Official Review by PashaRu: Monster Squad by Christian Page

[PashaRu]

[Following is PashaRu's official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Monster Squad" by Christian Page. This book was reviewed by two of our official high-level reviewers. Both recommended the book! Following is PashaRu's review.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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“Keep your britches on, Brady! The old RCA is warming up!” Spring, 1938. Roswell, New Mexico. Two young children are huddled around the radio, anxious to listen to the latest installment of Flash Asteroid. That same evening, not far away, an old truck rumbles down on a lonely, dark desert road. Inside, three friends from the nearby Army Air Corps observatory are going exploring after seeing a “strange object falling from the sky.”

With these opening scenes, we are launched into a rollicking adventure story with good guys, bad guys, people with super powers, a mad scientist (complete with a mad scientist laboratory and an assistant named “Igor”!), a monster, evil androids, and plenty of fun. Think X-Men meets classic horror movie meets science fiction meets the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. It’s a crazy literary alloy to be sure, but you’ll enjoy the hybrid offspring of this mish-mash of genres. This is Monster Squad: The Iron Golem by Christian Page. The first book in the Monster Squad series, it’s available on Amazon for Kindle, Barnes & Noble for Nook, and on both sites in paperback. On Amazon it’s rated for ages 8-12; I guess I’m a big kid, because I thoroughly enjoyed it. The book was the winner of New Generation Publishing's 2014 Children's Book of the Year Award.

An alien spaceship crashes in the New Mexico desert near Area 51 in 1938. Five scientists explore the wreckage, and their contact with alien technology has long-lasting effects both on them and on people and events 70+ years into the future. The story has, in fact, two timelines: one that takes place in the 1930s and a modern-day one. The chapters often alternate between these two stories and gradually fill in all the pieces. The writing is clear and unambiguous, so it’s not difficult to keep track of events and characters in these two converging story lines. I won’t say too much, because each chapter reveals new pieces of information, and the fog which enshrouds this fun mystery/adventure gradually dissipates.

We follow our five main characters (in the modern-day story) – Blaine, Kevin, Shelley, Dash, and later Drake – as they are caught in a gradually converging vortex and, in fact, seem to be at the center of it. This is, in fact, the Monster Squad. They are junior high schoolers – 12 and 13 years old – and use their smarts, trust in each other, and a few other things (no spoilers!) to navigate the gathering storm. When it finally explodes, it’s all-hands-on-deck with barely a moment to breathe. The last half of the book is a fun, almost non-stop ride. Fights, explosions, cool technology, good guys vs. bad guys, and an awesome “monster” – what’s not to like?

For older fans of the horror genre (films or books), there are plenty of allusions that bring on a chuckle. There are characters named Mina Harker, Lonn Cheney [sic], Blaine Stoker, Victor von Frankenstein, Igor (with a beady eye and limp!), Van Helsing, Shelley, Ms. Poe, Grimms brothers, Dorian Grey, Ichabod Crane, Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde, and an obscure little reference to “Dr. (Indiana) Jones.” Castle Dracul, the Werewolf, and the Invisible Man get a mention as well. And, of course, the titular monster. These characters are not necessarily directly related to their literary or filmic counterparts, and some of them are only tertiary, but fun to see the references nonetheless.

The youngsters at the center of this story are immediately likeable. They are good kids, each with his/her own unique personality, and each remains distinct and consistent throughout the story. No doubt each child who reads this book will have his or her favorite. The writing style does not condescend; it is challenging and interesting enough for the target age group without being overly complicated. The story is complex enough, but not too hard to follow.

Mr. Page’s approach to telling the story is to not reveal anything to the reader that is unknown to the characters. So we bounce and jounce along and discover the gradually congealing story through action and dialogue, not narrative. It’s like riding a mine trolley down the serpentine track in the dimly lit tunnel – we never know what’s around the next bend until we get there. This keeps us turning the pages, because we are as curious as the players about the meaning of seemingly disparate events and occurrences. When it all starts to come together, it doesn’t disappoint.

As mentioned, the target audience is children ages 8-12. As such, you won’t find a lot of deep symbolism, complex/paradoxical characters or character development, or fodder for contemplation and introspection. To be sure, the friendship and teamwork of the five principles are positive elements of the story. Yes, there are a few “nick-of-time” rescues and less-than-believable coincidences. Yes, the good guys and bad guys are a bit one-dimensional. But I’m not criticizing; these aspects of the book simply fit the intended audience. This is Star Wars, not The Piano. And who rolled his eyes when Han Solo swooped in at the last minute to save Luke so he could torpedo the Death Star to smithereens?

Mr. Page’s writing is not brilliant or ubercreative, but it more than gets the job done. The book is paced very well. An appropriately slow opening third of the book allows us to meet the main characters (important for the first book in a series) and look at the pieces of the puzzle; how they fit together and the completed picture they form will come later. As the story progresses the pace picks up commensurately. My only criticism is that, at times, the tweens in the story seem to speak in a style that is beyond their years. This isn’t a major problem – it’s not like they are philosophizing like a Shakespearean tragedian – but it’s noticeable nonetheless. Mechanically, there are one or two typographical errors and a handful of missing commas, but these do not significantly affect the readability of the book.

One more thing: this is the first book in the series, and there is a cliffhanger ending. The next book is entitled Monster Squad: Jekyll & Hyde. According to the author’s website, this installment is 75% complete at the time of this writing.

I recommend this book to youngsters in the target age group, but also to “older” youngsters who enjoy adventure, science fiction, and a creative, original story. Kudos to Mr. Page for a strong, auspicious start. Looks good out of the gate. I’m happy to give Monster Squad: The Iron Golem 4 out of 4 stars.

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Monster Squad
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Like PashaRu's review? Post a comment saying so!

[bookowlie]

I enjoyed reading your review. It was a special treat to read two reviews of the same book. I always like reading different perspectives. Ubercreative....I'll have to add that term to my toolbag.

[gali]

Great review, thank you.

[PashaRu]

Thank you both for your nice comments!

[Gravy]

This sounds adorable
Love the whole homage aspect. Awesome

[PashaRu]

This sounds adorable
Love the whole homage aspect. Awesome

Thanks Gravy! It's a fun read!

[ALynnPowers]

You make it really easy to visualize what is happening in the book! Great review! Sounds totally like something I would enjoy! Who cares that it's for kids!

[PashaRu]

Thank you! Yeah, it's a very entertaining read. It's mainly for kids, but I really enjoyed it, and I think it's because it's not "written down" to a young audience, but dignifies them with a great story which isn't too simple or superficial.

[ALynnPowers]

Thank you! Yeah, it's a very entertaining read. It's mainly for kids, but I really enjoyed it, and I think it's because it's not "written down" to a young audience, but dignifies them with a great story which isn't too simple or superficial.

I love books like that! I reviewed one and thought the same thing ! That's like bonus points!

[PashaRu]

Honestly, I was surprised when I found out the suggested age range. I thought it was written for a slightly older readership. (Is that right word?)

[Stevefromtheblock]

Thanks for a nice review. This sounds like a fun book!

[PashaRu]

Yes, it is a fun book. If you're a kid or still a big kid, you'll enjoy it!

[LivreAmour217]

This sounds like a fun book, thank you for such an enticing review! I must be a big kid as well, because I am very interested in reading this one. I love science fiction and old-school monsters!

[PashaRu]

This sounds like a fun book, thank you for such an enticing review! I must be a big kid as well, because I am very interested in reading this one. I love science fiction and old-school monsters!

This should be right up your alley! Enjoy!

[TammyO]

Great review. I thought I was seeing double for a moment there. I love reading books like this one as well. You make me want to read this , it sounds like a very entertaining read.,