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Otherworld Chronicles #1
A Torre Invisível
No mundo que conhecemos, onde vive o garoto Artie Kingfisher, magos chamados Merlin, dragões que cospem fogo e espadas mágicas existem apenas em lendas e contos de fadas. Isso, porém, muda completamente no dia em que ele começa a receber, na vida real, mensagens saídas de seu jogo de video game favorito, chamado Outro Mundo.
Pistas misteriosas levam Artie até uma loja estranha, de nome estranho - A Torre Invisível -, onde ele descobre que nada em sua história é o que parece. O menino é nada mais nada menos que o sucessor do lendário rei Arthur, nascido no século XXI para terminar a missão que o outro não conseguiu levar adiante.
Ao lado da irmã, Kay, e carregando a célebre espada Excalibur, Artie cruzará o Outro Mundo - que não existe apenas no jogo - em uma jornada digna dos cavaleiros da Távola Redonda, enfrentando dragões, lobos famintos, poderosos feiticeiros e muitos outros perigos. Uma batalha que Artie já venceu no universo virtual agora terá que travar ao vivo, sem macetes nem vidas extras. Se ele perder, será o fim. Deste e de todos os mundos.
Pistas misteriosas levam Artie até uma loja estranha, de nome estranho - A Torre Invisível -, onde ele descobre que nada em sua história é o que parece. O menino é nada mais nada menos que o sucessor do lendário rei Arthur, nascido no século XXI para terminar a missão que o outro não conseguiu levar adiante.
Ao lado da irmã, Kay, e carregando a célebre espada Excalibur, Artie cruzará o Outro Mundo - que não existe apenas no jogo - em uma jornada digna dos cavaleiros da Távola Redonda, enfrentando dragões, lobos famintos, poderosos feiticeiros e muitos outros perigos. Uma batalha que Artie já venceu no universo virtual agora terá que travar ao vivo, sem macetes nem vidas extras. Se ele perder, será o fim. Deste e de todos os mundos.
256 pages, Paperback
First published December 27, 2011
26 people are currently reading
1310 people want to read
About the author
Nils Johnson-Shelton
20 books81 followersWhile a shocking number of future New York Times bestselling writers were born in log cabins on dirt floors to unwed mothers, I was born in a hospital, though my mom and dad weren't married—which is why I have two last names. I have to say that even though it may sound nice and literary, having two last names is a pain in the butt, so if you're thinking of doubling the surnames of your offspring, may I humbly suggest no.
Now you're probably wondering why my parents weren't married, and I'll tell you. They were more or less hippies, and I was born in San Francisco in the early 1970s. I can assure you that those two factors went into making a lot of kids like me.
Anyway, I lived in a nice home in San Francisco with both my folks until the age of four, at which point we moved to New York City. That's right, my parents decided to move to New York City in the mid-1970s, which means they were either super-cool or super-dumb or super-shrewd about real estate investing (I can assure you it was not the latter). My mom worked at The New Museum, and my dad was a painter, and we lived in a loft, and I grew up around artists and their kids,...
Hobbies, Interests, and Enthusiasms:
I am enthusiastic about internet cat videos, long walks in the woods, my kids, and rock climbing (one of those is a fib). I also like video games way more than a grown man should, and I think Tokyo is the coolest place I've ever been. Oh, and deep-fried gator poppers. Those are pretty swell, too.
Education:
Eugene Lang College/The New School University (English & Writing)
Organizations:
The Authors Guild
Now you're probably wondering why my parents weren't married, and I'll tell you. They were more or less hippies, and I was born in San Francisco in the early 1970s. I can assure you that those two factors went into making a lot of kids like me.
Anyway, I lived in a nice home in San Francisco with both my folks until the age of four, at which point we moved to New York City. That's right, my parents decided to move to New York City in the mid-1970s, which means they were either super-cool or super-dumb or super-shrewd about real estate investing (I can assure you it was not the latter). My mom worked at The New Museum, and my dad was a painter, and we lived in a loft, and I grew up around artists and their kids,...
Hobbies, Interests, and Enthusiasms:
I am enthusiastic about internet cat videos, long walks in the woods, my kids, and rock climbing (one of those is a fib). I also like video games way more than a grown man should, and I think Tokyo is the coolest place I've ever been. Oh, and deep-fried gator poppers. Those are pretty swell, too.
Education:
Eugene Lang College/The New School University (English & Writing)
Organizations:
The Authors Guild
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
January 4, 2019
A fun, action-packed, modern day King Arthur story (not really a re-telling...but almost?) If you like Percy Jackson, you might like this. Alternatively, you might realize that Percy Jackson is much better and give up quickly.
I generally liked it, especially the sibling bond between Arthur and his sister. I assume it is revealed in later books why they possess it. The two make a great combination.
I also liked that the story lacked romance.
Good action and adventure kept up at a pretty quick pace.
The thing is...one of the main reasons for going on the quest is to join the two worlds to prevent global warming. The whole global warming line felt really out of nowhere, unnecessarily political, and kind of a stupid motivation.
Further, I never found the book particularly compelling and kept looking for more of a twist that never emerged. It is straight forward in who bad guys and good guys are and kind of lacking because of it. The minute Arthur touches his sword, he knows things, which conveniently skirts around any need for training, etc. It sort of left me feeling...underwhelmed.
Don't think I'll seek out the sequel.
I generally liked it, especially the sibling bond between Arthur and his sister. I assume it is revealed in later books why they possess it. The two make a great combination.
I also liked that the story lacked romance.
Good action and adventure kept up at a pretty quick pace.
The thing is...one of the main reasons for going on the quest is to join the two worlds to prevent global warming. The whole global warming line felt really out of nowhere, unnecessarily political, and kind of a stupid motivation.
Further, I never found the book particularly compelling and kept looking for more of a twist that never emerged. It is straight forward in who bad guys and good guys are and kind of lacking because of it. The minute Arthur touches his sword, he knows things, which conveniently skirts around any need for training, etc. It sort of left me feeling...underwhelmed.
Don't think I'll seek out the sequel.
August 27, 2014
Montana Library2Go | Title recommendation for better book: The Forever King by Warren Murphy and Molly Cochran (read books one and two in that trilogy, skip book three)
This book is truly awful.
I almost never abandon a book unfinished, even if I'm not feeling it for some reason I'll usually set it aside to try again later. And again, if necessary. But this is an exceptionally badly written book, and there's no saving it.
The dialogue bears no resemblance to how any human would ever speak, the action bears no resemblance to how any human would ever act, it's all stilted and awkward and ridiculous. Artie apparently has no control over the use of his body, as he spends the entire beginning of the book thinking "I don't want to do this" "I don't trust this" "this isn't possible" "this guy is crazy" "this is dangerous" and saying pretty much the same things out loud, yet somehow finding himself just going ahead and doing the thing he doesn't want to do, has objected to doing, has not been given any reason to do, while continuing to object against doing it. It's as if the author thinks that if a modern kid actually ran into these circumstances, they obviously wouldn't just automatically believe in them (true), so he has to show Artie's reluctance and disbelief in order to make the story ring true. It doesn't. Instead it makes Artie seem pretty useless and listening to him repeat the same unconvincing objections over and over with no conviction gets exceedingly boring.
The book is far too firmly rooted in the right now. In 10 years the references to Call of Duty and XBox and such will just make it seem dated. The relationships between the characters make no sense, nobody has any motivation for their actions or developed personality, and apparently the deus ex machina for having a parent drive the kids around without questioning things is a) he's a moron as a parent to start out with, and b) Merlin has cast a spell on him that keeps him from noticing or objecting. Why have him, then? This isn't even 'King Arthur has fulfilled the prophecies and been reborn' which is what Once and Future King means, it's 'Merlin got sick of waiting so taught himself advanced bioengineering and genetically created a sibling to King Arthur from the DNA of Arthur's parents, then named the kid Arthur to make it extra neat'.
The most important complaint here is that this is bad writing. Really, terrible. There's a paragraph describing the wonders of a tower prison that Merlin has been imprisoned in for the past 1700 years and the author used the phrase "there was a room" five times in four sentences.
If you'd like to read a quality story about a young boy suddenly learning that he is the rebirth of King Arthur in modern times, with a trusty knight of the Round Table also reborn and fighting at his side, read The Forever King. The first two books in that series are great.
I gave up on the Invisible Tower on page 81.
This book is truly awful.
I almost never abandon a book unfinished, even if I'm not feeling it for some reason I'll usually set it aside to try again later. And again, if necessary. But this is an exceptionally badly written book, and there's no saving it.
The dialogue bears no resemblance to how any human would ever speak, the action bears no resemblance to how any human would ever act, it's all stilted and awkward and ridiculous. Artie apparently has no control over the use of his body, as he spends the entire beginning of the book thinking "I don't want to do this" "I don't trust this" "this isn't possible" "this guy is crazy" "this is dangerous" and saying pretty much the same things out loud, yet somehow finding himself just going ahead and doing the thing he doesn't want to do, has objected to doing, has not been given any reason to do, while continuing to object against doing it. It's as if the author thinks that if a modern kid actually ran into these circumstances, they obviously wouldn't just automatically believe in them (true), so he has to show Artie's reluctance and disbelief in order to make the story ring true. It doesn't. Instead it makes Artie seem pretty useless and listening to him repeat the same unconvincing objections over and over with no conviction gets exceedingly boring.
The book is far too firmly rooted in the right now. In 10 years the references to Call of Duty and XBox and such will just make it seem dated. The relationships between the characters make no sense, nobody has any motivation for their actions or developed personality, and apparently the deus ex machina for having a parent drive the kids around without questioning things is a) he's a moron as a parent to start out with, and b) Merlin has cast a spell on him that keeps him from noticing or objecting. Why have him, then? This isn't even 'King Arthur has fulfilled the prophecies and been reborn' which is what Once and Future King means, it's 'Merlin got sick of waiting so taught himself advanced bioengineering and genetically created a sibling to King Arthur from the DNA of Arthur's parents, then named the kid Arthur to make it extra neat'.
The most important complaint here is that this is bad writing. Really, terrible. There's a paragraph describing the wonders of a tower prison that Merlin has been imprisoned in for the past 1700 years and the author used the phrase "there was a room" five times in four sentences.
If you'd like to read a quality story about a young boy suddenly learning that he is the rebirth of King Arthur in modern times, with a trusty knight of the Round Table also reborn and fighting at his side, read The Forever King. The first two books in that series are great.
I gave up on the Invisible Tower on page 81.
February 22, 2012
I had to read this book for work because we might be using it as the basis of a competition.
The Invisible Tower by Nils Johnson-Shelton is neither an original story idea nor innovative concept. It takes the legend of King Arthur and places it in a modern setting. This is done in a way similar to the Artemis Fown, and Rick Riordan books. In some parts the writing doesn’t flow well and the story doesn’t seem authentic. Reading the conversations among the characters was like watching a poorly scripted and acted play.
The age group that the book is geared towards might not have an issue with the above complaints that I had. Still I think that a good book is a good book regardless of the age reading it and this I did not find to be a good book.
The Invisible Tower by Nils Johnson-Shelton is neither an original story idea nor innovative concept. It takes the legend of King Arthur and places it in a modern setting. This is done in a way similar to the Artemis Fown, and Rick Riordan books. In some parts the writing doesn’t flow well and the story doesn’t seem authentic. Reading the conversations among the characters was like watching a poorly scripted and acted play.
The age group that the book is geared towards might not have an issue with the above complaints that I had. Still I think that a good book is a good book regardless of the age reading it and this I did not find to be a good book.
June 6, 2013
My Review: This book is an action-packed adventure from start to finish. Follow Artie and his sister Kay as they journey in a video game called Otherworld.
Artie finally defeats a very difficult level in the Otherworld game and while on the game forum to talk about the win he received a message from one MrT asking him to find an Easter egg. Easter egg in the game is known as a secret, usually a joke or something hidden in the game. So why playing the game Artie found a note in the Easter egg, the note read “Arthur, in one week’s time you will come to me at the IT. You are special, Arthur, and I have need of your service and power. I have been waiting so long for you. Your humble servant, M.” Artie dropped the controller and ran to his room and dived under the covers. It must be a coincidence that his name was Arthur and the message must be for someone also named Arthur in the game.
Journey with Artie as he discovers he is King Arthur as he returned to become involved in the fight to save the real world and the magical Otherworld.
FTC Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the HarperCollins Publishers in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion in any way.
September 21, 2012
A young boy discovers he is King Arthur returned as he becomes involved in the fight to save both our world and the magical Otherworld. Excellent adventure and bonus for Ohio settings. Will recommend for Percy Jackson fans.
February 23, 2022
eponymous sentence:
p18: "...But ge also said that there's a crazy store we should check out--some place called the Invisible Tower...."
space:
p32: There was a room engulfed in differentcolored fires, none of which gave off any heat, and there was a room made entirely of blue glacial ice but that was not at all cold.
p177: In Which Artie and Kay Are Tested One More Freaking Tim E
It's interesting to note that 1) this is Arthurian lore, and 2) the main protagonist is a virtual reality gamer. I'm still on the fence regarding the execution, though.
I've a hunch that is a spoiler. I'll keep mum 'til after the sequel.
p18: "...But ge also said that there's a crazy store we should check out--some place called the Invisible Tower...."
space:
p32: There was a room engulfed in differentcolored fires, none of which gave off any heat, and there was a room made entirely of blue glacial ice but that was not at all cold.
p177: In Which Artie and Kay Are Tested One More Freaking Tim E
It's interesting to note that 1) this is Arthurian lore, and 2) the main protagonist is a virtual reality gamer. I'm still on the fence regarding the execution, though.
I've a hunch that is a spoiler. I'll keep mum 'til after the sequel.
June 18, 2019
Artie doesn't mind being the adopted brother to Kay, and the two of them have grow close, especially with their love of games - but when Artie receives a message in his, he finds them drawn into secrets about their past, all revolving around the legends of King Arthur! Johnston-Shelton will keep young readers entertained with this charming adventure full of a lovable cast and fun, mystical antics. Can Artie figure out what part he plays in this sudden legend in time to save a new friend?
January 6, 2012
Arthur "Artie" Kingfisher -- twelve, rail thin, and not nearly tan enough for a kid in July -- had just finished slaying Caladirth, a female green dragon with sharpened rubies for teeth and curved golden spikes for horns.
Synopsis:
Artie Kingfisher is a pretty average kid. He likes Mountain Dew and video games. He has a close relationship with his older sister, Kay, and their dad, Kynder. (Since he was eight years old, when he learned that he was adopted, Artie has called his father by his first name.) As Nitwit the Gray, he slays dragons and finds treasure in a game called Otherworld, but he knows wizards and magic only exist in fantasy. Or do they? Searching for a last-minute replacement game controller for Kay, Artie visits a store called the Invisible Tower, where he learns his own unbelievable true story: he is King Arthur, and he must journey to the real Otherworld to retrieve Excalibur and complete a quest that just might save the world.
Review:
This modern-day retelling of Arthurian legend features smart, sassy middle-schoolers tackling quests worthy of the Knights of the Round Table. The concept is good, which makes the execution all the more disappointing. Other than Artie and, to a lesser extent, Kay and Merlin, the characters are flat and lifeless. Because the situations are so bizarre - as even Artie notes - it should take more than a bit of hand-waving to get the characters to cooperate. The writing is clunky, with a heavy dependence on flat-out telling rather than showing. Things happen "suddenly": while describing his first encounter at the Invisible Tower to Kay, Artie "couldn't explain why it all made sense, but suddenly it did." During their trip to the Lake to claim Excalibur, "[t]he sky suddenly got much darker", a few short paragraphs later, "[t]he flock of birds suddenly dispersed", a few pages after that, "suddenly [Artie] found two swords pointing straight up at the sky", and once he holds the sword in his hand, Artie "suddenly knew some Welsh and a fair amount of Latin."
There are many versions of the Arthurian saga available for young readers, from White's classic The Once and Future King to Cammuso's hilarious Knights of the Lunch Table. The standards are high. Otherworld never quite measures up.
Final Word:
This modern-day middle-schooler King Arthur and his Knights are appealing in concept but fall disappointingly short of their potential.
Source:
e-ARC via NetGalley, provided by the publisher by request
Synopsis:
Artie Kingfisher is a pretty average kid. He likes Mountain Dew and video games. He has a close relationship with his older sister, Kay, and their dad, Kynder. (Since he was eight years old, when he learned that he was adopted, Artie has called his father by his first name.) As Nitwit the Gray, he slays dragons and finds treasure in a game called Otherworld, but he knows wizards and magic only exist in fantasy. Or do they? Searching for a last-minute replacement game controller for Kay, Artie visits a store called the Invisible Tower, where he learns his own unbelievable true story: he is King Arthur, and he must journey to the real Otherworld to retrieve Excalibur and complete a quest that just might save the world.
Review:
This modern-day retelling of Arthurian legend features smart, sassy middle-schoolers tackling quests worthy of the Knights of the Round Table. The concept is good, which makes the execution all the more disappointing. Other than Artie and, to a lesser extent, Kay and Merlin, the characters are flat and lifeless. Because the situations are so bizarre - as even Artie notes - it should take more than a bit of hand-waving to get the characters to cooperate. The writing is clunky, with a heavy dependence on flat-out telling rather than showing. Things happen "suddenly": while describing his first encounter at the Invisible Tower to Kay, Artie "couldn't explain why it all made sense, but suddenly it did." During their trip to the Lake to claim Excalibur, "[t]he sky suddenly got much darker", a few short paragraphs later, "[t]he flock of birds suddenly dispersed", a few pages after that, "suddenly [Artie] found two swords pointing straight up at the sky", and once he holds the sword in his hand, Artie "suddenly knew some Welsh and a fair amount of Latin."
There are many versions of the Arthurian saga available for young readers, from White's classic The Once and Future King to Cammuso's hilarious Knights of the Lunch Table. The standards are high. Otherworld never quite measures up.
Final Word:
This modern-day middle-schooler King Arthur and his Knights are appealing in concept but fall disappointingly short of their potential.
Source:
e-ARC via NetGalley, provided by the publisher by request
April 17, 2015
Arthur Kingfisher is an ordinary kid deeply involved in a game called Otherworld. And then the game starts going strange on him, and he finds a real Otherworld, along with the real Merlin. It turns out Artie is related to the original King Arthur, and now Merlin needs his help (and Excalibur) to get out of the Invisible Tower where he's been imprisoned for hundreds of years. Can Artie stand against the centuries-old wickedness of Morgaine?
It may have been a mistake to read two Arthur-inspired tales back to back, although I'm not certain anything would have changed my mind about this one. I do think kids will probably enjoy it, as the prose is light and the action is snappy, and Artie is very much a typical twelve-year-old who thinks games are the coolest thing ever.
But . . . you have someone related to King Arthur (apparently the whole Arthur thing is genetic, although I do give props for avoiding the clone angle), the original Merlin, and a cast comparable to the Knights of the Round Table, along with antagonist Morgaine, and what's the real enemy? Global warming and the energy crisis (I wish I was making this up). Morgaine might show up and throw around a few tornadoes but the REAL threat is clearly that we're going to run out of fossil fuels sometime in the next few hundred years. And what's even more agonizing is how EXCITED people like Artie's father get over the idea that Artie will unite the worlds to bring over a clean energy source and save us all from oil and extinction.
And then there's Artie's dad, who is as much of a kid as his son, and doesn't worry at all when Artie vanishes into the Otherworld for several weeks because he knows his son is going to fight for clean energy for the world. Actually most of the characters, adults or kids, have a pretty childish mentality. Or take the ridiculous fight scenes, which are predicated on Artie using his knowledge of video game sword fighting (and some magical help from Excalibur, which is more believable) to turn him into an expert swordsman in about a week. Excalibur's magic is a big deus ex machina, as anything Artie needs to know or do can be handled by the sword (or its sheath).
I could go on, but I don't see much point. Again, kids who don't really care about anything but a fast ride will probably like it. It reads like the kind of adventure a kid would dream up for himself. But the overall world logic, reason for the fight, lack of substance, constant elevation of Artie as hero and king when all he's really done is exist (basically making him out to be a hero without necessarily having the actions to support it) . . . I'm done. I'm not going to be reading anything else in this series. I rate this book Neutral.
It may have been a mistake to read two Arthur-inspired tales back to back, although I'm not certain anything would have changed my mind about this one. I do think kids will probably enjoy it, as the prose is light and the action is snappy, and Artie is very much a typical twelve-year-old who thinks games are the coolest thing ever.
But . . . you have someone related to King Arthur (apparently the whole Arthur thing is genetic, although I do give props for avoiding the clone angle), the original Merlin, and a cast comparable to the Knights of the Round Table, along with antagonist Morgaine, and what's the real enemy? Global warming and the energy crisis (I wish I was making this up). Morgaine might show up and throw around a few tornadoes but the REAL threat is clearly that we're going to run out of fossil fuels sometime in the next few hundred years. And what's even more agonizing is how EXCITED people like Artie's father get over the idea that Artie will unite the worlds to bring over a clean energy source and save us all from oil and extinction.
And then there's Artie's dad, who is as much of a kid as his son, and doesn't worry at all when Artie vanishes into the Otherworld for several weeks because he knows his son is going to fight for clean energy for the world. Actually most of the characters, adults or kids, have a pretty childish mentality. Or take the ridiculous fight scenes, which are predicated on Artie using his knowledge of video game sword fighting (and some magical help from Excalibur, which is more believable) to turn him into an expert swordsman in about a week. Excalibur's magic is a big deus ex machina, as anything Artie needs to know or do can be handled by the sword (or its sheath).
I could go on, but I don't see much point. Again, kids who don't really care about anything but a fast ride will probably like it. It reads like the kind of adventure a kid would dream up for himself. But the overall world logic, reason for the fight, lack of substance, constant elevation of Artie as hero and king when all he's really done is exist (basically making him out to be a hero without necessarily having the actions to support it) . . . I'm done. I'm not going to be reading anything else in this series. I rate this book Neutral.
January 10, 2012
If you're looking for a light-hearted fantasy adventure, look no further. Nils Johnson-Shelton brings to life a fun story of two contemporary tweens who find themselves pulled into an adventure to save the world the know and the world that they just discovered.
Arthur "Artie" Kingfisher was adopted by his family when he was just a baby. Until recently he's never really questioned where he came from, but after a not-so-chance meeting with Merlin, he's curious. The answers are not what he ever expected to find and actually, they're quite hard to really believe. He's King Arthur? As he and his sister and knight, Kay, embark on a series of adventures to save the worlds, they'll have to face dragons, elves, witches, and any number of magical beings to free Merlin in hopes of saving the world.
Artie and Kay were really fun characters to get to know. I really liked that they had a great family dynamic with their father, Kynder, and with each other. Their personalities were also quite complimentary--when Artie was nervous, Kay was strong and vice versa. As Artie learned more about who he was and Excalibur showed him new things, he came into his own (whereas at the beginning, Kay was clearly the dominant one).
Overall, I felt like this was a good fantasy adventure for young readers, probably between ages 9-10. While I personally didn't enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed some other MG fantasy novels, I felt like it had good pacing and a fun, adventurous storyline that will offer young fantasy readers something to enjoy. Slightly older MG readers may find that the dialogue and storyline is a tad simplistic and the non-ending is a bit unsatisfying. I walked away feeling like the cliffhanger ending was unnecessary and they never resolved the one thing that they really set out on the quest to do--save the world.
Arthur "Artie" Kingfisher was adopted by his family when he was just a baby. Until recently he's never really questioned where he came from, but after a not-so-chance meeting with Merlin, he's curious. The answers are not what he ever expected to find and actually, they're quite hard to really believe. He's King Arthur? As he and his sister and knight, Kay, embark on a series of adventures to save the worlds, they'll have to face dragons, elves, witches, and any number of magical beings to free Merlin in hopes of saving the world.
Artie and Kay were really fun characters to get to know. I really liked that they had a great family dynamic with their father, Kynder, and with each other. Their personalities were also quite complimentary--when Artie was nervous, Kay was strong and vice versa. As Artie learned more about who he was and Excalibur showed him new things, he came into his own (whereas at the beginning, Kay was clearly the dominant one).
Overall, I felt like this was a good fantasy adventure for young readers, probably between ages 9-10. While I personally didn't enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed some other MG fantasy novels, I felt like it had good pacing and a fun, adventurous storyline that will offer young fantasy readers something to enjoy. Slightly older MG readers may find that the dialogue and storyline is a tad simplistic and the non-ending is a bit unsatisfying. I walked away feeling like the cliffhanger ending was unnecessary and they never resolved the one thing that they really set out on the quest to do--save the world.
March 22, 2012
This was a pretty sweet book. I was really interested in reading this one because I LOVE everything about the Arthurian legend. I'll admit it, I'm an Arthur junkie. And a modern twist with a video game entering into it sounded really exciting :)
And it was a sweet book and I thought how Johnson-Shelton incorporated the myth into The Invisible Tower was pretty good in my opinion. It had enough of the original thing and also a definite touch from the author.
Things happen with enough speed to keep me interested but it wasn't so fast it felt rushed. I was however a bit shocked at some of the stuff happening, I mean, I thought this was a children's book and it had some pretty gruesome stuff in it that would have scared me as a kid. I mean, I know the original story is not without major shedding of blood, but I hadn't expected it in The Invisible Tower so much.
The characters were nice, I really liked that Kay, Artie's sister, was a major part of the action and not just a sidekick. I really liked the familybonds! There's some real love between the siblings and their father and I loved it! And I really liked the supporting characters, they were so cute! I am sort of questioning one major characters motives, but I can't tell you who because I might spoil something...
While there The Invisible Tower definitely had some really good qualities, I didn't feel very excited while reading it. I'm not exactly sure why that is, but I didn't really feel the urge to keep reading. I do think this is a fun way for kids to learn about the Arthurian legend, though I'm still partial to the original tale (which scared the crap out of me as a kid, good times).
My rating: 3 stars
And it was a sweet book and I thought how Johnson-Shelton incorporated the myth into The Invisible Tower was pretty good in my opinion. It had enough of the original thing and also a definite touch from the author.
Things happen with enough speed to keep me interested but it wasn't so fast it felt rushed. I was however a bit shocked at some of the stuff happening, I mean, I thought this was a children's book and it had some pretty gruesome stuff in it that would have scared me as a kid. I mean, I know the original story is not without major shedding of blood, but I hadn't expected it in The Invisible Tower so much.
The characters were nice, I really liked that Kay, Artie's sister, was a major part of the action and not just a sidekick. I really liked the familybonds! There's some real love between the siblings and their father and I loved it! And I really liked the supporting characters, they were so cute! I am sort of questioning one major characters motives, but I can't tell you who because I might spoil something...
While there The Invisible Tower definitely had some really good qualities, I didn't feel very excited while reading it. I'm not exactly sure why that is, but I didn't really feel the urge to keep reading. I do think this is a fun way for kids to learn about the Arthurian legend, though I'm still partial to the original tale (which scared the crap out of me as a kid, good times).
My rating: 3 stars
March 14, 2013
I confess, I didn't enjoy this as much as I had hoped. I mean, the story was fine, the plot was action-packed and moved quickly. The characters were interesting and easy to follow, although they felt rather two-dimensional to me, not much depth to them. Artie and his sister seemed to adapt rather too easily to the shocking revelations presented to them. The settings were great, I liked the idea of two worlds hooked together that effected each other and being able to move between them. The fantasy elements were fun, man-wolves, a tree-person and his minions, and of course, the sword Excaliber. I wasn't particularly happy about one thing the author did regarding the sword at the end of the book, but I can't say more than that because I will spoil the book, but it didn't seem to make any sense to me and even in fantasy stories, I like things to make some sense at least.
Still, the book is a fun one with plenty of magic and adventure and middle graders will undoubtedly enjoy it. I just prefer more character development in the books I read.
Still, the book is a fun one with plenty of magic and adventure and middle graders will undoubtedly enjoy it. I just prefer more character development in the books I read.
April 24, 2014
This was a really good introduction to a new trilogy. The author's take on King Arthur and Excalibur were different then others that I have read. I enjoyed ready the simple terms and the easy flow of the book. I was able to read and escape into another world. I liked that the author included modern day technology, and it made me wonder how much different the original Arthur would be if written in today's world. The hidden video game message brought me back to my younger days of hidden 1-ups in Mario Brothers! I am giving this book a 5/5. I was given a copy to review, however all opinions are my own.
October 26, 2014
2.5
Had potential and didn't live up to it. The characters are pretty shallow, and it doesn't always make sense why they react the way they do. Artie and Kay lie to their father for a week, teasing him and taking advantage of the spell he's under.
The characters themselves did minimal work. The swords did everything, from healing the kids to teaching them how to fight. Woohoo, a week or two of practice with a magical sword will make you ready to face the best knights and biggest monsters! No. And the magic was never well defined.
At least the story did pick up later, with more twists in plot and troubles that weren't immediately solved by Excalibur (like, some kidnappings).
Had potential and didn't live up to it. The characters are pretty shallow, and it doesn't always make sense why they react the way they do. Artie and Kay lie to their father for a week, teasing him and taking advantage of the spell he's under.
The characters themselves did minimal work. The swords did everything, from healing the kids to teaching them how to fight. Woohoo, a week or two of practice with a magical sword will make you ready to face the best knights and biggest monsters! No. And the magic was never well defined.
At least the story did pick up later, with more twists in plot and troubles that weren't immediately solved by Excalibur (like, some kidnappings).
September 3, 2016
A mishmash of folklore, legend, fantasy, and science fiction that loots lines, ideas, characters and plot turns from them all. Throw-away lines like “I have a bad feeling about this,” and “Holy”whatever ala Robin, distract from the action. The dialogue is dizzying with forced slang from every era -”totally awesome”and“holy cow,” “oh fudge (I could go on), and the action is interrupted with obvious recaps. BUT - there are dragons, wizards, portals (moongating), man-wolves, quests, and gory graphic violent battles - something for every kid. Holy hyperbole, Batman!
July 28, 2012
While not as horrible as a number of other books I have read recently, this simply didn't make the grade. The plot was poorly executed, the dialogue was stilted and uneven, and the pacing left a lot to be desired. How did this get past an editor???
November 10, 2014
It's a great book for any kid that loves fantasy. My son is reading the whole series so I'm sure I'll be on to the next one soon.
November 30, 2020
--Warning: Ramble--
Skip to TL;DR if you don't want to read, please.
I had originally read this back in 4th grade. I was intrigued by the world that seemed to be building on well-known myths. It was intriguing, if a bit direct, but I generally didn't have a complaint worth addressing then. This was before I had gotten into Percy Jackson and, although I had read Harry Potter, many kids (including me) were forced to stay back with the herd and wait for the others to catch up. So, when my class finally got to the Percy Jackson series, I disregarded it and didn't read it. Only when I got into 6th grade and finally read the first 5 books did I begin to notice the resemblance between the two. I mean, come on, it's a kid who goes on a quest to save the world multiple times. Fast forward to 8th grade, I had completely forgotten the series, and out of curiosity decided to search up on my school catalog 'arthur chronicles', which would pull it up in my previous school's, but it didn't come up despite the fact that they both use the same catalog. So I did some google searching, and I barely found it. I'll put it this way. Entertaining the first one or two times, a bit ordinary the rest. It's definitely worth a read. Just be warned that it does tend to spell stuff for you.
TL;DR Intriguing the first few times, mundane the rest.
Skip to TL;DR if you don't want to read, please.
I had originally read this back in 4th grade. I was intrigued by the world that seemed to be building on well-known myths. It was intriguing, if a bit direct, but I generally didn't have a complaint worth addressing then. This was before I had gotten into Percy Jackson and, although I had read Harry Potter, many kids (including me) were forced to stay back with the herd and wait for the others to catch up. So, when my class finally got to the Percy Jackson series, I disregarded it and didn't read it. Only when I got into 6th grade and finally read the first 5 books did I begin to notice the resemblance between the two. I mean, come on, it's a kid who goes on a quest to save the world multiple times. Fast forward to 8th grade, I had completely forgotten the series, and out of curiosity decided to search up on my school catalog 'arthur chronicles', which would pull it up in my previous school's, but it didn't come up despite the fact that they both use the same catalog. So I did some google searching, and I barely found it. I'll put it this way. Entertaining the first one or two times, a bit ordinary the rest. It's definitely worth a read. Just be warned that it does tend to spell stuff for you.
TL;DR Intriguing the first few times, mundane the rest.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2019
It is a pretty cool book because all of a sudden Artie's life changed. Before he thought that he is a adopted kid and that there is nothing really special about him. But later he finds a wizard named Merlin who told him that he is a special kid and that Merlin needs Artie to help him escape his prison tower. Because someone puts him in the tower and there is no way to get out without the key. So Artie and his sister and their friends found two swords that aren't heavy but can slice through almost anything. They are on a mission to get the key from the bad guy. In the end of the book they got the key and Merlin is free from his prison but they also lost a sword.
January 11, 2018
A very exciting and thrilling tale of adventure, mixed with an unexpected King Arthur twist.
Read
August 22, 2019A good fantasy book for people who like an adventure.
Read
December 10, 2019it is a good book and I think other people should read it!!
December 18, 2019
Best book ever
January 20, 2020
Not one of my favorites. Disliked the writing style.
March 30, 2012
(and a 3/4 star for this juvenile adventure)
The nearly-twelve daughter inhaled The Invisible Tower, and said she was already for the next. Too bad since Otherworld Chronicles book one was only just getting published. How did I feel about it?
I’d been wonder when Arthurian legends would make the rounds in popular juvenile fiction. I understand Meg Cabot has modernized the lore for teen girls and Mary Pope Osborne plays with it a bit (near the beginning at least) with The Magic Tree House for the early chapter books set.
Nils Johnson-Shelton traps Merlin in a tower that has since taken on the appearance of a gaming store in Cincinnati, Ohio–exotic right? He can’t leave, but Artie when comes along, he finally has hope of escape. And why Artie? because he is the genetically replicated (not cloned) sibling of the original King Arthur. Yep, Artie was adopted. Better, there are other coincidences and encounters involving other paralleled Arthurian characters.
Unlike Rick Riordan who educates as he goes, Johnson-Shelton dives right in, and readers will need to do some research on their own. I know a reasonable number of the stories and characters, but I get the feeling I am missing quite a bit. But do you have to know any of the stories to enjoy the read? Not at all.
Gamers will take a special liking to the Otherworld Chronicles because well, access to the Otherworld is via a portal or a gaming console. The virtual representation is a mimicry of an actual overlapping yet paralleled world. There are exchanges between the two worlds and even though some do not care for the idea, they are interdependent. What excites Artie’s adoptive father is Otherworld’s clean energy. Oh yeah, there is a strong eco-message, too.
There are a lot of pop culture references and slang and high-action sequences. Excalibur is painfully convenient, essentially gifting Artie with all the info and skills he needs, but I don’t think young reader’s will mind. There are the bad-ass, the creepy, the ignorant/helpless adults, and a nerd who gets muscles, confidence, and very likely a girlfriend by the end of the Chronicles.
If you are a grown-up who is curious how Johnson-Shelton translates the stories and characters, I would love your thoughts on it. Otherwise, this is most certainly a book for tweens–boys and girls alike! I don’t think it will have the timelessness of Ranger’s Apprentice, or the massive myth-adventure appeal of Percy Jackson and series, but for your reader’s looking for a quick, adrenaline read, pick this one up.
L @ omphaloskepsis
http://contemplatrix.wordpress.com/20...
The nearly-twelve daughter inhaled The Invisible Tower, and said she was already for the next. Too bad since Otherworld Chronicles book one was only just getting published. How did I feel about it?
I’d been wonder when Arthurian legends would make the rounds in popular juvenile fiction. I understand Meg Cabot has modernized the lore for teen girls and Mary Pope Osborne plays with it a bit (near the beginning at least) with The Magic Tree House for the early chapter books set.
Nils Johnson-Shelton traps Merlin in a tower that has since taken on the appearance of a gaming store in Cincinnati, Ohio–exotic right? He can’t leave, but Artie when comes along, he finally has hope of escape. And why Artie? because he is the genetically replicated (not cloned) sibling of the original King Arthur. Yep, Artie was adopted. Better, there are other coincidences and encounters involving other paralleled Arthurian characters.
Unlike Rick Riordan who educates as he goes, Johnson-Shelton dives right in, and readers will need to do some research on their own. I know a reasonable number of the stories and characters, but I get the feeling I am missing quite a bit. But do you have to know any of the stories to enjoy the read? Not at all.
Gamers will take a special liking to the Otherworld Chronicles because well, access to the Otherworld is via a portal or a gaming console. The virtual representation is a mimicry of an actual overlapping yet paralleled world. There are exchanges between the two worlds and even though some do not care for the idea, they are interdependent. What excites Artie’s adoptive father is Otherworld’s clean energy. Oh yeah, there is a strong eco-message, too.
There are a lot of pop culture references and slang and high-action sequences. Excalibur is painfully convenient, essentially gifting Artie with all the info and skills he needs, but I don’t think young reader’s will mind. There are the bad-ass, the creepy, the ignorant/helpless adults, and a nerd who gets muscles, confidence, and very likely a girlfriend by the end of the Chronicles.
If you are a grown-up who is curious how Johnson-Shelton translates the stories and characters, I would love your thoughts on it. Otherwise, this is most certainly a book for tweens–boys and girls alike! I don’t think it will have the timelessness of Ranger’s Apprentice, or the massive myth-adventure appeal of Percy Jackson and series, but for your reader’s looking for a quick, adrenaline read, pick this one up.
L @ omphaloskepsis
http://contemplatrix.wordpress.com/20...
December 9, 2011
If you are looking for an imaginative story for you child around the age of 9 or 10, this is a great book to start with. I wish I would have read a story like this at that age. It has so many adventures and such neat characters that you’ll love them all. The story begins with this boy named Arthur but they called him Artie. He loves playing video games and he’s great at them, but not better than his sister Kay. She’s a genius when it comes to video games and competes in them too. They both live with their single father, Kynder who is as sweet as can be, but does not allow them to drink to many soda pops.
One day when Artie, finally defeats a very difficult level that not even his sister could beat, he’s very surprised to see a secret message in the game addressed to him specifically. He believes it to be a coincidence. They are preparing for his sisters tournament and leave to the hotel where they will be staying at. Once at the hotel, Artie begins to unpack the gaming system so that his sister can practice once she returns from registering with their dad. But when Artie can’t find her “special” remote control, he just thinks that she took it with her. When Kay returns to the hotel and realizes that her control was left behind at her house, shes begins to panic. But Artie has a solution for his sister and what he does not know is that it will be the beginning of his new life. He will discover something about himself and his family that he never knew, and it will be the adventure of a lifetime.
Although, this book is not my style, I gave it a chance anyway and I am glad I did, because it’s such an adorable book filled with imagination, adventure, and lovable characters. It is very well described, written and understandable for that age group.I highly recommend this book to all children, they will love it !
review link: http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/2011...
One day when Artie, finally defeats a very difficult level that not even his sister could beat, he’s very surprised to see a secret message in the game addressed to him specifically. He believes it to be a coincidence. They are preparing for his sisters tournament and leave to the hotel where they will be staying at. Once at the hotel, Artie begins to unpack the gaming system so that his sister can practice once she returns from registering with their dad. But when Artie can’t find her “special” remote control, he just thinks that she took it with her. When Kay returns to the hotel and realizes that her control was left behind at her house, shes begins to panic. But Artie has a solution for his sister and what he does not know is that it will be the beginning of his new life. He will discover something about himself and his family that he never knew, and it will be the adventure of a lifetime.
Although, this book is not my style, I gave it a chance anyway and I am glad I did, because it’s such an adorable book filled with imagination, adventure, and lovable characters. It is very well described, written and understandable for that age group.I highly recommend this book to all children, they will love it !
review link: http://www.onceuponatwilight.com/2011...
February 10, 2013
Dr. Pepper Heads and Tom Thumb
I find Middle Grade reads rather invigorating because they can take you places that other books just can't with good clean fun.
The Good
The transition from old school legend to modern day gamers and technology in this book is fascinating. I don't know a child alive that wouldn't enjoy the idea that they could actually go into their video games. Now, what I know about the legend of King Arthur comes from the movie The Sword in the Stone so I'm aware that I only have one wonderfully colorful side of the story. It happens to be one of my favorite animated movies to date, and like that movie, this book has Merlin and King Arthur and a red-headed Kay although she is his sister. They appear to get along rather well for pre-teen siblings, but then again he is adopted.
This book follows Artie as he journeys to a video game store for a controller for his sister to use in a tournament and meets Merlin. It all goes wild from there. He is introduced to Tom Thumb and is on a quest for two incredible swords (one for him and one for sis). Excalibur in The Invisible Tower has a lot of awesome abilities. I don't want to go into a lot of detail and ruin it for readers, but I'm an adult and my 10 year old has been reading it, and we both enjoy the action and characters. Johnson-Shelton really knows how to talk to children and the child in us. I am not really sure what a Dr. Pepper head is, but I know that I love Dr. Pepper and definitely do things that people think are nerdy.
The Bad
While I grew close to a wide array of characters, there were some that felt flat.
The Romance
There is a little bit of crush action going on, but nothing really in the realm of romance.
Conclusion
This is a fun ride down a path in a modern world of video games, melded with an old school legend, riddled with obstacles, well-known names, and fun. Adults and kids alike that like these kinds of adventures will enjoy this book.
I find Middle Grade reads rather invigorating because they can take you places that other books just can't with good clean fun.
The Good
The transition from old school legend to modern day gamers and technology in this book is fascinating. I don't know a child alive that wouldn't enjoy the idea that they could actually go into their video games. Now, what I know about the legend of King Arthur comes from the movie The Sword in the Stone so I'm aware that I only have one wonderfully colorful side of the story. It happens to be one of my favorite animated movies to date, and like that movie, this book has Merlin and King Arthur and a red-headed Kay although she is his sister. They appear to get along rather well for pre-teen siblings, but then again he is adopted.
This book follows Artie as he journeys to a video game store for a controller for his sister to use in a tournament and meets Merlin. It all goes wild from there. He is introduced to Tom Thumb and is on a quest for two incredible swords (one for him and one for sis). Excalibur in The Invisible Tower has a lot of awesome abilities. I don't want to go into a lot of detail and ruin it for readers, but I'm an adult and my 10 year old has been reading it, and we both enjoy the action and characters. Johnson-Shelton really knows how to talk to children and the child in us. I am not really sure what a Dr. Pepper head is, but I know that I love Dr. Pepper and definitely do things that people think are nerdy.
The Bad
While I grew close to a wide array of characters, there were some that felt flat.
The Romance
There is a little bit of crush action going on, but nothing really in the realm of romance.
Conclusion
This is a fun ride down a path in a modern world of video games, melded with an old school legend, riddled with obstacles, well-known names, and fun. Adults and kids alike that like these kinds of adventures will enjoy this book.
October 25, 2012
Merlin--yes, he of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table fame--has been imprisoned in a tower for nearly a thousand days. But he just might win his freedom through the efforts of twelve-year-old Artie Kingfisher whose video game Otherworld mimics some of the events in King Arthur's life. When Artie beats the game, he receives an odd message that starts him and his older sister Kay on a journey he never expected. Artie is led to Merlin who runs a shop in Cincinnati, of all places. Merlin introduces him to Tom Thumb, and off he heads into another world to try to find two swords. The action shifts from both worlds, and there are several battle scenes that will keep readers riveted. Gamers are likely to enjoy this title since it's like a computer game come to life, and it allows the geeky, often-overlooked and bullied Artie to be seen in a more heroic light. Several questions remained at the end, presumably to be answered in the next title. I was pleased to see the legend of King Arthur getting a modern turn, and I liked the exhanges between Artie and Kay, but things surely do seem to come easily to Artie once he has Excalibur in hand. With next-to-no practice at all, other than in his game, he becomes a skilled swordsman. I've heard that visualization is an effective technique, but that's a bit ridiculous. Additionally, I was bothered by a couple of things: There are quite a few characters that float briefly into the book and then disappear. The use of sedation on Artie's friend Qwon's mother to keep her unaware of her daughter's disappearance seemed rather cruel and unethical. Since readers hardly know anything about Qwon other than that she seems to be Artie's crush, for whatever reason, it's hard to care too much when she is taken to the Otherworld. Perhaps more will be revealed in the next installment.
August 4, 2016
If you are looking for an imaginative story for you child around the age of 9 or 10, this is a great book to start with. I wish I would have read a story like this at that age. It has so many adventures and such neat characters that you’ll love them all. The story begins with this boy named Arthur but they called him Artie. He loves playing video games and he’s great at them, but not better than his sister Kay. She’s a genius when it comes to video games and competes in them too. They both live with their single father, Kynder who is as sweet as can be, but does not allow them to drink to many soda pops.
One day when Artie, finally defeats a very difficult level that not even his sister could beat, he’s very surprised to see a secret message in the game addressed to him specifically. He believes it to be a coincidence. They are preparing for his sisters tournament and leave to the hotel where they will be staying at. Once at the hotel, Artie begins to unpack the gaming system so that his sister can practice once she returns from registering with their dad. But when Artie can’t find her “special” remote control, he just thinks that she took it with her. When Kay returns to the hotel and realizes that her control was left behind at her house, shes begins to panic. But Artie has a solution for his sister and what he does not know is that it will be the beginning of his new life. He will discover something about himself and his family that he never knew, and it will be the adventure of a lifetime.
One day when Artie, finally defeats a very difficult level that not even his sister could beat, he’s very surprised to see a secret message in the game addressed to him specifically. He believes it to be a coincidence. They are preparing for his sisters tournament and leave to the hotel where they will be staying at. Once at the hotel, Artie begins to unpack the gaming system so that his sister can practice once she returns from registering with their dad. But when Artie can’t find her “special” remote control, he just thinks that she took it with her. When Kay returns to the hotel and realizes that her control was left behind at her house, shes begins to panic. But Artie has a solution for his sister and what he does not know is that it will be the beginning of his new life. He will discover something about himself and his family that he never knew, and it will be the adventure of a lifetime.
July 6, 2013
Artie Kingfisher is looking for a special video game controller to help his sister Kay win a video game tournament. He checks out a quirky shop called The Invisible Tower, where he meets the wizard Merlin and plunges into an Arthurian quest, which turns out to be very familiar, from the video game "Otherworld" that Artie has spent countless hours mastering. It seems that the adopted Artie is the sort-of-cloned "brother" of King Arthur, and his involvement has been well planned. His first job is to get Excalibur and then free Merlin from the (actually invisible) tower, where he's been held captive for nearly a thousand years. Along with his eager sister, Artie rises to the challenge.
Funny, fast-moving and a great mix of modern technology and legend. I really enjoyed the sibling dynamics and Otherworld characters.
Warning: severe cliffhanger ending, but the sequel, The Seven Swords, came out in January 2013.
Funny, fast-moving and a great mix of modern technology and legend. I really enjoyed the sibling dynamics and Otherworld characters.
Warning: severe cliffhanger ending, but the sequel, The Seven Swords, came out in January 2013.
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