Reviews and Comments

This is a fantasy novel that has virtually no magic for most of the book. Instead it's more like one of those circa 1800s war novels where Sharpe is out fighting in the colonies.

As it happens, I love that sort of novel and thoroughly enjoyed this one. I'm going to reserve the next volume in this series right now even though there are indications that it will be more magic focused.

I love Roz Chast and her cartoons, but I cannot give this book 5 stars.

Marco is a talking bird who goes to his first day of school. The day had ups and downs. From what I remember of kindergarten back in 1965, some of it seems to be similar - nap time? what self-respecting 5-year-old takes naps when there is so much to do.

For Marco, he would rather get started on his plan to get to the moon.

So here is why I can't give 5 stars:

(1) Marco is a talking bird. Which is okay. But I just prefer talking rodents. I don't know why, but I do.

(2) [Spoiler warning] Marco does not get to the moon. This may be realistic and it could be that the kids who read this need to know that while they might meet other kids in kindergarten who will help them make enormous block towers, they won't be reaching the moon.

The message is clear. I should write a story about a talking rat who goes into outer space.

I love Roz Chast and her cartoons, but I cannot give this book 5 stars.

Marco is a talking bird who goes to his first day of school. The day had ups and downs. From what I remember of kindergarten back in 1965, some of it seems to be similar - nap time? what self-respecting 5-year-old takes naps when there is so much to do.

For Marco, he would rather get started on his plan to get to the moon.

So here is why I can't give 5 stars:

(1) Marco is a talking bird. Which is okay. But I just prefer talking rodents. I don't know why, but I do.

(2) [Spoiler warning] Marco does not get to the moon. This may be realistic and it could be that the kids who read this need to know that while they might meet other kids in kindergarten who will help them make enormous block towers, they won't be reaching the moon.

The message is clear. I should write a story about a talking rat who goes into outer space.

I read this book because I liked the stories about the heroine Matt Black in Hoffman's Permeable Borders.

I wouldn't say I loved this book, but I definitely want to read more stories about the magical Matt and her witch friend Edmund.

Arthur gets drafted.

Here's something I like about this series compared to Harry Potter: As Harry Potter got older, he became more of a jerk and more petulant about fighting the bad guys.

Arthur might be getting tougher, but he's taking on his responsibility and if anything becoming more considerate of the people around him.

[Possible spoiler: No talking rats in this book, but there are hints they'll show up again.]

Arthur gets drafted.

Here's something I like about this series compared to Harry Potter: As Harry Potter got older, he became more of a jerk and more petulant about fighting the bad guys.

Arthur might be getting tougher, but he's taking on his responsibility and if anything becoming more considerate of the people around him.

[Possible spoiler: No talking rats in this book, but there are hints they'll show up again.]

Roz Chast is one of my favourite cartoonists. I've snipped some of her pages from old New Yorkers and hung them on my wall. This book has a mixture of cartoons and prose that tells a story that is sad and touching and sometimes funny. Even if I had my own copy, I wouldn't be cutting out pages to put on the wall.

I'm thoroughly enjoying this series. Each book has Arthur up against a different set of bad guys and each time the bad guys are very different.

I'm still reminded of the Wizard of Oz series with this series, and still prefer Nix's magica and weirdness as well as the characters.

As a naval action buff, this novel could have given me more, but it had talking rats and I always love a story with talking rats.

The only problem with this book is that it is a collection of short stories and not a bookshelf of novels.

Garth Nix has a gift for creating characters that you really care about with just a few sentences.

I'm afraid the only thing stopping me from a complete Garth Nix binge is the time it takes for his books to become available at the library.

The only problem with this book is that it is a collection of short stories and not a bookshelf of novels.

Garth Nix has a gift for creating characters that you really care about with just a few sentences.

I'm afraid the only thing stopping me from a complete Garth Nix binge is the time it takes for his books to become available at the library.

I enjoyed this more than its predecessor, The Just City. I'll read everything Jo Walton writes because some of her books have been amazing. This one isn't amazing, but it's interesting.

Especially after just reading Martin Millar's The Goddess of Buttercups and Daisies, which also features the goddess Athena.