Official Review: A Flight of Raptors by Ralph E. Vaughan
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- Latest Review: "A Flight of Raptors" by Ralph E. Vaughan
Official Review: A Flight of Raptors by Ralph E. Vaughan
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "A Flight of Raptors" by Ralph E. Vaughan.]
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“Flight of Raptors” is a story of the Three Dog Detective Agency. It is book #2 in the Paws and Claws series by Ralph E. Vaughan. It is a fictional story about three dogs, Levi, Sunny and Yoda, who comprise the 3DDA. It is a story of good versus evil and about having courage in the face of fear.
The plot begins when Sunny, a golden retriever, witnesses a hawk attacking a parrot above the yard of the house she shares with the other detectives, Levi and Yoda. She intervenes by protecting the parrot, and in so doing creates an enemy of the hawk and the ‘Birds of Prey’ gang, of which the hawk is a member. Sunny, Levi and Yoda learn that the parrot is descendent of a group of parrot that were originally smuggled out of Mexico, and are now enslaved by the gang of hawks, led by an osprey named Ripper. The trio, their new parrot friend, and some allied felines, set out to free the parrots from their enslavement and return them to their tropical home, all the while maintaining peace in their neighborhood.
Having read the synopsis, I initially felt that this story was intended for children. As I continued to read the novel, I began to have some doubts. Some of the vocabulary used is very advanced, as well as there being some graphic imagery that would not be appropriate for all young readers. The plot and themes of the novel are very simple and straightforward, and the dialogue was slightly childish. I was constantly on the fence as to who the intended reader really was.
There was an educational element to this novel, I learned quite a bit about dogs and various kinds of birds. There was also a spiritual element reinforcing the morality of the all the characters that I found intriguing and somewhat surprising. The author has created a world in which all animals believe in a higher being, and act based on a code of ethics and natural order. Because of this and the character development, I found that I was interested in a novel from the perspective of animals more than I anticipated I would.
One thing that bothered me is the existence of humans was only mentioned occasionally, as they could not communicate with any of the animals, and yet were needed consistently by the dogs to do things such as open doors, treat an injured parrot or bust a fighting dog ring. I felt like their was many interactions that were intentionally vague. I also felt that Levi, the wise alpha, was rather preachy and that the book was trying too hard to teach a lesson.
In the end, I think this would be a good book for an advanced young reader 12 and up, and that a parent would find entertainment in it as well. I will say, however, that unless you enjoy the spiritual/religious implications for the morals in the story, you might find it overbearing or inappropriate depending on your religious background, or lack thereof.
I give this book 3 out of 4 stars. The over emphasis of the moral of the story, and the somewhat confusing combination of advanced vocabulary and simple plot lost this novel a star.
***
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The plot begins when Sunny, a golden retriever, witnesses a hawk attacking a parrot above the yard of the house she shares with the other detectives, Levi and Yoda. She intervenes by protecting the parrot, and in so doing creates an enemy of the hawk and the ‘Birds of Prey’ gang, of which the hawk is a member. Sunny, Levi and Yoda learn that the parrot is descendent of a group of parrot that were originally smuggled out of Mexico, and are now enslaved by the gang of hawks, led by an osprey named Ripper. The trio, their new parrot friend, and some allied felines, set out to free the parrots from their enslavement and return them to their tropical home, all the while maintaining peace in their neighborhood.
Having read the synopsis, I initially felt that this story was intended for children. As I continued to read the novel, I began to have some doubts. Some of the vocabulary used is very advanced, as well as there being some graphic imagery that would not be appropriate for all young readers. The plot and themes of the novel are very simple and straightforward, and the dialogue was slightly childish. I was constantly on the fence as to who the intended reader really was.
There was an educational element to this novel, I learned quite a bit about dogs and various kinds of birds. There was also a spiritual element reinforcing the morality of the all the characters that I found intriguing and somewhat surprising. The author has created a world in which all animals believe in a higher being, and act based on a code of ethics and natural order. Because of this and the character development, I found that I was interested in a novel from the perspective of animals more than I anticipated I would.
One thing that bothered me is the existence of humans was only mentioned occasionally, as they could not communicate with any of the animals, and yet were needed consistently by the dogs to do things such as open doors, treat an injured parrot or bust a fighting dog ring. I felt like their was many interactions that were intentionally vague. I also felt that Levi, the wise alpha, was rather preachy and that the book was trying too hard to teach a lesson.
In the end, I think this would be a good book for an advanced young reader 12 and up, and that a parent would find entertainment in it as well. I will say, however, that unless you enjoy the spiritual/religious implications for the morals in the story, you might find it overbearing or inappropriate depending on your religious background, or lack thereof.
I give this book 3 out of 4 stars. The over emphasis of the moral of the story, and the somewhat confusing combination of advanced vocabulary and simple plot lost this novel a star.
***
Buy "A Flight of Raptors" on Amazon
Buy "A Flight of Raptors" on Barnes and Noble
Latest Review: "A Flight of Raptors" by Ralph E. Vaughan
