Book Review: The Key to Rondo

The Key to Rondo by Emily Rodda, Scholastic Press, New York, 2007

This is another very interesting world created by Emily Rodda.  In this case the world is on the outside of a music box.  Leo inherits the music box when his aunt dies.  His cousin, Mimi inherits an old locket.  Rondo lives in the scenes painted on the sides of the music box.  Mimi doesn't always follow the rules, and especially those of the music box.  She winds it too many times, and sets the world of Rondo into motion.  A wicked queen comes and grabs her dog before going back to her world.  Mimi is determined to follow and rescue her dog.  This is a new world to our heroes, one which they must discover for themselves.  At every turn they are challenged with issues of trust—who should they trust?  Who works for the evil queen and who doesn’t?  Who are their allies?  They meet a faithful pig who befriends them and comes along.  They also upon a "hidey" hole which they find very useful.  Still, because they find it hard to trust others, they keep getting into problems. 

Book Review: The Third Door by: Emily Rodda

The Third Door by: Emily Rodda, Scholastic Press, New York, 2012.  This is the third and final book in this trilogy.  This book has some fantastic adventures, and finally reveals the entire story of the doors and what we have seen through each door.  It does not conclude how I thought it would conclude.  In fact the island of Dorne is in greater danger and I thought possible.  It is only in the use of the power of the magical candy that Rye is able to influence the people to see what they are doing before it is done.  It also reveals that Rye is not the only one with magical powers.  We are also told the relationship between this world and Deltora of Rodda's earlier books.  If you like juvenile fiction with lots of adventure and new worlds, then this is a great book.

Book Review: The Silver Door by: Emily Rodda

The Silver Door by: Emily Rodda, Scholastic, New York, 2012.
This is the second of three books in the door series.  I am enjoying them immensely as three brothers and their friend Sonia are intent on saving their people.  The skimmers, birds of terror are killing the people, and only traveling through the door might there be an answer.  It seems every time they get closer to solving something, they get more in trouble.  In this book they are taken captive and Rye is separated from his magic charms.  In this book he discovers a shell power which protects he and those touching in a chain.  He also discovers a magic key.  Will it be enough?

Book Review: The Golden Door by Emily Rodda, Scholastic Press, New York, 2011.

Rye is 16, the youngest of three brothers.  His older two brothers both have gone to find and stop whoever is sending skimmers (birds that have been coming to the walled city for seven years no, killing and eating people and animals and destroying gardens) outside the wall through special magical doors.  The skimmers had killed their father as he worked on the wall.  The wall had been built to protect the people, but now it only locks them in as they are prey for the predatory birds.  Rye is not old enough to join them. Each in their turn is presumed dead, as they do not return.  The skimmers destroy the family garden, and they go to the Keep, government poor house, to be cared for.  Mother is to work in the kitchens, and Rye to the children’s home.  However Rye volunteers to go through the doors instead, even though he is too young.  Sonia joins him, at her insistence.  Sonia is a young woman who travels through the castle in the chimney system.

When Rye gets to the place of choosing, he chooses the Golden door.  He is sure his oldest brother went this way and he is alive, and he is in need.  Rye and Sonia find a new world.  Nothing like the maps they have seen.  This is a very dangerous world, but somehow Rye pleases the Fellans, magical keepers of the forest who do not get involved.  They give Rye 9 magical powers via tokens in a bag.  Rye feels he has tricked them, but accepts the tokens.  He is not sure what his gifts do, but he does learn a few of them before the end of the book.  The protect him.  He can run fast, become invisible, has a light, ability to see through things, and can swim and can fly.

This country is one where every seven years, Olt, the ruler, kills by gruesome means, for the magical power of longer life.  He is set to kill seven young people.  Rye's brother, his brother’s girlfriend, and Sonia all end up as people fit for killing as they must be strong, and unblemished.  How can Rye save them?

Book Review: Deltora Shadowlands

Deltona Shadowlands by: Emily Rodda, Scholastic, Australia, 2002.

This is the continuing saga of our three friends, Lief, Jasmine and Barda.  However this time their adventures take them right into the land of the evil Shadow Lord.  Lief, who is now king, must be protected to preserve the Belt of Deltora which they discovered in the first series of books.  This series is three books, in the realms underneath the earth, and then the realm of the Shadow Lands.  The titles of the book give some idea of the challenges.  “Cavern of Fear”, "The Isle of Illusion” and “The Shadowlands”.  These stories are just as exciting as the original Deltora books.  They fast many challenges, mollusk monsters who want to encase them in mud, a vraal which is bred for killing, tiny worms which attach to you brain and makes it so you belong to the Shadow Lord, and many other strange creatures, some of which are helpful—such as the eels who provide rides.  However there is much danger in this world, and the Shadow Lord is not beyond manipulating the facts and putting ideas into people’s minds. 

Book Review: Deltora Quest

Deltora Quest by Emily Rodda, Scholatic Books, Australia.

This volume is actually eight books, which comprise the Deltora Quest.  Three companions, a blacksmith’s son, a wild woman of the forest and a king’s guard, are given the task of restoring the belt of Deltora, which when worn by the rightful heir of the kingdom will give the power to conquer the Shadow Lord.  There are seven gems, and the book titles give the quest of each book:  The Forests of Silence, The Lake of Tears, City of the Rats, Shifting Sands, Dread Mountain, The Maze of the Beast, The Valley of the Lost and Return to Del.  This book has many incredible adventures,  and likable characters.  I really loved it.  In fact, I would compare it favorably to the “Wizard of Oz” series.   In this book, each chapter includes a journey and a goal.  It seems the odds are insurmountable; but somehow.  The ending of this series is nothing like I suspected.  Throughout the book they are weary of a spy amongst the group.  (Not our loyal three, but among those they befriend along the way.) 

My only regret with these books is that they had to end.  However, I now see there are a couple of subsequent series.