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Mik Murdoch: The Power Within
Mik Murdoch has swallowed the magical berry from the guardian of the Cave of Wonders and with it he's realized his dream to acquire superpowers. He's also realized what you wish for and what you get are often two different things. While Mik has superpowers, he's having a really hard time with control. In fact, he's starting to wonder whether being a boy superhero is a good thing or not.
What's worse, his weird behaviour doesn't go unnoticed by his parents, who decide to take him away to the lake for the summer, assuming he needs time to unwind and relax. It's there Mik uncovers the truth behind an ancient mystery and learns that letting others help doesn't make him weak.
What's worse, his weird behaviour doesn't go unnoticed by his parents, who decide to take him away to the lake for the summer, assuming he needs time to unwind and relax. It's there Mik uncovers the truth behind an ancient mystery and learns that letting others help doesn't make him weak.
- GenresYoung Adult
266 pages, Paperback
First published July 2, 2014
About the author
Michell Plested
24 books48 followersMichell Plested has been reading science fiction and fantasy since he was six years old, and writing for almost as long. He is an author, blogger, and podcaster living in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. he writes in multiple genres, spending most of his time with science fiction, fantasy, and YA adventure.
Michell (Mike) has a Scouts and Zombies trilogy in print (Scouts of the Apocalypse), the first four books of a boy superhero Middle Grade series (Mik Murdoch, Boy Superhero), the first two books of a Steampunk series (Jack Kane) which he co-writes along with two new series that will debut this year (a Fantasy series and a Young Adult mystery series).
Michell (Mike) has a Scouts and Zombies trilogy in print (Scouts of the Apocalypse), the first four books of a boy superhero Middle Grade series (Mik Murdoch, Boy Superhero), the first two books of a Steampunk series (Jack Kane) which he co-writes along with two new series that will debut this year (a Fantasy series and a Young Adult mystery series).
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 18, 2014
Mik's back, and better than ever! Him and his best friend, Krypto, go on another adventure! This time, we find the two at the lake. They meet some new friends, and help solve a mystery. Mik does learn a hard lesson at the end, but he takes it in stride! I really love the character Mik, as he genuinely cares for those around him. He's always eager to his his family, he's polite to others, and he's got an endless supply of energy I wish I had! I will admit to sneaking in a few pages while at work, as I really needed to know what happened! I must say I love the super power that the berry gave Mik!
If you like adventure and mystery, this book is the one for you!
If you like adventure and mystery, this book is the one for you!
August 1, 2014
The in interest of full disclosure Michell Plested is a good friend of mine and a co-edit on a couple of projects we have worked on together, and I was given my Advanced Readers Copy in return for a fair and honest review. Though I would have gladly paid full price for the book having read the first one.
Warning there are mild spoilers of both book one and book two but nothing you can get over.
In this second book in the series Mik Murdoch Boy Super Hero continues in his efforts to protect his fair town of Cranberry Flats, but with his Super Hero Librarian Friend moved to the city and him left with only the hope of a super power to come, what is a boy to do? Well he could eat the berry given to him by the guardian, but who knows what will come of that. When troubles at school, his friends leaving town, and something weird going on with his health, his parents decide that a summer at the lake might just be the right thing for them all. When he bumps into his idol and gets a chance of a life time, the summer just gets more and more complicated.
If you read the first, book or even if you didn't you will enjoy this book. While I loved the first book, this one is head and shoulders above it, Michell Plested has really grown as a writer and a story teller. Even though he is a year older now, Mik still relies on his parents and turns to them in times of trouble, far from the norm of most absent or brainless parents found in most YA novels.
While his super powers and what he discovers at the lake are a bit out there Mik himself is truly down to Earth. He has every day concerns, his Dog Krypto, his dad who has to keep going back into town for work, and his mom who is a bit lonely out at the lake, not to mention some pesky creatures who keep messing with them, and girl near his own age in the cabin down the beach.
This book is a quick read, but just long enough to make it truly enjoyable, and just short enough to leave you wanting more.
I am still reading it to my kids (one chapter a night) and they are always asking for more.
Warning there are mild spoilers of both book one and book two but nothing you can get over.
In this second book in the series Mik Murdoch Boy Super Hero continues in his efforts to protect his fair town of Cranberry Flats, but with his Super Hero Librarian Friend moved to the city and him left with only the hope of a super power to come, what is a boy to do? Well he could eat the berry given to him by the guardian, but who knows what will come of that. When troubles at school, his friends leaving town, and something weird going on with his health, his parents decide that a summer at the lake might just be the right thing for them all. When he bumps into his idol and gets a chance of a life time, the summer just gets more and more complicated.
If you read the first, book or even if you didn't you will enjoy this book. While I loved the first book, this one is head and shoulders above it, Michell Plested has really grown as a writer and a story teller. Even though he is a year older now, Mik still relies on his parents and turns to them in times of trouble, far from the norm of most absent or brainless parents found in most YA novels.
While his super powers and what he discovers at the lake are a bit out there Mik himself is truly down to Earth. He has every day concerns, his Dog Krypto, his dad who has to keep going back into town for work, and his mom who is a bit lonely out at the lake, not to mention some pesky creatures who keep messing with them, and girl near his own age in the cabin down the beach.
This book is a quick read, but just long enough to make it truly enjoyable, and just short enough to leave you wanting more.
I am still reading it to my kids (one chapter a night) and they are always asking for more.
August 26, 2015
I can't tell you how happy I was to read this book.
Getting into that first chapter, was like seeing an old friend that you haven't seen in a while.
This book had me hooked from beginning to end. Mik's super power could not have been more perfect for him. While he did have some blunders getting used to it at first, he was eventually able to see the potential of what he could do with it. Which was even more than I could have anticipated.
Naitaka was probably my favourite part of the whole book. To be a kid, to encounter something like this, and to do what they did was amazing.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and can't wait for the next instalment.
Getting into that first chapter, was like seeing an old friend that you haven't seen in a while.
This book had me hooked from beginning to end. Mik's super power could not have been more perfect for him. While he did have some blunders getting used to it at first, he was eventually able to see the potential of what he could do with it. Which was even more than I could have anticipated.
Naitaka was probably my favourite part of the whole book. To be a kid, to encounter something like this, and to do what they did was amazing.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and can't wait for the next instalment.
September 12, 2014
This was a good follow-up to the first book about Mik Murdoch. It was fun to return to his world and see what sort of super power the special berry he retrieved in book one would bring him.
The power Mik discovers is a truly unique one and Plested does a great job not only of slowly unveiling it throughout the book, but using it at some very crucial moments of the novel.
The moral dilemma that Mik faces is profound and important and demonstrates an incredible yet difficult build of character for the young man in one of the most poignant moments of the novel.
Certainly looking forward to the next Mik Murdoch novel.
The power Mik discovers is a truly unique one and Plested does a great job not only of slowly unveiling it throughout the book, but using it at some very crucial moments of the novel.
The moral dilemma that Mik faces is profound and important and demonstrates an incredible yet difficult build of character for the young man in one of the most poignant moments of the novel.
Certainly looking forward to the next Mik Murdoch novel.
August 23, 2014
good to the very end. better than the first and many other YA novels. seriously if you haven't read this book you haven't lived!
October 13, 2018
Another charming offering in the Mik Murdoch series by Michell Plested. Picking up shortly after the end of Boy Superhero, we find Mik is finally ready to use the mysterious gift he received. Summer vacation is just over the horizon and now is the perfect time to discover what it could allow him to do. Mik's abilities grow in wasy he could never have predicted. And just in the nick of time! Because while he explores the woods around the cabin he and his parents are renting over the summer, he discovers Cranberry Flats isn't the only place that needs his help. But like the pithy Spiderman quote: “with great power comes great responsibility,” Mik will have to be very careful not to do more harm than good as he tests the limits of his new skills.
April 1, 2015
Review written by my 8yo daughter Brooke :-).
I thought this book was awesome. The problem was every chapter ended with something really exciting. So I had to keep reading the next chapter to find out what happened. I couldn't put it down. In chapter 13, when Cynthia arrived, I was hoping to know more about what she looked like. I can't wait for the next Mik Murdoch book to come out, so I can find out more about Cynthia. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys adventure!
I thought this book was awesome. The problem was every chapter ended with something really exciting. So I had to keep reading the next chapter to find out what happened. I couldn't put it down. In chapter 13, when Cynthia arrived, I was hoping to know more about what she looked like. I can't wait for the next Mik Murdoch book to come out, so I can find out more about Cynthia. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys adventure!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews