Official Review: Island Games by Caleb J. Boyer
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- Marie19
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Re: Official Review: Island Games by Caleb J. Boyer
Caleb Boyer, has done an outstanding job with his publication, especially for a 12-year-old. His creativity is amazing. I have not read in quite a while and I have decided to get back into reading. This was the first book I have read in 2018. This is also my first review.
After reviewing the acknowledgements in Island Games: Mystery of the Four Quadrants, I can see a relation between the main characters Matthew and Ryan and everyone who has impacted Caleb’s life. Grit is closely related to resilience. When you acquire grit, you have a combination of persistence and passion, and are very much capable in continuing in the course of action even in the face of difficulty. When you are resilient, you have the willingness to continue through obstacles or some cases, failures. I see resilience in both characters of the book. Think about it, Matthew and Ryan are teenagers who find themselves stranded on a deserted island, with no memory other than the memory of each other. This is closely related to ‘Maze Runners’. Instead of folding under pressure and not doing anything to change their current situation, they decide to go on a search for food, water, and a way off the island and back home, wherever home is. I find Matthew cautious and Ryan incautious. Matthew saved Ryan several times: when trying to aboard the cargo ship with a shark trying to eat Ryan, making it back to the island, Ryan almost falling to his death when the ground beneath him collapsed, getting sucked into the statues, and swinging above lava. Matthew took the leadership role and encourages Ryan to talk to him before running off into possible traps. Though this book is for a more younger audience, it can be for anyone, as it teaches a lesson to the reader; be resilient in the face of adversity.
Overall, I would say the book is well developed. Located in the table of content is the Secret of the Island Revealed, where the author poses a question. I believe this question foreshadows what could possibly happen in the next book. Maybe the author will be more in depth about what happened in the lab.
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I have never read this genre of books,but your review has made me picture this book to the movie hunger games. I love the story line and will surely read it....Great review.kandscreeley wrote: ↑03 Jan 2018, 14:00 [Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Island Games" by Caleb J. Boyer.]
4 out of 4 stars
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I've read many books in my lifetime, and it's rare anymore that a book genuinely surprises me. Island Games by Caleb Boyer was one such novel. Why, you might ask? Let me tell you. Caleb Boyer was twelve years old when he wrote this story.
When I was in middle school, my language arts teacher assigned us creative writing. I can tell you for sure that my stories were nothing that I would have shared with the world much less published. Caleb Boyer, however, has done a fabulous job with his publication.
Matthew and Ryan are best friends who suddenly find themselves stranded on a deserted island. Having no memory of their past, they must find food, water and a way off the island. That isn't quite as easy as it sounds, though, as challenges keep coming their way. The first challenge they face is retrieving food from a boat without being eaten by a shark. Unfortunately, the challenges only get harder from there, and the two friends must work together or die.
Island Games is classified as young adult and would be very appropriate for preteens aged approximately 10 to 14. There is some violence that comes with the challenges the two boys face, but it is never graphic or disturbing. There is also no foul language or sexual situations throughout the book. The vocabulary used within the novel is age appropriate with the hardest words perhaps being quadrant or ravine.
The story line is simple, but the plot is engaging. I found myself forging ahead with every word wondering what challenges Ryan and Matthew would face next. While the writing is simple, the action and plot are captivating enough to hold even an adult's attention (after all, I enjoyed it.)
One of the few drawbacks to the novel is the cliffhanger ending. However, this was purposefully done. There is a message from the author at the end of the story explaining why the book ends as it did. I believe that there is a lot to be learned from the story and the ending. Therefore, I really can't count the cliffhanger against the book as I normally would; it's not a device used to sell the next novel but a teaching point.
Other than that, there were only a few minor issues that I noticed. While the grammar was impeccable (I didn't find ANY errors in the story), I did notice that the author switches from first person to third person in the thoughts of the characters about halfway through the book. This was more of an observation than an annoyance as it didn't bother me. I also wished we had been given the ages of the two main characters as it isn't very clear. Once again, this wasn't a big problem but rather a fleeting thought.
Overall, my rating for Island Games is 4 out of 4 stars. I enjoyed the development of the plot and had very few issues with the story. I know that preteens will enjoy this read if they like an adventurous fiction. I would even recommend it to adults if they are looking for an easy, fun and quick story.
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Island Games
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What can I say about "Island Games Mystery of the Four Quadrants" by Caleb J. Boyer. I definitely like the title and cover photo for this one. I often see titles and cover photo don't complement each other, but may be that is just me.
I would like to ask the author Caleb why he chose the names of his trainors to be his main characters in the book? He must admire the friendship they have very much. I would like to guess that the boys are both 12 year olds.
The book is very engaging and I can definitely see that I can easily invite my 8-year-old to read with me on this one. I do not see anything in the context that I cannot simplify for her. It is a fun and easy read and it is definitely recommended for the young ones who want to be inspired to write a piece of their own or just to have a great read.
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