∎ PDF Free Strange Lands YA Otherworldly Fantasy Adventure Heroes of Distant Planets Book 1 edition by Anderson Atlas Children eBooks

Strange Lands YA Otherworldly Fantasy Adventure Heroes of Distant Planets Book 1 edition by Anderson Atlas Children eBooks

Download As PDF : Strange Lands YA Otherworldly Fantasy Adventure Heroes of Distant Planets Book 1 edition by Anderson Atlas Children eBooks

Strange Lands YA Otherworldly Fantasy Adventure Heroes of Distant Planets Book 1 edition by Anderson Atlas Children eBooks

I have found myself reviewing a lot of middle-grade books lately. Which is a good thing because I have two children that are within the age range and I am always on the lookout for books that they would like. After reading Strange Lands, I think this would be a book that my 10-year-old son would like.

The plot itself is pretty straightforward. Allan, a boy in 8th grade, was in a horrific car accident that not only paralyzed him but took the lives of his parents. What made the accident even more tragic, well at least to me, was that Allan had been disqualified from a swim meet, after winning it, because of failing a math test and his parents come to find out that he is missing work in other areas of school as well. So, when the crash occurred, his mother and father were lecturing him. I could see why he was rendered mute as well. Poor thing was living with the guilt that he caused the car accident.

I don’t know if I would class Allan as likable at first. He had a lot of issues due to the accident and was definitely taking it out on his uncle. I was glad when Rubic forced Allan to go on the fishing trip. It took Allan out of his comfort zone and got Allan somewhat out of his funk. Of course, something goes wrong and that is where the book took off.

Rubic and Allan were caught in a surprise flash flood when fishing in the creek. Rubic snatches Allan out of his wheelchair and runs for it and almost makes it. But a boulder knocks Rubic out and leaves Allan helpless in the mud beside him. After damming up the water, so Rubic doesn’t drown, Allan starts crawling to get help. Along the way, he crawls through a field of flowers and ends up somewhere else and that is the start of his adventure.

What I liked is that the author didn’t downplay Allan’s disability at all. Allan wasn’t miraculously cured of being paralyzed (but he did get mechanical legs to help him out with part of his quest). Allan learned to work with his disability when he was in Lan Darr. What I also liked is that his mental issues were addressed too. The speech given by Mizzi about the accident touched me and brought me to tears.

The storyline with Rubic was interesting too. I saw him grow, even in that day, from the uncle who was forced to take care of his nephew to a parent searching for his child. He was willing to do anything to get Allan back…even if that meant getting even more hurt.

I will say that both storylines were brought together beautifully. While Asantia’s identity was kept under wraps, it still surprised me about who her mother was. How it was revealed was a huge surprise too. While not a cliffhanger, the ending did leave it open for another book.


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Strange Lands YA Otherworldly Fantasy Adventure Heroes of Distant Planets Book 1 edition by Anderson Atlas Children eBooks Reviews

~First, I’ll state that I received this book as a gift from the author to read and review.
~This book was written with the Young Adult (YA) reader in mind. That makes me over five times older than the target audience. Golly Gee! I enjoyed it immensely.
~At one point I began to think that there was just a little too much fantasy for a true adventure story. Then I thought back to the target reader, YA, and I accepted what was being presented on the pages. I continued to read and began to wonder…was there more to this fantasy world? Was it a real fantastic world or was there another explanation? I won’t say what I discovered as I continued my reading. No spoilers…you need to read it yourself.
~There were some plot twists and character surprises. One I figured out…one caught me completely off guard. I like that in a story, shows that the author is creative.
~We were able to follow along with Allan as he progresses from depression and major lifestyle changes to see his character grow…while maybe not physically, definitely emotionally. I like to see heroic main characters that are out of the ordinary.
~Yeah, it’s only a fictional story…it’s not a biographical real-life story, however, I think this type of book is very inspiring, specifically to a youthful reader.
Allan Westerfield is having a very bad day. First of all, his principal informs him, as he is on his way to participate in the state swim meet, that he has failed his latest math test and is not actually eligible to participate in the meet. The principal offers to cover up for him if he beats the school’s arch-rival, but threatens him with expulsion if he fails. Allan wins his race, but his math teacher shows up and refuses to avoid informing the officials. Allan’s win is invalidated, he is not allowed to finish the meet, and is sent home with his parents who use the time to lecture him about his bad attitude.

Allan only wants to swim and have adventures.

Suddenly the car is struck by another vehicle, and then another. When Allan wakes up in the hospital some time later, his parents are dead, and he can no longer walk. When he is ready to go home, it is his father’s brother, Rubic, who is there to take care of him.

Allan is a little resentful of Rubic, a little resentful of his whole situation. He either can’t or won’t talk. Finally, Rubic has the idea of taking him fishing in the mountains.

Allan is a little resentful of this too, but they go anyway. And while they are there, a flash flood comes up and washes them away. Allan’s wheelchair is washed away, and when they come to rest, Allan finds that Rubic has almost drowned. Allan tries to resuscitate Rubic, but has only limited success as he is pinned under a boulder. Allan knows he has to get help. He begins dragging himself back to their camp.

Something happens on the way, though. Allan begins seeing strange lizard people. Then a girl comes along who talks about selling him to the highest bidder. Eventually, Allan is rescued by a flock of flying balloon people who fly with him to another planet, where he actually does have some adventures – most of them dangerous. Most of the people there are hostile, but he manages to make a few friends.

Finally, Allan earns the right to come back to earth. Or perhaps the truth is that he never really went away after all. But in any case, he is talking again and has come to accept his situation. And he and Rubic are both safe (though it was a near thing for both of them) – at least for now.
I have found myself reviewing a lot of middle-grade books lately. Which is a good thing because I have two children that are within the age range and I am always on the lookout for books that they would like. After reading Strange Lands, I think this would be a book that my 10-year-old son would like.

The plot itself is pretty straightforward. Allan, a boy in 8th grade, was in a horrific car accident that not only paralyzed him but took the lives of his parents. What made the accident even more tragic, well at least to me, was that Allan had been disqualified from a swim meet, after winning it, because of failing a math test and his parents come to find out that he is missing work in other areas of school as well. So, when the crash occurred, his mother and father were lecturing him. I could see why he was rendered mute as well. Poor thing was living with the guilt that he caused the car accident.

I don’t know if I would class Allan as likable at first. He had a lot of issues due to the accident and was definitely taking it out on his uncle. I was glad when Rubic forced Allan to go on the fishing trip. It took Allan out of his comfort zone and got Allan somewhat out of his funk. Of course, something goes wrong and that is where the book took off.

Rubic and Allan were caught in a surprise flash flood when fishing in the creek. Rubic snatches Allan out of his wheelchair and runs for it and almost makes it. But a boulder knocks Rubic out and leaves Allan helpless in the mud beside him. After damming up the water, so Rubic doesn’t drown, Allan starts crawling to get help. Along the way, he crawls through a field of flowers and ends up somewhere else and that is the start of his adventure.

What I liked is that the author didn’t downplay Allan’s disability at all. Allan wasn’t miraculously cured of being paralyzed (but he did get mechanical legs to help him out with part of his quest). Allan learned to work with his disability when he was in Lan Darr. What I also liked is that his mental issues were addressed too. The speech given by Mizzi about the accident touched me and brought me to tears.

The storyline with Rubic was interesting too. I saw him grow, even in that day, from the uncle who was forced to take care of his nephew to a parent searching for his child. He was willing to do anything to get Allan back…even if that meant getting even more hurt.

I will say that both storylines were brought together beautifully. While Asantia’s identity was kept under wraps, it still surprised me about who her mother was. How it was revealed was a huge surprise too. While not a cliffhanger, the ending did leave it open for another book.