Official Review: Bobby Ether and the Jade Academy

Vscholz · Post by **Vscholz** » 09 Feb 2019, 23:26

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Bobby Ether and the Jade Academy" by R. Scott Boyer.]

3 out of 4 stars

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After an assassin kills Bobby Ether's parents in a car accident, a strange woman tries to convince him to go with her for his own safety. He has his suspicions, especially when two well-dressed men try to convince him that the woman is dangerous. He ends up at the Jade Academy where he begins training in the use of anima, a sort of magic. However, things are not as they seem at this academy—he not only has to deal with a strict headmistress but also bullies and the assassin responsible for his parents' deaths.

R. Scott Boyer's Bobby Ether and the Jade Academy is an adolescent/young adult novel similar to series focused on Harry Potter or Percy Jackson. Similar to the previously mentioned heroes, Bobby goes to a secret location because of his special abilities. While the concept is far from original, the novel has its own charm. Instead of witchcraft or mythology, Boyer's novel focuses on the life force present in all things. The setting is also unique—rather than the protagonist staying close to home, school officials take Bobby from his home in the United States to a school across the world in Tibet.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. It is an easy and engaging read with some plot twists. Bobby does not know who to trust in the beginning, and the question of why the assassin saves his life early in the book remains throughout without being too obvious. I also appreciated the diverse cast and how Bobby deals with his current situation.

As far as negative comments are concerned, I must make it clear that I read an early copy of this novel, so the author might fix any errors prior to the actual publication date in April 2019. The biggest complaint I have is the lack of word choice in the dialogue. Almost every character is described as having “said” something. It would be far more engrossing if characters “exclaimed” or “mumbled” their comments instead of simply “saying” them.

I rate this novel 3 out of 4 stars. I counted more than ten grammatical/punctuation errors, and the lack of diversity in describing dialogue counts against the score. This rating reflects an early version and could have a perfect score if the author or editor addresses the errors prior to publication.Even though the novel has some predictability and the premise itself is unoriginal, the target audience will enjoy the story and the action. There is only a hint of romance and the end of the novel circles back to the beginning suspense. I would recommend this book to fans of Rick Riordan and those looking for a change of the typical “teen learns to harness his powers” story.

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Bobby Ether and the Jade Academy
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BelleReadsNietzsche · Post by **BelleReadsNietzsche** » 12 Feb 2019, 02:53

Sounds like a fun read! I like watching a protagonist figure out who to trust and where to turn in a book like this. (Even though, as an adult, I’m worried for Bobby- special powers or no!) The life force in everything element sounds neat.

Post by **kandscreeley** » 12 Feb 2019, 09:08

Despite the errors, this book sounds right up my alley. For some reason, I love magical academies and teens trying to find their way in a magical world. I'll look this up when I get a chance. Thanks!

Vscholz · Post by **Vscholz** » 12 Feb 2019, 19:31

kandscreeley wrote: ↑12 Feb 2019, 09:08 Despite the errors, this book sounds right up my alley. For some reason, I love magical academies and teens trying to find their way in a magical world. I'll look this up when I get a chance. Thanks!

I was able to overlook the errors while reading. They didn't really detract from the story, although I did question some parts (why didn't they do this or that sooner?), but it was still a fun read.

Vscholz · Post by **Vscholz** » 12 Feb 2019, 19:32

BelleReadsNietzsche wrote: ↑12 Feb 2019, 02:53 Sounds like a fun read! I like watching a protagonist figure out who to trust and where to turn in a book like this. (Even though, as an adult, I’m worried for Bobby- special powers or no!) The life force in everything element sounds neat.

I questioned who to trust a few times throughout, which is a mark of a good storyteller. I'm definitely glad I read it!

Mbrooks2518 · Post by **Mbrooks2518** » 15 Feb 2019, 23:51

Despite the clichéd premise, this still sounds like a great read. I'll have to check it out. Great review!

Helen_Combe · Post by **Helen_Combe** » 16 Feb 2019, 01:41

Great review. It did sound a bit Harry Potteresque at first, but I’m glad it moved away from that scenario.

Zimall · Post by **Zimall** » 16 Feb 2019, 02:19

This sounds exactly my kind of book. Sad to hear that dialogues lack spice of diversity. Hope the author had proofread it in new edition.
Thanks a lot for the review Vscholz☺. If it had not been your review, i would have left it unread because the title doesn't sound that intriguing to me. Thanks again☺.

Vscholz · Post by **Vscholz** » 16 Feb 2019, 11:00

Zimall wrote: ↑16 Feb 2019, 02:19 This sounds exactly my kind of book. Sad to hear that dialogues lack spice of diversity. Hope the author had proofread it in new edition.
Thanks a lot for the review Vscholz☺. If it had not been your review, i would have left it unread because the title doesn't sound that intriguing to me. Thanks again☺.

Thanks for stopping by! I read a lot of children's, adolescent, and YA lit. The blurb didn't do much for me, but I've noticed that happens a lot so I gave it a shot. I'm glad I did, and I hope you enjoy it!

Vscholz · Post by **Vscholz** » 16 Feb 2019, 11:03

Helen_Combe wrote: ↑16 Feb 2019, 01:41 Great review. It did sound a bit Harry Potteresque at first, but I’m glad it moved away from that scenario.

There are elements of Harry Potter throughout, but it isn't identical. I think the similarities are enough to interest HP fans but also different enough to keep it entertaining.

Thanks for stopping by!

Vscholz · Post by **Vscholz** » 16 Feb 2019, 11:05

Mbrooks2518 wrote: ↑15 Feb 2019, 23:51 Despite the clichéd premise, this still sounds like a great read. I'll have to check it out. Great review!

Thanks! I enjoyed it far more than I anticipated. I'm glad I gave it a chance even if the blurb itself does not do the story justice.

Jackie Holycross · Post by **Jackie Holycross** » 16 Feb 2019, 19:21

I love this type of realistic fantasy. This sounds like it will be a winner once the editing is fixed.

Vscholz · Post by **Vscholz** » 16 Feb 2019, 21:49

teacherjh wrote: ↑16 Feb 2019, 19:21 I love this type of realistic fantasy. This sounds like it will be a winner once the editing is fixed.

Most definitely! I look forward to reading the next one!
Thanks for coming by!

briellejee · Post by **briellejee** » 17 Feb 2019, 08:52

I am an avid fan of Rick Riordan, and this could be a remarkable adventure with Bobby. It's just that, even from the title and the concept, you could see where the similarity is. Even with Harry Potter. Maybe it's just the popular act with teens now. I'll be checking this out. Thanks for this review!