The Merman and the Moon Forgotten (Nikolas and Company, Episode #1)

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The Merman and the Moon Forgotten (Nikolas and Company #1)

by Kevin McGill (Goodreads Author)

4.02 of 5 stars 4.02 · rating details · 45 ratings · 28 reviews

Nikolas and Company is fantasy adventure meets Goonies

This middle grade fantasy is perfect for readers between the ages of 10 and 16.

"A long time ago in a world not so far away…"
Senior stagecoach driver, Yeri Willrow, leads a group of mysterious passengers through one of the most fog-ridden nights of his prestigious career. What he thought would be a simple drive and drop...more

Paperback, 203 pages

Published March 31st 2012 by Aero Studios

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Jan 21, 2013 Mickey rated it 4 of 5 stars

*received this from the author in exchange for an honest review

Filled with adventure and non-stop action this is a fast paced novel that will have you reading fom beginning to end. The characters were likeable and in there own way believeable. I loved every one of them. I especially liked Yeri and Nick's grandfather, who he calls Grand.
I found this to have a unique and different storyline to many books I have read before. I'd recommend this to anyone and I can't wait for the sequel.

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Sep 20, 2012 Amanda Waters rated it 4 of 5 stars

This first book in the Nikolas & Company adventures is science fiction/fantasy/adventure, but most important: it's a lot of fun. If you like your books with a lot of set-up, this isn't the one for you. But if you enjoy being plunked down into the middle of a fully developed and detailed magical world, then you should definitely check it out. In addition to the fun premise and the spot-on, action-packed execution, Nikolas and Company features the classic hero-and-his-misfit-friends. A reader...more

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Aug 03, 2012 Heidi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-favorites, 2012-ya-mg-fantasy-reading-challeng, middle-grade-fantasy, middle-grade-sci-fi

A-A-A-U-U-G-G-H-H. Another book that ends in the middle of the story. So many books these days seem to do this. The end isn't really an end. However, in this case, I rather expected it. After all the title does say, Episode 1. I do look forward to reading the upcoming installments. I quite enjoyed this one. It's an interesting blend of fantasy and science fiction with some great twists and turns. There is one at the end that really surprised me, which is always great. But I didn't find this stor...more A-A-A-U-U-G-G-H-H. Another book that ends in the middle of the story. So many books these days seem to do this. The end isn't really an end. However, in this case, I rather expected it. After all the title does say, Episode 1. I do look forward to reading the upcoming installments. I quite enjoyed this one. It's an interesting blend of fantasy and science fiction with some great twists and turns. There is one at the end that really surprised me, which is always great. But I didn't find this story predictable in any way and very entertaining.

Nick and his friends set out on a rather confusing adventure to a place they've never even heard of, but with poisonings, hideous tracking monsters, and the possibility of developing magical powers outweigh the negatives. The characters in this book were certainly interesting. Intelligent Nick who tends to create disaster at every turn, his twin brother Tim, seemingly the only cautious one, belligerent Haley who hates boys, Caroline, the motherly type, Brandy, the fashionista, and last but certainly not least, Grand, who has spent years flying about the earth in a beat up hovertruck.

The setting alternates between a surprisingly different version of the Moon and an Earth that sees little sunlight and revolves around a great deal of technology. I found it fascinating how the author conveys a sense of place without spending a great deal of time on description. The story moves along at fast clip, I read it one evening. Many interesting things happen, including a rather interesting visit to a church in the midst of a funeral, funny and exciting all at the same time.

The only problem I had with the book, besides the cut off ending was the lack of description. This lack aids in the rapid pace of the story, but I would have liked to have more details about the settings and various characters. Plus the wording in a few places was a bit awkward. But these were minor issues and didn't overly inhibit the flow of the story. I recommend this book to all who enjoy a fast paced, entertainingly creative story.(less)

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May 20, 2012 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

This start to a new series by Kevin McGill is a sci-fi adventure. The story takes place in two settings, Earth and Moon. On Moon you see the merpeople (known as merrows) discussing vague problems and monsters and explaining their grave danger to this one guy Yeri. On Earth, you have this boy inventor Nikolas who is desperate to get off Earth. These two little plotlines then mash together as Nick learns about Moon and other secrets.

Honestly, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I wasn...more This start to a new series by Kevin McGill is a sci-fi adventure. The story takes place in two settings, Earth and Moon. On Moon you see the merpeople (known as merrows) discussing vague problems and monsters and explaining their grave danger to this one guy Yeri. On Earth, you have this boy inventor Nikolas who is desperate to get off Earth. These two little plotlines then mash together as Nick learns about Moon and other secrets.

Honestly, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I wasn’t sure how much to expect from it because it’s short (180-ish pages) and it’s kind of geared towards middle grade, but I found it to be highly captivating and exciting. The story moved along quickly so I was never bored or wanted to stop reading.

The writing was wonderful as well. I admired the word choice, the way characters were presented, and the flow of the whole book. Kevin McGill is obviously a fan of using sounds in his writing (whimpers, screams, yells, etc.) and he doesn’t just say, “Bill screamed.” He writes, “AAAUUUHHH!!!!” There were a multitude of screams, yells, and other exclamations used. I feel like that fits really well into the aspect of Kevin’s writing I liked the most. All the dialogue was very real. Everything was phrased to sound like something a kid would actually say. Many books put words into characters mouths that don’t match the character, and that’s not what Kevin did at all. He knows how fourteen-year-old boys talk and he writes that way.

My biggest problem with the book was the MASSIVE amount of facts thrown at me with little to no explanation. Obviously this fictional world is complex and detailed, and the author has everything figured out somewhere else. But I could only glimpse a sliver of this complex world through the book, and I just wish that the world-building could have been less about telling me a little of everything and more about really explaining a lot about a few things. I realize this is the first short book in a quick-release book series, but the details could have been dispensed in a more understandable way that didn’t overwhelm the reader. Add to this the sci-fi elements of strange names, creatures, and settings, and it’s just too much new information. But if you don’t skim, and you don’t expect all the answers in the first book, you can easily have an enjoyable reading experience.

There are a lot of little things I loved about this book: the way he found to introduce most of the Earthen characters, the hilarious personalities of Nick’s parents, Grand’s character, the autodrones, Yeri’s cluelessness, etc.

I highly enjoyed this book, and will definitely get the sequel, as this one ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger (great twist at the end!).(less)

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May 14, 2012 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars

This novella has one foot in science fiction and the other in fantasy. I was reminded a lot of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy when I read this. It was kind of crazy with weird creatures and unusual journeys and a weird mission. The character Nick who is the main character is adventuresome, an inventor, a thinker and not likely to follow instructions-any one's! I really liked him because he took charge and did what needed to be done when a leader wasn't clear. There are many characters incl...more This novella has one foot in science fiction and the other in fantasy. I was reminded a lot of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy when I read this. It was kind of crazy with weird creatures and unusual journeys and a weird mission. The character Nick who is the main character is adventuresome, an inventor, a thinker and not likely to follow instructions-any one's! I really liked him because he took charge and did what needed to be done when a leader wasn't clear. There are many characters including Tim, Nick's twin who is the exact opposite of Nick. He seems to be cautious, overly sure of his qualifications (to beat a girl up twice his size called Rocky) and wants to slow down and think things through. He'd rather stay on earth where the atmosphere is so bad that there is no sun and the Geneva Virus is spreading like wildfire killing thousands at a time. But he isn't given a choice when they are attacked by trackers that don't give up until their prey is dead.

Meanwhile, back on the Moon, Yeri the brave and heroic wagon driver finds that he is carrying precious cargo, The Duke and Duchess of Eynclaene, the Merrow people who guard the coast and keep the treasure of the city of Huron safe. Yeri is brought into further service of the Merrow people, but in this Episode, we don't know if he succeeds or fails.

At 130 pages, this was a nice introduction into the two worlds of the story. The characters were summed up nicely by Nick- "Haley hates love. Brandy loves fashion. Tim's a wuss. Daniel: evil scientist. Xanthus: dragon nerd. And you (Caroline): good cook." That is who they are at their basest, but of course we all know people are more complex. Nick just likes to think everything is simple. I think he's going to find things are very complex as he travels to the moon and becomes the Steward of Huron, charged with speaking with the Merrow and protecting Huron's fortunes.

I enjoyed this story very much. As I'm not a science fiction fan, I may not have enjoyed the story in it's entirety, but broken up like this, it's got me very curious. And the fantasy world created which Nick and friends are just about to enter is very interesting. I can't wait to learn more about it! The lore is that the moon and the earth were twin planets joined together by a bridge. This will prove to be a very imaginative story. And I must say, it was very well formatted for my Kindle. The pictures were all in the right places and the titles were in the right places. It was a pleasure to read it! I will definitely be reading the rest of the series so I can see what happens.

It's great for anyone that loves fantasy, science fiction, it's clean with just the slightest hint of boys and girls taking a notice of each other. Lots of adventure, but not so far fetched that you don't believe it.
(less)

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Oct 14, 2012 Robyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is so much fun to read, you will be sad when your time with these well thought out characters is over. You want engaging?? You got it! You want fast paced?? You got it! Want great characters and humor on top of that?? You got it! The MERMAN AND THE MOON FORGOTTEN, with its wonderful illustrations by Carlyle McCullough flows easily from one scene to the next, which makes for easy reading. The first two to three chapters are a little confusing, but then the story gets supercalafragalisti...more

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Jun 08, 2012 Elizabeth Mueller rated it 5 of 5 stars

Nothing is what it seems. Merpeople riding carriages and waltzing about on land with automaton legs, cities crying out to their stewards of impending dangers while a dangerous virus hits the countryside where the ill are sent to places for organ harvesting. This is the world where 14 year-old Nick lives and all he wants to do is go back to the moon.

I have to admit, before I could snuggle up under my blankies with this fantastical book, my son beat me to it. He read it in a single day and raved....more

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Mar 17, 2013 Elicia (Girl in the Woods Reviews) rated it 5 of 5 stars

You can also find this review at http://girlinthewoodsreviews.blogspot...

Detailed Review:

Apparently all the good parts in the book have already been said up there, so I will talk about how it is good. There's nothing bad to say about this book, so you can guess what rating I'm giving this book.

It's creative. I have never seen an author able to piece fantasy AND science fiction so perfectly. No flaws, just perfection. It's just plain genius of the author to think of such a plot. Nobody but him...more

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Aug 07, 2012 Matt Kelland rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi, childrens-books, fantasy

What a fantastic book - and I use that word in the literal sense! I have to admit, I nearly didn't get past the first couple of chapters, but I'm damn glad I did. It's adventure filled with tons of imagination and action, and one of the most fun things I've read this year. It's a civilization on the moon that features bizarre re-imaginings of mythical creatures, mermaids with steam-powered artificial legs, and cities that talk telepathically. I was hooked, always wanting to know what new wonderf...more

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Aug 05, 2012 J4n3 rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: scifi, fantasy, read-in-2012

Kevin McGill did a give-away during which I managed to download a free copy of the book. It's a quick read, only around 130 pages. The idea is great, the execution not as much. Sadly.

Nikolas and Company is Goonies meets Lightning Thief that takes place on a mythological reimagination of our moon.

Nick and his friends have a Goonie feel to it. Add Doc Brown from Back to the Future and you have Nick's grandfather.

The story is fast paced. While other books tend to bore one to death with endless...more

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Jul 04, 2012 Richard (Bound & Determined...) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: review-request

I don’t read fantasy books. At all. It’s not my thing. I don’t watch sci-fi/fantasy movies or TV shows. I just don’t get them. I can’t follow them. I don’t even give them a chance. Then, Kevin McGill contacted me and I read the first few chapters of Nikolas & Company: The Merman & the Moon Forgotten. And I was instantly hooked. It’s almost like this book was written as my introduction to the sci-fi/fantasy genre.

McGill has an interesting take on the Earth-Moon relationship, one that seem...more

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Apr 06, 2012 Mara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads

From the very beginning, the Reader is presented with a world that promises a great amount of beauty, excitement, and mystery. Classic stagecoaches, Neo-Victorian machinery and decor, and a city of mer-people that manage to feel quite new and different from all other mer-people Authors have populated their stories with. While the writing style itself is not necessarily the world's greatest, I admit that I am captivated by the world of Mon in a way I wasn't quite expecting.

Meanwhile, the chapters...more From the very beginning, the Reader is presented with a world that promises a great amount of beauty, excitement, and mystery. Classic stagecoaches, Neo-Victorian machinery and decor, and a city of mer-people that manage to feel quite new and different from all other mer-people Authors have populated their stories with. While the writing style itself is not necessarily the world's greatest, I admit that I am captivated by the world of Mon in a way I wasn't quite expecting.

Meanwhile, the chapters that take place on a futuristic Earth are less enchanting. There were elements to this Earth that felt a little bit like "The Giver," which I liked, but certainly compared to Mon, I found Earth to be kind of boring and events a little hard to follow. But I recognize the importance of these parts to the overall story, and maybe in making these chapters less alluring than Mon, the Author has managed to make the Reader understand and sympathize with Nikolas's desire to leave Earth. I certainly would not have wanted to stay.

The characters present a wide variety to choose from in terms of who to like and dislike. I automatically loved Yeri - he has a sense of humor that felt natural and was genuinely funny. It didn't feel like the Author was trying to make him funny, but just wrote what was appropriate for his character, and thus Yeri felt one hundred percent real. Not that the other characters seem fake. The dialogue reads exactly the way people talk, and every character has their own separate personality. And since the characters are so realistic, not all of them are likable. Tim is the most annoying - always the reluctant partner when it comes to adventure, calculating chances of survival, freaking out, whining - and Brandy is quite a bit on the prissy side. Ironically enough, I would not ask the Author to change any of that. While Tim grates on my nerves and I want to tell Brandy to just forget about her shoes, they add variety to the troupe of friends. They play their roles well; not every single character should be wonderful and perfect, after all.

"The Merman and the Moon Forgotten" is at first a little slow feeling, but by Chapter Seven things start to pick up and events that were initially confusing are explained in a coherent fashion. There is no denying that the story is strange, but it is a strange that I find oddly appealing. At first, I wasn't certain that I really would like it, but after a very short while, it started to grow on me. This first installment of a series ends on one killer of a cliffhanger, naturally, and now that everyone is awy from futuristic Earth and on Mon, I'm really looking forward to reading its sequel.

Well, done, Kevin McGill!(less)

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Dec 30, 2012 Gemmavive rated it 5 of 5 stars

"Enticing and Amazing"... These are the opening reviews my 11 year old son chose to write when asked to create a book jacket summary and review for a school project. Sethie chose his own book and is now hooked on the series. As a constant video/computer gamer, it is phenomenal to see him immersed in these books. He loves this series so much that he's been sharing his books with other boys in his class and asked the school librarian to carry it. Highly recommended by this family!

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Jul 01, 2012 Scott rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, sci-fi

I really enjoyed this book.
World building...check
Great characters...check
Story that pulled me in...check
but
I didn't give it 5 stars for a few reasons. I thought the beginning was confusing for the reader (me). Not much happened - seemed the whole point of the book was to setup the next book. I understand episodic stories but you've got to give me a little more in each episode. And there were a few areas where some more editing would have been beneficial.
but
don't get me wrong...Kevin McGill has...more

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Mar 01, 2013 Timmain rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure, fantasy, magic, monsters, science-fiction, steampunk, young-adult

A very fun adventure that had a little bit of everything. The best part of this story for me was the interactions between the young characters and the dripping sarcasm that was comically laced through every scene. Another reviewer commented on this story's similarities with the movie "Goonies" and I would have to agree in the best of ways. I look forward to reading more by this author.

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Dec 29, 2012 Nancy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, science-fiction, young-adult

A Y/A sci-fantasy novel, Nikolas & Company is the first in a series. The story moved quickky although I was a bit dismayed at the amount of characters involved.

I liked the story and will most probably look in to the 2nd story. The author ends the book wih a major cliffhanger in which I actually said to myself, gee I didnt see that coming!

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Jan 08, 2012 Tracy Jones rated it 5 of 5 stars

Totally loved this book. Though it is listed here in episodes, i was lucky enough to get the full version and I am glad that I did. :o) Nikolas and Company: A Creature Most Foul

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Jun 29, 2011 Gmr rated it 4 of 5 stars

Once I started reading this 'First Look' I couldn't stop. its Fantasy with a enough grounding in our world to be enjoyable even to those not steeped in the full genre. All it takes is a bit of imagination. Rest assured I'm eagerly awaiting the September release date to see just what happens next.

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Jul 30, 2011 Julie Johnson rated it 5 of 5 stars

For a first novel, it really blew me away. It deserves the five stars! I thought it reminiscent of Artemis Fowl or The Hunchback Assignments, great YA fantasy, funny, a very unique premise, very well written, great descriptions, and a great band of heros. I think this would also make an awesome graphic novel! I'm eager to read the next segment. I sped-read this first section because it was so engaging.

Though I know the author--he helped me out as a teacher with a boy's literacy event (a great ev...more

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Dec 20, 2012 Zep rated it 2 of 5 stars

... it was a tad weird. it wasn't the best book I've ever ran across, but it was worth the $0 price tag. I do get a little tired of the amazon trend of handing out a free book like this with the intention of trying to drag you into a whole saga of $2-4 books that will span an 87 series story arc.

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Jul 10, 2011 Ashlinn (at) Baffling,Bonkers,and Brilliant Books! rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 4-star

The book is very light and easygoing. The characters are enjoyable and they make a great team!My fav character is Caroline, she seems like she would be a genuine person and how awesome would that be to have a friend who could cook you anything you wanted?My only problem would be the beginning, it was somewhat confusing and I felt a little random? But from what I have read of the book, it's really great! Can't wait to read the rest! So what did I give the preview? 4 stars!

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Sep 11, 2012 Bish Denham rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: children-s-lit

Even though the opening three chapters confused me a bit, I got over it. The first of a series, this is a great, fast-paced, wickedly fantastical story that bubbles with humor and great characters. Totally enjoyed it.

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May 27, 2013 Read for your future! rated it 4 of 5 stars

Read our review here:
http://readforyourfuture.blogspot.com...

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Apr 05, 2012 Shannon O'Donnell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Review soon . . .

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Aug 03, 2011 Rick Taubold rated it 5 of 5 stars

This outstanding story premise has great characters and a load of charm. It's one of the best YA novels I've come across. When the full novel comes out and I've read it, I'll do a proper review. I'm anxious to read the rest of it, but I have to wait (sigh) until Kevin releases it in September.

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Jun 22, 2012 Pam Torres rated it 4 of 5 stars

See The Entire Review at soimfifty.blogspot.com

What attracted me to Kevin's book was the Merman with automaton legs. I wanted to know how it would work. Then once I immersed myself in the stories characters and settings I couldn't put it down. I found myself in a swashbuckling adventure with danger around every corner. Great descriptions of setting and characters and the dialogue was wonderful. Another great boy book recommendation.

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Jun 08, 2012 Mrs Johnnie Tate rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-since-joining

Totally absorbed until I got to the end, AND CANNOT DOWNLOAD Episode 1!
Alas.

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Aug 20, 2011 Shinke rated it 5 of 5 stars

Love it! I can't wait for the full book so I can know what's going on! :)

You did a great job Kevin! First I was confused as hell but then it all came together and I'm so excited for the finished product. :D

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Jun 15, 2013 Jeremy W added it · review of another edition

Jun 13, 2013 Jackie marked it as to-read

Shelves: shit-i-got-for-free-on-amazon

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About Kevin McGill

Kevin McGill is the mad writer of the Nikolas & Company series where the Moon is much more than we think, mermen walk on automaton legs, and 14-year-old boys talk to cities in their heads.

He's also the author who launched his book into space ->
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgZmP-...

When not spinning Lunar yarns, Kevin hosts a weekly books podcast Guys Can Read along with his college budd...more

More about Kevin McGill...

Books by Kevin McGill

Nikolas and Company Vol 1 (Episode 1-4): A Creature Most Foul

When Boats Breathe and Cities Speak (Nikolas and Company, #2)

The Foul and The Fallen (Nikolas and Company: Episode 3)

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