Jeff Stone (1)

Really liked this. The author dances an amazing dance around giving his characters superpowers - every second you expect the tiger child to morph into a tiger or display superhuman tigerlike strength or something - but it doesn't happen. Although the main character is identified tightly with a tiger, at least through the end of this book he remains strictly human - a highly trained, child prodigy of a fighting warrior monk human, to be sure - but still a human.

Stone also has the most precise show more descriptions of martial arts fights I've ever seen in a fiction book. It's just not that often you are told exactly how and why to use a horse stance in a fight, and have it backed up with solid examples. In addition, one scene where a character attempts to execute a difficult kick without proper training, and hurts himself rather badly in the process, is really priceless.

Others have said that these are good books to start non-readers off with, but I'm not sure - I think the drama is built up painstakingly enough that new readers will lose interest fairly quickly. I think the best target reader is the kid who reads a lot and maybe needs a little push to get interested in doing something physical. The author's lucid descriptions of power under control, and the consequences of failing to have either power or control, should really capture the imagination of a bright child. show less

I love this series. I don't read the books in order and I don't have to. Each book has its own version of the characters' history, told through their eyes, and they all come together as one unit once you have completed them. I would highly recommend reading them in order, however, just because that is probably the best way to enjoy the story of the young monks.

I don't know how the author manages to make these stories so suspenseful and action packed, but I am not kidding when I tell you the show more fighting scenes keep you tense as you read them. I often found myself having to relax when I had finished reading a fight scene because they are written so well they sweep you up into the action. All of a sudden you realize your neck is tense and you are sitting forward, devouring every word, ready to have someone jump out of the book at you. It is just so well done it is almost unbelievable. I can see how young readers who enjoy martial arts would love this series. Parents be ware, I consistently read these books in one sitting, so give it to your child in the morning so that they will come when you call them for dinner. I don't think they would be able to put it down in order to come to the table. show less

This is book 5 of a fantastic series. Think Kung Fu Panda if it was a book and the animals were people, and you're extremely close to the story's main plot: a Buddhist temple gets destroyed by an ex-monk seeking revenge on the grandmaster, and the only survivors are the 5 youngest monks who also happen to be the youngest monks in history to become kung fu masters. Each child is a master of a different Kung Fu style-Tiger, Monkey, Snake, Crane, and Dragon. The 5 orphans must seek help to stop show more the ex-monk and his army from destroying more temples and trying to conquer ancient China. show less

I'm not certain how I feel about this book now that I have finished it.

In the beginning I found myself feeling bombarded with information, either as a rehashing of what had happened in previous books or as a way of hurrying along to the next part of the plot. I felt almost as if I was being pushed along on this maddening experience without getting much chance to breathe. Once we reached an actual plot point for the Snake character, however, things calmed down a little and I settled into show more reading. There were several times where I felt characters were still being thrown at me and the twists and turns of the plot were very reminiscent of a snake slithering along in the woods, but on the whole I eventually found a comfortable place with the journey the book was putting me on.

I deeply enjoy the series and found the end of the book left me hanging, wanting to know what more there is to discover about each of the animals to come. Hopefully there will be a little more balance and a little less rush in the next book of the series. Either way, this is an action-packed, fun read for martial arts fans and I can't wait to see what happens next. show less