John Stephens (6) (1972–)

I liked this book, and can see why it's been getting a lot of buzz. I'm always on the lookout for the next big juvenile fantasy series, so I was excited to start this one. I don't think it's going to be the next Harry Potter, but I do think it will be up there with popular series like Fablehaven and Percy Jackson. It actually reminded me of Fablehaven a good bit, partially because both books have siblings who interact in similar ways, and partially because the vocabulary and dialogue in both show more are fairly simple. Like most fantasy tomes, it could have handled more editing (I know it's increasingly common, but I still think 417 pages is a bit much for ages 8-12, which is what they're marketing this toward).

I don't want to sound over-critical and give the impression that I didn't like the book, though! I did enjoy it, particularly the last half of it, once I was fully engaged in the story. There are some great secondary characters, the kids themselves are believable, and I like that they make mistakes and own up to them. I'll definitely read the sequels!

One final criticism, this of the ending (so if you haven't finished it yet, you may want to stop reading here): I was hoping to get away from the whole "Children of Prophecy" shtick that's so ubiquitous in juvenile fantasy, but I can't say I didn't see it coming from early in the book. I also thought Pym was getting a little too Dumbledore-esque for my taste during that final showdown with the Countess. All in all, though it was an enjoyable, exciting read. show less

I got a copy of this book through the Amazon Vine program. It immediately caught my eye and the premise sounded wonderful. This is the first book in what will be a trilogy which each book focusing on a different sibling and a different Book of Beginning.

Kate, Emma, and Michael are orphans who have been shipping from one orphange to another for the last ten years or so. Well, technically they don't think they are really orphans because they know that their parents had to give them up and hide show more them for some reason. When they are placed in a strange orphange in Cambridge Falls they find a strange green book in one of the rooms there. The book sends them somewhere else when they place a picture in it. It sends them back in time to camrbide Falls under the rule of an evil witch. With dwarves and wizards at their side it is up to these three kids to save Cambridge Falls from becoming the wasteland it is in the present time.

As Stephens states himself he is a long time fan of Lord of the Rings and of the Chronicles of Narnia and that definitely shows in this book. You have the trio of siblings sent off to save a different world; but in this case it is the same world at a past time. Some of the baddies in this book have a feeling similar to the baddies in the Lord of the Rings. The way the whole adventures ties in with the fate of the world also has a bit of a Lord of the Rings feeling to it.

The siblings have very distinct personalities and a lot of depth to them. The characters surrounding them are equal in depth and very intriguing. You have Dr. Pym, who channels that whole old wise wizard vibe and Gabriel, who has the whole noble sort of ranger/warrior thing going on. At times the characters are a bit stereotypical, but not in a bad way. These characters greeted me to the story like warm friends that I have fond memories of, but never really got to know all that well until now.

The plot is very well done. Like any good fantasy you have a simpler plot that gets resolved in this book and then a broader plot that spans the series. There is no horrible cliffhanger, Stephens doesn't need to do that to make you want more. The broader plot in general is enough to make me really want to read the next book. The plot is both immediate and far-reaching and I love that all that range is covered. The story has a very epic feel to it at times, but never gets too complex or too impersonal. The writing style is easy to read, has wonderful action scenes, is hard to put down, and it filled with excellent description that really pull the reader in.

You might ask but how does the time travel fit in with fantasy? The answer is very well in this case. Stephens pulls it off seamlessly and even takes time to have Dr. Pym explain how all the crazy traveling back and forth was reconciled with real history etc.

Overall just an absolutely wonderful middle grade fantasy. I highly recommend this book to all fantasy fans. It is appropriate for a middle grade, or even slightly younger audience as far as content is concerned. This is one of those special middle grade fantasies that adults will enjoy too; it assumes that kids can handle a well thought out and complex plot (which of course they can!) Fans of Harry Potter, the Chronicles of Narnia, His Dark Materials, Lord of the Rings, Percy and the Olympians, and Fablehaven will find a lot here to love. I cannot wait to read the next book and see what happens next! show less

Reading The Book Thief almost killed the library book club this year, and they demanded something more lighthearted and fantastical. I gave them this title as one of their choices knowing very little about it; it had not checked out once off the shelf but had been very well reviewed. The quick description of the characters on the back sounded interesting, too. I was concerned about the length (over 400 pages) since the club seems to have trouble finishing books (drives me crazy!), but I show more threw it out there. They unanimously chose it. And almost all of them finished it. :)
The story details the adventures of Kate, Michael and Emma, three orphans whose parents disappeared mysteriously in the middle of the night. They have bounced from one orphanage to another over the last eight years or so. Kate promised her mother that she would look after her two younger siblings on the night her parents disappeared, and she takes this charge very seriously. They don’t necessarily make it very easy; Michael is a bookworm who firmly believes in dwarves, and Emma is a “pint-sized brawler” (taken from the back of the book-- I love that expression!), always in a scrap and not afraid to tell everyone exactly what she’s thinking. Kate has had to grow up very quickly to corral these two.
The kids hit the end of the line when they scare away the last adoption prospect by stating adamantly that there parents will be coming back for them, and the nasty headmistress sends them to last-ditch orphanage outside Baltimore, run by a Dr. Pym. This place is not like other places; even getting there is a seemingly magical event. The kids are hardly settled in when they stumble upon a green book in what appears to be Dr. Pym’s study. It is filled with blank pages-- very mysterious. Theorizing that it might be an old photo album, Michael slips a photo taken long ago into the book, and the kids find themselves in that time, in that place, where horrible things are afoot.
This is a good read for fantasy-genre fans, for sure. It’s got the feel of the Harry Potter books plus a little of Michael Scott’s The Alchemyst series thrown in as well. I would recommend it to both boys and girls, 6th and 7th grade in particular. It’s the first in a trilogy, which adults are getting irritated with but kids still seem to be loving. One of the book club kiddos already went to the public library and checked out the second one! I doubt I will read the trilogy; adults are definitely not the intended audience. Just a warning-- there is some violence in this. There’s a battle scene at the end and a rather scary moment involving children in the middle, but middle school is the intended audience. Overall, I’d say I give it 3 out of 5 stars. show less

Second in the Books of Beginnings series, John Stephens’ The Fire Chronicle takes young readers into two fascinating worlds of ragged orphans and terrifying dragons, tying them both together through “two magical books” and “three lost siblings.”

The middle sibling comes to the fore in this story, and his gradual transformation from bookish follower to confident leader is very appealing. On the way he acquires the title “rabbit,” resists falling in love, and loses both his show more sisters to different disasters. Meanwhile older sibling Kate isn’t sure if she’s saving her friends or losing them, after losing herself and her book in New York City’s ragged streets of a hundred years ago.

The humor is playful, modern and pleasant, for adults as well as children. The dialog is convincing and sharp. And change, even when it involves loss, isn’t always bad. “[T]he point of life isn’t to avoid pain,” says one character, counseling Michael as loss and defeat bring him down. It’s wise advice, in a book with wise lessons, exciting adventure, intriguingly different mythology, and enticing mystery. Now I’m eagerly awaiting the third in the series.

Disclosure: I read the first and couldn’t resist going out to buy the second. show less