Search Results for: blog the iron ring lloyd alexander

The Illyrian Adventure – Lloyd Alexander

In “The Illyrian Adventure,” Lloyd Alexander kicks off a new series which is combination fantasy and archaelogy. Think Indiana Jones meets Amelia Peabody meets Arabian Nights, starring a teenage girl in the late 1800’s, and you’ve pretty much got it. Vesper Holly is that sixteen-year-old girl, and she’s just been informed that she’s an orphan. Her father was a great archaeologist, and she frequently studied alongside him, and so has quite a grasp on the subject matter. When her father’s good friend Brinton Garrett and his wife Mary are given the unfortunate task of telling Vesper that her father has … Continue reading →

The Passing of Lloyd Alexander

I honestly feel like I’m going to cry. I just found out a few minutes ago that Lloyd Alexander passed away this last May, just two weeks ago. Alexander has been one of my favorite authors since I was twelve. I started with the Chronicles of Prydain, then moved on to the Westmark trilogy, and tonight while at the library, I found a whole new series of his, called the Vesper Holly series, that I’ve never read. I snatched up every one of them, and when I went online just now to discover what order they come in, I saw … Continue reading →

The Kestrel – Lloyd Alexander

“The Kestrel” is the sequel to Lloyd Alexander’s young adult fantasy novel, “Westmark.” Mickle, once a street urchin but revealed to be the long lost daughter of the king and queen, is now the ruler of Westmark. Her father passed away and the crown came to her, making her Queen Augusta. Still more comfortable in breeches than in a crown, she doesn’t want to merely sit on her throne; she wants to make a difference in the country. Cabbarus, exiled former cabinet minister of Westmark, has a plan for revenge. He has gone to the neighboring country of Regia and … Continue reading →

Westmark – Lloyd Alexander

After I finished reading every installment in the Prydain Chronicles, I began hunting down everything else Lloyd Alexander had ever written. I enjoyed the Westmark series nearly as much as I did the Prydain. “Westmark” is, appropriately, the first book of the series. Our hero is Theo, an orphan who has found an occupation as a printer’s devil. King Augustine, ruler of Westmark, is sick with grief over the death of his daughter and has essentially left the running of the kingdom to his right-hand man, the evil Cabbarus, who has made strict laws governing the press. Theo and his … Continue reading →

The Iron Ring — Lloyd Alexander

Lloyd Alexander is best known for his young adult fantasy patterned after Welsh mythology. In “The Iron Ring,” he tries something completely new, basing his story on the mythology of India. The author’s note reads, in part: “Admittedly, this mythology may seem alien, strange, even forbiddingly complex. As in any encounter with a different culture, what appears difficult or incomprehensible quickly grows familiar. The farther we journey through its rich landscape, the more we understand that what lies beneath the brilliant, exotic surface is, in essence, a world we clearly recognize.” We begin the story in the kingdom of Sundari, … Continue reading →

Book Review The Last Olympian (Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, Book 5)

The Last Olympian is the long-awaited fifth and final volume in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan. The series focuses on “half-blood” children of one mortal parent and one Greek god, who are targeted by monsters from Greek mythology which they must fight in order to save themselves and, occasionally, Western civilization. (Kids whose makeup includes dyslexia and/or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder will be pleased to learn that, in Riordan’s world, these are hallmarks by which one may recognize a demigod or hero.) The series begins with The Lightning Thief, which was reviewed by our blogger Lauri, … Continue reading →

The Tale of Despereaux – Kate DiCamillo

I’ve been blogging for Families.com for a year now (happy blogoversary to me!) and one of my favorite parts of the job is finding great books and then telling you all about them. “The Tale of Despereaux” is such a book. Despereaux was the smallest mouse his mother had ever seen. When he was born, his eyes were open – very uncommon for a mouse – and she was sure he wouldn’t live. He did live, however, and found himself able to do things that the other mice couldn’t. He had a wonderful appreciation for music, which smelled like honey … Continue reading →

Author Interview — James Dashner

I recently reviewed “The Jimmy Fincher Series” by James Dashner, and am delighted to say that I was able to contact the author for an interview exclusively for Families.com. James, thank you for joining us today. We’re all very curious – how did you get the idea for “The Jimmy Fincher Series?” The first idea, for “A Door in the Woods,” came from a childhood memory. I actually saw a door that some goofball had dumped in the woods, and imagined that it had something cool underneath. From there, it can all be attributed to my psychotic brain. I get … Continue reading →