Operation Typhoon Shore - Joshua Mowll
May 1920: Trapped on a volcanic island during a typhoon, Becca and Doug MacKenzie want nothing more than to continue the search for their mother and father. But their uncle Captain MacKenzie, seems more concerned with the missing gyrolabe, and he refuses to discuss the role that the mysterious Guild of Specialists played in their parents' disappearance. As the Kalaxx warriors close in, Becca and Doug unearth a riddle that could be the key to the dark secrect of the Guild. But will they be able to solve it before time runs out?
You may recall that I read book 1 in this series about two years ago. Finally got around to book 2, and it's still pretty awesome. An endorsement on the front calls it "The Da Vinci Code meets Alex Rider," and while I don't know that I'd compare it to The Da Vinci Code, if my understanding is that Alex Rider is basically James Bond, only, like, 13, then that part's bang on. While I was reading, I started to think to myself that the only thing I could really complain about was that the villains are awfully one-dimensional and a little laughable in their diabolicalness. But then it occurred to me that they're basically exactly like James Bond villains. Right down to the ridiculous explaining of their entire plan right before they do whatever it is that they're going to do to kill the heroes, which, of course, inevitably fails. The high-speed adventures, the implausible devices that help with narrow and borderline miraculous escapes from certain deaths... it's all there.
I also have to give this book credit for getting everything all set up and giving us the information we all need and whatnot for book 3, without making this book feel like a filler. There was plenty of action and plot and whatnot in this one as well, so I thoroughly enjoyed it, and am definitely looking forward to book 3.
In the meantime, I think I might read one of the Maximum Ride books, as well. If they're similar, it'd be nice to have read one so I can confidently recommend to kids that, after they finish the Joshua Mowll books, they should try Maximum Ride. Much as it pains me to support any endeavour of James Patterson and all. Ah well.
Next up: The Charterhouse of Parma, by Stendhal
You may recall that I read book 1 in this series about two years ago. Finally got around to book 2, and it's still pretty awesome. An endorsement on the front calls it "The Da Vinci Code meets Alex Rider," and while I don't know that I'd compare it to The Da Vinci Code, if my understanding is that Alex Rider is basically James Bond, only, like, 13, then that part's bang on. While I was reading, I started to think to myself that the only thing I could really complain about was that the villains are awfully one-dimensional and a little laughable in their diabolicalness. But then it occurred to me that they're basically exactly like James Bond villains. Right down to the ridiculous explaining of their entire plan right before they do whatever it is that they're going to do to kill the heroes, which, of course, inevitably fails. The high-speed adventures, the implausible devices that help with narrow and borderline miraculous escapes from certain deaths... it's all there.
I also have to give this book credit for getting everything all set up and giving us the information we all need and whatnot for book 3, without making this book feel like a filler. There was plenty of action and plot and whatnot in this one as well, so I thoroughly enjoyed it, and am definitely looking forward to book 3.
In the meantime, I think I might read one of the Maximum Ride books, as well. If they're similar, it'd be nice to have read one so I can confidently recommend to kids that, after they finish the Joshua Mowll books, they should try Maximum Ride. Much as it pains me to support any endeavour of James Patterson and all. Ah well.
Next up: The Charterhouse of Parma, by Stendhal