D. A. Mucci

I'm a little torn on this story - on the one hand, the world is really well-developed and unique. On the other, there are some really uncomfortable scenes involving a fifteen-year-old girl. Honestly, I would've bumped this to a four if it didn't have that. Ok, now that that's out of the way - I really did love diving into this world. The hero of the story, Ignatius, aka Iggy, is easy to like and root for. The story moves along smoothly for the most part, with enough twists to keep you reading. It definitely sets up for an exciting sequel, (which I hope will be better in some aspects, but just as exciting)!… (mehr)

The thrill of discovering new worlds, being thrust into edge-of-the-seat adventure, and learning to go beyond expectations makes this a read to get lost in and wish for more.

Ignatius, aka Iggy, is just entering high school and determined to continue as the quiet guy on the sidelines...although his older brother is very concerned he's going to get bullied. While Ignatius does have his plan laid out and has no doubt it will get him through the school days without too much incidence, fate sees otherwise. Running from a group of bullies, Iggy finds himself transported to a world he's only seen in his dreams with creatures more dangerous than his worst nightmares. All he wants is to return home, but to do so, he must not only discover his own journey, he must fulfill the last wish of a great warrior and complete the being's quest.

In the first chapters, the author grounds Iggy in today's modern world by starting him out as a freshman in high school. Not only does Iggy come across as awkward, but so did the first scenes...and I almost laid this one down. But I'm so glad I didn't because as soon as Iggy gets transported to the Kingdom of Skye, the tale grabs and awkwardness drifts away. Iggy has never grown into his own skin, allowing tons of room for character growth...and the author uses this well. Iggy's immediately thrust into a dangerous situation with the death of creatures, which would normally send him running. This natural and believable reaction as well as the light hints of what bravery really lies within Iggy, make it clear that the reader is in for a fun ride.

The world is rich with well done characters and scenes. It's not clear where everything is going, leaving room for many unexpected twists and turns. By telling the tale from various view points, it's no problem to follow the plot weave and not get lost in the details. Plus, the evil, which awaits and is unknown to Iggy, creates a dark shadow and raises the tension throughout the read.

This is the first book in the series, and it does leave off with many loose ends. So, hopefully, it won't take too long for book two to appear. While for the YA audience, it steers more toward the younger end. I'd even recommend this one for upper middle graders.

I received an ARC and almost gave this one 5 stars.… (mehr)