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The Ocean and the Hourglass
Dreams are not for the faint of heart,
they are for the brave to follow.
they are for the brave to follow.
A Book, an Hourglass.
An adventure into the mind.
Nicholas had always dreamt of faraway places, distant lands beyond imagination. Wandering into the library on a cold day, he finds an adventure that he had not been looking for. Transported to a distant world, Nicholas finds himself involved in sweeping adventures of a broken and lost kingdom. Filled with sea giants and ancient cities, the young man soon finds that the adventure was greater than he could have ever imagined.
- GenresYoung AdultFantasy
252 pages, Paperback
First published September 30, 2010
About the author
Dan O'Brien
48 books175 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
I have been writing novels for over a decade and had a couple published by traditional, small houses. Riding the self-publishing boom, I have four books in print that are available in paperback or e-book format. If you are interested in reading them, I am always open to sending out samples (or PDFs) to those who are interested.
I was born on the east coast and spent most of my life moving around. I recently settled into California where I am a graduate student in Experimental Psychology. I was a fitness trainer and am a lifelong student of martial arts. I write a little bit of everything and have lately been focusing on a few new novels, continuing some series and embarking on a screenplay binge.
Hope to hear from other avid readers and novelists out there.
I have been writing novels for over a decade and had a couple published by traditional, small houses. Riding the self-publishing boom, I have four books in print that are available in paperback or e-book format. If you are interested in reading them, I am always open to sending out samples (or PDFs) to those who are interested.
I was born on the east coast and spent most of my life moving around. I recently settled into California where I am a graduate student in Experimental Psychology. I was a fitness trainer and am a lifelong student of martial arts. I write a little bit of everything and have lately been focusing on a few new novels, continuing some series and embarking on a screenplay binge.
Hope to hear from other avid readers and novelists out there.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 4, 2012
A very long time ago, (not to age myself), I was in massive love with a movie called The Neverending Story. I was entranced by a young boy’s adventure through a book; a book that transported him into another realm where his ability to, quite literally, save a world of characters who needed his help, became one of the biggest dreams for every young adult in the world.
When I began reading this book, I was once again swept away. Yes, this is the story of a boy’s adventure; but this teenager, Nicholas Miles, is far different than the one I loved so long ago. This is a character that speaks volumes about real life. Nicholas is bullied by the boys at his school and also, believe it or not, by his own mother. Nicholas’ father left him and his mom when Nicholas was younger, creating an alcoholic mother who simply took her pain out on her own son.
Turning to his comic books, Nicholas truly believed that they were the one ‘steady’ thing in his life, portraying characters he could count on. He had a true hero in The Mariner, a comic book character who protected the Oceans with a blade in his hand, always ready to defend the Oceans of the world.
One day, Nicholas went to school and the usual bullies were standing around just waiting to vent their own frustrations on him. But that day they did the worst they could do; they took his favorite comic book away and destroyed it. Nicholas’ wish was that he could be transported far away, to live by the ocean instead of the endless plains that brought endless pains in Wyoming.
Leaving school, Nicholas runs to the library where the elderly librarian, Mr. Thompson, takes him in hand and shows him a book and an hourglass. These two objects will lead Nicholas on an adventure with his idol, The Mariner, and give him his very own odyssey to a world that he has always imagined being a part of. The new lands and, of course, the ocean, lead to Nicholas’ explorations of ancient cities under the sea, giant sea creatures and an adventure of all readers’ lives.
Captivating, at times bewildering but always stunning, the author takes the dreamers of the world by the hand and offers them an ‘out.’ The best fantastical stories are based on the fact that the reader can remove themselves from the everyday world and spend some time with a Superhero. We could all stand a little adventure in our lives, and Dan O’Brien offers it in living color, with a very passionate heart.
Until Next Time, Everybody.
Amy
When I began reading this book, I was once again swept away. Yes, this is the story of a boy’s adventure; but this teenager, Nicholas Miles, is far different than the one I loved so long ago. This is a character that speaks volumes about real life. Nicholas is bullied by the boys at his school and also, believe it or not, by his own mother. Nicholas’ father left him and his mom when Nicholas was younger, creating an alcoholic mother who simply took her pain out on her own son.
Turning to his comic books, Nicholas truly believed that they were the one ‘steady’ thing in his life, portraying characters he could count on. He had a true hero in The Mariner, a comic book character who protected the Oceans with a blade in his hand, always ready to defend the Oceans of the world.
One day, Nicholas went to school and the usual bullies were standing around just waiting to vent their own frustrations on him. But that day they did the worst they could do; they took his favorite comic book away and destroyed it. Nicholas’ wish was that he could be transported far away, to live by the ocean instead of the endless plains that brought endless pains in Wyoming.
Leaving school, Nicholas runs to the library where the elderly librarian, Mr. Thompson, takes him in hand and shows him a book and an hourglass. These two objects will lead Nicholas on an adventure with his idol, The Mariner, and give him his very own odyssey to a world that he has always imagined being a part of. The new lands and, of course, the ocean, lead to Nicholas’ explorations of ancient cities under the sea, giant sea creatures and an adventure of all readers’ lives.
Captivating, at times bewildering but always stunning, the author takes the dreamers of the world by the hand and offers them an ‘out.’ The best fantastical stories are based on the fact that the reader can remove themselves from the everyday world and spend some time with a Superhero. We could all stand a little adventure in our lives, and Dan O’Brien offers it in living color, with a very passionate heart.
Until Next Time, Everybody.
Amy
April 9, 2012
Are you aged 12+ ? Have you read and enjoyed Cornelia Funke's Inkheart Series ? Did you enjoy C.S Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia series ? Have you seen the film Jumaji and Jumper ?
When I saw the cover of the Ocean and Hourglass , I wasn't sure what to expect. As I started reading it , I enjoyed it as I was transported to the life of a young boy whom sounded like he was between 12-14yrs , the boy's name was Nicholas. The character of Nicholas , in a way was a character that if you have ever been a lover of books, had your nose buried far into one , been bullied due to your love of reading - then he is one you can relate to. Nicholas , loves to read comics and is teased by friends and he doesn't have the best of life at home either with a drunk mother, so Nicholas does what any real reader would do , he retreats to the one place on earth - he won't be judged, the one place where he feels the most at home and loved - the Library. I loved this part, as myself spent weekends at the library and have always been a bit of a bibliophile. One trip to the library, Nicholas is given by the librarian Mr. Thompson - an empty book and a hourglass with strict rules. Nicholas must follow the rules or else danger strikes. One day Nicholas finds himself engrossed in the book and forgets the rules and soon finds himself transported into the story and bang smack into the middle of war and himself being called "The Prodigy". So begins the adventure of Nicholas in a foreign world. As the story goes along , we read as Nicholas is having fun in this world- this part reminded me of Inkheart and the Chronicles of Narnia. However, is Nicholas trapped in the book forever ? Will he ever make it to the real world and what happens when Nicholas finds out the truth of how Mr, Thompson the librarian came to have the book in his possession.
A great novel for boys aged 12+ and those who are fantasy and alternative world lovers.
When I saw the cover of the Ocean and Hourglass , I wasn't sure what to expect. As I started reading it , I enjoyed it as I was transported to the life of a young boy whom sounded like he was between 12-14yrs , the boy's name was Nicholas. The character of Nicholas , in a way was a character that if you have ever been a lover of books, had your nose buried far into one , been bullied due to your love of reading - then he is one you can relate to. Nicholas , loves to read comics and is teased by friends and he doesn't have the best of life at home either with a drunk mother, so Nicholas does what any real reader would do , he retreats to the one place on earth - he won't be judged, the one place where he feels the most at home and loved - the Library. I loved this part, as myself spent weekends at the library and have always been a bit of a bibliophile. One trip to the library, Nicholas is given by the librarian Mr. Thompson - an empty book and a hourglass with strict rules. Nicholas must follow the rules or else danger strikes. One day Nicholas finds himself engrossed in the book and forgets the rules and soon finds himself transported into the story and bang smack into the middle of war and himself being called "The Prodigy". So begins the adventure of Nicholas in a foreign world. As the story goes along , we read as Nicholas is having fun in this world- this part reminded me of Inkheart and the Chronicles of Narnia. However, is Nicholas trapped in the book forever ? Will he ever make it to the real world and what happens when Nicholas finds out the truth of how Mr, Thompson the librarian came to have the book in his possession.
A great novel for boys aged 12+ and those who are fantasy and alternative world lovers.
January 25, 2011
Full review will be posted on the Bitten by Books website at a later date: http://bittenbybooks.com.
April 15, 2012
The Ocean and the Hourglass – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish
“What kind of book is this, Mr. Thompson?” his voice cracking as he asked. “Open the cover, Nicholas.” Nicholas met the librarian’s gaze and the old man’s trustful not restored his confidence. Opening the cover, the thick black hand cover gave way to cream-colored sheets that did not smell of musk or salt. They were blank. “The book is empty?” Nicholas was now thoroughly confused. The librarian, however, seemed utterly amused by the situation. “That is why there are rules, Nicholas. The book alone cannot work without the hourglass. And of course, it will not function with the imagination of one as special as you are.” “I don’t understand.” “Let me explain,” offered Mr. Thompson as he rose from his chair. Clasping his hands behind his back, he resembled a lecturer preparing to give a speech. “There are five rules to using the Book. They must be followed as I lay them down…
“The first rule is that you must always read the book alone. Never tell anyone that you have the book nor let anyone read it.”
“The second rule is that you must always read the book with the hourglass. Never are you to activate one without the other. Disaster lies in that course.”
“The third rule is that when reading the book you must never lose track of either item. If you were to be reading and the hourglass was lost, then you too would be lost. Keep both together.”
“The fourth rule is to always read the book as you wish it to be read. Never lose hope in the story, for you will be lost if you do.”
“The fifth and final rule is as important as the others, even more so if you believe as you should. You must never stop believing in heroes, Nicholas. You must believe with all your heart that good will prevail, that heroes will triumph no matter the odds.”
Nicholas Miles was from what has become such a common state of being for so many young boys and girls. He is being raised by a single mother who works hard but enjoys the bottle a bit more than she should. He has also become the punching bag for the bullies within his school. One morning, after his usual confrontation with these boys, Nicholas just couldn’t bring himself to go inside the school. This time the boys had torn his favorite comic book in half tossing it on the wet ground. Nicholas’ hero was the Mariner and the destruction of this book was the destruction of his comic book friend. With no money to replace the book, the next best place was the library where he could read until his heart was content as he enveloped himself with those who cared… the heroes of the oceans of a world far, far away. What he never dreamed of was Mr. Thompson introducing him to the very old, very special book and the hourglass which he had stored deep within the library waiting for that special person to come along. This book allowed Nicholas to write his own story and live it as it happened. Only he could create the beginning and the end and only he could decide the effect his decisions would have upon everyone involved in his story.
The Ocean and the Hourglass is one of the deepest books I’ve ever read. It awakens the reader to right and wrong in says that I personally have never give thought to. You may ask the question “what is right and what is wrong?” Easy answer? Maybe but “who interprets what is right and wrong?” We all know the 10 commandments, which are cut and dry in definition – aren’t they? What about the gray areas? Can we tell black lies, white lies and gray lies? Or are they all lies? Can we kill people to benefit the masses and it be ok? Are there black killings, white killings and gray killings or again are they just all killings? Are the killing wrong if they will save more then they kill? Are we in our current position by choice or by events and chance? Do events really play a role in the choices we make? As I said, The Ocean and the Hourglass is a deep book of thought. It started out as what I expected to be a children’s book but boy was I wrong as I got deeper and deeper into the thoughts it evoked within me.
Review Stir, Laugh, Repeat at Amazon.com
January 27, 2012
Actual Rating: 2.5/5
This is a hard review to write because I’m quite conflicted when it comes to this book. There are things about Dan O’Brien’s The Ocean and the Hourglass that I liked, but as a whole I just don't think this book was for me.
The Ocean and the Hourglass tells the story of Nicholas, a young boy who is desperate to escape his less than ideal world. He is bullied at school and has a difficult relationship with his alcoholic mother. With the help of a strange librarian and a mysterious book and hourglass, Nicholas is transported to another world- a world whose kingdom is broken and is plagued by a dark evil. Nicholas, with an eclectic group of new friends, finds himself on a journey to save this world.
This book started off with so much potential. O’Brien immediately and efficiently places readers into Nicholas’ bleak life, creating an immediate connection with readers and the main character. I really liked that I didn’t have to wait very long for the real adventure to begin, as Nicholas is transported early on in the book. And the chapter leading up to the actual transportation is perfectly paced and exciting. You know in movies when certain music starts to play and you just know that something magical or spectacular is about to happen?! Well, I could almost imagine music like that playing while reading this chapter and I got that awesome spine-tingling feeling and knew something cool was going to happen…(Shouldn’t books totally come with a soundtrack?! Like those little kid books that have sound effect buttons and the book tells you when to push them. All books really should come with these buttons and the appropriate music for certain scenes…right?!?!)…
And something cool did happen-Nicholas was transported to a faraway world! Now, Nicholas is not the first book character to be magically transported to another world, but O’Brien does infuse this idea with his own originality and creativity. However, even with a fair amount of refreshing originality, the rest of the book failed to excite and thrill me.
Unfortunately, once Nicholas was transported into this new world the book started to lose me and my attention…and for several reasons. First, this new world never feels fully developed. While O’Brien does offer some very vivid descriptions and imagery, the world itself never felt “real” or concrete. There were just too many missing details.
Secondly, there’s the character of Nicholas. In the first couple of chapters Nicholas comes across as very realistic and relatable, yet once he is sucked into this other world he becomes a little inconsistent as a character. I believe he is supposed to be 16 years old, but at times he comes across either much younger or much older. Now, that’s not to say that I didn’t like him as a character, I just felt like my earlier connection with him lessened as the book progressed.
Then there’s the “adventure” itself, which never really felt all that adventurous. I think the story lacked action and conflict; there just wasn’t enough suspense or excitement. But what it doesn’t lack is some interesting philosophical discussion…but I wish it did. I love a rousing philosophical discussion, but some of the discussions in this book made my head spin. I can fully appreciate what the author was trying to convey and express, and he does convey some really intelligent, insightful and meaningful things, but I think these parts of the book were too overwhelming and too drawn out, especially for a YA book.
The writing is solid, but the book could use some tight editing. There were quite a few grammatical issues and the dialogue often reads stiff and awkward. I was pleasantly surprised by the ending and think O’Brien does offer a thought-provoking and satisfying conclusion.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS: The Ocean and the Hourglass is built on an intriguing premise, but the execution is lacking. O'Brien's talent and creativity is apparent throughout the book, but the overall story simply falls short of greatness.
This is a hard review to write because I’m quite conflicted when it comes to this book. There are things about Dan O’Brien’s The Ocean and the Hourglass that I liked, but as a whole I just don't think this book was for me.
The Ocean and the Hourglass tells the story of Nicholas, a young boy who is desperate to escape his less than ideal world. He is bullied at school and has a difficult relationship with his alcoholic mother. With the help of a strange librarian and a mysterious book and hourglass, Nicholas is transported to another world- a world whose kingdom is broken and is plagued by a dark evil. Nicholas, with an eclectic group of new friends, finds himself on a journey to save this world.
This book started off with so much potential. O’Brien immediately and efficiently places readers into Nicholas’ bleak life, creating an immediate connection with readers and the main character. I really liked that I didn’t have to wait very long for the real adventure to begin, as Nicholas is transported early on in the book. And the chapter leading up to the actual transportation is perfectly paced and exciting. You know in movies when certain music starts to play and you just know that something magical or spectacular is about to happen?! Well, I could almost imagine music like that playing while reading this chapter and I got that awesome spine-tingling feeling and knew something cool was going to happen…(Shouldn’t books totally come with a soundtrack?! Like those little kid books that have sound effect buttons and the book tells you when to push them. All books really should come with these buttons and the appropriate music for certain scenes…right?!?!)…
And something cool did happen-Nicholas was transported to a faraway world! Now, Nicholas is not the first book character to be magically transported to another world, but O’Brien does infuse this idea with his own originality and creativity. However, even with a fair amount of refreshing originality, the rest of the book failed to excite and thrill me.
Unfortunately, once Nicholas was transported into this new world the book started to lose me and my attention…and for several reasons. First, this new world never feels fully developed. While O’Brien does offer some very vivid descriptions and imagery, the world itself never felt “real” or concrete. There were just too many missing details.
Secondly, there’s the character of Nicholas. In the first couple of chapters Nicholas comes across as very realistic and relatable, yet once he is sucked into this other world he becomes a little inconsistent as a character. I believe he is supposed to be 16 years old, but at times he comes across either much younger or much older. Now, that’s not to say that I didn’t like him as a character, I just felt like my earlier connection with him lessened as the book progressed.
Then there’s the “adventure” itself, which never really felt all that adventurous. I think the story lacked action and conflict; there just wasn’t enough suspense or excitement. But what it doesn’t lack is some interesting philosophical discussion…but I wish it did. I love a rousing philosophical discussion, but some of the discussions in this book made my head spin. I can fully appreciate what the author was trying to convey and express, and he does convey some really intelligent, insightful and meaningful things, but I think these parts of the book were too overwhelming and too drawn out, especially for a YA book.
The writing is solid, but the book could use some tight editing. There were quite a few grammatical issues and the dialogue often reads stiff and awkward. I was pleasantly surprised by the ending and think O’Brien does offer a thought-provoking and satisfying conclusion.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS: The Ocean and the Hourglass is built on an intriguing premise, but the execution is lacking. O'Brien's talent and creativity is apparent throughout the book, but the overall story simply falls short of greatness.
March 5, 2012
The Mariner could be the next great superhero, or could it possibly be the Prodigy? My mind travels to far off lands and oceans where the characters jump to life with every page I turn. I want to reach inside of the book and take care of the main character, Nicholas Miles. He is only a teenager, but one who has been delivered a hard life! With no father to guide him, and a mother who can only find peace through the bottle, Nicholas attaches himself to the only thing he finds real, The Mariner! A comic book about a man who is one with the ocean and has remarkable superpowers. Nicholas finds himself in the only reality he finds comforting, his comic books.
As he gets to school, he is confronted by the school bully. Mark and his gang of high school thugs are always on the hunt for easy prey to pick on and Nicholas is usually the target! With his favorite comic book torn to shreds, and tears running down his face he finds the strength to stand up, gather his thoughts, walk out school to the place he knew he could order another Mariner Comic, the Library! Finding his way to the library in the freezing cold is no ordinary feat! He has challenges along the way and once he gets there, he finds Mr. Thompson, the librarian, asking questions why Nicholas is not in school again. Of course, Mr. Thompson knows better and has been one of the few friends Nicholas has! Nicholas dodging explanations quickly asks if he can order another comic book, but the librarian has a better idea! As he leads Nicholas to private section where special and rare books are held, he tells Nicholas of a book that is so special that it has rules attached. Seeing the hourglass next to the book Nicholas asks what it is for and Mr. Thompson explains the 5 rules of the book. Nicholas promises to follow the rules and starts reading once the librarian has left the room. What adventures await him as he quickly finds himself immersed within its pages.
The rest you will have to find out for yourself as I would not want to spoil the adventure! I found this book extremely exciting, exhilarating, and action packed with adventures at every turn of the page! Dan O'Brien has a great writing style that does not confuse the reader with overly difficult character development, but with a grace that engulfs you into believing every character in the book picturing in your mind what each one looks like. I loved this book and would definitely recommend not only to young adults, but to reading audiences from children, school systems, science fiction, to adult readers as well.
I received The Ocean and The Hourglass compliments of Dan O'Brien for my honest review and I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars! Would definitely recommend to my children and others to read! Thank you Dan for coming up with an original book that I can only somewhat compare to The Never-Ending Story, written by Michael Ende. The Ocean and The Hourglass, a wonderful Book with twists and turns abound within its pages for all to read!
As he gets to school, he is confronted by the school bully. Mark and his gang of high school thugs are always on the hunt for easy prey to pick on and Nicholas is usually the target! With his favorite comic book torn to shreds, and tears running down his face he finds the strength to stand up, gather his thoughts, walk out school to the place he knew he could order another Mariner Comic, the Library! Finding his way to the library in the freezing cold is no ordinary feat! He has challenges along the way and once he gets there, he finds Mr. Thompson, the librarian, asking questions why Nicholas is not in school again. Of course, Mr. Thompson knows better and has been one of the few friends Nicholas has! Nicholas dodging explanations quickly asks if he can order another comic book, but the librarian has a better idea! As he leads Nicholas to private section where special and rare books are held, he tells Nicholas of a book that is so special that it has rules attached. Seeing the hourglass next to the book Nicholas asks what it is for and Mr. Thompson explains the 5 rules of the book. Nicholas promises to follow the rules and starts reading once the librarian has left the room. What adventures await him as he quickly finds himself immersed within its pages.
The rest you will have to find out for yourself as I would not want to spoil the adventure! I found this book extremely exciting, exhilarating, and action packed with adventures at every turn of the page! Dan O'Brien has a great writing style that does not confuse the reader with overly difficult character development, but with a grace that engulfs you into believing every character in the book picturing in your mind what each one looks like. I loved this book and would definitely recommend not only to young adults, but to reading audiences from children, school systems, science fiction, to adult readers as well.
I received The Ocean and The Hourglass compliments of Dan O'Brien for my honest review and I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars! Would definitely recommend to my children and others to read! Thank you Dan for coming up with an original book that I can only somewhat compare to The Never-Ending Story, written by Michael Ende. The Ocean and The Hourglass, a wonderful Book with twists and turns abound within its pages for all to read!
October 12, 2013
A story of a young man searching for a way to distance himself from a world that offers only pain can be a common thread amongst many books, most notable The Neverending Story, but author Dan O'Brien attempts to offer a more complex and modern twist to an old idea. I won't delve too far into the storyline given many a reviewer has laid out the complete story arc in their reviews, but I will make an attempt to offer more of an insight into the presentation of the book itself.
First thing you will notice upon opening the book is that the paragraph structure is not justified, not the words that the pages contain but the actual format or layout of the paragraph does not follow the usual sentence stretching format common in almost every book produced in the last several hundred years. Even worse is that the common break up of long words with a - is nowhere to be found leaving some paragraph lines with a few words then empty page until the next sentence begins. I don't mean to harp on the books production value but a poor presentation can draw the reader outside of the books story and detract from the work of the author. Otherwise the book is edited well with only a few grammatical and spelling errors along the way.
If you can overlook the publication errors, and most reasonable readers ought too, then it will not be difficult to be taken by the story itself. Many comparisons can be made to The Neverending Story and the beginning of the book does relate heavily to that book, but the author does offer a unique and refreshing look to the common tale. With the main character living a much more gritty life the author makes the story more modern to the world we live in now.
The overall story is well thought out and written. The characters personalities are strong and offer the reader great insight to the lives they lead. I did find some of the transitions between the characters in need of some improvement as the main characters sound too much like the narrative. This common vocal dialogue between the authors narrative voice and the characters dialogue does retract from the characters overall development. With the main characters sounding like the author they can, and do, come off older and more knowledgeable than they should.
I did enjoy reading this book. I can see some developing talent from this author and an ability to connect with the target audience. With the book being written towards a younger reader the story will be the focal point for the readers imagination and the errors with the books production will be better ignored.
Good story and good read, needs some work but recommended for 10-16 year olds.
First thing you will notice upon opening the book is that the paragraph structure is not justified, not the words that the pages contain but the actual format or layout of the paragraph does not follow the usual sentence stretching format common in almost every book produced in the last several hundred years. Even worse is that the common break up of long words with a - is nowhere to be found leaving some paragraph lines with a few words then empty page until the next sentence begins. I don't mean to harp on the books production value but a poor presentation can draw the reader outside of the books story and detract from the work of the author. Otherwise the book is edited well with only a few grammatical and spelling errors along the way.
If you can overlook the publication errors, and most reasonable readers ought too, then it will not be difficult to be taken by the story itself. Many comparisons can be made to The Neverending Story and the beginning of the book does relate heavily to that book, but the author does offer a unique and refreshing look to the common tale. With the main character living a much more gritty life the author makes the story more modern to the world we live in now.
The overall story is well thought out and written. The characters personalities are strong and offer the reader great insight to the lives they lead. I did find some of the transitions between the characters in need of some improvement as the main characters sound too much like the narrative. This common vocal dialogue between the authors narrative voice and the characters dialogue does retract from the characters overall development. With the main characters sounding like the author they can, and do, come off older and more knowledgeable than they should.
I did enjoy reading this book. I can see some developing talent from this author and an ability to connect with the target audience. With the book being written towards a younger reader the story will be the focal point for the readers imagination and the errors with the books production will be better ignored.
Good story and good read, needs some work but recommended for 10-16 year olds.
February 22, 2012
Posted to Almost Grown-up:
I had an incorrect impression of Nicholas in the beginning of The Ocean and the Hourglass. His character read to me, for some reason, like a middle school student, so I was surprised to find that he was in high school. He has a mother that he doesn’t stand up against. He’s frequently bullied by other students who make fun for him for being a “baby” and finds solace in a comic book series about a hero called the Mariner. And one day, Nicholas finds himself transported to the world in which the Mariner reigned and told that he is the Prodigy. He must save this strange world.
Unfortunately, the age confusion was hardly the only issue I found with this novel.
Let’s start with one smaller issue. Going back to Nicholas’s mother, the way that Nicholas saw her was unreal. To me, she read as someone who was just short of abusive, but Nicholas describes her multiple times as loving him the best way she knew how, which was a maddening statement from a would-be hero.
Larger issues were what ruined my reading of this book. The pacing was off– a character who is important enough to change the course of Nicholas’s future is around for a virtual blink of an eye. Several themes are delivered in a very heavy-handed fashion. Points of view were introduced that were unnecessary to the story. And though it was written in 3rd person, it was very odd to see Nicholas continually referred to as “the youth.” The characters never came alive for me.
While it’s clear that O’Brien has an excellent vocabulary, the prose was just too much. It didn’t sound like someone from our world and our time was the main character. Adverbs abounded and some word choices seemed so odd that it was like there has been a “right-click thesaurus” moment.
Overall rating: 1/5. It’s never fun to write a review like this, but there was little for me to enjoy about The Ocean and the Hourglass. It was very nearly a DNF (Did Not Finish) book.
I had an incorrect impression of Nicholas in the beginning of The Ocean and the Hourglass. His character read to me, for some reason, like a middle school student, so I was surprised to find that he was in high school. He has a mother that he doesn’t stand up against. He’s frequently bullied by other students who make fun for him for being a “baby” and finds solace in a comic book series about a hero called the Mariner. And one day, Nicholas finds himself transported to the world in which the Mariner reigned and told that he is the Prodigy. He must save this strange world.
Unfortunately, the age confusion was hardly the only issue I found with this novel.
Let’s start with one smaller issue. Going back to Nicholas’s mother, the way that Nicholas saw her was unreal. To me, she read as someone who was just short of abusive, but Nicholas describes her multiple times as loving him the best way she knew how, which was a maddening statement from a would-be hero.
Larger issues were what ruined my reading of this book. The pacing was off– a character who is important enough to change the course of Nicholas’s future is around for a virtual blink of an eye. Several themes are delivered in a very heavy-handed fashion. Points of view were introduced that were unnecessary to the story. And though it was written in 3rd person, it was very odd to see Nicholas continually referred to as “the youth.” The characters never came alive for me.
While it’s clear that O’Brien has an excellent vocabulary, the prose was just too much. It didn’t sound like someone from our world and our time was the main character. Adverbs abounded and some word choices seemed so odd that it was like there has been a “right-click thesaurus” moment.
Overall rating: 1/5. It’s never fun to write a review like this, but there was little for me to enjoy about The Ocean and the Hourglass. It was very nearly a DNF (Did Not Finish) book.
April 23, 2020
When I was offered this book for review I was really interested in the summery and couldn't wait to start reading into the book. The novel drew me in quickly- being verbose, well-presented, and adventurous. I really loved the potential of this novel overall but at times I felt the story got carried away with being well-written rather than having a phenomenal plot.
The novel, however, was extremely clever by presenting a story were the main character got stuck in a story of his own creation. It's difficult to differentiate the flaws necessary in the story (as a young boy created it to fit himself) and any overall critiques on the novel itself. I did, regardless, really enjoy the story. Many of the characters were fun and fairly realistic for an adventure story. At times, however, they were not examined to their full potential.
The book was fantastic and I really recommend it for readers who are interested in the idea of intellectual adventures and metaphors. It was extensive in its examination of several philosophies and the idea of right, wrong, perception, and justification of death.
I'd also suggest it for readers who enjoy finishing stories in their minds. While the story did conclude as he conquered the world he had created, it never examined the way he lived his life afterwards.
The novel, however, was extremely clever by presenting a story were the main character got stuck in a story of his own creation. It's difficult to differentiate the flaws necessary in the story (as a young boy created it to fit himself) and any overall critiques on the novel itself. I did, regardless, really enjoy the story. Many of the characters were fun and fairly realistic for an adventure story. At times, however, they were not examined to their full potential.
The book was fantastic and I really recommend it for readers who are interested in the idea of intellectual adventures and metaphors. It was extensive in its examination of several philosophies and the idea of right, wrong, perception, and justification of death.
I'd also suggest it for readers who enjoy finishing stories in their minds. While the story did conclude as he conquered the world he had created, it never examined the way he lived his life afterwards.
January 20, 2012
Life has been hard on Nicholas Miles. His father left him and his mother when he was younger and his mother uses alcohol to deny that reality. Added to that, he’s bullied at school because he loves to get lost in his reading adventures. One morning when three bullies confront him and tear up one of his favorite comic book, Nicholas runs away to the library. The librarian immediately realizes what happened and shares something special with him; a book and an hourglass. Together they transport Nicholas to the land of his comic book hero and the adventure begins.
If you loved the movie The Neverending Story you will love The Ocean and the Hourglass. Nicholas goes on an epic adventure with the book guiding his way. The world and characters that O’Brien brings to life is amazing and vivid. The only reason I didn’t give the book five stars was because of the ending. The fantasy portion of the story was wrapped up nicely and the reality portion of the story had the beginnings of a wrap up but I wish I knew more of what happened to Nicholas once he got back. Other than that this is a perfect adventure for YA readers or anyone who loves a great fantasy read.
If you loved the movie The Neverending Story you will love The Ocean and the Hourglass. Nicholas goes on an epic adventure with the book guiding his way. The world and characters that O’Brien brings to life is amazing and vivid. The only reason I didn’t give the book five stars was because of the ending. The fantasy portion of the story was wrapped up nicely and the reality portion of the story had the beginnings of a wrap up but I wish I knew more of what happened to Nicholas once he got back. Other than that this is a perfect adventure for YA readers or anyone who loves a great fantasy read.
April 21, 2011
Loved the book!
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