Review of Island Games

This forum is for volunteer reviews by members of our review team. These reviews are done voluntarily by the reviewers and are published in this forum, separate from the official professional reviews. These reviews are kept separate primarily because the same book may be reviewed by many different reviewers.
Post Reply
User avatar
ReadersCloud9
Posts: 6
Joined: 18 Jan 2024, 23:54
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 4
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-readerscloud9.html
Latest Review: Island Games by Caleb J. Boyer

Review of Island Games

Post by ReadersCloud9 »

[Following is a volunteer review of "Island Games" by Caleb J. Boyer.]
Book Cover
4 out of 5 stars
Share This Review


"Island Games: Mystery of the Four Quadrants" by Caleb J. Boyer is a delightful and entertaining story for children who love adventures and game-like quests. The book follows the journey of Ryan and Matthew, who wake up on a mysterious island without knowing how they got there and realizing their memory is failing them. They know that they are friends and that they were playing video games, but they don't seem to recall much more. They immediately become the explorers of this strange world where everything seems like a video game, and they have to survive by defeating beasts, finding food and supplies, and navigating obstacles as they slowly start to recover their memory.

The most remarkable thing about "Island Games: Mystery of the Four Quadrants" is the fact that it was written when the author was only 12 years old. It's truly impressive to see such creativity, dedication, and storytelling ability at such an early age. The author's talent and potential at 12 years old make me want to read more from him as he continues his writing journey.

This book is, in general, a reminder of the extraordinary things young minds are capable of doing. The reason I give "Island Games: Mystery of the Four Quadrants" 3 out of 4 and 4 out of 5 stars is that I found several shortcomings in its writing style and overall structure that I cannot overlook. Firstly, I found excessive repetition of words even within the same paragraphs, such as "beast," "seashore," and "chest," which I felt disrupts the flow of the narrative and detracts from the overall reading experience. Additionally, the dialogue between the characters felt unnatural at times, making the conversations less believable. Also, I found a tendency to over-explain in the narrative, which doesn't allow readers to infer details through actions, emotions, and settings. I felt that this made the story less immersive and engaging.

While the book showcases the remarkable talent of its young author, I also felt that young readers might find the plot lacking in surprises or variety.

I didn't find any profanity, and the editing of this book was perfect.

******
Island Games
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Post Reply

Return to “Volunteer Reviews”