Sarah Prineas

I discovered this book a few years ago, and I still read it today. It was a pretty key part of my childhood for books, and I enjoy it a lot. The characters are easy to love, the humor is good, and the concept of a shapeshifter running from the government just sounds fun to me. Today, I want to share this book's beginning so that you too may enjoy it (and it's sequel!) Trouble is a blob floating in space. The blob loses it's memories after a little bit, so he doesn't remember anything other than he is being hunted by something, but he doesn't know what it is that's hunting him. He eventually hits a space station, and goes inside. Once there, he turns into a dog to try and attract attention from people there, since he saw other dogs getting treats. After a little bit, alarms start blaring. All the animals are captured up and put into cages, along with Trouble. He obviously doesn't want to be locked up, so he escapes by turning into his blob form. Along the way, he let's all the other animals free, causing enough confusion so that he can escape onto a leaving spaceship. Inside the airlock, he is discovered by one of the crew members, a lizard-like alien. She promptly ejects him out of the airlock. If you want to know more, read the story! Even though this book is below my grade level now, I would still consider it one of my favorite books to date. It's full of characters that take no time at all to love, some that take a little more time to love, and all in between. It's also filled with some surprisingly deep things for a children's book, but it still fits the isolation as the only of his kind theme well. This book is also one of the only books I've ever read that has truly given me the perspective of a true outsider, oblivious to all our silly human traditions. This book has honestly been one of the big reasons why I liked science fiction at an early age and still like it, and just books in general. I highly recommend you check this book out and read it for yourselves. I hope you enjoyed reading my review, and have a good day!… (altro)

Month of November 2022 - The Thief Books

“The Magic Thief: Take the Magic and Run” (Book 1 of 3) - Sarah Prineas (2008; 2009 ed.) 419 pages.

READING LEVEL: 4.5 AR POINTS: 9.0 (Middle grade level)

I’m not into “fantasy” reading, but this was actually a cute little story for middle schoolers, one I think my middle school granddaughter will really enjoy. It’s not outlandishly fantasized like the Harry Potter books and movies and much easier to follow and understand. Don’t let the large number of pages turn you off. The print is larger and there is more white space on the pages. It’s really a quick and easy read.

You don’t take the locus magicalicus from Wizard Nevery Flingas without it instantly killing you. So, when the young, orphaned thief, Connwaer, steals it and doesn’t die, Nevery was intrigued and sets forth to find out if he could be the next apprentice wizard in training.

The city of Wellmet is losing its magical powers, and Nevery has returned to find out why and try to stop it before the city falls into decay.

My interest was piqued wondering where Conn was going to find his own locus magicalicus, a special stone that all wizards must find on their own and is used to create magic. I loved Conn’s honest and meek personality, and I loved that he was the one to discover who and why all the magic was being sucked out of Wellmet.

It’s fun when small, bad characters turn good and end up strong heroes.… (altro)