as a bonus, but I was horribly disappointed. I was ready to fight with Alexa, to follow her on her journey to save Bridewell with her trusty librarian sidekick and a chattering squirrel. Ah well.

Crumbling plot and character aside, Carmen knows his language and uses it fully. He relies on verbs to pop his writing instead of weighing the sentence down with unnecessary modifiers. Also, he does not write down to children. Thank you, Mr. Carmen.

Oh, and the book may look exquisitely bound, but it's just a bunch of faux deckle edged pages pasted to a hardcover. Disappointing.

Rating: 1 star for excellent writing, even if it couldn't keep the story afloat. Half a star for Alexa's HQ being the library. Half a star because I'm a sucker for talking squirrels. ( )
  hercatalyst | Jan 15, 2008 |
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Epigraph
Dedication
First words
"Stop that chattering or we'll have to go back and sit by the fire," said my companion.
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(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
Disambiguation notice
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Book description

Amazon.com (ISBN 0439700930, Hardcover)

Elyon is a land of dark hills, enchanted forests, and great walls that connect and encircle the cities of Lathbury, Turlock, Lunenburg, and Bridewell like spokes in a wagon wheel. On her annual summer trips to Bridewell with her father, the mayor of Lathbury, Alexa Daley spends much of her time dreaming of escape. Having lived within the walls all of her 12 years, she wants nothing more than to explore the uncharted wilderness beyond. But, the walls are heavily guarded, and frightening legends suggest that forests and hills are no place for a child--especially a young girl. When a mysterious conversation and an unfortunate accident put Alexa within reach of a way outside the wall, she must decide--heed the warnings of her elders, or satisfy her curiosity and unravel the mysteries of Elyon.

Told from the perspective of its smart, brave, and adventurous heroine, The Dark Hills Divide invites readers on a spectacular and mysterious quest that will appeal to boys, girls, and fans of both fiction and fantasy. Patrick Carman is a natural storyteller, and his delightful debut is full of mysterious plots, hidden passageways, and all manner of dastardly, hilarious, and noble characters. Perfect for fans of J.K. Rowling, Philip Pullman, and Cornelia Funke, The Dark Hills Divide is so compulsively readable that kids (and their parents) will be clamoring for the second book in the proposed trilogy, Beyond the Valley of Thorns, due in 2005. --Daphne Durham

Amazon.com Exclusive Content
Welcome to the Land of Elyon: Meet the Characters


Alexa Daley
The daughter of the mayor of Lathbury, Alexa is a curious, strong-willed, courageous twelve-year-old who acquires a stone of great power, and investigates and uncovers a terrible secret.

Yipes
The mysterious little man (not more than 2 feet tall) of the old mountain who befriends Alexa Daley on her journey outside the wall. Yipes introduces her to Darius, setting her on an amazing adventure.
Darius
An enormous wolf with a mysterious past, Darius is tasked with escorting Alexa to a meeting in the forest, and taking her to the dark tunnel where a secret is revealed.

Pervis Kotcher
Pervis, the crafty head of the guards in Bridewell, protects the city from the evil dangers he is convinced lurk outside the walls. He is a man with many secrets, great ambition, and a strong dislike for Alexa.

Sam and Pepper
Sam and Pepper live in the library, and curl up with Alexa while she reads and naps in her favorite chair. Alexa soon learns that these cuddly cats are not what they seem--they hide secrets of their own.


Thomas Warvold
The architect and founder of the walled cities, Warvold was an adventerous wanderer who traveled far and wide in the Land of Elyon.

(retrieved from Amazon Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:58:04 -0400)

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