Review of Island Games

[Morgan Garza]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Island Games" by Caleb J. Boyer.]

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3 out of 5 stars

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Island Games: Mystery of the Four Quadrants by Caleb J. Boyer is a young adult action adventure novel full of mystery and teachable moments. This novel focuses on friendship and overcoming obstacles through cooperation and belief in ourselves.

Matthew and Ryan are best friends who wake up on a deserted island with no recollection of how they got there. They struggle to remember their pasts with only a few fleeting flashbacks to provide them clues to their lives before they washed up on the island. They find themselves without food, water, and shelter to protect them from the dangers that lurk on the island. As the story progresses the boys face challenges and dangers in each quadrant of the island. They learn that working together is the only way to survive the hazards that await them with each new day. They must come together to survive the island and discover who is actually in control.

I would give this novel 3 out of 4 stars. Given the young age of the author when he wrote this novel, I think he did a nice job. His use of imagination is seen throughout the novel from the beasts that bleed green goo, to the boys melting into their gold statues. He creates a unique world in each quadrant and keeps the plot eventful with the challenges they must overcome to try and find a way off the island. There are very few errors, however, there were run on sentences, and I found certain word choices to be used repetitively throughout the story. For example, girlfriend, best friend, creepy, and exhausted are all used repeatedly throughout the course of the story. I also felt like there are times when he uses dialogue when narration would have been the better choice. This novel is definitely a good read for pre-teens, and I believe that pre-teen boys in particular will find the characters relatable. The writing is simplistic and could become tedious for adults. There is no profanity or sexual content and only very mild violence which is necessary for the boy's survival. I was a bit disappointed in the ending and wish it had provided the reader with more answers.

Overall, I recommend this book and I believe this young man has a bright future ahead of him.

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Island Games
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