Tunnels

This wasn't my favorite book. I should probably stop there. But I won't. I didn't stop reading when I had the chance (and I had my fair share of chances) and I won't stop now. This book is turning into my mini-Everest.

I have one shelf here labeled abandoned books. There's only one book on it. This should have been the second. The thing is, though this might be the perfect book for the right audience, I'm not that audience nor are many of the readers I know. This book was dark. Very dark for the market it's from. Some people will like that. Not me though. I feel like this is one of those books where the protaganists being children is what decided its market, not the work itself. The torture always seemed a bit much, too graphic, too show more severe. The settings were always dark, dingy, and desperate. The outcomes of every scene were in some way downers. Not a lot of fun. Mostly depressing. I'm glad it's over. show less

Tunnels is a dystopian sci-fi thriller that takes place in an alternate world beneath the streets of London. Will Burrows, a fourteen-year-old loner, and his dad, Dr. Burrows, the curator of a run-down, second-rate museum share a passion for amateur archaeological digs. They spend their free time digging tunnels, uncovering Georgian artifacts, and even an old rail tunnel. Will’s sister and mother lead peculiar and mutually enabling lifestyles – Mrs. Burrows - listless and helpless, Rebecca – calm, cool and efficient. Will’s father becomes secretive when he discovers a strange group of men stalking the nearby neighborhoods and spends much time in his subterranean office. When Dr. Burrows mysteriously disappears, Will teams up show more with Chester, another teenage outsider, to discover what happened.

Will and Chester find themselves in grave danger when they stumble upon an eerie, dark, repressive and often violent underworld.

Tunnels is an omnipresent narrative, though most of the action is told from Will’s perspective. Its chapters are divided into three parts, Breaking Ground, The Colony, and The Eternal City. Tunnels gets off to a great start in Breaking Ground, fast-paced and intriguing. The Colony, a dark and depressing interlude, bogs down a bit, but the story picks up with plenty of danger and adventure in The Eternal City.

This is a long book, and although its dust jacket claims it to be “Potteresque,” Gordon and Williams do not have J.K. Rowling’s gift for writing a book in a series that can stand perfectly well on its own. Sci-fi and adventure fans should love Tunnels, but after 472 pages, I found myself wanting a bit more closure, however, the British flair of the book is a refreshing change. William’s black and white sketches add an appropriate eeriness to the tale.

Tunnels, first published in the UK in 2007 is an international best-seller. Its 2009 sequel, Deeper, released in February, is already a New York Times Bestseller. The website http://www.tunnelsthebook.com/ is extensive and interactive. show less

Roderick Gordan's novel "Tunnels" is about a young boy named Will who discovers a hidden underground world beneath the streets of London. Along with his friend Chester, Will embarks on a dangerous adventure filled with secrets, traps, and unexpected twists. As they uncover the truth about the mysterious civilization living below ground, they also face challenges that test their courage and loyalty. The novel is a thrilling page-turner that will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very end.
My favorite part of this novel is the unexpected plot twists that keep the reader guessing. The characters are well-developed and relatable, making it easy to become emotionally invested in their journey. Overall, this book is a show more must-read for anyone who loves adventure and suspense.
This book is suitable for ages 12 and up, as it contains some mature themes and language. The author's writing style is engaging and descriptive, transporting the reader to the vividly depicted settings throughout the story. I rate this book a solid 4 out of 5 stars for its thrilling plot and well-developed characters. The ending leaves room for a potential sequel, which I eagerly anticipate reading. show less

This book, along with the rest of the series, is truly unique. It is about a teenage boy named Will Burrows who used to dig tunnels with his father to uncover artifacts. When Will’s father goes missing, however, Will goes on a search with his best friend Chester. The book starts off slow, and there are many parts that are rushed, but the plot is amazing. The authors do an amazing job of developing the characters, especially Will. For most of the book (and the series) the reader is left in the dark which creates an excellent sense of mystery and suspense that makes us want to keep reading. Finally, the author’s skill with language is so precise that even with such bizarre settings, I was able to visualize every second of the book.

I picked this up thinking it might be another Harry Potter wanna-be. It's not. It stands on it's own. The characters are believable and the setting is amazing. It's an exciting read. There are a few bits here and there that drag, or that rush by, but all-in-all, well-written. I cared about the characters. I was able to visualize every bizarre setting. And, most of all, I cared about Will and what happens to him.

This book would appeal to those who like Harry Potter and Indiana Jones. (Actually - I think that's the best way to describe this book.) It is young adult - I would think any advanced readers from the middle grades could handle it, but as an adult, I thoroughly enjoyed it, too.

Tunnels written by Roderick Gordon is great book that I think is for people who like adventure and a bit of mystery.This novel is about Will burrows and his father who are very out-of-place from their family.They both share one weird hobby,archeological digs.But when Will’s father disappears it’s up to Will and his best friend Chester to search one of his digs for clues when they come across their fate, the underground.As they travel deeper the challenges get more life-threating.Can they make it out alive?

My opinion towards tunnels is amazed and a bit impatient.I am amazed towards this book because of the way this book was written.I never really thought that I would like this type of reading because I never really read this kind of show more book.It amazes me how great I found this book.Now I am impatient not on the assumption I don’t like the book I am more impatient because of the books that follw I really can’t wait what Gordon has planned for the next installments of Tunnels! show less

Last Word First: A bit of a slow starter, but great once it gets going. Dig in!

Will Burrows loves to dig. He digs tunnels all over the place, sometimes with the assistance of his father, a museum curator who has dreams of making a huge discovery and making a name for himself. But when Will's father disappears and one of the tunnels is mysteriously filled in, Will's innocent hobby suddenly takes on a menacing cast. Will's quest to find his father leads him to discover a subterranean world he never could have imagined.

Let me just say, Will's family will have you feeling awesome about yours. His father is obsessed with his failed career and exploits Will's digging in hopes of making a great discovery. His sister is an obsessive control show more freak, and his mother never surfaces from her TV viewing. Will himself is one of those characters that really annoyed me at first, but then I grew to like him and I can't remember why he bothered me.

The best part of this book is the detail of the underground world Will discovers. There is an entire civilization below ground, but life there isn't perfect. An elite group called the Styx hold the colony in an iron grip. The tunnel world is dependent on and interconnected with the world above ground, but almost no one above ground knows it's there, and the underworld dwellers despise "topsoilers." I only wish I could have heard a little more about it, as I'm assuming I will in later books.

Gordon and Williams do a great job in this story of building the suspense and then truly delivering on it. My husband also loved this book. With plenty of action, mystery and suspense, it definitely has plenty of appeal for the Y-chromosomed among us.

My only real problem with this book was that it was a bit slow near the beginning. A lot of time went into establishing Will's (rather dysfunctional) family life, and then his family didn't really have much of a role in the story. At 472 pages, the book is long enough that I think they could have trimmed the fat a little here. Readers might be discouraged by the first few chapters and end up missing out on a good story. show less