• click here to return to the homepage •
Home > Categories > Books > Fantasy > The Karazan Quartet : 1 : The Serpents of Arakesh review
Adam Equinox was abandoned on the doorstep of Highgate Orphanage 12 years ago. He has no idea who - or where - his parents are; no friends; nothing he's good at; and nowhere he really belongs.
One day, reeling from yet another visit to the principal's office, he notices Cameron Haig's unusual bookmark. It's the entry form for the Quest Golden Opportunity Competition, a competition Adam - along with 40,000 other kids - would love to win. Adam doesn't seem to stand a chance. until Cameron gives him his ticket.
Unbelievably, Adam is chosen as one of the finalists. But it's only when he and his four companions begin the gaming workshop that Quentin Quested reveals why they are really there - and launches them on a real- life quest into the parallel world of Karazan, where the Serpents of Arakesh stand guard over the most precious prize of all.
The Karazan Quartet : 2 : Beyond the Shroud
The Karazan Quartet : 3 : Prince of the Wind
The Karazan Quartet : 4 : Quest for the Sun
Skywatching - The bestselling guide
Percheron: #2 - Emissary
The Dragon Sword Histories : 1 : The Wounded Guardian
Gypsy
My Adventure Island
Hammering Iron
The Incredible Hulk - An Origin Story
Tom Gates: A Tiny Bit Lucky
Mission Survival: Sands of the Scorpion
Horrible Histories: Groovy Greeks (Junior Edition)
Moving TargetProduct reviews...
Members are welcome to post a review. You will need to log in to post yours.
Review by: tucker (Karl)
Dated: 20th of October, 2004
As a long-time Sci-Fi buff, who has now added Fantasy to the list of Literary Loves, I was a little dubious about this book, but figured it had to be worth a try. The story is aimed at readers 10 years old and up, so seemed a bit 'young' for my tastes.
As I read the first chapter, it seemed to spend an inordinate amount of time detailing the minutae of Adam Equinox, the main character. None the less, I was quite rapidly wondering where the story was going, so stuck with it. By half way, I was still wondering, as Adam hadn't made much in the way of movement plot-wise. I was almost ready to put the book down and write it off as a dead loss... when it started to get interesting indeed.
Overall, If you don't mind a story with a huge lead-up, you'll probably really get into this one. By the end of the story I was itching to get stuck into the second book in the series.
Items of note:
- L-o-n-g lead up, rapid and somewhat abrupt ending. Leaves you feeling as though someone has told you a great joke and forgotten the last half of the punchline.
- A LOT of character detail.
- Some really interesting mental puzzles appear in the quest, giving you something to stretch those neurons with.
- If you are at all familiar with RPG's, you'll enjoy the style the story takes after the characters enter Karazan.
Random listing from 'Books'...
Fourteen year old Chase (please don't call her Charlotte) is pretty sure that visiting her grandmother is going be the most boring holiday ever, even if they are going to a tropical island. But what Chase doesn't know is that the island is about to come under attack. Soon Chase will trying to save herself, her grandmother and the entire island in the most exciting (and dangerous!) holiday of her life.
All trademarks, images and copyrights on this site are owned by their respective companies.
KIWIreviews is an independent entity, part of the Knock Out News Group. This is a free public forum presenting user opinions on selected products, and as such the views expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinion of kiwireviews.nz and are protected under New Zealand law by the "Honest Opinion" clause of the Defamation Act of 1992. KIWIreviews accepts no liability for statements made on this site, on the premise that they have been submitted as the true and honest opinions of the individual posters. In most cases, prices and dates stated are approximate and should be considered as only guidelines.
"Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do, and they will surprise you with their ingenuity."
George S. Patton (1885 - 1945)
