Review of Island Games
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Solstice2005
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Review of Island Games
[Following is a volunteer review of "Island Games" by Caleb J. Boyer.]
Aristotle, the great Greek philosopher once said: “Man is by nature a social animal; an individual who is unsocial naturally and not accidentally is either beneath our notice or more than human". The world we live in today is the result of countless years of cooperation and innovation, wound tightly by the resolve to keep moving forward despite the circumstances. For millennia, humans have had the wherewithal and strength to keep advancing as one, as a society to make way for the future, and behind all great individuals are people who supported and believed in them. Friendship plays a key role in everybody's lives, acting as a pillar of support for those that find challenges too difficult to overcome alone. Island Games: The Mystery of the Four Quadrants by Caleb J. Boyer, is a book that highlights just how valuable companionship is, whether in overcoming difficulties or simply lightening the mood.
The novel follows the journey of two young friends, Matthew and Ryan, as they strive to survive on an island they find themselves stranded on. Armed with fragmented memory of their past life, meagre amounts of food and water that they managed to salvage from a shipwreck, and each other, they set off to find their way off the island. Get ready for an adventure that tests the boundaries of the unity, strength, skill and friendship of the two protagonists, while simultaneously highlighting the importance of quick thinking, camaraderie and trust.
Caleb J. Boyer, the author of this novel, is an award winning and International Bestselling Author at the tender age of twelve. I personally loved his capability to ensure the flow of the storyline, immersing the reader into the environment with imagery, simple language and a certain charm. The book was inspired by a particularly rough patch he went through in his life, a productive outflow of the emotions that he experienced at that time. I feel the need to congratulate him on his decision, persistence and creativity.
Moving onto the book itself, I felt that the language of the book was extremely simple and easy to follow. The settings of the story were described extremely vividly, allowing me to picture exactly what he wanted the reader to see, which in turn helped better the experience of reading the book. Ryan and Matthew were each given a distinct personality that only faced minor changes throughout the book, balancing the humour and urgency of the predicament they find themselves in. However, in some instances, I did feel that the conversations between Matthew and Ryan were artificial and somehow forced. I am sure that as Caleb's career as a writer progresses, he will be able to tweak this aspect and help the readers enjoy the book, so here's hoping!
Overall, I rate this book a 4 out of 4 stars for its ability to keep the reader immersed, the avid descriptions and the way Caleb ensured that the reader could sympathize with the characters. I suggest that anybody with an interest in fantasy takes up this novel, the absence of profanity and vulgar language makes it appropriate for any reader, despite their age. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel and hope everyone else who decides to take this up does too!
******
Island Games
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Aristotle, the great Greek philosopher once said: “Man is by nature a social animal; an individual who is unsocial naturally and not accidentally is either beneath our notice or more than human". The world we live in today is the result of countless years of cooperation and innovation, wound tightly by the resolve to keep moving forward despite the circumstances. For millennia, humans have had the wherewithal and strength to keep advancing as one, as a society to make way for the future, and behind all great individuals are people who supported and believed in them. Friendship plays a key role in everybody's lives, acting as a pillar of support for those that find challenges too difficult to overcome alone. Island Games: The Mystery of the Four Quadrants by Caleb J. Boyer, is a book that highlights just how valuable companionship is, whether in overcoming difficulties or simply lightening the mood.
The novel follows the journey of two young friends, Matthew and Ryan, as they strive to survive on an island they find themselves stranded on. Armed with fragmented memory of their past life, meagre amounts of food and water that they managed to salvage from a shipwreck, and each other, they set off to find their way off the island. Get ready for an adventure that tests the boundaries of the unity, strength, skill and friendship of the two protagonists, while simultaneously highlighting the importance of quick thinking, camaraderie and trust.
Caleb J. Boyer, the author of this novel, is an award winning and International Bestselling Author at the tender age of twelve. I personally loved his capability to ensure the flow of the storyline, immersing the reader into the environment with imagery, simple language and a certain charm. The book was inspired by a particularly rough patch he went through in his life, a productive outflow of the emotions that he experienced at that time. I feel the need to congratulate him on his decision, persistence and creativity.
Moving onto the book itself, I felt that the language of the book was extremely simple and easy to follow. The settings of the story were described extremely vividly, allowing me to picture exactly what he wanted the reader to see, which in turn helped better the experience of reading the book. Ryan and Matthew were each given a distinct personality that only faced minor changes throughout the book, balancing the humour and urgency of the predicament they find themselves in. However, in some instances, I did feel that the conversations between Matthew and Ryan were artificial and somehow forced. I am sure that as Caleb's career as a writer progresses, he will be able to tweak this aspect and help the readers enjoy the book, so here's hoping!
Overall, I rate this book a 4 out of 4 stars for its ability to keep the reader immersed, the avid descriptions and the way Caleb ensured that the reader could sympathize with the characters. I suggest that anybody with an interest in fantasy takes up this novel, the absence of profanity and vulgar language makes it appropriate for any reader, despite their age. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel and hope everyone else who decides to take this up does too!
******
Island Games
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Just Die by E Alan Fleischauer
