R Christopher Kobb

When 12-year-old Jack Boomershine finds a geode lined with purple crystals, it sets off a series of events which will take him and his best friend, Chase, into a world of magic, both light and dark. Turns out this is no ordinary stone but perhaps the only fyrelock in existence invented and lost a thousand years ago. Now Jack's parents are under a dark spell and the only one that can save them is the Warlocke, a person who may or may not exist.

This was a fun fantasy tale for middle graders. Jack and Chase are likeable as are most of the good characters and the evil characters are evil enough to be interesting without being too scary for the younger reader. I also liked the short chapters which may keep the reluctant reader from abandoning the book.

This may be a book aimed at middle graders but, for those of you who are like me, way past the target audience, don't let that stop you from reading it. There's enough adventure, twists and turns, evil doers doing evil and bad poetry spouted by a prophetic witch to keep even us oldsters entertained..… (altro)

4 STARS

Fyrelocke twists and turns and when you have figured out where it's going, you realize you were wrong. It has magic both good and dark. Lots of different creatures I would not like to run into. Some just gross. It is adventure into a world or town that is built with magic and can't be seen by human eyes.

The plot is good and keeps you reading to figure out where or who is the prophecy is speaking about. Jack on a school field trip is sent some weird texts. To go away from his class and back deeper in the cave. Jack follows the weird light and picks up a glowing rock. Then he falls into water and then more weird stuff happens to him.

The characters are interesting. Three of the main characters are 12 years olds. You are never sure who to trust and who is lying.

Jack Boomershine is 12 years old inventor. Jack is smart and he uses his knowledge to best a very powerful wizard and other dark magic users who try and control him. His best friend is Chase. Chase wants to be a banker when he grows up. He reads newspapers and follows the market. They are both different from others in their school.

On their way home from school they read a sign that's says, "Fortunes read today" So they go in and Jack has his fortune told. They realize something is different and runaway from their.

From their things keep happening to Jack and Chase. It is fast paced story that is entertaining to read. I hope their are going to be more books featuring Jack and friends.

It is aimed at middle school kids but others will enjoy it to. I did.
I was given this book to read and asked to give honest review of it by Netgalley.
publication: May 24th 2013 by Moonpepper Press 264 pages ISBN-10: 098920720X… (altro)

Fyrelocke
By
R. Christopher Kobb

My "in a nutshell" summary...

Jack finds a rock that unleashes a series of unbelievable events. The rock is powerful and Jack begins a very magical unbelievable journey with his best friend Chase.

My thoughts after reading this book...

Oh me...oh my...such a fun an adventurous book this was! Jack...a rather serious adventurer...inventor extraordinaire and his best friend Chase...a sort of a finance kind of guy...are caught up in the plight of this stone...this magical purple glowing stone.
Simply put...the stone sort of calls to Jack as he is on a field trip and he pockets it. And from that point Jack's normal life is normal no more.

Oh how I love a magical fantasy...and that is exactly what this is...there are chilling bad guys...the Cankrots...who put a spell on Jack's "real" parents...and there are the "good" guys...Vidalia and Pesky and Madame Puffin and Trygg...the character who looks like a bunny. Madame Puffin is under a spell to speak mostly in rhyme. There is a gremlin who looks like a mouse to humans...and so many more...I would love to reveal them all to you but I want this story to provide you with as much fun and nail biting angst as I had while I was lost in reading Fyrelocke! Quite a yummy book! Oh...but wait...let me tease you with just one more character...the baddest bad guy ever...the Wargothe! So old he can't keep his body together. He needs Jack...our hero Jack Boomershine...to fulfill the prophecy!

What I loved about this book...

OMG...I loved Jack and Chase...they didn't have any friends besides each other. That will appeal to so many young readers. I loved Jack's inventions and how Chase was going to manage him when Jack's inventions made them rich and famous. I loved that Jack's bedroom was filled with gadgets and Chase's looked like the office of a finance person.
I loved the short chapters. I loved that Madam Puffin spoke in rhyme. I loved the Cankrots creepy evilness.

The creepy illustrations helped to make the characters in Fyrelocke even more real.

Memorable events in this book...

There were quite a few, actually...Madame Puffin speaking in rhyme, Trygg speaking in Jack's head, Jack flying in the Stratovarious...these were some of my favorite ones.

Final thoughts...

Readers...both young and old...who enjoy magical fantasy books...will love this one. It has both good magic and dark magic which only makes this tale amazingly exiting. Short exciting chapters, fun illustrations and a quest made this reading experience magical for me. I can only hope that there will be a Book Two soon...really soon!… (altro)