Official Review: The Last Portal by Robert Cole

[Sou Hi]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Last Portal" by Robert Cole.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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The Last Portal: Book 1 of the Mytar series is the beginning of a saga written by Robert Cole. It follows the journey of Chris, Susie, and Joe to a place called Cathora. Their summoner, Batarr, claimed to be the Guardian of the portal that connected their Earth to Cathora. And out of the blue, he asked them to save his dimension. He even insisted they possessed special abilities that could prevent Zelnoff and his soldiers from conquering Cathora. If they failed to stop the villain, their beloved Earth would be the next one to fall. Was Batarr really telling them the truth? How could they fight against a dangerous creature if they knew neither his face nor his capabilities? Should the trio help him, or should they find their way back home?

One of the best parts of this copy is that the main cast is quite realistic. Since they are merely teenagers, it's easy to explain their reactions to the sudden responsibilities they are forced to bear. Risking your lives fighting against an entire army for a foreign world is not a simple task, so I can perfectly understand their choices. When Chris's powers grow, he suffers from a few adverse effects, such as headaches or nausea. This can teach the young readers that nothing comes without a price. Joe's behaviors, which are caused by frustration and powerlessness, are comprehensible, as it's how people in his shoes would feel.

In addition, the book raises some meaningful questions. Through the words of Chris's father, the author shows us the concerns about the unusual natural disasters caused by greenhouse gases, such as droughts, bushfires, and floods. Meanwhile, what Chris's mother worries about also leaves an enormous query to all of us. After all the things we have done to our planet, what legacies can we proudly pass down to our next generations? What will our descendants benefit from our current actions?

The only complaint I have is that this copy needs another round of editing. The punctuation errors and the missing commas after the introductory phrases are a bit too distracting.

Unfortunately, I will have to give this novel 3 out of 4 stars because of the above negative aspect. I would recommend it to those who love fantasy stories. Even though this is a work of fiction, it contains thought-provoking details for us to ruminate on. This is suitable for both teenagers and adults. Still, some violent scenes make it unsafe for children.

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The Last Portal
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[Durgeshwari Dolas]

Seems like you read this story with full devotion. Your review is very descriptive and intriguing.
It looks like a book with not only full of adventures but with hidden values and things that'll make you think hard.
Thank you for your review!

[SamaylaM]

This sounds like a story with an intense and fascinating plot but indeed punctuation errors can be distracting. I'd still love to know the journey of Chris, Susie, and Joe to Cathora though. Thanks for writing a beautiful review!

[Ellylion]

I believe it's a great book for young readers I love it then a book rises important questions while being entertaining. Would love to check it as well! Thanks for a great review!

[markodim721]

Thanks for the detailed review. The plot seems very interesting.

[maggi3]

It’s great that the author is able to include real world issues in the story. This sounds like an interesting read. Thanks for the review and recommendation!

[Victor Kilyungi]

An intriguing review indeed. I can definitely feel your passion through your words. Thank you for it.