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The Colors of Malent #1
The Colors of Malent
For as long as she can remember, Alara Martin has had strange dreams about a beautiful, faraway world. They increase with intensity as she approaches her fifteenth birthday, and Alara has a hard time distinguishing them from reality. She thinks about them constantly-and wonders why no one else in her family experiences them. After suffering from a particularly traumatic and vivid nightmare, Alara learns an astonishing truth from her she is not their real daughter! Alara is devastated by the news and riddled with more questions than answers. Who are her real parents? Where does she belong? And why do these strange dreams plague her every night? Alara's daily routine is interrupted by extraordinary landscapes, unbelievable creatures, and strange waking visions. Her search for answers will thrust her into the middle of a conflict for which she is completely unprepared. Can Alara's destiny really lie in the world of Malent? And how can Alara leave all that she loves in her current world for her true heritage? Desperate for help from anyone who will listen, Alara fights to uncover her real identity- before it's too late.
316 pages, Paperback
First published March 25, 2011
About the author
Tim Adams
7 books26 followersTim Adams is a coauthor of The Colors of Malent Series and a lifelong fan of science fiction and fantasy, both on the page and on the screen. Based in Hudson, New Hampshire, Tim works in IT and brings a practical, problem-solving mindset to building immersive stories with momentum and mystery. When he’s not writing, he can usually be found cheering on his twin teenagers at sports games, exploring the local food scene, or diving into the next great series.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 31, 2012
Alara is a 14 year old girl, almost 15, who has the normal trials and tribulations of teens everywhere. Alara's best friend Madison or Mads as Alara calls her, is already a pro shopper with tons of attitude. Alara's new boyfriend Alex is a good looking jock who really seems to like her but doesn't always understand her. Her freaky teenaged next door neighbor Freddy, incredibly smart but socially awkward, suddenly starts talking to her.
Alara's busy and tension filled life is further complicated by the strange dreams that have haunted her since she can remember. Dreams that are getting weirder and weirder. They take her to another time and place where she enters the minds and bodies of the people she comes across.
Slowly she realizes that she can control the thoughts and actions of these people and she believes these people and places are real and are from a place called Malent. The bigger problem though is that these dreams are starting to come when she is awake too. And if all this isn't enough to deal with, she has just found out something about herself that shocks her to the core!
As Alara tries to discover who the strange people in her dreams are and where Malent is, she is also trying to discover something about herself. Her questions bring her into contact with new people who could be friends or enemies. Things seem to be constantly changing and it leaves Alara wondering who she exactly she can trust.
The ending will leave you holding your breath, impatient for the next book to continue with this very intriguing story!
I really enjoyed this novel. The twists and turns keep you flipping the pages, faster and faster, as you try to see what will happen next.
The characters in Alara's life are very believable. Her parents are typical parents, with her dad being the loud disciplinarian and her mom understanding the problems of being a teenaged girl. Her friends are very real. The situations are what many teens go through.
The people from Malent, the alternate world of Alara's, are reminiscent of the our world but from many centuries ago. The strange, scary animals that inhabit the lands are definitely not of our world and are incredibly imaginative.
The way the story switches between our world and Malent is extremely well done. I really look forward to the next book in this YA fantasy series.
Alara's busy and tension filled life is further complicated by the strange dreams that have haunted her since she can remember. Dreams that are getting weirder and weirder. They take her to another time and place where she enters the minds and bodies of the people she comes across.
Slowly she realizes that she can control the thoughts and actions of these people and she believes these people and places are real and are from a place called Malent. The bigger problem though is that these dreams are starting to come when she is awake too. And if all this isn't enough to deal with, she has just found out something about herself that shocks her to the core!
As Alara tries to discover who the strange people in her dreams are and where Malent is, she is also trying to discover something about herself. Her questions bring her into contact with new people who could be friends or enemies. Things seem to be constantly changing and it leaves Alara wondering who she exactly she can trust.
The ending will leave you holding your breath, impatient for the next book to continue with this very intriguing story!
I really enjoyed this novel. The twists and turns keep you flipping the pages, faster and faster, as you try to see what will happen next.
The characters in Alara's life are very believable. Her parents are typical parents, with her dad being the loud disciplinarian and her mom understanding the problems of being a teenaged girl. Her friends are very real. The situations are what many teens go through.
The people from Malent, the alternate world of Alara's, are reminiscent of the our world but from many centuries ago. The strange, scary animals that inhabit the lands are definitely not of our world and are incredibly imaginative.
The way the story switches between our world and Malent is extremely well done. I really look forward to the next book in this YA fantasy series.
November 27, 2011
I received this book through a Goodreads book giveaway. Thank you very much for the opportunity to read something new!
The Colors of Malent has a lot going for it, plot wise. It's a archetypical hero story, with Alara, a 14 year old girl, serving as the hero with an unknown destiny. The plot has some interesting features. We learn and discover about the mysterious place Malent through Alara's dreams. Alara finds herself inside the bodies of various characters, and is increasingly able to influence the people she inhabits as the dreams become more frequent and more vivid.
But Alara is not very likeable or consistent as a character. She is manipulative of her parents, using her "little girl" voice to win over her father. She has a horrible, self absorbed friend, Madison, who is able to manipulate Alara and coerce her into bad behavior, such as attending a coed sleepover party where alcohol is served. Another inconsistency I noticed was Alara's seeming inexperience with boys and awkwardness, constrasted with the next chapter, where she called her new boyfriend Alex "hot stuff."
I have read plenty of novels where the main character is not particularly likeable, but somehow the author was able to convince me that the character was redeemable or worth the journey, but I do not feel that way with Alara.
Supporting characters were sketchily drawn and pretty cliched. A cute jock boyfriend, an uncute geeky neighbor boy that likes Alara, an overprotective father that yells a lot, a mother that cries, the bitchy girlfriend who likes to shop. The characters from Malent were much more interesting and nuanced. I wish the novel had featured more from the character of Borren, a man from Malent who has made a success of himself in business in our world. His motives were complicated and his relationship with the warrior/homeless man Barry was intriguing in their co-dependence.
The novel appears to take place in a typical American setting, replete with malls.
There is a supporting website for this book. With the cliffhanger ending, it's obvious that a series is planned. I only hope that Malent takes over and we leave the cliched everyday world behind.
Again, thanks for the opportunity to read this new book.
The Colors of Malent has a lot going for it, plot wise. It's a archetypical hero story, with Alara, a 14 year old girl, serving as the hero with an unknown destiny. The plot has some interesting features. We learn and discover about the mysterious place Malent through Alara's dreams. Alara finds herself inside the bodies of various characters, and is increasingly able to influence the people she inhabits as the dreams become more frequent and more vivid.
But Alara is not very likeable or consistent as a character. She is manipulative of her parents, using her "little girl" voice to win over her father. She has a horrible, self absorbed friend, Madison, who is able to manipulate Alara and coerce her into bad behavior, such as attending a coed sleepover party where alcohol is served. Another inconsistency I noticed was Alara's seeming inexperience with boys and awkwardness, constrasted with the next chapter, where she called her new boyfriend Alex "hot stuff."
I have read plenty of novels where the main character is not particularly likeable, but somehow the author was able to convince me that the character was redeemable or worth the journey, but I do not feel that way with Alara.
Supporting characters were sketchily drawn and pretty cliched. A cute jock boyfriend, an uncute geeky neighbor boy that likes Alara, an overprotective father that yells a lot, a mother that cries, the bitchy girlfriend who likes to shop. The characters from Malent were much more interesting and nuanced. I wish the novel had featured more from the character of Borren, a man from Malent who has made a success of himself in business in our world. His motives were complicated and his relationship with the warrior/homeless man Barry was intriguing in their co-dependence.
The novel appears to take place in a typical American setting, replete with malls.
There is a supporting website for this book. With the cliffhanger ending, it's obvious that a series is planned. I only hope that Malent takes over and we leave the cliched everyday world behind.
Again, thanks for the opportunity to read this new book.
September 6, 2011
To start off, half of the book (probably less than that) is set in a foreign land, Malent. The other half is in the real (and boring) world. With that, I can say, as an avid fantasy reader, I definitely enjoyed reading about Malent much more than I did about the other things set in the real world.
I understand that this is a YA novel, but it still irks me to no end the way Alara acts throughout the book. She does some crazy, potentially dangerous things that no sane girl would do (or at least, I hope they won't). And her attitude was very annoying (I feel sorry for her parents).
Another thing that threw me off a bit was that Alara, along with her buddies, is only 14 years old. She is young! Only a freshman in high school. But some of her day-to-day routines make it seem as if she is older, like makeup and boyfriends. Maybe it's just me, but even if all of that is accurate, I can't help but think of the ideas this book may plant into kids' heads after reading this.
But even as annoyed as I am with the mundane reality portion of the book, I can't help but be pulled into the fantasy portion, which is why I still gave this book four stars. The glimpses into the world of Malent genuinely piqued my interest. The characters, through which Malent is revealed, were definitely intriguing and I am sorely disappointed that the authors did not give them a little more attention.
Right to the end, I was stumped as to who is the "bad guy" in the book (That's a plus!). There's one side saying one thing, and then another side saying the total opposite.
In the end, I can't say how I feel about the book. On one hand, I don't really like Alara, although I have some sympathy for her. But on the other hand, I am interested in how the story will unfold and what happens to the secondary characters that only appeared once or twice in the novel. I guess I can say, if somewhat reluctantly, that I will read the next book when it comes out.
(If there is a request I can put through to the writers, please! I hope Alara can mature as quickly as possible!)
I received a copy of the book via Goodreads Giveaway.
I understand that this is a YA novel, but it still irks me to no end the way Alara acts throughout the book. She does some crazy, potentially dangerous things that no sane girl would do (or at least, I hope they won't). And her attitude was very annoying (I feel sorry for her parents).
Another thing that threw me off a bit was that Alara, along with her buddies, is only 14 years old. She is young! Only a freshman in high school. But some of her day-to-day routines make it seem as if she is older, like makeup and boyfriends. Maybe it's just me, but even if all of that is accurate, I can't help but think of the ideas this book may plant into kids' heads after reading this.
But even as annoyed as I am with the mundane reality portion of the book, I can't help but be pulled into the fantasy portion, which is why I still gave this book four stars. The glimpses into the world of Malent genuinely piqued my interest. The characters, through which Malent is revealed, were definitely intriguing and I am sorely disappointed that the authors did not give them a little more attention.
Right to the end, I was stumped as to who is the "bad guy" in the book (That's a plus!). There's one side saying one thing, and then another side saying the total opposite.
In the end, I can't say how I feel about the book. On one hand, I don't really like Alara, although I have some sympathy for her. But on the other hand, I am interested in how the story will unfold and what happens to the secondary characters that only appeared once or twice in the novel. I guess I can say, if somewhat reluctantly, that I will read the next book when it comes out.
(If there is a request I can put through to the writers, please! I hope Alara can mature as quickly as possible!)
I received a copy of the book via Goodreads Giveaway.
February 10, 2012
originally appeared on:Bookshelf Confessions
At first, looking at the cover of the book, one might think it’s for kids, what with the colorful cover..:)
But as I scan through the pages, it’s really directed to teens and parents alike….
We learn and discover about the mysterious world Malent through Alara's dreams. Alara finds herself inside the bodies of various characters, and is increasingly able to influence the actions of the people she inhabits as the dreams become more and more frequent/vivid.
I think though I enjoy better the part where the book deals mostly with the world of Malent, the descriptions and the creatures are truly beyond my imagination, but it’s fascinating, and would really lure readers to the fantasy side of this book. Even though we’re only given a little about the characters in this world, I believe they would play a greater role in the next book. I hope to see more of Borren (a man from Malent who is a successful business man in the modern-world) and the warrior and homeless Barry in the sequel.
The other world, where Alara lives, is very the same as we have today. The characters too are just quite a collection. A hot jock boyfriend, a geeky boy-next-door that likes Alara, an overly-protective father that yells a lot, a drama-queen mother, the-not-so-wholesome best friend who seemed to be born to do shopping. Nevertheless, it’s a likely plot.
Although Alara is just 14, well, turning 15, let’s face it…she faces issues teens today face too..like self-identity, hiding from/manipulation of parents, make-ups, sex, alcohol, parties, boyfriends, a really bad friend.. She also does some crazy, dangerous things that no sane girl would do :). And her attitude though sometimes I pity her, is quite annoying.. But I think though, making a not-so likable character and then making her see reason and change her later would be a really good lesson to everyone.
Well, let’s face it, these issues things teens face today, we must not shy away from it, parents should be there guiding their kids. The book is just plain reality, and we must accept and learn from it.
Even at the end of the book, I am still lost as to who is the real villain in the book. There's one side saying one thing, and then another side saying the total opposite. Guess, Colors of Malent Book One was just really an introduction to a greater adventure we’d found in the next book, I can’t wait to see how the story will unfold and what other creatures I’ll get to know..:D….
Full of fun and exciting adventure., Mr. Adams and Mr, Inzerillo fuse the modern-day-technology with fantasy. I don’t know how to categorize this book, maybe it’s both sci-fi and fantasy..:) Colors of Malent brings readers to a world unknown and unique from us.
All in all, Colors of Malent is a real-page turner, I can’t seem to put this book down, until I finish reading it…My only problem is I should have figured this is a cliff-hanger, that way I wouldn’t be more frustrated to read the sequel:D…I want to read right away Book 2..:)…
Very highly recommended!
At first, looking at the cover of the book, one might think it’s for kids, what with the colorful cover..:)
But as I scan through the pages, it’s really directed to teens and parents alike….
We learn and discover about the mysterious world Malent through Alara's dreams. Alara finds herself inside the bodies of various characters, and is increasingly able to influence the actions of the people she inhabits as the dreams become more and more frequent/vivid.
I think though I enjoy better the part where the book deals mostly with the world of Malent, the descriptions and the creatures are truly beyond my imagination, but it’s fascinating, and would really lure readers to the fantasy side of this book. Even though we’re only given a little about the characters in this world, I believe they would play a greater role in the next book. I hope to see more of Borren (a man from Malent who is a successful business man in the modern-world) and the warrior and homeless Barry in the sequel.
The other world, where Alara lives, is very the same as we have today. The characters too are just quite a collection. A hot jock boyfriend, a geeky boy-next-door that likes Alara, an overly-protective father that yells a lot, a drama-queen mother, the-not-so-wholesome best friend who seemed to be born to do shopping. Nevertheless, it’s a likely plot.
Although Alara is just 14, well, turning 15, let’s face it…she faces issues teens today face too..like self-identity, hiding from/manipulation of parents, make-ups, sex, alcohol, parties, boyfriends, a really bad friend.. She also does some crazy, dangerous things that no sane girl would do :). And her attitude though sometimes I pity her, is quite annoying.. But I think though, making a not-so likable character and then making her see reason and change her later would be a really good lesson to everyone.
Well, let’s face it, these issues things teens face today, we must not shy away from it, parents should be there guiding their kids. The book is just plain reality, and we must accept and learn from it.
Even at the end of the book, I am still lost as to who is the real villain in the book. There's one side saying one thing, and then another side saying the total opposite. Guess, Colors of Malent Book One was just really an introduction to a greater adventure we’d found in the next book, I can’t wait to see how the story will unfold and what other creatures I’ll get to know..:D….
Full of fun and exciting adventure., Mr. Adams and Mr, Inzerillo fuse the modern-day-technology with fantasy. I don’t know how to categorize this book, maybe it’s both sci-fi and fantasy..:) Colors of Malent brings readers to a world unknown and unique from us.
All in all, Colors of Malent is a real-page turner, I can’t seem to put this book down, until I finish reading it…My only problem is I should have figured this is a cliff-hanger, that way I wouldn’t be more frustrated to read the sequel:D…I want to read right away Book 2..:)…
Very highly recommended!
July 27, 2012
This book took me awhile to get into!! The main character, Alara, is a fourteen year-old girl, and because of this, the majority of the first third of the book sounded like a stereotypical middle-schooler "like, oh my god", etc!
However, once I made it past the first 100 pages, I honestly couldn't put it down! We learn that Alara is adopted, and that her dreams are becoming more and more vivid. As she learns more about them, it gets more and more confusing for her. Is our world real? Or is her dream-world real?
The biggest shock was the ending - I'm assuming there will be a sequel? It ends on a major cliffhanger! Although I won this copy, I'll certainly be buying the sequel!
However, once I made it past the first 100 pages, I honestly couldn't put it down! We learn that Alara is adopted, and that her dreams are becoming more and more vivid. As she learns more about them, it gets more and more confusing for her. Is our world real? Or is her dream-world real?
The biggest shock was the ending - I'm assuming there will be a sequel? It ends on a major cliffhanger! Although I won this copy, I'll certainly be buying the sequel!
Want to Read
October 23, 2011I won this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. Thanks.
July 5, 2012
i think that the book cover needs to be changed to fit the book but other than that critic the book was good and very interesting
August 24, 2017
First Reads, goodreads giveaway, thanks goodreads
June 7, 2020
This is not generally my type of story. But I picked it up and was immediately drawn in. I am interested in getting the next book of the series to see what happens to these characters because so much was left in question at the end of this book.
I often wanted to smack our main character because she was a typical teenager who does not listen. I also wanted to smack her parents for not pulling themselves together and approaching the problem sensibly. The characters were very real and relatable.
The story is well crafted and the number of interesting characters that leave you wanting to know more about them is vast. Normally, a book will throw in characters for color but you don't want to know more about them. This book was just the opposite. I want to see how the author pulls them all together.
I often wanted to smack our main character because she was a typical teenager who does not listen. I also wanted to smack her parents for not pulling themselves together and approaching the problem sensibly. The characters were very real and relatable.
The story is well crafted and the number of interesting characters that leave you wanting to know more about them is vast. Normally, a book will throw in characters for color but you don't want to know more about them. This book was just the opposite. I want to see how the author pulls them all together.
October 27, 2011
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Allara is a 14-year who experiences vivid dreams, both during the day and night. In these dreams she sees through other peoples eyes and hears and sees everything that goes on. They are getting more frequent and she is beginning to be able to 'talk' to the people that she is inhabiting the mind of within these dreams and she needs to know why!
This is the basis for The Colors of Malent. There are two stories going on - that of the teenage girl and her life and her quest to find out who she is, and that of a power struggle between two groups in the world of Malent. I can't really say to much more without giving the story away. It is an interesting story with some nice ideas and the switching between two worlds is handled very well. What keeps you reading is the desire to find out what is going on.
There are however quite a few things against it. Firstly, some of the characters who are important are paper thin - the boy next door, and Allara's best friend have important parts to play but we don't really know anything about them.
Secondly, the book ends on a cliff-hanger. I know this will probably not bother most people, but I really hate it when something ends ion a cliff-hanger and you have no way of moving straight onto the next book or t.v. show.
Thirdly, and for me the most important as a parent of young children, the idea of a 14 year old running around behind my back and meeting adults that have contacted them via Facebook is frightening. What is even more terrifying is the idea of a 14 (true nearly 15) year old having sex! Granted it is not explicit and just mentions it happening but, this book is aimed at teens and I wouldn't want a young teenage child of mine reading this book and coming with the idea that it normal and fine to have sex at such a young age.
Allara is a 14-year who experiences vivid dreams, both during the day and night. In these dreams she sees through other peoples eyes and hears and sees everything that goes on. They are getting more frequent and she is beginning to be able to 'talk' to the people that she is inhabiting the mind of within these dreams and she needs to know why!
This is the basis for The Colors of Malent. There are two stories going on - that of the teenage girl and her life and her quest to find out who she is, and that of a power struggle between two groups in the world of Malent. I can't really say to much more without giving the story away. It is an interesting story with some nice ideas and the switching between two worlds is handled very well. What keeps you reading is the desire to find out what is going on.
There are however quite a few things against it. Firstly, some of the characters who are important are paper thin - the boy next door, and Allara's best friend have important parts to play but we don't really know anything about them.
Secondly, the book ends on a cliff-hanger. I know this will probably not bother most people, but I really hate it when something ends ion a cliff-hanger and you have no way of moving straight onto the next book or t.v. show.
Thirdly, and for me the most important as a parent of young children, the idea of a 14 year old running around behind my back and meeting adults that have contacted them via Facebook is frightening. What is even more terrifying is the idea of a 14 (true nearly 15) year old having sex! Granted it is not explicit and just mentions it happening but, this book is aimed at teens and I wouldn't want a young teenage child of mine reading this book and coming with the idea that it normal and fine to have sex at such a young age.
January 23, 2013
I felt compelled to read this book when a student handed it to me. But I did not enjoy it. The parts of the book set in the fantasy world of Malent were so disjointed and hard to follow- even though it was obvious Alara was from Malent, I wanted to know why those scenes and characters she "dreamed" about were significant to her. The characters from our world were completely unlikable and inconsistent. I couldn't figure out who were the good guys in either world - this might've been a conscious choice by the authors, but it is nice to have someone to root for (aside from a spoiled, manipulative teenager).
December 7, 2011
Different, yet a little derivative too. Shades of Dune, Harry Potter, etc.; but I am a bit disappointed that there is not yet a book two to go to. I do wish the adults were more with it; the moms in particular are either shallow, repressed or incapable of rational thinking. Why in this day and age would adults leave a teenager home alone and leave the country? While the heroine is strong, her parents seem a wee bit clueless. I will be interested to see "how the other half lives."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2015
Loved, loved the way this book started out. The action, the adventure, and the mystery of where they were. The author used an intriguing tactic of communicating between two worlds by using dreams. This is a good fantasy to get mid teens to young adults interested in fantasy. I am looking forward to how book two will go!
March 6, 2014
This book was fun! I really enjoyed reading it. I could hardly put it down! Makes me want to read the next in the series!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews