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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I got an advance copy of this book at a recent library meeting, along with several others, and read it cover to cover on my way home on the plane. And in the cab. And once I got home, to the annoyance of my wife and kids, until it was done. This book is amazing. Finally there is a new Young Adult classic in the making that really captures the magic of storytelling. I haven't been this excited by a book since the first Harry Potter, and readers who enjoy that series will love this one. Young Ven Polypheme is a boy itching for adventure, even though he is from a race of people that hate to travel and like to keep to themselves. He gets his wish in an unfortunate way, following a spectacular pirate attack, and finds himself in the midst of a magic-filled and threatening world of gigantic sharks, floating islands, gypsy-like Rovers with secret boxes, spice folk, mountains that act as guardians, ghost wolves and an endless amount of danger and intrigue. Haydon's world, an earlier era of the masterful creation in which her adult series THE SYMPHONY OF AGES is set, is so real that one can almost believe that archaeologists really DID find these ancient journals from a more magical time in history, as she claims. I am especially impressed with the characters in the book. Ven is a terrific hero, plucky and curious but with many of the doubts and issues of a real-life teenager. He and the other young characters in the story are complete people, with flaws and strengths and the ability to screw up, as well as to come through heroically. The girls in this tale are especially wonderful for all that I love Harry Potter, it suffers from a lack of interesting female characters other than Hermoine. Haydon treats us to a host of them, from a mermaid-like creature called a merrow who has a sea-dweller's odd perspective on the world, to a snotty thief, a boisterous den-leader type and a tiny, shy creature who speaks by making flowers grow. The boys are awesome as well. I'm very fond of the cook's mate, Char, who has a miserable life and really resents anyone feeling sorry for him because of it. The messages in this book are some of the healthiest I've seen in a long time, but they don't compromise the sheer fun of the story. This is an utterly wonderful book, and I cannot wait to read the next one. With any luck, it will fill the void that the upcoming ending of the Harry Potter series will leave with a story every bit as compelling.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I bought this book for my 12 year old daughter, as I like Haydon's storytelling but can't give my daughter the adult books because of the adult content! This book is the ancient history of the adult Rhapsody series, and book one looks like the beginning of the creation of the books of magic mentioned as ancient texts in that series. The story follows Nain adolescent Ven Polypheme (who is 50 - which is adolescent for a Nain - and longing for his beard to grow) who suffers a series of mishaps and misadventures that take him away from his home and shipbuilding family to the island (more a continent really) of Serendair. Great characters and a wonderful adventure story. I think the reading age is similar to Harry Potter, but the illustrations will help a younger reader ready for a stretch! There are also curriculum notes at the back of my hardback copy that teachers would find very useful; though I did find one very basic grammatical error in the book (your instead of you're); and the spelling is American. Elizabeth Haydon knows how to tell a story, and handles the young adult style very well. My daughter is badgering me for the second book.
Format:Paperback
The Floating Island was a very enjoyable tale which I enjoyed as an adult but would also love to read to my younger grandchildren. It had all the ingredients of an excellent story, a likeable hero, baddies, friends who were not always as helpful as they could be, mystery and a good storyline. I have always enjoyed Elizabeth Haydon books and was delighted to come across the The Lost Journals of Ven Polypheme of which this is the first. I have gone on to enjoy the second and third volumes. I understand a fourth one is due eventually. I shall look forward to it.
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