Patrick Carmen - The Genius Author

Patrick Carman is an American author of many books written for adults as well as children. His bestselling series include The Land of Elyon – The Dark Hills Divide, Beyond the Valley of the Thorns, The Tenth City, Into the Mist, and Stargazer (coming out this fall [September]), Atherton – House of Power, Rivers of Fire (coming out in May), and Third Atherton Book (coming out in 2009), and Elliot’s Park -- Saving Mister Nibbles, and Haunted Hike (coming out in August).

Carman was born in February 27, 1966, grew up in Salem, Oregon and graduated from Willamette University with a degree in economics (he doesn’t have an English degree). He went to Portland and ran an advertising agency. He also created popular board games as well. However, Carman wasn’t pleased with his work. “I mean, I actually did a lot of the design, but I never felt like I was really doing more than looking at what everybody else was doing and just kind of doing the same thing.” He decided to use his creativity to his maximum capacity, and to fulfill the dreams he had when he was in high school - to write a book.

Carman came up with the idea of the series when he and his wife decided that for one night of the week, Reese would have a night out, and Carman would hang out with the kids. Soon, his creativity again created the idea of a girl wanting to have adventures outside the walled city that she lives in. He kept a journal to doodle and write notes to keep all his ideas for the story. When Carman finally felt that he had done enough research, he began to write the story.

Patrick Carman lives in Walla Walla, Washington with his wife, Karen, and two daughters, Reese and Sierra. He also has two dogs, Taffy (mix-breed) and Otto (Chihuahua). Although Carman is very busy writing books, he still spends free time with his family.

The Dark Hills Divide (Review)

I have never lived in a walled city before, but Alexa Daley has been for a very long time. The Dark Hills Divide, written by Patrick Carman, is the first book of The Land of Elyon series. This work of fiction is published in April 2004 by Amped Media. The book is absolutely amazing as it brings the readers along to “witness” Alexa Daley (the main character)’s suspenseful adventures. I couldn’t wait to turn the page!

The book begins as Alexa Daley is once again back at Bridewell for the summer. As usual, she is near-constantly looking for new adventures and a way outside the wall into the Dark Hills where everyone else is afraid of. Unlike the other summers, this time she had gained a silver key which granted her wish of venturing outside the wall. Along her adventure, Alexa gathered a green glowing stone in a pool of water with the guide of Yipes. She met Darius, Ander, Murphy, and became friends with many other animals. Eventually, she was informed about a traitor existing in Bridewell forming nefarious plans to over throw the city, and realized that she has to accomplish the mission of unveiling the mastermind's malicious plans.

The distinctive, well-planed plot is one of the reasons why I love this book. Unlike any other adventurous/mystery plots, which usually involve dragons, detectives, magic (The Harry Potter series is different), this book presents a fresh idea — talking animals: bears, rabbits, wolves, etc. Patrick Carman personifies those animals and even brings them to life! It gives the readers a whole entire new view of animals that we are usually afraid of: bears, wolves, etc. This originality of The Dark Hills Divide immediately stands out from other books.

The book contains very unique settings as well. Unlike normal towns with many guards surrounding it to provide protection, the cities in The Dark Hills Divide are surrounded by miles and miles of walls with the astonishing amount of only fifteen guards. The time period was not revealed in the book, but I consider it to be probably in the late medieval times.

To sum up, Patrick Carman’s well planned plot and personified characters of The Dark Hills Divide will act like a magnet, attracting you to finish reading the book. Follow Alexa Daley through the adventures with twists and turns waiting at each page she takes in the Darks Hills. Don’t you want to know who the nefarious traitor is? Then grab The Dark Hills Divide now and discover the secrets that it conceals.

~ Click HERE to find out more about the author and theme of the The Dark Hills Divide. ~

Quotes (4) - The Dark Hills Divide

“The sun had set, and the lamps glowed above the streets with sharp yellow spears, one every twenty feet on both sides along our way. The cobblestone paths lined with homes and gates, illuminated by the soft light, made for a dreamy stroll. As we rounded each new corner we were greeted by another twisting row of lamps with more houses and small storefronts. Some of the doors were painted bright blue or purple, but the houses themselves, crammed tightly together, were all white-washed stone.”

-page 9, The Dark Hills Divide

The quote itself is very descriptive, allowing me to imagine and draw the place that the characters walked through at night. It reminded me of the time when my cousin and I would chase each other across the cobblestones, and the time when my grandmother told me that walking on the stones barefoot is healthy for you... I also imagine the place to be peaceful and quiet since it's at night.

“‘When I was on one of my far off journeys, I heard this fable. I like it so much I memorized it.’ And then he told it to me, and it went like this:

‘It was six men of Indostan

To learning much inclined,

Who went to see the Elephant,

Though all of them were blind,

That each by observation might satisfy his mind.

The First approached the Elephant,

And happening to fall

Against his broad and sturdy side,

At once began to bawl:

‘God bless me! But the Elephant

Is very like a wall!’

The Second, feeling the tusk,

Cried, ‘Ho! What have we here?

So very round and smooth and sharp?

To me ’tis mighty clear

This wonder of an Elephant

Is very like a spear!’

The Third approached the animal,

And happened to take

The squirming trunk within his hands,

Thus boldly up and spake:

‘I see,’ said he, ‘the Elephant

Is very like a snake!’

The Fourth reached out an eager hand,

And felt about the knee.

‘What most this wondrous beast is like is mighty plain,’ said he;

‘’Tis clear enough that Elephant is very like a tree.’

The Fifth who chanced to tough the ear,

Said: ‘Even the blindest man

Can tell what this resembles most;

Deny the fact who can,

This marvel of an Elephant

Is very like a fan!’

The Sixth no sooner had begun

About the beast to grope,

Than, seizing on the swinging tail

That fell within his scope,

‘I see,’ said he, ‘the Elephant

Is very like a rope!’

And so these men of Indostan

Disputed loud and long,

Each in his own opinion

Exceeding stiff and strong,

Though each was partly in the right

And all were in the wrong.”

-page 11-12, The Dark Hills Divide

I have heard this fable before; though it’s not quite exact same. I thought this fable was very intriguing as the blind men think they knew what an elephant looked like when they only knew a part of it. This fable relates to life since no one can be elite at everything, although most do specialize in a few talents, jobs, etc.

“‘Well, well, well. Alexa Daley.’ I yelped, lost my balance, and came tumbling out of the sill. It was Pervis Kotcher.

‘What am I to do with you, Alexa?’ he said, a condescending grin smeared across his thin lips. I rubbed my knee with one hand and placed the spyglass in my back pocket with the other. I hoped he hadn’t seen me using it. I rose and looked at him, feeling even smaller than my four and a half foot frame.

…

‘I see you’re back, and as careless as ever.’

He paced around my room until he neared my open bag. ‘It’s been a nice summer so far in Bridewell, hardly a reason to work if you’re a man of the uniform these days–just one lazy day after another. But of course, now that you’re back, I’ll have plenty to keep me busy, now won’t I?’ He hovered over my bag, ready to reach inside and dig through its contents.

‘I think the mustache makes you look shorter,’ I said knowing I was taking a risk in a room alone with him. He jerked his hand back from my bag and pointed it at me.

‘Let’s get one thing clear right now,’ he said. ‘If I see you on the sill again, I’ll have a chat with your father.’ He paused, glared at me, and placed his hand upon the black stick hanging at his side. ‘I’m watching you, Alexa Daley. So much as go near the wall, and you’ll find my club against your knees—do we understand each other?”

I nodded yes.

‘Oh, and one more thing—I’ll take that spyglass in your back pocket,’ said Pervis. ‘I wouldn’t want any crazy ideas getting into your head.’

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

Pervis raised his voice. ‘Give the spyglass now, or I’ll march you downstairs and make you give it to me in front of your father, Ganesh, and Warvold.’

If my father found out I’d been spying outside the wall, let along with a telescope I’d stolen from my mother, it would seriously restrict my freedom for the duration of the trip. I pulled it out of my pocket, had a last good look at it, and tossed it to him.

‘You’re a nobody, Alexa. A worm. And just between you and me, so is your father.’ He started back for my bag, about to put his hand in, a surly grin on his face, when footsteps approached my room. Pervis quickly concealed my spyglass in his jacket and ran his hands through his stringy hair.”

-pg. 28-29, The Dark Hills Divide

I think this quote is very interesting and descriptive in an "invisible" way. Patrick Carman creates this mood of annoyance to make the readers dislike Pervis. The words that Pervis speaks shows the reader that he builds deep hatred against Alexa and her father. When I first read this part, I though of Pervis as a big jerk who has nothing else to do but to pick on Alexa, and make her stay at Bridewell miserable.

“Malcolm held out his foot in an effort to shake my hand.
He said it was human custom to shake, and he wanted to make me feel at home.

I bent down, took his furry gray foot between my thumb and forefinger, and awkwardly bobbed it up and down a few times, Malcolm chuckled nervously and we both looked at Darius who rolled his eyes. I laughed, and for the first time I felt a little less like a guest outside the wall, a little more like these might actually be my friends.”

-pg. 95, The Dark Hills Divide

I feel that this quote sort of releases the stress and suspense that was presented earlier in the story. Malcolm, the rabbit's stupid action actually made Alexa feel more relaxed as if they were her best friends. The picture that I drew above isn't very good (since I have trouble drawing animals and hands), although I do imagine it to be very hilarious scene.

Beyond the Valley of Thorns (Review)

The sinister forces in Land of Elyon have not died away just yet, and it’s up to the young Alexa Daley to save the Land of Elyon and maintain peace. Beyond the Valley of Thorns, published in 2005 by Patrick Carman and Orchard Books is yet again full of thriving events. Suspense fills every moment of Alexa and her friends’ adventure, along with a very special surprise at the end! I believe that this book is even better than the first book since this adventure proves to be a greater challenge than the last book and the new characters are very interesting and well-described.

Alexa’s new adventure soon began after Yipes gave her an old envelope from Thomas Warvold. From there, she again ventured on to the Dark Hills, and gained the last Jocasta. Alexa’s companions and Alexa herself traveled west, far away from Bridewell only to discover their path, the Valley of Thorns, to be full of monstrous giants. With the help from the giant - Armon, Alexa and her friend navigated through the Valley of Thorns and arrived at an old clock tower. They formed new friends and contemplated a plan to overthrow the tenth Victor Grindall. But most importantly, they have to prevent Grindall and his master’s malicious plans to destroy Elyon and bring darkness to the Land of Elyon.

Although this book’s plot is not very complicated, there still includes an extraordinary astonishment in the end (which I cannot tell you). Most part of the book is simply just escaping difficulties and heading for safely, but there are some events where Alexa and others triumph in their battle against the giants. Moreover, Patrick Carman’s creative ideas result the events to be original. The characters are also intriguing, and their personalities are well-described by Carman. Although the events in the book move by quickly, but I think it fits along with the plot with the rhythm of rushing. The simplicity of Beyond the Valley of Thorns makes it all the more enjoyable.

Beyond the Valley of Thorns is another refreshing book with a simple plot containing a huge surprise. Alexa must travel beyond the Valley of Thorns to prevent Elyon of being destroyed. Carman’s descriptive characters again bring the book to life as if you were observing every movement of the adventure. Beyond the Valley of Thorns is an exceptionally unique book and I strongly recommend it for others to read – both adults and children.

Quotes (5) - Beyond the Valley of Thorns

“And then I heard a different noise. A strange noise. It was a faint, almost unnoticeable, knocking.

Knock, knock, knock.

I looked all around, then stood up with the book in my hand and leaned out the window to listen for the sound again.

Knock, knock, knock.

Louder now, but not form outside. I turned and faced the shelves of books and remained very still.

Knock, knock, knock.

The book I held slipped out of my hand and fell to the floor with a pop. I remained motionless, not even breathing.

Knock, knock, knock.

The sound was coming from behind my chair, from the other side of the secret door.”

-pg. 10, Beyond the Valley of Thorns

This quote added more suspense each time with the "knock, knock, knock" until the last sentence. It quickly grabbed my attention. I wanted to find out who's behind the secret door, and why. It's well written and used to grab the readers' attention.

“’Murphy the brave, at your disposal!’ said the squirrel on my back.”

-pg. 34, Beyond the Valley of Thorns

Somehow, I imagined Murphy, the lively squirrel that cannot sit still for one minute, to be jumping up and down instead of just saying it on Alexa's back since Murphy must be very hyper to talk to Alexa again! Patrick Carman added a bit of humor into the words that Murphy said. It seems like Murphy wants to be a little special helper to Alexa!

“’It’s your decision, Alexa,’ said John. ‘Either way, we have to be moving along. We can’t stay here any longer.’

My hand instinctively went to the leather pouch around my neck, and I felt the Jocasta hidden inside. The last Jocasta. It was in my possession, and Warvold wanted it taken somewhere for some purpose. If I returned to Bridewell, that something would be left unfinished, with terrible consequences I couldn’t begin to understand.

‘Lead the way,’ I said to John.”

-pg. 41, Beyond the Valley of Thorns

Patrick Carman puts a series tone to the paragraphs above. It's a very difficult for Alexa to make as her decision would leads to unknown paths. I can understand that since I, too, have experienced those times. The author describes Alexa's thoughts in such way that I feel Alexa is the "chosen one". The words "The last Jocasta" emphasize how special she is to be the owner of an item that is extremely significant.

“‘There is one way that almost always works,” said Yipes, and then he knelt down next to Murphy and looked at us as if he were about to do something underhanded.

‘How is the nut?’ he asked.

‘Fine, thank you,’ said Murphy, though Yipes only heard him squeaking.

‘I’m so glad you’re enjoying it.’

Just then Yipes tapped Murphy upon the head, ran his hand along his back, and grabbed hold of his tail.

There is one thing a squirrel cannot stand, and Yipes had just perpetrated it on our little friend. Instinct will send a squirrel caught by the tail into a fit of biting scratching, and screaming, and Yipes was well aware of this. He quickly moved out in to the open, away from the bushes, and began swimming Murphy in circles over his head, which kept the sharp teeth from whipping around and finding his forearm. All the while Murphy was screaming his head off, and though this was not the loudest sound one might hear, a hawk has exceptional hearing (not to mention outstanding sight), and Squire dived into the ravine looking for a trapped squirrel almost immediately.

As soon as Squire started for us, Yipes stopped spinning Murphy, crouched near the ground, and let go of his tail. Murphy rolled several times and landed punch-drunk on his feet in the wide open. He wobbled back and forth and then fell on his side, the twirling having dizzied his mind.”

-pg. 76-77, Beyond the Valley of Thorns

I find this quote so hilarious that I had to chuckle. Murphy being so innocent yet tortured by Yipes so badly. When the author describes Yipes swinging Murphy, I imagine Murphy's teeth jutting out. And when he finally reached the ground, I think of stars around his head, and his eyes going in circles. However, without Patrick Carman's vivid description of the events, the event might as well be dull.

“Armon sat down among us and gathered his thoughts to speak a final time about the tins of the past. While he considered what to say, I watched the night sky with its countless stars and its moon, and I wondered about the universe and all that had been created, why the stars and the moon rose at night and the sun in the day, how vast it must be, how I could never understand the infinite measure of its size.”

-pg. 101, Beyond the Valley of Thorns

This paragraph shows Alexa's curiosity of the strange land and the history of where she travels now. It also leads the reader to really ponder about how big The Land of Elyon is. I thought of two possibilities:

1. Everything is controlled by Elyon, the creater of The Land of Elyon

2. The Land of Elyon is just like the Earth with itself rotating around the Sun, and moons rotating around the Land of Elyon.

The Tenth City (Review)

The fate of Land of Elyon lies on Alexa Daley’s hands. The third book of The Land of Elyon series, The Tenth City, is published by Patrick Carman and Orchard Books in 2006. This book’s style is filled with appealing adventures followed by a miracle, and an unbelievable surprise. The Tenth City is one of my favorites in the Land of Elyon series because the second part is covered with more depressing news with each following second until the point where I had tear rolling down my cheeks.

Alexa and her companions are drifting on the Lonely Sea with the hope of reaching Bridewell within three days in order to save Yipes from Grindall’s clutches. Elyon guides Alexa along as she and her friends try their best to defeat Grindall. They faced the strength of the Lonely Sea, and they experienced the feelings of being betrayed by a close friend. With all that they went though, will Grindall and his ogres finally be defeated? Will the Land of Elyon finally be left in peace?

Carman’s eloquent details make this book even better than the rest, especially the descriptions about Victor Grindall. The vivid vocabulary he uses illustrates pictures after pictures. “‘She must show herself by tomorrow or I’ll have to throw you out the window,’ Grindall threatened, his wicked voice echoing off the walls…” Carman makes Grindall be like those evil sorcerers that’s presented on TV without the need of showing a single picture. It feels like watching a movie instead of actually reading a book.

This book is once again written on a basis of an intricate plot. With Grindall and his ogres waiting for Alexa’s arrival at Bridewell, the story already begins with a complex situation. To me, the plot is somewhat similar to the second book. It begins pretty straight forward with sudden twists and turns nearing the end.

Patrick Carman’s creativity and originality yet again created another distinctive adventurous book to children as well as adults. Its intricate plot develops on to become even more intriguing adventures that Alexa has to take to protect the Land of Elyon. What is the fate of the Land of Elyon, and what is the secret that Alexa is about to discover? Its secret is revealed in The Tenth City.

Quotes (3) - The Tenth City

“No sooner had the words left his mouth than the winds became more violent, the waves crashing against the ship and pushing it toward the cliffs. Rain came tumbling out of the sky like no rain I’d ever seen before. It felt as though the sky above us had waited for our arrival and held on to more and more water, month after month, only to drop it all on the Warwick Beacon.

There was a sound then, a roaring from the east, and we all turned to see what it was. Through the driving rain we all saw the wind coming straight at us. We could see it off in the distance lifting the water into great waves. The storm didn’t creep up on our boat like a cat will sneak up on a mouse. It leaped on top of us all at once without warning, and we began to tumble on the waves toward the cliffs.”

-pg. 18, The Tenth City

This quote showed how violent the waves of the Lonely Sea were. Patrick Carman wrote the first paragraph in such a way that shows Alexa being very frightened. The metaphor Carman used was also helpful for visualizing what happened to the Warwick Beacon. It allowed me to imagine a giant tiger leaping on its pray: the Warwick Beacon.

“Armon looked over his shoulder at us and found Murphy and me hoping for some reassurance that he could scale the cliffs. He sighed mightily and looked at his own hands in the weak light of the crevice – we all looked at them. I leaned over and put my hand against his, then Murphy ran down my arm and put his paw on the back of my hand – my hand so much bigger than Murphy’s paw, Armon’s hand that much bigger still than mine.

‘If I had hands that big I could do it,’ said Murphy, and for some reason Armon thought this was very funny, and he began to laugh. He stretched out his arms and his back rumbled and cracked against my chest.

-pg. 32, The Tenth City

Patrick Carman's writing made me wonder if Murphy would've liked to have a larger size instead being a tiny squirrel. As a squirrel, Murphy must be an excellent climber. In the quote, "If I had hands that big I could do it", it emphasizes on the "I". To me, I think Murphy wants to do something significant for once, and not be an noticeable little squirrel.

“‘Someone is coming, Alexa. The animals are stirring.”

I listened along with Ander and heard the faint sound of something approaching from the woods. A moment later, Odessa came into the clearing. I was happy to see her.

‘Odessa!’ I said.

Ander sniffed at the air, his big head bouncing back and forth as he stretched his nose out from side to side. As I watched Odessa slowly approach us, I glanced around the grove and noticed something peculiar. All the animals had gone away, leaving bare stones strewn with dirt and leaves. Only Ander remained.

‘There is something foul in the air,’ said Ander. I smelled it as well, the terrible odor of rotting flesh.

Odessa crept forward a few more steps, and then I heard the sound of beings crashing through the trees from every direction, moving fast. I could see their heads bobbing through the trees, their swollen shoulders knocking down limbs as they came, the black cloaks, and the hideous faces.

The ogres were upon us, closing in from all sides.

‘Odessa, how could you?’ said Ander. He was astounded at the sight of these creatures, and we both knew without hesitation that Odessa had led them to this sacred place, …

-pg. 133-134, The Tenth City

Carman creates a serious tone, along with a depressing mood. The friend of Alexa Daley and others had just betrayed them and brought the orges to where they all were. I was extremely astonished! At the same time, I was also afraid of what might happen to Alexa and her companions. Grindall would not just simply let them go, but instead torture them until he got his hands on the last Jocasta, and destroys the Tenth City. Patrick Carman reels the readers in and let them, too, "feel" the unbelievable situation that Alexa and her friends were facing.

Into the Mist (Review)

The past of Thomas and Roland Warvold remains as a mystery, but now it’s time to go back and discover their secret adventures. Into the Mist, a prequel for the Land of Elyon series, is published in 2007 by Patrick Carman and Scholastic Press. I think I like this book the best among the other books in the Land of Elyon series.

Alexa and Yipes is onto another adventure with Roland, although with a slight confusion – they don’t know where Roland is taking them. The whole book is basically one single day when Roland finally reveals the past about himself and his brother. Roland and his brother first lived in Madame Vickers’s House on the Hill which they escaped and arrived at Ainsworth. They soon met Mister Clawson, where he sent them on a mission to retrieve things for him. Of course, Mister Clawson didn’t leave them to go alone; their adventure was accompanied by a mountain lion, Thorn. The story continues on, telling the past of the mysterious Thomas and Roland Warvold’s adventures.

Into the Mist has a very distinctive plot. The whole book is mixed with the present events and Roland’s storytelling about the past adventures he had with his brother – Thomas Warvold. It switches back and forth from Alexa’s point of view to Roland’s point of view with different fonts used in the book, making it very easy to recognize who is telling the story. At the end, another unexpected surprise takes place, just as the past few books of the series.

The title of this prequel – Into the Mist – was also well-chosen. When there’s a mist, things from a distance are blurred, or completely veiled. It fits the secret past of Thomas and Roland Warvold as it remains as a mystery to many townspeople and even Alexa Daley herself. The words “into” is used as if someone is going through the deep mist and uncovering each of the missing pieces of the mystery. Roland would be that person for he tells about the past adventures which practically unveils the mist – the mystery of their past.

The prequel gives a great deal of background information about Thomas and Roland Warvold’s past adventures. Though the plot is quite different from the past three books, it’s still extremely enjoyable. The secrets of their childhood are still remains as a mystery…and you can only find out by reading Into the Mist.

Quotes (3) - Into the Mist

“The belowdecks cabin wasn’t very big. There was a small kitchen, a bathroom, and a place to sleep with three hammocks. The three hammocks hung in a row with Roland’s first, then mine, then the little one Yipes slept in. It was a good arrangement, since this was the order in which we usually arose in the morning, and it was darkest in the very corner of the room where Yipes hung still and quiet. I yelled the news once more but he didn’t move. I hated waking him this way, but we’d been at sea for twenty-five long days with nothing more than twenty-five nods and twenty-five winks. Now there was news to be had, and I was sure he’d want me to wake him for it. I nudged his hammock and let it swing back and forth. Getting no response, I grabbed hold of Yipes’s mustache on one side and began to pull. I pulled until his lip was hanging in the air. Then I wiggled his lip all around, but still he wouldn’t stir.

I took hold of the hammock from the bottom and flipped it over, dropping Yipes onto the floor of the Warwick Beacon with a loud thud. For a moment there was nothing, only the sound of his squashed nose breathing against the wood floor.

‘Is that you, Alexa?’ came his muffled little voice.

‘Yes, it’s me! Wake up!’

Yipes slowly sat up, dazed and only half awake.

‘How did I find my way to the floor?’ He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and twitched his nose. ‘I was having the strangest dream. It was those two cats from the library – do you remember those wicked cats? They were pulling on my mustache with their sharp teeth. It was awful!’

I was about to tell him who’d really been pulling on his mustache. ‘Yipes – listen to me,’ I said.

-pg. 5-6, Into the Mist

The quote above show how ambitious Alexa is to get Yipes to wake up so they can hear what Roland Warvold is about to tell them. It is humorous to me how Yipes - such a small man - would require so much time and energy (from the person who's trying to wake him up) to finally wake up and not even to realize that someone had been pulling his mustache and flipping him over the hammock. Also, the way Carman writes shows that Alexa is annoyed of Yipes waking up slowly since she had bigger news to deliver to him.

“ As we approached the last turn on the path of smashed debris leading up to the House on the Hill, Thomas set our plan in motion. He was at the very back of the line with only Finch and the dogs trailing a ways behind. Finch was absentmindedly kicking at the garbage at his feet when Thomas tapped me twice on the shoulder. I shuddered to think what would come next. I tapped the girl in front of me twice, and on it went up the line to the very front, until the very last boy – Jonezy – was tapped, and he ran screaming off the path into a sea of trash before him.

‘Get back here!’ yelled Finch from somewhere behind us, suddenly aware that one of the children in his charge had bolted from the line. The bell finally stopped at thirty-eight (I had counted every one) as Madame Vickers watched the boy race off yelling and pointing.

-pg. 47-48, Into the Mist

I find those two paragraphs very interesting as it presents a difficultly for Finch (whom I find very obnoxious) to catch the kid, Jonezy. Also, Patrick Carman writes meaningful sentences that secretly veils other purposes of its existence. For instance, the sentence, "I shuddered to think what would come next.", shows to me that Roland Warvold is not the same as Thomas Warvold. Although they are brothers, Thomas is more carefree when Roland is more cautious.

“The Mooch was growling and digging around my foot, and then to my horror he seemed to have gotten ahold of the sole of my old shoe. He was yanking hard, pulling back on his haunches in violent jerks.‘Mooooooooch?’ Finch’s voice cracked through the air like a long whip as he searched for the dog. The Mooch gave one last ferocious pull on the shoe, and it came off in his mouth. Something about the idea of having this murderous dog’s teeth wrapped around my bare foot made me fight with everything I had in me to get my foot down inside the hole where it would safe. I felt the sharp rock scrape hard against bone and the gnarly roots grab at my bare skin as my leg came free.

‘Mooch!’ Finch cried again, this time with more anger in his voice, as though he were planning to kick the dog the moment he saw him. I clenched my teeth against the pain in my leg and listened as the Mooch tore off toward his master, my shoe wedged firmly in its mouth.

‘You come when I call you and not a second later!’ Finch was lecturing the dog as though it could understand him, and to my astonishment it sounded as though he and the Mooch were moving off in the other direction.

‘And stop picking up junk! I’m not throwing any shoes for you to fetch until we find those boys.’

We could hear the Mooch whimpering as they drifted down a different path toward the bottom of the hill. The dust settled in the hole and our eyes had grown used to the light. For the moment, we were safe.

‘Better your shoe than one of your toes,’ said my brother. ‘He would have chewed that big one right off without thinking twice.’

-pg. 54-55, Into the Mist

Patrick Carman first creates suspense, then leads it to humor in the paragraphs above. Truthfully, I was worried that Thomas and Roland Warvold would be discovered by the Mooch (the big dog), and their plans to go to the Western Kingdom would be destroyed.

All Images Drawn by Me!

Walls around the cities that Alexa was once trapped in
The Dark Hills Divide

Streets of Bridewell at night
The Dark Hills Divide

The silver key - stolen from Thomas Warvold - that Alexa used to venture outside the walls and into the Dark Hills
The Dark Hills Divide


Alexa shaking Malcolm - a rabbit - 's hand
The Dark Hills Divide


Murphy - a lively squirrel
Beyond the Valley of Thorns


The Dark Tower where Grindall and his orges reside
Beyond the Valley of Thorns


Armon, Alexa, and Murphy (from left to right) comparing their hands' size
The Tenth City


The Lake of Fire
Thomas and Roland Warvold riding on a boat across the Lake of Fire with Thorn, a mountain lion
The Tenth City