(Digitally speaking) Hot off the Presses! Book Review: The Ember Gods
Jacob Clark has just returned from the world of Eklaron, where he frustrated the evil plans of the Lorkon and returned the magical Key of Kilenya to its rightful owners. His quest is far from over, though—Aloren is trapped in Maivoryl City by the Ember Gods, and Jacob can't return to save her until he receives the potion that will protect his team from the corrosive influence of the Lorkon.
Balancing between this new world and his own proves tricky. Not only has he started his first year of high school, but his magical abilities are bringing him too much attention. He feels pulled by both sides, hoping he'll figure out his special powers to save Aloren in time.
From Misty:
This is the second book in Pearson's Kilenya series. [Sidenote: I've been wanting to read The Key of Kilenya since it came out, so now that the next book is out, I figured I'd better make some time! I agreed to post this review a couple days ago, but I had to read The Key of Kilenya before I could get to The Ember Gods. So see? I should have followed my insticts and read The Key of Kilenya when I first wanted to, and now my punishment is being late to post my review, which believe me, hurts me a lot more than it hurts you.] Returned home from his adventure in the distant world of Eklaron, Jacob has a difficult time adjusting back to real life, and to make it worse, his newfound magical powers are garnering him too much attention, and not the good kind. The story follows Jacob back into Eklaron when he attempts to save his friend, Aloren, from the Ember gods--just a little unfinished business.
The Ember Gods, like The Key of Kilenya, was filled with action. And while it serves to engage the reader quickly in the story, it can be distracting as well. It seemed I would just begin to get a picture in my mind of where the characters were, what the people and landscape looked like, and then in the next moment, the characters had harried off to a completely different setting. For me, who is used to less action-packed novels, Pearson's vivid immagination and whirlwind events sometimes frustrated more than entertained me, but for someone like my son who is firmly within the intended audience for this book, I think he would love the action and it would hook him instantly.
Since the main characters are in high school, this book would generally be loosely placed in a teen or YA genre, but it reads much more like a middle grade novel. While other novels about teens these days are themed on impossible love triangles and coming of age, The Ember Gods' fast action-based adventure and regular kid who is endowed with special abilities, with which he and only he can save the world, lends itself to the middle grade theme that everyone has something special within them. Add to that the cover of the book (which I LOVE, but I think it looks more appealing to adults than kids) and I think I was expecting The Ember Gods to be geared to an older audience. But that was my bad, not the book's.
The Ember Gods was a really fun read, and I would recommend it to anyone 12 and older (possibly as young as 9 depending on the kid).
You can read more about author Andrea Pearson and the current contest she has running to celebrate the release of The Ember Gods by going Here. Contest ends October 3.
And you can save 50% on The Ember Gods until October 5 by going to Smashwords and using the coupon code EP28Y.
*I received a complementary copy of The Ember Gods from the author in enchange for my honest review.
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