I am Number Four

Lorien Legacies, first book.

I saw this one on a bookstore and I liked what I read on the back cover.

So i took a note and searched it online, and found out that there was a hype already. It's going to be a movie next year. The more I read about it, the more I want to read it. The synopsis sounds really good and it's the kind of stories that gets me hooked, but I was really worried that I might not enjoy it as many readers gave a negative review.

But I bought a copy anyway.

Synopsis:

There are nine of them. They came here to grow up, awaken their powers, train, meet back up, and return to rebuild their home planet. But they are hunted by the ones who doomed their planet. Their best protection is to remain separated, so that as long as the first in line was alive, the others will be safe. But number one was killed in Malaysia, number two was murdered in England, and number three was hunted down in Kenya. And as the book title says, he is number four. He's next.

But as long as they lay low, and stay hidden from their hunters, they can live among us. Only they must be prepared to leave their current lives and make new identities and keep one step ahead from their hunters. However, John Smith, Number Four's current identity, felt too at home with Paradise, Ohio. He made great friends and fell in love, although he knows it is best not to. His powers are awakening, and the hunters are closing in. And if he does not leave, he'll put everyone in mortal danger.

Review:

Since this is the first of a six-book series, there are a lot of introductions as they settled down in their new lives. As the story goes, John's history is slowly explained. We also see how he deals with the whole "alien" thing while trying to be normal. He goes to the local high school and deals with the stereotypical jock nemesis, nerdy best friend, and his cheerleader crush.

It feels like a long introduction, but then the action comes along. John has superpowers. And he uses it on the ones trying to kill him. But when the time came that he realizes that there's no other way to run or hide, only to fight, it goes all downhill from there. I felt no adrenaline at all. The way that the biggest fights were written felt like it was in slow motion, boring even. And I was actually yawning. But it looks good in the movie though:

Look! It's Alex Rider and Quinn Fabray!

I can understand how those negative reviews came out despite a rather promising story. It lacks the goosebumps moments and the sad ones are not heartbreaking enough, but overall, the book was still good. The series, despite the rather anticlimactically dull fight in this book, still looks promising. I still root for it to become a great series, because the idea is much too good for me, and I hope that the next installments would be much better than this one.

The Secrets of The Immortal Nicholas Flamel

The Alchemyst, The Magician, The Sorceress, The Necromancer

The series is all about Sophie and Josh Newman, fifteen year old twins, and how they got caught up in the secret magical world of ancient beings and immortal humans. Since I already blogged about the first book, this one will be about the next three.

Synopsis:

With the very high likelihood of being the twins in the prophecy, they continue their quest to awaken their powers and master the four elements. To do that, they seek Elders and immortal humans who mastered at least one element. The thing is, if the prophecy was to be fulfilled, the great new age of the Elders will be prevented, so naturally, the Elders will be out to stop the twins.

But Nicholas Flamel still has some allies: immortal humans that can help prevent the end of the human age. Across the first four books, both the twins would both be Awakened, Sophie would master three elements, and Josh, two. However, time is still running out for Nicholas and his wife, Perenelle, who has her own set of allies and enemies as she tries to escape Alcatraz. As long as they do not recover the Book of Abraham, their cling to immortality wavers.

Review:

One of the major point of the series is to introduce and mix mythological and historical figures and make them exist in our society today. The author has given these characters a fresh twist so they will actually be quite interesting to read. From Roman, Norse, Egyptian, Irish, and even Micronesian mythology; to Joan of Arc, William Shakespeare, and Billy the Kid; the author managed to mix them all up.

They travel a lot, considering that in the course of the series, they had been from the Golden Gate Bridge, to the Eiffel Tower, to Stonehenge, and back to California in just six days. They also battle a lot. The battles here are done with magic. The immortals use their auras to conjure, control, or blow stuff up; and the Elders, well, their actual power from their respective mythology.

So far, the series has been great. However, every time a book ends, there won't be much of a closure, and a lot of unanswered questions will still remain. Like I said, the series moves at around two days per book. So if you're interested on reading this, be prepared for a total six books, and a very long wait.

Pugad Baboy 22

May Pugad Baboy 22 na!

Lampas isang taon na rin nung nilabas yung 21. Ang theme naman ng cover ngayon e Costume Party. Mula comics hanggang movie characters kinosplay nila. Tignan nyo kung sino yung mga ginagaya nila:

Astig talaga ni PMJR.

Syempre walang pinagbago 'to sa mga naunang Pugad Baboy. Puno na naman ng mga antics ng mga residente ng pugad. Marami ring topics na nauso this past year na hinaluan ng humor gaya ni Manny Pacquiao, pati Road Rage, Swine Flu, hanggang kay Michael Jackson.

Syempre 22 lahat ng characters sa cover.

Yun nga lang, wala na namang story arc sa Pugad Baboy 22. Abangan na lang natin kung may Sunday Comics 3, baka meron. Sa mga magtatanong, P180 ang bili ko sa National Bookstore. Sa Trinoma ko pa lang sya nakita. Pero malamang meron na rin sa ibang bookstore.

P.S.

Bilin nyo naman yung mga comics, wag nyong buksan at sa bookstore na lang basahin. Malulugi sila nyan baka hindi na sila magbenta. Haha! XD

The Lost Hero

I can't even remember when or how I found out about this book. All I know is that I wanted to read it since I've found out about it. This is the first book of The Heroes of Olympus, the sequel series to the bestselling Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, so yeah, the two are heavily connected.

Synopsis:

What better way to give the synopsis than having Riordan tell it himself.

Here's the sneak peek. So Jason wakes up in a bus on the way to a school field trip with Piper, claiming to be his girlfriend, and Leo, who was supposed to be his best friend. (I wonder if Riordan ever watched Charmed. It's Piper and Leo, come on!) Anyway, just like in the first series, an undercover satyr, Coach Hedge, was scouting for possible demigods, and he found these three. They had their first encounter with the Greek mythology world when they were attacked by a monster at the Grand Canyon Skywalk, and they eventually ended up in Camp Half Blood in New York.

As expected, the three were granted a quest. Along this quest, Jason gradually picks up pieces of his memory and his purpose; Piper deals inner conflicts brought about by her bad dreams; and Leo struggles with his past. And of course, they meet and beat up (most of the time) monsters, mortals, demigods, and gods from Greek (and Roman) mythology.

Official artwork and book cover for The Lost Hero

Review:

The Lost Hero is the longest of Riordan's books so far. It's twice as long as the Sea of Monsters, and they traveled to more places than The Battle of the Labyrinth. They rode that metal dragon above from Quebec, Canada, to closed down car shops in Detroit, to an underground department store in Chicago, even to a gold mansion in Omaha. They also went to Pikes Peak in Colorado, Mount Diablo in California, and Sonoma Valley.

The book is packed with action and adventure. Of course, the three heroes have special powers related to their Olympian parent. However, Piper and Leo each have a rare power that even their siblings don't have. Each of them have a special unique weapon, just like Percy's Riptide and Annabeth's cap. Jason has a coin that turns into a sword or a spear, Piper has a mirror-like dagger that shows more than the looker's reflection, and Leo has a tool belt that gives him anything he asks for.

Jason, Piper, and Leo with their weapons

Early on, we see that there are a lot of Roman mythology references, despite the Greek theme of the first series. This means that the Big Three: Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades were also referred as Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto. And it's obvious that this will be a major part of the series, along with the great prophecy given in The Last Olympian.

I really love how this book turned out. The writing, I think, is better than the first series, as it shifts between Jason, Piper, and Leo's points of view; and it's in third person so it won't be confusing. I think the writing style grows up with its readers, which also means that the hilariously named chapters are now gone. How sad. Hehe.

Just as any decent sequel, this one improves upon what Percy Jackson has started. Anyone who loved Percy will greatly enjoy this new series. I know I did.

Artemis Fowl Series

I was so hooked in this series that I read the first seven in just a month. I got curious enough when I read the synopsis at the back of the sixth book. The idea of a genius teenage criminal mastermind going back in time to face his ten year old self was just a great formula for a story. But to get there, I had to read the previous five. I’m glad I did. It was great.

Synopsis:

Artemis Fowl II is a twelve year old genius who inherited his criminal mastermind status when his father went missing, presumed dead, on a way to a business deal in Russia. His mother has refused to accept her husband’s death and has lost her sanity. Now, Artemis has taken over determined to keep his family business alive.

One of his biggest projects: Fairies. He was young enough to believe in them and has a brilliant mind and resources to do something about it. He ventured in this all new world when he abducts Captain Holly Short, a Lower Elements Police officer for several tons of fairy gold. And the story begins.

Along the next books of the series, Artemis’s and Holly’s paths cross and joins together, most of the time trying to prevent an incident that would lead to the exposure of the fairy world to the human one. From a goblin rebellion, to arctic expeditions, to a stolen gadget that can expose fairy magic, to surviving an elaborate revenge plot, to saving an entire society, and even time travelling; Artemis’s genius and Holly’s magic had faced them all.

The series actually has a music video. How cool is that?

Review:

Artemis starts out as an anti-hero. He’s the bad guy. But he’s not evil. He’s just a genius teenage criminal mastermind. Of course, we all know that he’ll turn out to be a good guy, but just when it seems that he’ll be going straight, something happens that makes him do bad things again.

The fairy thing might be a turn off for some, but the fairies in this series are very different from the ones you're thinking about. No, the fairies here are bad-ass. Underground cities, with different species like dwarves, goblins, elves, sprites, and even demons. Their technologies are centuries more advanced than humans, and their magic (even with limits) are a big help too.

Artemis and Holly in The Time Paradox

The action scenes in this series are battled with advanced fairy weapons, from laser guns, to invisibility cloaks, to anti-gravity belts. Of course, the mind games, elaborate plans, quick thinking, and outsmarting the enemies are Artemis’s forte; and he even has Butler, virtually the best bodyguard in the world.

The great thing about the series is that each book has its own main story. No cliffhangers. There are no prophecies and destinies to be fulfilled, which is typically how a series ends. Every time you finish a book, you won’t wonder what would happen next, as if the series could just end then and there. My favorite so far is The Lost Colony, as it has events and twists unfolding one after the other and the heavy personal consequences for Artemis up to the bittersweet ending.

One of my favorite book series. A must read indeed.

Maximum Ride: The Fugitives

The Angel Experiment, School’s Out - Forever, Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports

A quiet fourteen year old boy, a blind one, an eleven year old motor mouth girl, an eight year old fart kid, his six year old angelic sister, and a fourteen year old girl leading them. Sounds like a great story? Not so much right? Oh, I forgot, they have wings and they can fly.

Synopsis:

So it’s about the group of genetically modified human avian hybrid kids, mostly from the point of view of Max, their leader. They escaped from their laboratory with the help of their father figure, Jeb, who disappeared two years ago, leaving the flock on their own.

The story begins when the Erasers, human and wolf hybrids, kidnaps Angel, the youngest of the flock. They know that she would be taken back to the “School,” the laboratory in California where inhumane experiments were done to them. So the rescue began. Along the way, they split up, got bloody encounters with the Erasers, got back together and got caught, before they could rescue Angel and escape as a whole. And this is just the beginning.

As the flock discovers some of their hidden mutant powers, Max begins hearing a voice in her head, telling her that she is to save the world. This “Voice” acts more like an annoyance than a guide, but the flock ends up following its advice and directions since it actually act as an ally. All along, Erasers, including Jeb’s son, Ari, keep popping up here and there to make things complicated, each time as a new and improved version.

Max has troubles of her own; as a number of people, clues, and secrets pointed out that she is supposed to save the world. The thing is, she doesn’t have a clue how, why, and from what.

The Flock as illustrated by Nara Lee in the graphic novels

Review:

The thing is that they are kids who can fly. They are free to do what they want, but they must also survive on their own. The whole experience of reading their story through their point of view is fun and exhilarating. Of course, flying kids travel a lot. In these three books, they watched a concert in New York, rode the Disney World’s Splash Mountain in Florida, and even spend some time in the restaurants of Paris, France.

This trilogy is very fast paced. One moment everything was nice, then the next they’re fighting for their lives. I think the title fits the story. You really feel that they were fugitives. They were always on the move, always alert, as if in any moment the Erasers could attack. And they did.

The books are divided into small chapters. It’s a smart way of writing I think. The story was just too riveting that it makes its readers want to read more but the small chapters somehow manages to slow the pace down just a bit by giving the readers some breathing room.

All in all, the trilogy is really great. However, the story doesn’t really have an ending until the third book. The first two doesn’t really provide some closure of any sort. After this trilogy, three more books were already published, and the seventh and series ender book will be out on February next year.

The Hunger Games Trilogy

The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay

Catching Fire Synopsis:

Katniss survived the 74^th Hunger Games, after that special twist at the end of the games. Now Katniss must go and visit all the districts, which were forced to celebrate her win, as the Capitol rubs the deaths of their contenders in their faces. The president of the Capitol was into Katniss, as he was majorly pissed off from what she did at the last Hunger Games, considering that it have sparked a rebellion among the districts.

Long after the celebrations, it was time again for another Game. Katniss is already involved as she was to train District 11’s new players. It turns out that the 75^th Hunger Games marks the third Quarter Quell. On the 25^th Games, the districts were forced to vote for the kid to play in the Games; on the 50^th, twice as many players were sent to the arena; now it’s the 75^th and the Games is spiced up once again. Which means Katniss will be involved much more than she had imagined: a clear and direct punishment from the president himself. All the while, the spark of rebellion that Katniss created was slowly turning into a wildfire.

Mockingjay Synopsis:

The whole Panem was in a state of war. There are rebellion forces in every district which the peacekeepers try to subdue. With a lot of casualties, the rebellion needs a spark of hope and determination. They need Katniss, their Mockingjay.

But Katniss has been underground, in what was the secret community of District 13. With Peeta at the hands of the Capitol and with the death and destruction in her home district, she struggles hard not to break down. District 13 is leading the rebellion and has the technology, weapons, manpower to overthrow the Capitol. But they also need the all the other districts' help, so they also needed Katniss.

Seeing an opportunity to save Peeta from certain death, she strikes a deal with the District’s president to be the face of the rebellion, with her comeback as the Mockingjay.

The only official character artworks that I've seen.

Review:

Catching Fire is just as good as the first one. It started where the first book left off, but continued all through the year along the celebrations, the preparations for the next game, and well through the 75^th Games itself. A lot happened, but it did not feel rushed at all.

Although it started slow, the story develops beautifully in this book. This one had more, bigger, and better twists than the first one. The action packed scenes kept me on the edge, and it mercifully gives breathing rooms at the right moments. The love story is still there, as well as all the girly stuff from the first book, but it’s nothing to complain about. It makes the book better than it already is.

Mockingjay is a bit different than the first two. This time, most of the time, Katniss is in relative safety. There could have been a lot of opportunities to have some action packed fights, but as the story goes, it feels like it was all saved for last parts of the book. Even then, compared to the first two, I did not feel as much adrenaline.

This one however has at least two of the most heartbreaking moments of the series. Like I said on my first review, this is a book about killing. Like the second book, a lot of new characters were introduced in this one, though only a few joined the other cast to become major characters.This is also concludes whom Katniss will end up with. And I’m glad my team won.

The thing with a great book and a great sequel, it can’t be helped to have high expectations for the concluding novel. It was great, but just as I said, I expected a little more.