Flight of Blue

Jul 24, 2012 Bill Good rated it 5 of 5 stars

All I can say is "WOW!!!" I had online research plans to work on my second cousin's genealogy, but that took a back seat for about three hours. Chapter 5 hooked me for the duration and I could barely put it down. Flight of the Blue was the first book that I have read in its entirety on my Android.

The Harry Potter comparisons are definitely valid. I know that I will probably re-read this book at least half a dozen times. The symbology and "other world" parallels are intense. A.E. Howard has put a...more

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Jul 07, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Flight of Blue is exciting and well-constructed. The characters are realistic and believable as is the dialogue. When Kai, the protagonist, spoke it sounded exactly like the voice of a 12-year-old boy.

I don't know what the genre is, middle grade fantasy maybe? But I found it great adult reading in the tradition of Madeleine L'Engle and her A Wrinkle in Time series and Austin Family Chronicles

There is plenty of drama and suspense, but A.E. Howard does a good job of weaving in humor as well.

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Aug 05, 2012 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: couldn-t-have-been-better, great-author, great-supporting-characters, male-protagonist, middle-grade, ya, fantasy, great-world-building

See My Full Review Here: http://www.hippiesbeautyandbooksohmy....

First Impressions: I first stumbled across Flight of Blue one day while I was on Goodreads. It was the cover art that truly caught my eye and I loved the pastel effect and decided to look up more about the book. The book synopsis/blurb is a little vague, but it reminded me of The Secret of Nimh and/or The Chronicles of Narnia. I was particularly interesting in reading about a possum who is a sorcerer because that is just awesome. I...more See My Full Review Here: http://www.hippiesbeautyandbooksohmy....

First Impressions: I first stumbled across Flight of Blue one day while I was on Goodreads. It was the cover art that truly caught my eye and I loved the pastel effect and decided to look up more about the book. The book synopsis/blurb is a little vague, but it reminded me of The Secret of Nimh and/or The Chronicles of Narnia. I was particularly interesting in reading about a possum who is a sorcerer because that is just awesome. I love possums, those “cute in a ugly kind of way” creatures that like to eat my vegetables in my backyard.

First 50 Pages: I’ll admit that I’m cautious about which self-published books I accept to review. I’ve read some truly wonderful ones and some not so wonderful self-published books. Flight of Blue definitely falls under the wonderful category. It’s well-edited, has a fun and exciting storyline, it’s fast-paced, has awesome characters, and I read the whole book in what seemed like a very short sitting. From the first chapter the pacing is quick and easy to follow. I immediately liked the characters and how they were presented to me. The whole book had a very magical feeling to it and it’s been a while since I could say that.

Characters & Plot: Another worry that I had with Flight of Blue (and most books, really) was that the world building would be sketchy. Again, I was pleasantly surprised by how great the author put everything together. It was never confusing and even though I felt like there were some instances of the author telling rather than showing, everything was explained so well that I didn’t have very many unanswered questions by the time I reached the end of the story. Flight of Blue has three realms and each realm has Keepers, Guardians, and Sorcerers who work hard at maintaining order and fixing what needs to be fixed.

If I have any complaints, it would be that this book felt more Middle Grade then Young Adult. I don’t mind Middle Grade titles, I actually read quite a few of them, but I didn’t know that Flight of Blue was more Middle Grade then Young Adult before starting to read. It’s not really a big deal, but I wish I had known that before I started to read and that is probably my own fault.

Regardless, Flight of Blue has some really wonderful characters. We have Kai who is just a young boy looking for adventure (and he sure gets one!) but he is unsure of himself and his role of everything that is happening around him. Elle is Kai’s best friend in the whole world and she is pretty special and as the story progresses, she becomes much more than just Kai’s sidekick. Then we have Serina who is Kai and Elle’s guide through the realms. She also happens to be a bird/girl!

Hands-down, my favorite character is Reginald the Opossum. This is probably because I have a soft spot for opossums, but this one can talk! He is kind of grumpy, but I think that is just a façade. I also like his name because it just suits him so well. Actually, all of the character’s names suited each character well. They were easy to pronounce, which is an amazement in a fantasy novel. I’m interested to see how each of the characters develop as the series continues.

Final Thoughts: I think that a lot of people are going to be able to enjoy this story. It reminded me so much of some of the great classic children’s fantasy novels and I know that the author has a bright future ahead of her if she keeps writing fantastic stories like this. I would highly recommend Flight of Blue to anyone who enjoys fun characters in a fantasy setting, and definitely to Middle Grade readers.(less)

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Jul 25, 2012 Rachel rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: debut-author-challenge-2012

I recieved FOB through the DAC tour. So that's one more book down, which means I have 4 books completed, and 8 books left to read to hit my goal of 12 books. Hope I can do it!

Flight of Blue is about a boy named Kai and a girl named Ellie. It's about a possum sorcerer, who through his anger and attempt to get revenge, curses a traffic light. His curse causes a rip in the fabric of the world. A rip that must be closed tight.

It's about Keepers and Guardians who can close these rips and can stop e...more

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Jul 30, 2012 Alyssa Archambo rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: childrens, fantasy, adventure

Flight of Blue is about a boy who finds out that his parents are both Guardians. They seal up tears that could allow the Realm of Darkness to enter and destroy the world. In a chance meeting with a talking opossum sorcerer and a messenger that can turn herself from bird to human, Kai finds himself in a world he never could have dreamed of. What's more, he finds out that they're all relying on him to help a rip in the world, because he may be the person prophecised to save the world. With his bes...more Flight of Blue is about a boy who finds out that his parents are both Guardians. They seal up tears that could allow the Realm of Darkness to enter and destroy the world. In a chance meeting with a talking opossum sorcerer and a messenger that can turn herself from bird to human, Kai finds himself in a world he never could have dreamed of. What's more, he finds out that they're all relying on him to help a rip in the world, because he may be the person prophecised to save the world. With his best friend Ellie and his dog Sebastian, Kai takes on the responsibility of saving the world from the Realm of Darkness.

This novel is action-packed and takes turns with being serious and funny, which I greatly appreciated. No kid's book can be great without humor. I loved the relationship between Kai and Ellie; it seemed very real to me, and I knew they always had each other's backs. I also enjoyed how Howard is able to keep an adult presence throughout the story, but leaves it to the kids to fight the major battles. In most middle-grade novels, the adults are either completely absent or too present, but the author found a balance between both.

I would have liked the pacing the be a little slower. On the one hand, I liked how things just happen one right after another, and the reader is thrown in the situation along with Kai. Like Kai, we're unable to get our bearings or think straight because crazy things keep happening. However, I do think that there should have been a few pauses during the conflicts so we can absorb the severity of the situation. It also would have been a good chance to get out of Kai's head and explore the world a little bit more. I'm also not a fan of dialogue-heavy novels where most plot points are revealed through conversation, and Flight of Blue is that. Aside from those two things, it was thoroughly enjoyable.

Regardless, this is an imaginative story that any kid will love. Talking animals, magic, and a secret society living with us in the world, protecting us from the Realm of Darkness. This is the sort of fantasy book kids live for.

*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.*
--
For more of my reviews, visit my blog, The Reader's Refuge.(less)

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Jun 21, 2012 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars

Have you ever wished that Wind in the Willows included humans, magic and rips in the fabric of the world? Well if you have, Flight of Blue fits the bill. The fanciful story of Kai and his accidental quest to save the world will appeal to the young adult set with clear language and strong, relatable characters. But adults will find an engaging story that evokes memories of epic adventure tales and magic realms we pretend not to imagine as adults. Plot points are revealed mostly through dialogue....more

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Aug 28, 2012 Brian Clopper rated it 5 of 5 stars

A.E Howard’s debut fantasy novel, Flight of Blue, holds wonder, peril and darn good character names. The lovely cover drew me in and the adventure inside has me clamoring for more. Kai and Ellie are wonderful protagonist and I find I want to know more about Serina and her magical messenger organization. Throw in such inventive creatures as Name Monsters and wraithlings and you have a yarn I want to devour.

The author establishes a wonderful sense of place and history with her setting. She gives e...more A.E Howard’s debut fantasy novel, Flight of Blue, holds wonder, peril and darn good character names. The lovely cover drew me in and the adventure inside has me clamoring for more. Kai and Ellie are wonderful protagonist and I find I want to know more about Serina and her magical messenger organization. Throw in such inventive creatures as Name Monsters and wraithlings and you have a yarn I want to devour.

The author establishes a wonderful sense of place and history with her setting. She gives enough fantastic elements and sprinkles in just the right dollop of juicy lore for the reader to feel satisfied, while leaving you craving more of the expansive world she has created. Pacing is solid and I found Kai’s narrative voice to be likeable and just right.

Many other reviewers mentioned Reginald the possum, and I really liked him as well. So much so, I wanted to see more of him in the book. Hopefully, book two will give him a larger role as he is a memorable character. And this is from someone who finds possums both creepy and cute, but really more creepy than anything else. To get me to enjoy Reginald is saying a lot. If A.E. Howard keeps this up, she’ll write kindly snakes into her next book and have me rethinking my Indiana-Jones-sized dislike of said serpents.

Sebastian and Eben are wonderful companions for our heroes and they round out the cast with an endearing ragtag panache.

I found I wanted to know more of Shadrach’s past, which is good as it promises to figure in greatly to Kai and his true role in this series. The magic has rhythm and logic and never feels false. It’s also given weight and respect, something that is often missing from other fantasy novels.

Flight of Blue is a confident romp with loads of dastardly doing, creepy ne’er-do-wells and the element that always makes a book series memorable to me, heart.

While the stakes are grim, the book doesn’t feel unapproachably intense and off-putting. It plays out its dangers with realism and a nod to adventure that doesn’t have to deal in death tolls and grisly displays. Not that I don’t enjoy books with those elements, I just always sit back and smile when I find a book that is all-ages and still has stakes that maintain suspense and interest.

I can’t wait to read the next book in this fine series.
(less)

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Aug 02, 2012 Ashley (The Bibliophile's Corner) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Cover Talk: I really like this cover. When I first saw it on GoodReads I did a double take. It took me a while to figure out why I was drawn to this cover because normally I go for vibrant. But I think I was just so thankful for the muted colors and that, I think, is what made it stand out among it’s bright counterparts. I am also a huge fan of symbols and I fell in love with the sun symbol that is centered under the title.

First Impressions: A.E. Howard had me at “possum sorcerer.” After reading...more Cover Talk: I really like this cover. When I first saw it on GoodReads I did a double take. It took me a while to figure out why I was drawn to this cover because normally I go for vibrant. But I think I was just so thankful for the muted colors and that, I think, is what made it stand out among it’s bright counterparts. I am also a huge fan of symbols and I fell in love with the sun symbol that is centered under the title.

First Impressions: A.E. Howard had me at “possum sorcerer.” After reading the synopsis and reading a couple of reviews about talking animals, magic, and other realms, it brought me back to my childhood love of Narnia. There is just something remarkable about lands in which animals can talk.

First Few Chapters: Talk about action packed! By page 8 I was thrown into an adventure in a new world and Howard’s world does not slow down! I read this book in one sitting and cannot wait for the next to books to come out. The characters are so innocent and so fun, the plot is fast paced, and the ending definitely left me wanting more.

Characters: Kai is a typical 12 year old boy who needs to adventure. Fortunately for him, he is thrust into it and his whole life is turned upside down. He is definitely the reluctant hero that you’ll either love or hate. I personally love him. I can’t wait to see some growth and hopefully some acceptance to his role in this world.

Ellie is such a sweet, friend for Kai to have. The two of them are best friends and it was so wonderful to see how supportive she was as Kai’s destiny is revealed to him. I love that there is also more to her than I originally thought. I don’t want to give anything away, but she has some pretty special talents that serve her well in this magical world.

Reginald is an Opossum. To this day, aside from the talking, I don’t know what makes them different than possums. In my mind when I read this character, I envisioned a grouchy, British Opossum who underneath this bristly attitude is a soft heart. My only complaint when it comes to Reginald’s character is that he was too easily left behind and too easily brought in the adventure that unfolds in this novel.

Serina is “bird-girl.” I very much like her character, particularly because she is a red head when she is girl form. Serina is Kai’s guide through this new world that he and Ellie have entered into. I’m not sure how old she is supposed to be or how old she should appear. I would imagine around the same age as Kai since she blended in well at their school. I really like this character and can’t wait to see more with her in the next book.

Shadrach is a sorcerer who helps Kai and Ellie. I also quite like this character. Again, not sure how old he is supposed to be. More adult I know, but his white hair and beard on a thirty something year old body confuses me a wee bit. But hey, this is a magical world, anything goes.

Plot: I really liked how fast this book was. There were a couple of places that I felt were kind of like an info-dump, but since they were being told as a story within the story, I didn’t mind too much. I believe one scene was with Shadrach and being a really old sorcerer, he must be filled with knowledge and stories. And the other was with Serina, who I’m pretty sure is really old too, but we just haven’t figured out how old.

Also, being shown this new world was easy. Everything was explained thoroughly and I was not confused by workings of it. There are Guardians, Keepers, and sorcerers. Each have their own role to play in this world and in repairing rips in the realms. There are three realms, the Realm of Lightness, the Middle Realm, and Realm of Darkness. It’s all very basic and simple, which I LOVE.

I only had two issues with this book, both are plot spoilers, so you are warned. The first is how easily Reginald tells Kai he is the reason for the rip in the realm at the traffic light. Something as major as a rip in a realm is something that I would probably try to hide as best as I could until I HAD to tell someone. Particularly if it was for something as petty as revenge. The second was how in one chapter Kai and Ellie are told the Guardians are gone and in the next chapter or so, Serina is called away, pops back in and casually throws out that she figured out where they are and that they need to be saved soon. But they have time. And that is where book two will pick up.

Final Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. I went into it expecting another Narnia and while talking animals and magic do make their appearance, Flight of Blue definitely can stand on it’s own as a separate and unique series. I am so ready to read the next two books in this trilogy.(less)

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Jul 28, 2012 Valentina rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a fantastic middle grade book that captured my attention and held it until the very end. There was something so magical about it, doing what good books tend to do: putting the real world to the side.
There’s so much good stuff here. The characters are believable, which sometimes in middle grade fiction can be a challenge, since so many writers seem to forget exactly how pre-teens speak. But Ms. Howard does a wonderful job of creating engaging and fully developed characters. One of my fav...more

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Jun 08, 2012 Fel rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Fel by: http://aehowardwrites.com/books/

"A cursed traffic light. A rip in the fabric of the world. A possum sorcerer injured on a quest for revenge." That just about says it. At least that's where the story begins. In this fantasy, twelve-year-old Kai discovers he has the unique ability to save the world. That's quite a package for a pre-teen boy. Is he a guardian? A keeper? Both? (I'm now having a Ghostbusters moment. . .) Whatever he is, he is awakening to the other realms and it may be up to him to maintain the fabric of our realm....more

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Nov 08, 2012 Erin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-action-adventure, ya-fantasy, magic-and-wizards, middle-graders

Originally posted at Riffs And Reviews

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

**The review is for the Kindle edition**

A.E. Howard’s début fantasy/adventure, Flight of Blue, is the first of a series that is geared towards the middle-grade reader. The idea of a possum sorcerer caught my fancy when I first came across this indie novel on Goodreads, and I was curious to see how a cursed traffic light was going to play into the story. Turns out that light is just the start of an engaging adventurous tale filled with...more Originally posted at Riffs And Reviews

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

**The review is for the Kindle edition**

A.E. Howard’s début fantasy/adventure, Flight of Blue, is the first of a series that is geared towards the middle-grade reader. The idea of a possum sorcerer caught my fancy when I first came across this indie novel on Goodreads, and I was curious to see how a cursed traffic light was going to play into the story. Turns out that light is just the start of an engaging adventurous tale filled with magic, a dark realm infringing on our own, and talking animals that gives younger readers plenty to explore.

Flight of Blue is told in the third person from 12-year-old Kai’s point of view, which I enjoyed. Kai is an easy character to like with a thirst for adventure (although he gets more than he bargained for), a question for everything, and a unique name to make him stand out from the crowd. He does get a little too “why me?” about midway through the story, but when danger strikes he stands up to battle it. He also shows some nice skill at strategy when he encounters some trolls late in the story, and has a tendency to worry about his friends and dog Seb. He’s a nice normal kid caught in an extraordinary situation. His best friend Ellie shows a lot of strength of her own, plenty of intelligence, and a slightly unconventional outlook that gives a feeling of originality to her role as best friend. She did move to the background in the middle of the story for a bit, at which point I found I missed the way she balanced Kai’s character, but once she was back with Kai everything felt right again.

There are plenty of interesting and singular characters in Flight of Blue starting with Serina, a girl who looks like a middle-grader but can shape-shift into a small bird. She belongs to a group called the Flight of Blue (where the story gets its name), who are messengers for the Realm of Light, and has been assigned to keep an eye on Kai as he comes into potential abilities to repair “rips” in the fabric that stands between the Realm of Light, our non-magical Middle Realm, and the Realm of Darkness. She becomes the third member of Kai and Ellie’s team, and aids them as they discover Kai may have a more important role in repairing rips than he ever could have imagined. Reginald (not “Reggie” please!) is the slightly pompous possum sorcerer who cursed the traffic light that sets everything in motion, while Shadrach is an apparently immortal teacher/school headmaster who begins to steer Kai towards his possible destiny. We even have magical grasshoppers with the addition of Shadrach’s friend Sam. While we have seen talking animals before, Howard brings a fresh feel to things with her mix of species and their contemporary styles.

There were moments here and there where J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books would suddenly pop into my head – most notably when Kai and Ellie arrive at Belajar, a school for Guardians and Keepers in training. I couldn’t help but think of Hogwarts’ separate towers for boys and girls and Gryffindor’s common room when Kai headed to his dorm room. Instead of towers, the boys and girls are on separate floors with separate staircases and the common room has a flat-screen TV and game system in addition to the little seating areas, but it still felt like a pale imitation of Hogwarts (Kai’s twin roommates also called to mind the Weasley twins). There is an agricultural class that reminded me of Herbology; however, the other classes are different enough that the comparison finally ends. I liked the way school was set up, too, with alternating days between magical-type studies and regular classes such as math and Latin.

Pacing was slightly uneven, with some sections flowing more briskly than others, but overall it was steady enough to keep me engaged throughout. There is a lot of world-building going on, so there are plenty of changes of scenery and even an excursion into the Realm of Darkness in the final third of the story that adds a real sense of danger and adventure to the tale that will enthrall middle-grade readers (I know I enjoyed it). The finale sets things up nicely for book 2, The Guardians, and provides a glimpse at what Kai, Ellie and Serina will be trying to overcome. I’ll be keeping my eye out for its release in 2013.

While A.E. Howard’s début Flight of Blue has a couple of Harry Potter overtones, they are successfully overtaken by a unique world of sorcerer possums, a shape-shifting messenger, and multi-layered realms of magic and mystery that should easily engage middle-grade readers looking for a story of fantasy and adventure. A very solid début for the pre-teen crowd.(less)

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Jul 30, 2012 Becca Campbell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Flight of Blue is a fantasy adventure novel about a boy who falls into the unlikely quest of helping a talking, magical Opossum. This unexpected mission is only the beginning in his discoveries about the nature of the world, his parents’ secrets, and his own destined role.

Howard creates an engaging connection between the world as we see it and a fantastical reality full of magic, alternate realms, and mythical creatures. At some moments I was reminded of Middle Earth and at others I almost felt...more

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Jul 19, 2012 Joseph rated it 5 of 5 stars

Flight of Blue is an engaging and fun read. The characters are believable and the dialogue is funny. While a good representative of the genre, I did not find the work derivative or predictable and found myself laughing at times, even in the midst of suspenseful events. The weaving of multiple layers of emotion was very skillful. Do yourself a favor and read it, or pass it along to someone you know who's in the mood for a good read.

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Flight of Blue (Keeper of the Keys Chronicles #1)

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