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Leven Thumps #1
Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo
WELCOME TO FOO.
Fourteen-year-old Leven Thumps (a.k.a. "Lev") lives a wretched life in Burnt Culvert, Oklahoma. But his life is about to change and his destiny be fulfilled as he learns about a secret gateway that bridges two worlds -- the real world and Foo, a place created at the beginning of time in the folds of the mind that makes it possible for mankind to dream and hope, aspire and imagine. But Foo is in chaos, and three transplants from that dreamworld have been sent to retrieve Lev, who alone has the power to save Foo.
Fourteen-year-old Leven Thumps (a.k.a. "Lev") lives a wretched life in Burnt Culvert, Oklahoma. But his life is about to change and his destiny be fulfilled as he learns about a secret gateway that bridges two worlds -- the real world and Foo, a place created at the beginning of time in the folds of the mind that makes it possible for mankind to dream and hope, aspire and imagine. But Foo is in chaos, and three transplants from that dreamworld have been sent to retrieve Lev, who alone has the power to save Foo.
Enter Clover, a wisecracking, foot-high sidekick; Winter, a girl with a special power of her own; and Geth, the rightful heir to Foo. Their mission: to convince Lev that he has the power to save Foo. Can this unique band of travelers help Lev overcome his doubt? Will Lev find the gateway in time? Or will Sabine and his dark shadows find the gateway first and destroy mankind?
368 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2005
374 people are currently reading
11297 people want to read
About the author
Obert Skye
48 books883 followersObert Skye read his first book at age two. He wrote his first story at age four. And he was nearly trampled by a herd of water buffalo at age six. For a short time, he lived on the Isle of Skye in Scotland, where he spent time as a candy-taster. Several years ago, Obert Skye says, he discovered the existence of Foo. Publishing his story as a fictional series was not Obert’s first choice. Nevertheless he is content that the “history” is being told.
Hobbies and other interests: Collecting old maps, water polo, roller coasters.
Hobbies and other interests: Collecting old maps, water polo, roller coasters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,745 reviews
December 6, 2008
Harry Potter envy. That about sums up this book to me. It felt too much like Obert Skye tried too hard to create something with the same witt and mass appeal that the Potter series has. It made me feel like he wrote the book, not because it came from him, but because he saw an opportunity to write in a genre that was enjoying successes.
His book felt too one dimensional. All adults where bumbling idiots that would have lead humanity to death thousands of years ago for example. It would have helped to have even one adult who could be a friend and mentor to the character. Instead it felt like Skye tried to take the humor of the Durseleys and shove it at you with every authority figure in the book.
It also just felt like everything in his magic was contrived, more like he just decided "oh this would be fun let's do that" with no throught for consistency etc. It perfectly demonstrated the points Sanderson writes about with magic. If your magic doesn't have defined rules and a system the reader can rely on, you cannot use it as a solution to major plot elements. If you do, it just feels like the author got lazy and said "I don't know how to solve this, so let's just have a magic spell save the day."
His book felt too one dimensional. All adults where bumbling idiots that would have lead humanity to death thousands of years ago for example. It would have helped to have even one adult who could be a friend and mentor to the character. Instead it felt like Skye tried to take the humor of the Durseleys and shove it at you with every authority figure in the book.
It also just felt like everything in his magic was contrived, more like he just decided "oh this would be fun let's do that" with no throught for consistency etc. It perfectly demonstrated the points Sanderson writes about with magic. If your magic doesn't have defined rules and a system the reader can rely on, you cannot use it as a solution to major plot elements. If you do, it just feels like the author got lazy and said "I don't know how to solve this, so let's just have a magic spell save the day."
August 30, 2007
A very good, easy read. I loved the characters and the general silliness of the book. A sort of simple writing style by Skye, but I like simple sometimes (like in this case). Obviously meant for a younger crowd, the book should be enjoyable to anyone up until the early teens or any person who is still a kid at heart, like me (even though I'm only 16).
July 8, 2010
Actually this was pretty weak. I shouldn't have been surprised considering the strange title and the author's rather odd pseudonym. I had avoided reading this for so long based solely on these blemishes. Eventually I got around to it but I must say, based on its level of popularity, I was expecting a little more from this book.
Aside from the cheesy chapter puns on oldies music songs or colloquial proverbs and idioms there were some really awkward parts in this book.
The plot has very little rising action. Much of the misadventures along the way teach the reader almost nothing about the enemy, the protagonists, or the mission. They seemed be more comic filler to stretch a novella of about 100 pages into a novel of about 250 pages.
At the end of the novel I barely knew the main character better than I did in the beginning, and the same can be said of the supporting characters.
Finally, and this is perhaps the worst part, in the climactic confrontation in the end, the main character, Leven, must rely on all of his friends to win. He himself becomes a passive object while everyone else is fighting to save his life. It was really strange. The author gives Leven a special power early on in the book but it is useless in the last battle. The main character should never be outshined by his or her supporting characters when it comes to plot resolution and agency.
I don't intend to read the other books.
Aside from the cheesy chapter puns on oldies music songs or colloquial proverbs and idioms there were some really awkward parts in this book.
The plot has very little rising action. Much of the misadventures along the way teach the reader almost nothing about the enemy, the protagonists, or the mission. They seemed be more comic filler to stretch a novella of about 100 pages into a novel of about 250 pages.
At the end of the novel I barely knew the main character better than I did in the beginning, and the same can be said of the supporting characters.
Finally, and this is perhaps the worst part, in the climactic confrontation in the end, the main character, Leven, must rely on all of his friends to win. He himself becomes a passive object while everyone else is fighting to save his life. It was really strange. The author gives Leven a special power early on in the book but it is useless in the last battle. The main character should never be outshined by his or her supporting characters when it comes to plot resolution and agency.
I don't intend to read the other books.
March 31, 2016
Oh, man. This book was pretty terrible. And I read it all the way to the end on the off-chance that it would stop being terrible, but the terribleness continued. This book has extremely poor character development, a plot that moves more awkwardly than a teenager learning to drive a stick shift, and is riddled with inconsistencies. Also, it just tried way too hard to be cool and failed utterly.
So first, the characters. The main character, of course, is Leven Thumps. Everything interesting about him begins and ends with his name. He's an orphan adopted by a distant relative who cares nothing for him and he lives a life of slight deprivation and no love (sound familiar?). He has a small patch of white in his hair which is never properly explained and serves no function at all the book. For the whole of his fourteen years of life, he has been completely average and unexceptional until, during a bullying incident, he discovers he can call down thunder. Just by thinking about it. And then later, it is discovered that he can manipulate people by looking into the future and making them decide to give him money, food, or whatever else he happens to need. He can't control his powers, meaning he can't necessarily choose to use them whenever he wants (not for lack of trying) but nevertheless, the powers pop up and he can use them without any teaching whatsoever. And he doesn't even question these abilities. He just accepts them as normal and moves on with life. Also, he's really quick to give up on his quest to save Foo when attacked by his nemesis's shadows, who creep into his sleeping brain and sow seeds of self-doubt. And honestly, he should doubt himself because, though there is nothing remotely special about him and he can't even control the powers he seemed to have acquired through osmosis, he is still a boring and completely useless character. But, for some reason, he is the only person who can save Foo. Whatever.
The same problem exists with Leven's female counterpart, Winter. She was actually from Foo and, through an unexplained process, was able to become a newborn again and was traded with a different newborn so that she could grow up and help Leven return to Foo. There was nothing special about her until her teacher bullied her and she could suddenly turn things to ice. And it wasn't like this was a slow progression of a power that she then carefully honed into strength, she was just capable of turning a whole classroom to ice and then having strong ice powers through the whole rest of the book, once again just by thinking about it. And she is also raised by a woman who does not love her and she dresses in cast-off clothing, etc., etc., etc. There is no growth in either Winter or Leven. They can just suddenly do what they can do and that's that.
Clover is a cat-like creature who is called a sycophant for reasons unknown, as he seems to have no ulterior motives in helping Leven get back to Foo. Sometimes he's cute, sometimes he's annoying, but I can't see any real purpose to him. He was there to explain to Leven and Winter about what Foo was and why it was in danger, but it takes a third of the book to get there and by the time he finally did explain, I was past caring. The only character I really enjoyed was Geth, but only because his circumstances were absurd. Geth is a walking, talking, eternally optimistic toothpick. The villain, Sabine, apart from having the least villainous name I could think of, had basically no back story. And every time he said "I" or "me" the words were italicized...for no reason I could see at all.
The plot is horrible and hardly ever moves. This is a long book (for a middle grade) in which next to nothing actually happens. I felt like the author was like, "Hm, let's throw in this scene of mortal peril for absolutely no reason. It won't advance the plot, but boy those dirt creatures are cool!" Also, the characters did a lot of "waiting on fate". Honestly, whenever they encountered an impossible situation, Geth would just remind everyone that fate would help and so everyone just kind of waited around until fate stepped in. So there's no real suspense, even in the mortal peril instances, because the readerhas been beaten over the head with knows nothing bad can actually happen because fate will solve everything. But sometimes fate handles things in a way that is just completely implausible, even for a fantasy novel. When Leven and crew run out of gas in their stolen convertible in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, it's cool; Leven just jury-rigged the convertible top into a sail and made the wind blow them all the way to the French coast (because England doesn't exist in this book? And apparently physics doesn't, either...)
This book doesn't seem to be consistent in its rules at all. The biggest example I can offer is that when Sabine finds the magical gateway from Foo to the real world (because of a dream he saw a human having in the real world which is never described, but which gave him the sudden burst of inspiration he'd been lacking for fourteen-plus years) and crosses into reality, he is no longer able to use his powers. But Winter, who was also a resident of Foo, has no problem using hers the entirety of the book. The world building is sketchy at best; the only real thing we know about Foo is that it exists so that humans can hope and dream (a lot like Fantastica in The Neverending Story, a much, much better book than this one...). People get to Foo only when the circumstances are perfect and only when standing at an intersection that doesn't exactly line up properly.
And that's the final way this book went wrong for: it just tried way too hard to be like other, better books, and failed miserably. I think it was trying to capture the whimsy of Dahl. For example, Leven's half-aunt worked at a napkin factory where she folded napkins by hand. Kind of like Charlie's dad screwing the lids on tubes of toothpaste in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. But the author just made it absurd instead of whimsical, what with the horrid aunt and her carpal tunnel and the fact that the only reason she had a job was because rich people liked being able to say they could afford buying napkins that were hand-folded. While Charlie's dad's job only reinforced the good-natured humility of the Bucket family, Leven's aunt's job served no purpose for either character development or plot. The same goes for Winter's Matilda-esque mother who thought she was the greatest thing since sliced bread and consistently belittled Winter. Not to mention a lot of the chapter titles were tweaked titles of old songs. For example, "I Can See Clearly Now My Head is Gnawed" and "We Felt the Earth Squirm Under our Feet". Seriously, just stop already.
So, yeah, I'm going to guess that Foo eventually gets destroyed at some point in this series because there is absolutely no hope that I would continue on with this.
So first, the characters. The main character, of course, is Leven Thumps. Everything interesting about him begins and ends with his name. He's an orphan adopted by a distant relative who cares nothing for him and he lives a life of slight deprivation and no love (sound familiar?). He has a small patch of white in his hair which is never properly explained and serves no function at all the book. For the whole of his fourteen years of life, he has been completely average and unexceptional until, during a bullying incident, he discovers he can call down thunder. Just by thinking about it. And then later, it is discovered that he can manipulate people by looking into the future and making them decide to give him money, food, or whatever else he happens to need. He can't control his powers, meaning he can't necessarily choose to use them whenever he wants (not for lack of trying) but nevertheless, the powers pop up and he can use them without any teaching whatsoever. And he doesn't even question these abilities. He just accepts them as normal and moves on with life. Also, he's really quick to give up on his quest to save Foo when attacked by his nemesis's shadows, who creep into his sleeping brain and sow seeds of self-doubt. And honestly, he should doubt himself because, though there is nothing remotely special about him and he can't even control the powers he seemed to have acquired through osmosis, he is still a boring and completely useless character. But, for some reason, he is the only person who can save Foo. Whatever.
The same problem exists with Leven's female counterpart, Winter. She was actually from Foo and, through an unexplained process, was able to become a newborn again and was traded with a different newborn so that she could grow up and help Leven return to Foo. There was nothing special about her until her teacher bullied her and she could suddenly turn things to ice. And it wasn't like this was a slow progression of a power that she then carefully honed into strength, she was just capable of turning a whole classroom to ice and then having strong ice powers through the whole rest of the book, once again just by thinking about it. And she is also raised by a woman who does not love her and she dresses in cast-off clothing, etc., etc., etc. There is no growth in either Winter or Leven. They can just suddenly do what they can do and that's that.
Clover is a cat-like creature who is called a sycophant for reasons unknown, as he seems to have no ulterior motives in helping Leven get back to Foo. Sometimes he's cute, sometimes he's annoying, but I can't see any real purpose to him. He was there to explain to Leven and Winter about what Foo was and why it was in danger, but it takes a third of the book to get there and by the time he finally did explain, I was past caring. The only character I really enjoyed was Geth, but only because his circumstances were absurd. Geth is a walking, talking, eternally optimistic toothpick. The villain, Sabine, apart from having the least villainous name I could think of, had basically no back story. And every time he said "I" or "me" the words were italicized...for no reason I could see at all.
The plot is horrible and hardly ever moves. This is a long book (for a middle grade) in which next to nothing actually happens. I felt like the author was like, "Hm, let's throw in this scene of mortal peril for absolutely no reason. It won't advance the plot, but boy those dirt creatures are cool!" Also, the characters did a lot of "waiting on fate". Honestly, whenever they encountered an impossible situation, Geth would just remind everyone that fate would help and so everyone just kind of waited around until fate stepped in. So there's no real suspense, even in the mortal peril instances, because the reader
This book doesn't seem to be consistent in its rules at all. The biggest example I can offer is that when Sabine finds the magical gateway from Foo to the real world (because of a dream he saw a human having in the real world which is never described, but which gave him the sudden burst of inspiration he'd been lacking for fourteen-plus years) and crosses into reality, he is no longer able to use his powers. But Winter, who was also a resident of Foo, has no problem using hers the entirety of the book. The world building is sketchy at best; the only real thing we know about Foo is that it exists so that humans can hope and dream (a lot like Fantastica in The Neverending Story, a much, much better book than this one...). People get to Foo only when the circumstances are perfect and only when standing at an intersection that doesn't exactly line up properly.
And that's the final way this book went wrong for: it just tried way too hard to be like other, better books, and failed miserably. I think it was trying to capture the whimsy of Dahl. For example, Leven's half-aunt worked at a napkin factory where she folded napkins by hand. Kind of like Charlie's dad screwing the lids on tubes of toothpaste in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. But the author just made it absurd instead of whimsical, what with the horrid aunt and her carpal tunnel and the fact that the only reason she had a job was because rich people liked being able to say they could afford buying napkins that were hand-folded. While Charlie's dad's job only reinforced the good-natured humility of the Bucket family, Leven's aunt's job served no purpose for either character development or plot. The same goes for Winter's Matilda-esque mother who thought she was the greatest thing since sliced bread and consistently belittled Winter. Not to mention a lot of the chapter titles were tweaked titles of old songs. For example, "I Can See Clearly Now My Head is Gnawed" and "We Felt the Earth Squirm Under our Feet". Seriously, just stop already.
So, yeah, I'm going to guess that Foo eventually gets destroyed at some point in this series because there is absolutely no hope that I would continue on with this.
November 14, 2007
Ordinary orphan Leven Thumps discovers a small furry sycophant who tells him that he is the only one who can save the dreamland named Foo. This boy from Oklahoma, can even manipulate the future. Also with the help of Winter, a nit, and Geth a talking toothpick, he must make it to the gateway to Foo before the evil Sabine does. Obert Skye tells an original story with humor and tells of why we can dream.
Almost like all books, this book does have some minor problems of it’s own. Skye only merely tells of things rather than to explain in depth. For example, Skye tells of what Sabine can do, but that has nothing do with what he looks like. So in loss of a description the book never is extremely exciting. Also there is a part about how a clap can make the shadows leave. This part makes you chuckle, but it’s seems like Skye couldn’t come up with a way for Leven and his friends to escape. So he chooses the easiest idea he could come up with.
Although Skye has some not-so-clever escapes there are also some amusing escapes. For instance, when they run out of ground, Winter just uses her powers and makes water turn to ice, so that they can go on with their journey to Germany. With original ideas in mind, we find out about food. You take a simple pie and make it apologize for its own flavor and promise to taste better next time and it becomes a new idea. This story’s pacing is excellent. You learn of all the details everything a series book should start out with in a humorous way.
Skye launches a thrilling and humorous series in the right direction. Within all the problems of this book, there is a great story ready to be told. Skye is bursting with new ideas! Every one of all ages and genders can experience the thrills of Foo in this story, Leven Thumps and the Gate Way to Foo.
Almost like all books, this book does have some minor problems of it’s own. Skye only merely tells of things rather than to explain in depth. For example, Skye tells of what Sabine can do, but that has nothing do with what he looks like. So in loss of a description the book never is extremely exciting. Also there is a part about how a clap can make the shadows leave. This part makes you chuckle, but it’s seems like Skye couldn’t come up with a way for Leven and his friends to escape. So he chooses the easiest idea he could come up with.
Although Skye has some not-so-clever escapes there are also some amusing escapes. For instance, when they run out of ground, Winter just uses her powers and makes water turn to ice, so that they can go on with their journey to Germany. With original ideas in mind, we find out about food. You take a simple pie and make it apologize for its own flavor and promise to taste better next time and it becomes a new idea. This story’s pacing is excellent. You learn of all the details everything a series book should start out with in a humorous way.
Skye launches a thrilling and humorous series in the right direction. Within all the problems of this book, there is a great story ready to be told. Skye is bursting with new ideas! Every one of all ages and genders can experience the thrills of Foo in this story, Leven Thumps and the Gate Way to Foo.
April 1, 2010
I have mixed feelings about this book and the series in general. I'll start with the plot. This story line is so good. An alternate world that controls the dreams of man kind is in danger and it is up to the grandson of the creator of the gateway to this place to save it. That would be it in a really small nutshell. It is very good, full of great twists when you don't expect them, great humor, and very good for all ages. So now you thinking, if he likes it that much, why did he give it three stars? Because of two reasons. One, it is too similar to Harry Potter. Two, it is very poorly written. There are way too many similarities between the main character and Harry Potter. To name a few, Leven, (the main character of the book in question,) has a strange marking that distinguishes him, a white streak through his other wise black hair; just as Harry has a lightning shaped scar that distinguishes him. Leven is raised by his jerk relatives because his parents are died, just as harry is. Leven learns of a different world he has to save, just as Harry does. And the way the books were written, (sigh,) stinks, to say the least. It isn't so bad in book one, but in the others, it's like a twelve year old wrote it. (And I can judge by that standerd, worte the same way when I was twelve.)
September 2, 2007
This is another of a recent batch of young adult novels set in Oklahoma. It's about a boy who can access the gateway between the human world and the world of the human imagination - and who must close that gateway before the evil dude from Foo (world of imagination) gets through to reality and destroys everything.
The cast of characters is interesting (a sycophant, a girl who can freeze anything by thinking about it, a toothpick, shadows...) and the rules that govern foo are also interesting. The story is kind of philosophical.
I don't think the story was tight enough though, not enough going on...no subplots, just a lot of description about how Foo works and what the characters are like, and a lot of waiting around for the action to start. And poor Levin, doesn't EVER seem to want to be a part of his own story. I can understand, not wanting to save the world or take responsibility for having to be more than you are... but c'mon.
This book is first in a series, but I don't think I need to read the others.
The cast of characters is interesting (a sycophant, a girl who can freeze anything by thinking about it, a toothpick, shadows...) and the rules that govern foo are also interesting. The story is kind of philosophical.
I don't think the story was tight enough though, not enough going on...no subplots, just a lot of description about how Foo works and what the characters are like, and a lot of waiting around for the action to start. And poor Levin, doesn't EVER seem to want to be a part of his own story. I can understand, not wanting to save the world or take responsibility for having to be more than you are... but c'mon.
This book is first in a series, but I don't think I need to read the others.
July 14, 2010
Recommended to me by a former senior student who said these books were better than Harry Potter and his favorite books in the world, I had to get them. I listened to most of the book on C.D., then finished it in book form because I wanted to see "What happens next?!?"... I found it very engaging. Skye has an enjoyable wit, great ideas, and a very cool concept. The idea is that there is reality (the place in which we live) and Foo, the land of dreams which is also possible to be "sucked" into, given the right atmospheric conditions and physical location. However, Leven Thumps is the boy who must save Foo--because he is the direct descendent of the man who created a gateway between Foo and Reality, and the evil residents of Foo want to come in to reality.
Similarly to the epic Harry Potter series, Leven is raised by his aunt and her husband (who will never claim him as a relation). And when he is 14, he finds himself drawn in to the search for the Gateway to Foo (hence the title of the novel...). I found it entertaining--with some similarities to the HP series, but perhaps also geared for a younger audience. So... fantasy, reality, mystery (for Leven), and a quest to save Foo (otherwise reality will collapse upon itself)--it's enjoyable and a quick read. Witty, humorous, and good to see characters expected to figure things out without the flick of a magic wand, as it were. Would I say it's better than Harry Potter? No, I don't think so--but it is definitely much different than HP. So, if you enjoy Harry Potter, or if you enjoy the Xanth novels of Piers Anthony, you will like the Leven Thumps.
Similarly to the epic Harry Potter series, Leven is raised by his aunt and her husband (who will never claim him as a relation). And when he is 14, he finds himself drawn in to the search for the Gateway to Foo (hence the title of the novel...). I found it entertaining--with some similarities to the HP series, but perhaps also geared for a younger audience. So... fantasy, reality, mystery (for Leven), and a quest to save Foo (otherwise reality will collapse upon itself)--it's enjoyable and a quick read. Witty, humorous, and good to see characters expected to figure things out without the flick of a magic wand, as it were. Would I say it's better than Harry Potter? No, I don't think so--but it is definitely much different than HP. So, if you enjoy Harry Potter, or if you enjoy the Xanth novels of Piers Anthony, you will like the Leven Thumps.
January 10, 2012
I tried to like it, I did. I put off reading it because the title annoys me. Petty, I know. But, the kids got the set for Christmas from gma and gpa...so I decided to give it a try. The first chapter had me annoyed. The writing was...excessive. I don't know how else to put it. It seemed like the author simultaneously put too much thought and not enough thought onto the writing. It's full of cliches, misinformation (do some research, buddy!) and repetitive descriptions. I can't imagine what this book was like BEFORE editing. A good friend taught me that in writing, SHOWING is always better than TELLING...this book is about 75% telling, and the showing is mediocre. A few annoyances: every adult is the same character, selfish, bad, but with no motivation..and every single one is fat. None of the characters are developed, and they contradict themselves frequently. I thought maybe the story would overcome the bad writing, (you know, like Twilight..except even she knows how to develop a character), except he took SO LONG to get to any information about the story, I finally gave up. I couldn't even finish the book. This tops off the horrible writing/editing of this book: p. 164 Geth says he is the "heir Leven needs". Clover responds that Leven already has HAIR. The only way this joke works is if Geth mispronounces heir. So, either an important king is ignorant of English pronunciations, or the author (and evidently the editor, who didn't catch it) actually thinks HEIR is pronounced HAIR. Seriously. I won't be wasting my time reading any more books by this guy.
August 8, 2021
haven't read this book in so long, and completely forgot how much i enjoyed it. i've seen a lot of lower reviews for this, so i wasn't sure if this would be one of those books that i adored when i was younger and grew up to be like "oh, that was trash." nope. still loved it
February 6, 2022
Super fun and imaginative.
TW fatphobia. I wrap up what I thought about this book in this video.
TW fatphobia. I wrap up what I thought about this book in this video.
December 2, 2013
The book is about an orphan with some special characteristic that makes him able to occasionally see and manipulate the future. He, of course, is the hero of the book, as any orphan with magical powers must inevitably be. So the premise of the book is immediately weak -- overused literary theme.
And the writing is frankly disappointing. It's rather awkward. Not quite as bad as Eragon, but bad enough that I decided not to finish the book. For me, that's pretty bad. The editing was poor, too, which is never an encouraging sign. Anytime you see obvious misspellings, you know that the editor either 1) was so bored with the book that they couldn't pay attention, 2) was out of their depth due to technical complexity (several of my college textbooks), or 3) didn't actually expect much of anything from the book.
That this book is apparently so popular among the young adult male population is a tribute to something, but I can't think what it is. Desperate need to be special, like a mistreated orphan boy with magical powers, maybe?
Some of the ideas and the allegories in the book are interesting (for example, one character has an almost unhealthy trust in fate), but the writing didn't hold my attention for long enough to find out where they were leading.
And the writing is frankly disappointing. It's rather awkward. Not quite as bad as Eragon, but bad enough that I decided not to finish the book. For me, that's pretty bad. The editing was poor, too, which is never an encouraging sign. Anytime you see obvious misspellings, you know that the editor either 1) was so bored with the book that they couldn't pay attention, 2) was out of their depth due to technical complexity (several of my college textbooks), or 3) didn't actually expect much of anything from the book.
That this book is apparently so popular among the young adult male population is a tribute to something, but I can't think what it is. Desperate need to be special, like a mistreated orphan boy with magical powers, maybe?
Some of the ideas and the allegories in the book are interesting (for example, one character has an almost unhealthy trust in fate), but the writing didn't hold my attention for long enough to find out where they were leading.
October 9, 2012
Leven Thumps is a story about a boy named Leven and he has to stop Sabine from detroying Foo. The main characters are Winter and Leven and they both have to stop Sabine. In my opinion the best part was when Winter and Leven was in the snakes mouth going underground.
Foo is the place where the dreams were made and if Foo falls there will be no hope. The story takes place in two places, one is Foo and the other is in reality.
I think Sabine makes the story interesting because he makes the bad things happen like the allands attacked Winter and Leven while Leven was sleeping.
Winter and Leven to me were going to become boyfriend and girlfriend and they are really good friends. Winter and Leven thought that they were worthless until they found out that they had powers and broke free.
I have several favorite parts of the story and one of them is when Leven was being bullied because that's when he found out he has two powers.
Leven Thumps was easy to read because the writing made sense. I think other kids would like it because it is really interesting. The book made me want to jump in to the book and live the life Leven has. I enjoyed it because it always made me want to stay up late to read more. I would definitely recommend this to other kids.
I made 100% on the AR test for this book and it was worth 14 points.
Foo is the place where the dreams were made and if Foo falls there will be no hope. The story takes place in two places, one is Foo and the other is in reality.
I think Sabine makes the story interesting because he makes the bad things happen like the allands attacked Winter and Leven while Leven was sleeping.
Winter and Leven to me were going to become boyfriend and girlfriend and they are really good friends. Winter and Leven thought that they were worthless until they found out that they had powers and broke free.
I have several favorite parts of the story and one of them is when Leven was being bullied because that's when he found out he has two powers.
Leven Thumps was easy to read because the writing made sense. I think other kids would like it because it is really interesting. The book made me want to jump in to the book and live the life Leven has. I enjoyed it because it always made me want to stay up late to read more. I would definitely recommend this to other kids.
I made 100% on the AR test for this book and it was worth 14 points.
February 24, 2021
Really disappointing. Had potential, but went nowhere with it - literally. For most of the book the protagonists wander around their hometown while arguing about what to do. Meanwhile, the magical giant tree gets himself chopped down and processed into a single animate toothpick stick man (the only piece of original tree that his soul stayed attached to, I guess), "Because Fate". The bits with the tree felt like Skye was trying to channel Discworld (with some success - I laughed at least once) while the rest felt like every other example of hammed-up YA real-world stock fantasy typical of the 00's.
Also: a fair bit of body-negative content. All the cool characters are skinny (because starving, literal toothpick, or shadow-being), while all the hateful humans are not simply fat, but grotesquely described and gluttonous and abusive, as if all those descriptors always appear together. One such character is tolerable, but if every unlikable and morally-deficient character is obese, and no likeable admirable obese character exists in a story, one starts to wonder about the underlying psychology.
Also: a fair bit of body-negative content. All the cool characters are skinny (because starving, literal toothpick, or shadow-being), while all the hateful humans are not simply fat, but grotesquely described and gluttonous and abusive, as if all those descriptors always appear together. One such character is tolerable, but if every unlikable and morally-deficient character is obese, and no likeable admirable obese character exists in a story, one starts to wonder about the underlying psychology.
November 2, 2018
What would happen if you were whisked away on a fantastical adventure throughout the globe with a strange cat creature and a girl with silver blonde hair? Well if you are not very creative you can read Leven Thumps and the gateway to Foo. A fourteen year old boy named Leven finds out that he is a part of huge destiny between four heroes to stop mass chaos. After getting bullied for his strange white streak in his hair. The book was enjoyable to me because it was a fast paced fantasy read that I always enjoy. It can be hard to get into books but it immediately catches your attention. Winter a girl cursed with silver blonde hair is cursed with the abilities to control ice and by fate meets with Leven to help on his quest. A young boy on a mission to save the world from an unknown evil. Clover is Leven's guardian and has over seen him since birth and serves as the guide throughout the adventure. A small creature with leaf like ears. Geth is a mighty hero that was turned into a tree. When the tree is cut down you see the trials and tribulations of the mighty Geth. The story intertwines the four as they try desperately to get to the Gate of Foo. Recommended for anyone who enjoys fantasy stories or an easier read with plenty of action.The entire series is a wild ride and can get very crazy.
January 4, 2010
Originally, I thought this book was going to be better than it actually was. First off, I hated how I could find similarities between Harry Potter and Leven. Secondly, I despised how all the adults are either mean and stupid, or they're caring, but they're exploited for being so.
Another thing I don't like is how the author has to make comments or remarks that supposedly are "funny" but it's just idiodic and ruins the run of the story. The author isn't supposed to make commentary on their characters during the story (granted, it worked in series of unfortunate events, but that was a different series). Also, Leven and Winter don't sound like ordinary teenagers (which they're supposed to be). Granted Winter's had another life that I don't know about (haven't read books 3 and 4), but nonetheless, teenagers don't have perfect grammar.
Another peeve of mine is how Leven would be all "I'm going to save the world! :D" one second, and the next he's all "who cares? i'm gonna be emo now." I know he was being possessed, but, couldn't he fight the darn thing at least? Or at least go, "Did I just say that?"
Another thing I don't like is how the author has to make comments or remarks that supposedly are "funny" but it's just idiodic and ruins the run of the story. The author isn't supposed to make commentary on their characters during the story (granted, it worked in series of unfortunate events, but that was a different series). Also, Leven and Winter don't sound like ordinary teenagers (which they're supposed to be). Granted Winter's had another life that I don't know about (haven't read books 3 and 4), but nonetheless, teenagers don't have perfect grammar.
Another peeve of mine is how Leven would be all "I'm going to save the world! :D" one second, and the next he's all "who cares? i'm gonna be emo now." I know he was being possessed, but, couldn't he fight the darn thing at least? Or at least go, "Did I just say that?"
May 3, 2010
Have you ever had a really great dream? Do you ever wonder where those dreams come from?
They come from a place called Foo. Foo is the place that allows mankind to dream, hope and aspire. And if Foo were to collapse, than mankind would not be able to dream. Don't you think it would be just a little strange to not dream anything ever again?
It's up to fourteen-year-old Leven Thumps and thirteen-year-old Winter Frore to stop the mad Sabine from finding the gateway into reality, going through it, ultimately destroying reality...and Foo. Along for the ride is fate-trusting Geth, rightful heir to the throne of Foo...who just happens to be a toothpick...and the funny Clover Earnest, a furry sycophant from Foo, deicated to helping Leven in his quest.
It is of the utmost importance that they succeed, as Leven is the only person in the entire world who can destroy the gateway and be a hero to both worlds.
This book was unusually good. At fist I didn't think I'd like it much, but I ended up enjoying it. It's full of great characters and plenty of laughs. I can't wait to read the second book.
Begin the adventure...
Turn the first page...
WELCOME TO FOO!
They come from a place called Foo. Foo is the place that allows mankind to dream, hope and aspire. And if Foo were to collapse, than mankind would not be able to dream. Don't you think it would be just a little strange to not dream anything ever again?
It's up to fourteen-year-old Leven Thumps and thirteen-year-old Winter Frore to stop the mad Sabine from finding the gateway into reality, going through it, ultimately destroying reality...and Foo. Along for the ride is fate-trusting Geth, rightful heir to the throne of Foo...who just happens to be a toothpick...and the funny Clover Earnest, a furry sycophant from Foo, deicated to helping Leven in his quest.
It is of the utmost importance that they succeed, as Leven is the only person in the entire world who can destroy the gateway and be a hero to both worlds.
This book was unusually good. At fist I didn't think I'd like it much, but I ended up enjoying it. It's full of great characters and plenty of laughs. I can't wait to read the second book.
Begin the adventure...
Turn the first page...
WELCOME TO FOO!
October 15, 2009
I'm really not sure how I feel about this, it felt slow and agonizing to read, every time I opened the book and read a few pages I fell asleep. Granted I was sick when I read this, it was really not very good.
I know it was written for younger audiences, but I really like stuff like this usually, but with Leven Thumps I just felt so over it all.
Although I must say that there were a few witty parts thanks solely to Clover, the furry sycophant.
In most stories of the young overcoming harsh and/sad backgrounds to realize a greater potential than most and defeat evil there is a formula which we all know. In Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo it was like the author said, "oh, this is the part where our hero's faith in himself should waver because he has always been treated as a nobody" or "this is where I'm suppose to show that friends believe even when we don't" or "this is the place I'm suppose to show a small triumph to give everyone hope". It just felt so formulaic with no flow what-so-ever.
I know it was written for younger audiences, but I really like stuff like this usually, but with Leven Thumps I just felt so over it all.
Although I must say that there were a few witty parts thanks solely to Clover, the furry sycophant.
In most stories of the young overcoming harsh and/sad backgrounds to realize a greater potential than most and defeat evil there is a formula which we all know. In Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo it was like the author said, "oh, this is the part where our hero's faith in himself should waver because he has always been treated as a nobody" or "this is where I'm suppose to show that friends believe even when we don't" or "this is the place I'm suppose to show a small triumph to give everyone hope". It just felt so formulaic with no flow what-so-ever.
August 15, 2008
Reading the back and looking at the really neat cover, this book had a lot of potential, but it really fell short. The entire thing came off really forced and self-conscious, and the characters and settings seriously lacked depth, especially all of the adults and other "evil" types, who are basically caricatures with no motivation to be how they are and therefore no realism.
The author seems to have no sense of where the the story is going and appears to be making it up as he goes along. The humor is forced, and a lot of it comes off as "Oh, look how clever I can be." The little character development there is is inconsistent.
In all, the author fails to create a compelling world or coherent characters, which just makes the awkward plot even more tedious. This was pretty difficult to get through.
On the plus side, the name Obert is awesome, and I think a lot of people could benefit from ripping the first letter off of their names.
The author seems to have no sense of where the the story is going and appears to be making it up as he goes along. The humor is forced, and a lot of it comes off as "Oh, look how clever I can be." The little character development there is is inconsistent.
In all, the author fails to create a compelling world or coherent characters, which just makes the awkward plot even more tedious. This was pretty difficult to get through.
On the plus side, the name Obert is awesome, and I think a lot of people could benefit from ripping the first letter off of their names.
September 30, 2008
I read this book because my son really liked it. Kudos to the author for an original and very inventive fantasy world. That can be difficult to achieve in the fantasy genre. The author's wacky sense of humor makes for a funny, fast-paced story. Include strange but positive characters who fight for the right against heavy odds, and you have a winner. I especially like the boy and girl main characters who are discovering their potentials and choosing who they want to be. I can see why middle school kids would like it. My son likes the whole series. It is a fun, light read. Skye's sense of humor reminds me a bit of Roald Dahl. Nice to see yet another successful, mainstream author who is LDS.
January 26, 2009
If you enjoy fantasy books then this book should be a treat for you. A mixture of Harry Potter and Spiderwick, this book is a great joy to read. Filled with interesting characters and fast paced action, you follow a group of characters as they try to save the human race from extinction. From a girl who can freeze people simply by looking at them, to a talking toothpick, you'll be amazed at the funny adventures the author gets them in. If there is a weakness in the book, I'd have to say the main characters seems to be the weakest explained character in the entire book. I'm hoping the author will bring the main character to live in the next two books(already written).
November 2, 2009
Stupid. There are so many things that I did not like about this book. It dragged. It took FOREVER for anything to happen. It was a complete Harry Potter rip-off. (I mean really. An orphan raised by a mean, fat aunt and uncle, a house-elf creature that does your bidding, the revelation of "who you really are" on your birthday, a wise "wizard" to guide you... It's so blatant.) The writing was horrible. The main character was a spineless, whining wimp. The magical powers were lame. It felt like the author was making it up as he went along. And don't even get me started on the toothpick.
November 24, 2009
My hopes were i guess too high...Skye is clearly too smart to write childrens books, cause he likes to ramble on and make everything extra extra philosophical and complicated...layers beneath the layers...the coziness was missing for me...i need a happy place in my children's books, like Hogwarts was in Potter series...home base so to speak...that home base is suppose to be Foo, but its too colorful and confusing...it would probably make a decent movie...
April 22, 2008
This is very similar to the Harry Potter stories-- but not as good. My son enjoyed it and he read the 2nd book as well.
I think it was fine-- I probably would have thought it to be great if I hadn't already read the Harry Potter series!
I think it was fine-- I probably would have thought it to be great if I hadn't already read the Harry Potter series!
February 2, 2018
Awwweee. That's what sums up this book. This just gave me all my childhood feels again! I loved it even though it is a children's book. It reads a little older, the audiobook is so good. I just thoroughly enjoyed this.
February 23, 2008
best book almost! loved it
August 14, 2008
I think this book has the funniest first paragraph ever. The rest of the story flows pretty well. It kept me entertained.
January 13, 2017
4 1/2 stars for enjoyment!
June 22, 2025
I pursued a career in writing because this book inspired me to. I read it and thought, If this can get published so can I.
August 13, 2020
4.5 stars because according to my son "there's nothing wrong with it but it's not the best book I've ever read."
This is really really good though. It's fun and magical. Somewhat akin to the first Harry Potter book and it works really well as a read-aloud to a kid. The characters lend themselves to great voices and Skye writes with a good flowing cadence. There were times when I read a part and then laughed aloud and I rarely laugh aloud while reading. Will definitely be continuing this series.
This is really really good though. It's fun and magical. Somewhat akin to the first Harry Potter book and it works really well as a read-aloud to a kid. The characters lend themselves to great voices and Skye writes with a good flowing cadence. There were times when I read a part and then laughed aloud and I rarely laugh aloud while reading. Will definitely be continuing this series.
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