|
Publisher:
Moo Press |
Release
Date:
October 15, 2004 |
ISBN:
0-9724853-5-X |
Awards:
|
Format
Reviewed: Hardcover |
Buy
it at Amazon |
Read
an Excerpt |
Genre:
Children’s – Fiction [Ages 7-12] |
Reviewed:
2004 |
Reviewer:
Kristin Johnson |
Reviewer
Notes: Reviewer Kristin Johnson’s books are Christmas
Cookies are for Giving, co-written with Mimi Cummins and
Ordinary Miracles: My Incredible Spiritual, Artistic and
Scientific Journey, co-written with Sir Rupert A.L. Perrin,
M.D. |
Copyright
MyShelf.com |
|
Aidan of Oren: The Journey Begins
By Alan St. Jean
Illustrator
Judith Friedman
Imagine
Harry Potter or King Arthur in the medieval-style magical town of
Lionsgate. Imagine a fabulous quest and a prophecy about dragons,
elves, and three orphans.
But no matter what time you
live in, you still get teased for hanging around with girls.
Aidan
of Oren, his best friends, Lilly (means “wisdom and purity”)
and Mckenzie (means “warrior”), and his pet falcon,
Charles (a royal bird of the family of Wingdom), love the stories
Aidan’s gentle grandmother tells. But Aidan never dreams he
will be living a legend far beyond any of his favorite legends.
A
terrible war engulfs the land and the country of Lionsgate alone
stands untouched, except for orphaned children like Aidan, son of
a powerful wizard and a mother created from the earth. Aidan, Lilly
and Mckenzie embark on a perilous quest, encouraged by the love
of Aidan’s grandmother. Charles, the comic relief, acts as
guide, scout and spy against the dangers.
There’s
plenty of danger. The mysterious Voldemort-like Lord of Dunjon sends
a Beauty and the Beast-like prince, the Hooded Man, to stop Aidan,
but the majestic guardians who can stop the war watch Aidan’s
steps. Lilly and Mckenzie, far from being weak damsels in need of
rescue (though Aidan worries about them constantly), have wisdom,
courage and abilities hinting at their own special destinies. The
bond between the three children is the most moving aspect of the
story.
Encounters
with dragons and elves also give Aidan of Oren, the first in a series,
a Lord of the Rings feel. As Galadriel (Cate Blanchett) tells Frodo
(Elijah Wood) in Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,
“The smallest person can make a difference.” Aidan,
Mckenzie and Lilly (beautifully rendered by Judith Friedman) are
small and meek (like Dorothy), but like Kirk, Spock and McCoy, together
they can do anything: talk to fishes, escape spiders, befriend baby
dragons and even free the Hooded Man from his terrible curse. And
always, as in the best of these sagas, there is a hint of urgency
as Aidan searches for his parents and his destiny. An enchanting,
captivating beginning. |