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. ~

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.

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.

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.