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Shadow Walkers
"I just devoured the book, a good story for any age."—ALAN CHEUSE, NPR's "All Things Considered" Zach lives with his grandparents on a remote island in Puget Sound in Washington State. With only his little brother, Gilbert, to keep him company, Zach feels cut off from the world. But when Gilbert is kidnapped, Zach tries the only thing he can think of to find astral projection. Soon, his spirit is soaring through the strange and boundless astral realm—a shadow place. While searching for his brother, Zach meets a boy named Emory, another astral traveler who's intriguing (and cute). As Zach and Emory track the kidnappers from the astral realm, their bond grows—but each moment could be Gilbert's last. Even worse, there's a menacing, centuries-old creature in their midst that devours souls and possesses physical bodies. And it's hungry for Zach. From Brent Hartinger, the award-winning and critically acclaimed author of Geography Club
216 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2011
6 people are currently reading
608 people want to read
About the author
Brent Hartinger
27 books812 followersI am Brent Hartinger, a novelist and screenwriter. I’ve published fourteen novels and had two of my books turned into feature films — with several more movies still in the works. One of my movies even co-starred SUPERMAN's David Corenswet.
I try hard to write books that are page-turners and commercial (and movies that are fast-paced and accessible). If I had to describe my own writing projects, I would say, “Strong central concept, strong plot, strong character and voice. Not artsy, self-indulgent, or pretentious, but still thoughtful and smart with something to say.”
I mostly write YA books — LGBTQ and thrillers, sometimes LGBTQ thrillers. My first novel, GEOGRAPHY CLUB (2003) was one of the first in a new wave of break-out LGBTQ young adult fiction, and it was adapted as a feature film in 2013.
My latest book is INFINITE DRIFT (2025), a mind-bending YA supernatural thriller with a bonkers bisexual love triangle.
Here are all my books:
STANDALONE BOOKS
* Infinite Drift
* Project Pay Day
* Three Truths and a Lie
* Grand & Humble
* Shadow Walkers
THE OTTO DIGMORE SERIES
* The Otto Digmore Difference (book 1)
* The Otto Digmore Decision (book 2)
RUSSEL MIDDLEBROOK: THE FUTON YEARS
* The Thing I Didn't Know I Didn't Know (book #1)
* Barefoot in the City of Broken Dreams (book #2)
* The Road to Amazing (book #3)
THE RUSSEL MIDDLEBROOK SERIES
* Geography Club (book #1)
* The Order of the Poison Oak (book #2)
* Double Feature: Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies/Bride of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies (book #3)
* The Elephant of Surprise (book #4)
I answer all questions, so feel free to contact me on social media, or through my website: BrentHartinger.com
Cheers!
Brent Hartinger
I try hard to write books that are page-turners and commercial (and movies that are fast-paced and accessible). If I had to describe my own writing projects, I would say, “Strong central concept, strong plot, strong character and voice. Not artsy, self-indulgent, or pretentious, but still thoughtful and smart with something to say.”
I mostly write YA books — LGBTQ and thrillers, sometimes LGBTQ thrillers. My first novel, GEOGRAPHY CLUB (2003) was one of the first in a new wave of break-out LGBTQ young adult fiction, and it was adapted as a feature film in 2013.
My latest book is INFINITE DRIFT (2025), a mind-bending YA supernatural thriller with a bonkers bisexual love triangle.
Here are all my books:
STANDALONE BOOKS
* Infinite Drift
* Project Pay Day
* Three Truths and a Lie
* Grand & Humble
* Shadow Walkers
THE OTTO DIGMORE SERIES
* The Otto Digmore Difference (book 1)
* The Otto Digmore Decision (book 2)
RUSSEL MIDDLEBROOK: THE FUTON YEARS
* The Thing I Didn't Know I Didn't Know (book #1)
* Barefoot in the City of Broken Dreams (book #2)
* The Road to Amazing (book #3)
THE RUSSEL MIDDLEBROOK SERIES
* Geography Club (book #1)
* The Order of the Poison Oak (book #2)
* Double Feature: Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies/Bride of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies (book #3)
* The Elephant of Surprise (book #4)
I answer all questions, so feel free to contact me on social media, or through my website: BrentHartinger.com
Cheers!
Brent Hartinger
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
January 22, 2011
Disappointing but unique paranormal read, 1.5 stars
In Brent Hartinger’s SHADOW WALKERS, Zach is a lonely teen living off the Washington coast. Stuck on an island with only his grandparents, his younger brother, and a few thousand residents, Zach feels lost and disconnected except for the friends he has online. When his younger brother, Gilbert, goes missing mysteriously, Zach learns how to astral project and look for him. While shifting about the astral realm, Zach meets Emory, another teen boy and a cute one at that. As Zach and Emory move through astral space together, hot on the trail of Gilbert’s kidnappers, they become closer, but they are also menaced by a true evil that seeks to use their souls and bodies.
After being impressed with Hartinger’s touching short story in 21 PROMS, I was looking forward to this book. Unfortunately, SHADOW WALKERS fell short for me. The concept of astral projection was different and relatively unique, but it came across as unbelievable and campy. The messy and convoluted storyline tried to push too many plot threads into one short book, and when the novel did try to address major issues, it did so weakly in just a few paragraphs or pages. With a focus on action, like finding the kidnappers or evading evil in the astral realm, there was also little character development. Additionally, the romantic connection seemed implausible, because it was acted upon without any type of communication between the two boys about their interest or their sexual orientation. Overall, I never found myself invested in the characters or interested in their story.
On the good side, SHADOW WALKERS is paranormal in a wholly different way than usual with its focus on astral projection, a bit of evil reincarnate, and a romantic relationship between two gay teens. The novel also tries to tackle important but difficult issues like disability and self-image, online versus real-world interaction, and small town mentalities. For fans of the early work of Lois Duncan, like STRANGER WITH MY FACE and THE THIRD EYE, this book may also be a welcome return to the psychic thrillers of 1980s young adult fiction.
While I went into SHADOW WALKERS hoping for an enjoyable and unique paranormal read, complete with a gay romance, I was left disappointed. In future paranormal novels, I hope that Hartinger focuses on better world building and a more focused plot that expands on some of the complex and defining issues he touched on in this book.
Note: This review refers to an advance reader's copy.
In Brent Hartinger’s SHADOW WALKERS, Zach is a lonely teen living off the Washington coast. Stuck on an island with only his grandparents, his younger brother, and a few thousand residents, Zach feels lost and disconnected except for the friends he has online. When his younger brother, Gilbert, goes missing mysteriously, Zach learns how to astral project and look for him. While shifting about the astral realm, Zach meets Emory, another teen boy and a cute one at that. As Zach and Emory move through astral space together, hot on the trail of Gilbert’s kidnappers, they become closer, but they are also menaced by a true evil that seeks to use their souls and bodies.
After being impressed with Hartinger’s touching short story in 21 PROMS, I was looking forward to this book. Unfortunately, SHADOW WALKERS fell short for me. The concept of astral projection was different and relatively unique, but it came across as unbelievable and campy. The messy and convoluted storyline tried to push too many plot threads into one short book, and when the novel did try to address major issues, it did so weakly in just a few paragraphs or pages. With a focus on action, like finding the kidnappers or evading evil in the astral realm, there was also little character development. Additionally, the romantic connection seemed implausible, because it was acted upon without any type of communication between the two boys about their interest or their sexual orientation. Overall, I never found myself invested in the characters or interested in their story.
On the good side, SHADOW WALKERS is paranormal in a wholly different way than usual with its focus on astral projection, a bit of evil reincarnate, and a romantic relationship between two gay teens. The novel also tries to tackle important but difficult issues like disability and self-image, online versus real-world interaction, and small town mentalities. For fans of the early work of Lois Duncan, like STRANGER WITH MY FACE and THE THIRD EYE, this book may also be a welcome return to the psychic thrillers of 1980s young adult fiction.
While I went into SHADOW WALKERS hoping for an enjoyable and unique paranormal read, complete with a gay romance, I was left disappointed. In future paranormal novels, I hope that Hartinger focuses on better world building and a more focused plot that expands on some of the complex and defining issues he touched on in this book.
Note: This review refers to an advance reader's copy.
August 16, 2015
Two boys in need of real friendship find each other in a most unusual way. Zach and his younger brother Gilbert are being raised by their grandparents on Hinder Island in Puget Sound after a car accident claimed their parents. Zach dreams of the day he can leave the isolated island and can find someone like himself he can share with. Fate presents an opportunity for him to leave the island without actually going anywhere. While he explores the shadow realm he meets Emory, a boy his own age who has also started to explore the shadow realm to escape his controlling parents and the confines of his life as a paraplegic. When Gilbert goes missing in the real world the two boys go searching for him and his captors. In the process they discover that they are the person each has been searching for and how truly connected they are in the shadow realm and in the real world. A great read of self discovery and personal growth, a reminder that we are never truly alone.
May 25, 2012
Rating: 2/5
I heard many great things about this author. At the same time, as someone who has seen many young adult books with gay themes book covers (with shirtless guys typically in a sexual manner) I was very nervous in reading this book. Why? Well for some reason - gee, I wonder why *ahem book covers* - it seems that young adult gay themed novels are sexual in nature. It revolves around sex or sexual exploration, which I do not care about. Sure I can do the romance part (for instance I read YA romances from girls' perspectives - I'm not a girl) but from what I hear, it's usually just fluff. Things I'm not interested in. So when this book was passed along as a recommendation, I was reserved. But the low score had nothing to do with "fluff" as there was none but the writing.
I did a bit of research on Hartinger when I picked up this book. It seems he won a couple of awards for his work in the young adult genre, but for his book Geography Club. So my caution was lowered as I thought an award winner had to be able to write well.
Shadow Walkers started off well, very well in fact. We get a good glimpse of Zach and Gilbert, two brothers, and their relationship. The first few pages established well their age difference and how they see one another. Though the pet name and explanation of the pet name for Gilbert did seem like Hartinger was trying too hard to either be clever or stand out. It didn't work for me. It felt a little cheesy. Zach's crush on the Wounded Wolf guy was very nicely portrayed too.
But as the story progressed, none of the characters grew. They stayed where they were introduced, and readers don't get to delve any deeper into the characters. Zach was just like any other teen. There was nothing that made him stand apart from others. Nothing that made him memorable - nothing to make me care deeply about him. Emory the other boy who shows up later was the same, though his meeting was just mediocre at best. I wanted to care about these kids because one, Zach was gay; two, Emory deals with a physical handicap... things that aren't typically portrayed in YA literature or novels. I felt like Hartinger could have taken us there, deeper into these kids mind and really see their emotions, but no - alas we only see a surface. Some folks may even call these characters flat and though I disagree, I can see why they would say that.
The motivations for the characters are very weak. Zach seems very undecided, should he save his brother or should he pursue his crush or what's with the monsters hiding in the dark corner. This wasn't really Zach's fault. It's the plot points and the little space the plot points had to stretch out on. This book is a little over 200 pages which was not nearly enough for the story to be properly told and filled to fully incorporate a good story telling. The other sub characters were flat. They were typical and nothing special at all. In my opinion, there was one very minor character who played a very large role (you'll know who I'm talking about if you choose to read the book) who had no character at all. His actions where almost spontaneous and there were no details to support his character. No clues to detail that he was a bit extreme. It read as if he was the way he was because it helped the book move along and filled a plot hole.
The plot. The astral projection was interesting only the presentation was somewhat corny and fell very short of being informed and deep. The lore and explanations of the astral projection and the "spirit world" in which Zach travels through were vague at best and it left a lot to be desired. The missing brother plot point, not so much. Things (the Astral Projection book he happens to find in his dad's dresser) were brought into place to fill the holes in the plot (what exactly were the portals... I mean really... we only get specualtions. In fact, everything in the spirit world were speculations) but if you think just a tad deeper you realize the covers were very thin. Again, I think the problem was the way the story and plot points were presented in such a small page amount.
Overall, the plot was interesting and "new" to the YA genre. The writing was good and descriptive when it came to real-time setting (i.e. where the characters were (place... where they were standing and what they saw) in their immediate moment) but lack deep intricate details in lore and character developement. I had high hopes because of the author hype (awards and recommendation) and the gay aspect, but neither were pulled strong enough to make Shadow Walkers a great book.
Verdict: I hate to say this but I almost will say pass. If you're curious, sure, by all means, read it. It's not bad horrible like some other books, but there are also definitely better books out there.
Visit my book review blog at ravenousbiblioworm.wordpress.com
I heard many great things about this author. At the same time, as someone who has seen many young adult books with gay themes book covers (with shirtless guys typically in a sexual manner) I was very nervous in reading this book. Why? Well for some reason - gee, I wonder why *ahem book covers* - it seems that young adult gay themed novels are sexual in nature. It revolves around sex or sexual exploration, which I do not care about. Sure I can do the romance part (for instance I read YA romances from girls' perspectives - I'm not a girl) but from what I hear, it's usually just fluff. Things I'm not interested in. So when this book was passed along as a recommendation, I was reserved. But the low score had nothing to do with "fluff" as there was none but the writing.
I did a bit of research on Hartinger when I picked up this book. It seems he won a couple of awards for his work in the young adult genre, but for his book Geography Club. So my caution was lowered as I thought an award winner had to be able to write well.
Shadow Walkers started off well, very well in fact. We get a good glimpse of Zach and Gilbert, two brothers, and their relationship. The first few pages established well their age difference and how they see one another. Though the pet name and explanation of the pet name for Gilbert did seem like Hartinger was trying too hard to either be clever or stand out. It didn't work for me. It felt a little cheesy. Zach's crush on the Wounded Wolf guy was very nicely portrayed too.
But as the story progressed, none of the characters grew. They stayed where they were introduced, and readers don't get to delve any deeper into the characters. Zach was just like any other teen. There was nothing that made him stand apart from others. Nothing that made him memorable - nothing to make me care deeply about him. Emory the other boy who shows up later was the same, though his meeting was just mediocre at best. I wanted to care about these kids because one, Zach was gay; two, Emory deals with a physical handicap... things that aren't typically portrayed in YA literature or novels. I felt like Hartinger could have taken us there, deeper into these kids mind and really see their emotions, but no - alas we only see a surface. Some folks may even call these characters flat and though I disagree, I can see why they would say that.
The motivations for the characters are very weak. Zach seems very undecided, should he save his brother or should he pursue his crush or what's with the monsters hiding in the dark corner. This wasn't really Zach's fault. It's the plot points and the little space the plot points had to stretch out on. This book is a little over 200 pages which was not nearly enough for the story to be properly told and filled to fully incorporate a good story telling. The other sub characters were flat. They were typical and nothing special at all. In my opinion, there was one very minor character who played a very large role (you'll know who I'm talking about if you choose to read the book) who had no character at all. His actions where almost spontaneous and there were no details to support his character. No clues to detail that he was a bit extreme. It read as if he was the way he was because it helped the book move along and filled a plot hole.
The plot. The astral projection was interesting only the presentation was somewhat corny and fell very short of being informed and deep. The lore and explanations of the astral projection and the "spirit world" in which Zach travels through were vague at best and it left a lot to be desired. The missing brother plot point, not so much. Things (the Astral Projection book he happens to find in his dad's dresser) were brought into place to fill the holes in the plot (what exactly were the portals... I mean really... we only get specualtions. In fact, everything in the spirit world were speculations) but if you think just a tad deeper you realize the covers were very thin. Again, I think the problem was the way the story and plot points were presented in such a small page amount.
Overall, the plot was interesting and "new" to the YA genre. The writing was good and descriptive when it came to real-time setting (i.e. where the characters were (place... where they were standing and what they saw) in their immediate moment) but lack deep intricate details in lore and character developement. I had high hopes because of the author hype (awards and recommendation) and the gay aspect, but neither were pulled strong enough to make Shadow Walkers a great book.
Verdict: I hate to say this but I almost will say pass. If you're curious, sure, by all means, read it. It's not bad horrible like some other books, but there are also definitely better books out there.
Visit my book review blog at ravenousbiblioworm.wordpress.com
July 10, 2011
From the same author of The Geography club, I was interested in reading this new novel.
From the Blurb, it didn’t really seem like the sort of thing I would be interested in, but having read some of Hartingers other work; I decided to give it a go. A certain amount of poetic license has been used in terms of rationalizing and bringing the concept of Astral Projection to the reader base, but if you are able to suspend disbelief and accept the concept, purely as a plot device, it’s not a bad read.
The two main characters Zach and Emory, meet in the Astral Dimension whilst Zach searches for his younger brother who has mysteriously disappeared. Emory helps Zach track down his brother and along the way falls head over heels in love with Zach. This is where I had to drop a couple of marks for the book. The Astral Projection concept aside, what is completely unrealistic in this story is how Emory can profess his undying love for Zach, within the first few hours of them being introduced. I wonder if the author was further developing the idea on the lack of physical limitations in the Astral plane, to encompass the emotional aspects as well? but if it was, it wasn’t obvious.
I honestly think part of the problem with the book was the complexity of the subject matter, Astral projection, Coming of Age, first love, child abduction, spiritual immortality, good versus evil, it was an awful lot to try and cram into 130 pages, and ultimately led to an experience that felt slightly rushed.
Despite this though, I did find myself enjoying the book and would still suggest giving it a go, especially if you want something quick to read in 1 sitting.
From the Blurb, it didn’t really seem like the sort of thing I would be interested in, but having read some of Hartingers other work; I decided to give it a go. A certain amount of poetic license has been used in terms of rationalizing and bringing the concept of Astral Projection to the reader base, but if you are able to suspend disbelief and accept the concept, purely as a plot device, it’s not a bad read.
The two main characters Zach and Emory, meet in the Astral Dimension whilst Zach searches for his younger brother who has mysteriously disappeared. Emory helps Zach track down his brother and along the way falls head over heels in love with Zach. This is where I had to drop a couple of marks for the book. The Astral Projection concept aside, what is completely unrealistic in this story is how Emory can profess his undying love for Zach, within the first few hours of them being introduced. I wonder if the author was further developing the idea on the lack of physical limitations in the Astral plane, to encompass the emotional aspects as well? but if it was, it wasn’t obvious.
I honestly think part of the problem with the book was the complexity of the subject matter, Astral projection, Coming of Age, first love, child abduction, spiritual immortality, good versus evil, it was an awful lot to try and cram into 130 pages, and ultimately led to an experience that felt slightly rushed.
Despite this though, I did find myself enjoying the book and would still suggest giving it a go, especially if you want something quick to read in 1 sitting.
May 21, 2011
After reading Hartinger's Geography Club last year, I wasn't raring to dive into more of his work. That isn't to say that it was bad, it just wasn't the type of gay YA fiction I like.
However, after hearing a book reviewer for NPR give Shadow Walkers the thumbs-up, I decided to try it. I have to say, it was the right choice.
I polished off nearly the entire book in one evening, which isn't too hard since it's very short, but the compliment stands. The book is fast-paced, exciting and totally original.
I enjoyed every page and now have more faith in Brent Hartinger's abilities. I'll definitely been reading more of his work after all.
However, after hearing a book reviewer for NPR give Shadow Walkers the thumbs-up, I decided to try it. I have to say, it was the right choice.
I polished off nearly the entire book in one evening, which isn't too hard since it's very short, but the compliment stands. The book is fast-paced, exciting and totally original.
I enjoyed every page and now have more faith in Brent Hartinger's abilities. I'll definitely been reading more of his work after all.
August 26, 2012
This book was one of the most disappointing books I've read, compared to its potential. Its themes of gay and disabled teens are rarely found in YA books, and when handled well, the books can be great. Unfortunately, it was not handled well at all. The romance was sudden and unbelievable, and it added nothing to the plot. Despite this, it was a nice distraction from the plot, as I liked that even less. The villain's motivations sound like something I'd write in third grade, and they're just stupid. The book did have a few characters that were well thought out, but they weren't utilized to their full potential.
October 16, 2015
I had started reading this book at about 2:15 yesterday i finished around 10am this morning. The book was not good. I was so exited to read it when i first heard of it. It starts off really slow. I couldn't care less about the charters or were they lived. By the middle it started to feel rushed. It felt like the romance in it was forced, they added a monster that just wasn't needed in my opinion, an the main plot of the story (Zack's kidnapped brother) felt as if it was solved way to soon. I feel that if it had been a little longer the aurther could have done more. Made the characters more interesting to me.
January 20, 2015
I received this book from a tour site and, while it had an interesting premise, the delivery was not quite up to par. I have a rule for this type of book: If I can't get into the story after the first few chapters, I skip to the end to see if it ends the way I anticipate. If it does, then the plot is predictable enough, and I stop reading. That is what happened with this book. Perhaps this would be a good book for its intended audience - gay teen/tween boys with a penchant for scifi and romance. However, it just wasn't something I could get into.
July 17, 2018
The lore of astral projection gets mixed up with a kidnapping mystery. It could have been an awkward fit but the author wisely dispenses with the more ridiculous trappings of that outdated mumbo-jumbo.
In fact, Mr. Hartinger does a clever bait-and-switch with his story. The kidnap victim isn’t what we think he is. The strange old lady doesn’t turn out to be a wise seer in disguise and the tentacle nightmare isn’t what it seems.
For a while, it seemed almost like a Scooby Doo episode, wherein a supernatural nightmare turns out to be human agents in disguise, disgruntled at being foiled by meddling kids. Even the title was nothing special, a generic label that could be found on over a dozen books about crime, fantasy and/or the supernatural. I found myself frequently annoyed by Zach’s refusal to call for the police when it seemed best that he do so. Why do YA novels always have teenaged or child protagonists thinking they know more than adults, that adults are essentially clueless idiots and authority figures are useless in times of crisis when it’s usually the opposite that are true?
But the novelist is smarter than that. Gradually, I was engaged in this story; I knew it when I found myself groaning, yelling or biting my lip with worry. It had sucked me in like the snake-octopus creature lurking within its pages. This is not a grand story but it’s a terrific YA novel in the Gothic horror tradition, replete with ghosts, criminals, graveyards and stalwart heroes.
In fact, Mr. Hartinger does a clever bait-and-switch with his story. The kidnap victim isn’t what we think he is. The strange old lady doesn’t turn out to be a wise seer in disguise and the tentacle nightmare isn’t what it seems.
For a while, it seemed almost like a Scooby Doo episode, wherein a supernatural nightmare turns out to be human agents in disguise, disgruntled at being foiled by meddling kids. Even the title was nothing special, a generic label that could be found on over a dozen books about crime, fantasy and/or the supernatural. I found myself frequently annoyed by Zach’s refusal to call for the police when it seemed best that he do so. Why do YA novels always have teenaged or child protagonists thinking they know more than adults, that adults are essentially clueless idiots and authority figures are useless in times of crisis when it’s usually the opposite that are true?
But the novelist is smarter than that. Gradually, I was engaged in this story; I knew it when I found myself groaning, yelling or biting my lip with worry. It had sucked me in like the snake-octopus creature lurking within its pages. This is not a grand story but it’s a terrific YA novel in the Gothic horror tradition, replete with ghosts, criminals, graveyards and stalwart heroes.
January 28, 2018
Reading Challenge 2018 - Bookish: book featuring a character with a disability. Zach and his little brother Gilbert live in Hinder Island with their grandparents after their parents we killed in a car wreck. Zach feels stranded on the small island with the Internet being his only escape. He discovers a book on how to astral project and gets three sticks of incense from the local new age shop to attempt this. He learns that astral projection can be both a good and bad thing. Gilbert is mistakenly kidnapped, which forces Zach to use his new found ability to search for him. On the astral plane, he meets Emery, another astral traveler. They proceed to rescue Gilbert, solve the mystery why he was kidnapped in the first place, and fall in love. Zach learns that Emery is wheel-chair bound due to being paraplegic. This does not stop the two from falling in love and eventually meeting in person.
January 10, 2018
This book was very exciting to read. I love the characters and the descriptions of the astral realm as well. It was hard to put down! I recommend this to any and all Stranger Things fans as well, as they are similar and both amazing.
July 31, 2011
I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I first picked this one up. I've read some of Brent Hartinger's previous novels and they were always just alright to me. Nothing really changed when Hartinger wrote Shadow Walkers. While I liked it, I felt like he could have done so much more with it, but didn't.
The main character was well written, but I felt like I really didn't get to know the rest of the characters as much as I would have liked. I felt detached from them, and when Gilbert's life was in danger I (sadly) didn't care as much as I normally would. He was a cute little kid, I just didn't connect with him. Same goes for Zach's grandparents, and with Emory. He provided some amusement, but other than his disability, I really didn't learn much about him. Something which might have been fixed if the novel had been a little longer. I felt like the entire novel (save the beginning, which was a little too slow for a book of only 216 pages) was too rushed. I wish the author would have slowed the pace down a little, which would have made the novel much more enjoyable, and the romance between Zach and Emory more believable (more on that in a minute).
Besides the lack of background information on the characters, I did feel that they developed a fair amount. I think Emory in particular. I felt like he learned to accept himself a little more, and it really helped his self-esteem to learn someone could like him for him, and not his disability. Zach grew as a character as well, but I felt like the author could have gone further with it as well. While Zach learned to become a little more social outside of his own little internet world, he still didn't make much of a move to finding friends other than his brother and Emory. I would have liked to see more there.
The plot was a little strange, but something I really haven't read before, which made it better. Astral projection was never something I had given much thought to before, and, despite reading Shadow Walkers, I still don't believe it's possible. However, it made for an interesting read. (Just think - if it was real, could you imagine how many kids would be sneaking out to meet up with their boyfriend/girlfriend? And parents wouldn't have a clue!) However, the "monster" was a little far-fetched.
Gilbert's kidnapping was the one part of the story I really liked. I liked how it turned out (see, who his kidnapper was) and how it was realistic. I enjoyed the fact that they didn't play it up to be this huge thing and had so many people looking for him. Yes, a missing kid is truly horrible, but I sometimes think that author's overplay missing persons. Often, I find it to be that someone goes missing and an hour later everyone is going crazy looking for him/her. When, in reality, cops typically don't get overly involved until the person has been missing for day or two. The best part about it? I didn't guess it before hand!
There were good part and bad parts to Shadow Walkers, and I wish I could be giving it a higher rating. Sadly, the characters were just too lacking, making me give Shadow Walkers 3/5 stars.
The main character was well written, but I felt like I really didn't get to know the rest of the characters as much as I would have liked. I felt detached from them, and when Gilbert's life was in danger I (sadly) didn't care as much as I normally would. He was a cute little kid, I just didn't connect with him. Same goes for Zach's grandparents, and with Emory. He provided some amusement, but other than his disability, I really didn't learn much about him. Something which might have been fixed if the novel had been a little longer. I felt like the entire novel (save the beginning, which was a little too slow for a book of only 216 pages) was too rushed. I wish the author would have slowed the pace down a little, which would have made the novel much more enjoyable, and the romance between Zach and Emory more believable (more on that in a minute).
Besides the lack of background information on the characters, I did feel that they developed a fair amount. I think Emory in particular. I felt like he learned to accept himself a little more, and it really helped his self-esteem to learn someone could like him for him, and not his disability. Zach grew as a character as well, but I felt like the author could have gone further with it as well. While Zach learned to become a little more social outside of his own little internet world, he still didn't make much of a move to finding friends other than his brother and Emory. I would have liked to see more there.
The plot was a little strange, but something I really haven't read before, which made it better. Astral projection was never something I had given much thought to before, and, despite reading Shadow Walkers, I still don't believe it's possible. However, it made for an interesting read. (Just think - if it was real, could you imagine how many kids would be sneaking out to meet up with their boyfriend/girlfriend? And parents wouldn't have a clue!) However, the "monster" was a little far-fetched.
Gilbert's kidnapping was the one part of the story I really liked. I liked how it turned out (see, who his kidnapper was) and how it was realistic. I enjoyed the fact that they didn't play it up to be this huge thing and had so many people looking for him. Yes, a missing kid is truly horrible, but I sometimes think that author's overplay missing persons. Often, I find it to be that someone goes missing and an hour later everyone is going crazy looking for him/her. When, in reality, cops typically don't get overly involved until the person has been missing for day or two. The best part about it? I didn't guess it before hand!
There were good part and bad parts to Shadow Walkers, and I wish I could be giving it a higher rating. Sadly, the characters were just too lacking, making me give Shadow Walkers 3/5 stars.
September 5, 2011
While Brent Hartinger is best known for his realistic fiction, particularly works with strong GLBTQQ characters, his newest work explores the realm of paranormal mysteries. Set on Hinder Island, a small island near Puget Sound in Washington state, readers meet Zach. Zach and his younger brother Gilbert moved to the small and quiet island community to live with their grandparents only a few years earlier, after the deaths of his parents.
It has not been the smoothest of transitions for Zach, who has felt the outsider since his arrival. He has made few friends, and has a quiet crush on one of the boys with whom he goes to school. His only outlets seem to be the online friendships he has developed.
It is this social isolation that got him interested in exploring astral projection when he is grounded from the Internet with nothing else to do but explore an old book of his father's. When his brother mysteriously disappears, he opts to give astral projection a try, in the hopes of finding Gilbert. To his surprise, he is able to explore the astral plane.
While there, he finds an ally in Emory, another teen who has learned to use the astral plane. The two start a search to find Gilbert. As they learn more about his disappearance, it becomes clear that time might be running out, and Gilbert is not the only one in danger. Something on the astral plane has an interest in them, and it is not for anything good.
This is definitely not one of Hartinger's best works, though, it is quite interesting all the same. I suspect that might be why it was released as a paperback rather than a hardcover. The typos sprinkled throughout are just the beginning. The core of the story and the characters is good, but things don't feel fully developed. Clues to the mystery surrounding Gilbert are presented, but are almost too obvious because of the skimpiness of the stories content. Things might have been helped with the inclusion of more characters to help with the creation of red herrings or possibilities.
Zach's experiences with his sexuality seem to be well presented. The crush he has on one of his schoolmates is realistic, and his developing relationship with his co-hero proves to be quite interesting and not overly rushed. In a way, this aspect of the story is more fully developed than the mystery or the dark supernatural elements the two boys are confronted with in the spectral plane.
The overall result, is a book with great potential (like and early draft) than a work that feels like finished copy. At just over 200 pages, things could have been filled in a bit more, creating a much stronger novel. That is not to say the book was not enjoyable, but it could have been stronger.
May 7, 2011
What first drew me in to Shadow Walkers was the idea of astral projection. I would love nothing more than to be able to leave my physical body behind and just travel! Brent Hartinger hits the nail on the head with his explanation in this book. By the time I had finished reading, I'd say I had a pretty good handle on the concept. If you have ever wondered about astral projection, you'll find it simply fascinating.
Truthfully though, other than the astral projection aspect, this book had a difficult time holding my attention. The characters are sweet enough. Zach has a good head on his shoulders, although he feels trapped on his island home. Emory is sincere and definitely meshes with Zach. However it was Gilbert that stole the show, let me tell you. This fireball of a little brother was so adorable! When he goes missing I seriously had a moment of panic. Such a cute little kid!
The romance aspect of the book was also a nice addition. I thought it was fabulous that Brent Hartinger included a homosexual romance that wasn't angst driven or a social issue. It did fall a little flat for me though, mostly in the believability department. Although I enjoyed the fact that the boys were able to connect on such an otherworldly level, their relationship moved like lightning. I've heard of stress bringing people together, but even with my paranormal blinders on I had a hard time accepting that they would be so into one another in such a short time.
Added on is a bit of a side story about an astral creature that tries to devour the souls floating in the astral realm. I liked this addition, but I so wished it was a little more drawn out and explained. It was genuinely interesting! It just happened to be overshadowed by everything else going on. I'd honestly have to say that my favorite part of the whole book was the mystery surrounding Gilbert's disappearance. I had no idea where that part of the story was going, and as Zach searched I genuinely worried. When your favorite character ends up missing, well that's just something that you end up worrying about.
My final verdict on this book is that it is a sweet, short and unique read. Although it didn't sate my whole literary appetite, there was definitely enough there to keep me coming back! If Zach, Emory and Gilbert come back in a second book I'll be there to follow them on their adventures.
Truthfully though, other than the astral projection aspect, this book had a difficult time holding my attention. The characters are sweet enough. Zach has a good head on his shoulders, although he feels trapped on his island home. Emory is sincere and definitely meshes with Zach. However it was Gilbert that stole the show, let me tell you. This fireball of a little brother was so adorable! When he goes missing I seriously had a moment of panic. Such a cute little kid!
The romance aspect of the book was also a nice addition. I thought it was fabulous that Brent Hartinger included a homosexual romance that wasn't angst driven or a social issue. It did fall a little flat for me though, mostly in the believability department. Although I enjoyed the fact that the boys were able to connect on such an otherworldly level, their relationship moved like lightning. I've heard of stress bringing people together, but even with my paranormal blinders on I had a hard time accepting that they would be so into one another in such a short time.
Added on is a bit of a side story about an astral creature that tries to devour the souls floating in the astral realm. I liked this addition, but I so wished it was a little more drawn out and explained. It was genuinely interesting! It just happened to be overshadowed by everything else going on. I'd honestly have to say that my favorite part of the whole book was the mystery surrounding Gilbert's disappearance. I had no idea where that part of the story was going, and as Zach searched I genuinely worried. When your favorite character ends up missing, well that's just something that you end up worrying about.
My final verdict on this book is that it is a sweet, short and unique read. Although it didn't sate my whole literary appetite, there was definitely enough there to keep me coming back! If Zach, Emory and Gilbert come back in a second book I'll be there to follow them on their adventures.
March 14, 2011
Summary: Zach’s life on a small island off the coast of Washington State is interrupted when his younger brother is suddenly kidnapped. The police doesn’t seem to be trying hard enough, so Zach takes matters into his own hands—he learns to astral project. In this shadowy plane, Zach meets a cute boy, and the two work together to uncover who kidnapped Zach’s brother.
My thoughts: I’d never read about astral projection before, so Shadow Walkers was definitely interesting. Brent Hartinger developed the idea of walking through a dream world really well, and I felt as if I understood the concept pretty well by the time the story was over. The astral projection world was creative, too—I enjoyed the little obstacles that got in Zach’s way as he navigated around, especially the evil squid-thing (don’t laugh!).
Other than the unique astral projecting concept, I wasn’t too thrilled with Shadow Walkers. Almost all of the characters seemed pretty flat to me, with the exception of Zach and his little brother, Gilbert. The little dude had such a great personality! Zach’s feelings of isolation and loneliness were laid out pretty well, and I liked that he had such a strong relationship with friends over the internet. I’m sure most of us bloggers can relate to that! Other than those two characters, though, I didn’t feel any connection with others in the story.
Zach’s romance with Emory, the boy he meets while astral projecting, seemed extremely unnatural—they meet, and two days later are professing their love for each other. Even for a paranormal romance, I felt it was way too unrealistic (I actually snorted when Emory told Zach he loved him! I just couldn’t believe it!).
The mystery aspect of the story was a bit predictable, and Zach’s “I have to be a hero” attitude got stale after a while. Still, I managed to finish the book easily in two hours, and was content with the (somewhat unbelievable) ending. Though I can’t say that I completely enjoyed Shadow Walkers, others, especially younger readers, might find the suspense of the shadow world fascinating.
2.5/5 stars
My thoughts: I’d never read about astral projection before, so Shadow Walkers was definitely interesting. Brent Hartinger developed the idea of walking through a dream world really well, and I felt as if I understood the concept pretty well by the time the story was over. The astral projection world was creative, too—I enjoyed the little obstacles that got in Zach’s way as he navigated around, especially the evil squid-thing (don’t laugh!).
Other than the unique astral projecting concept, I wasn’t too thrilled with Shadow Walkers. Almost all of the characters seemed pretty flat to me, with the exception of Zach and his little brother, Gilbert. The little dude had such a great personality! Zach’s feelings of isolation and loneliness were laid out pretty well, and I liked that he had such a strong relationship with friends over the internet. I’m sure most of us bloggers can relate to that! Other than those two characters, though, I didn’t feel any connection with others in the story.
Zach’s romance with Emory, the boy he meets while astral projecting, seemed extremely unnatural—they meet, and two days later are professing their love for each other. Even for a paranormal romance, I felt it was way too unrealistic (I actually snorted when Emory told Zach he loved him! I just couldn’t believe it!).
The mystery aspect of the story was a bit predictable, and Zach’s “I have to be a hero” attitude got stale after a while. Still, I managed to finish the book easily in two hours, and was content with the (somewhat unbelievable) ending. Though I can’t say that I completely enjoyed Shadow Walkers, others, especially younger readers, might find the suspense of the shadow world fascinating.
2.5/5 stars
December 11, 2011
here's what I liked about the book:
1. Zach in an average kid that is thrust into an extraordinary situation... who just happens to be gay... there is no big deal about his being gay, it is not a major plot thing, other than he falls in love and that could happen if he was gay or not.
2. Emory is in a wheelchair, and this isn't a big deal, it is not a major plot thing, other than he falls in love and that could happen if he was in a wheelchair or not. - The author did a great job of showing that differences only exist in the eye of the beholder.
3. The story is engaging and the plot is "believable"- the book is well written.
4. The characters are fairly well developed.
I thought more care could have been put into some of the logistics of the story:
1. Zach reports a crime to the police - saying he got an IM from a random, unknown source, and the police don't ask for more clarity.. and, Zach says he is going to run up to his room to get more information - or to "check on it" and they leave.
2. the "creature that eats your astral head" doesn't really put up much of a fight at the end... this seemed like a weak ending... and was a good opportunity for the boys (Zach & Emory) to bond even more closely by way of an epic battle.
3. Zach spends a whole lot of time in the astral plane... and the police and his grand parents, for the most part leave him alone - they aren't worried or even check on him? given that his grandparents are so concerned about internet 'evil' this is a bit unbelievable.
All in all it is a good book. Brent Hartinger is a good writer, I do feel like this one was a bit rushed and telephoned in, but the story idea is great.
so... four stars.
1. Zach in an average kid that is thrust into an extraordinary situation... who just happens to be gay... there is no big deal about his being gay, it is not a major plot thing, other than he falls in love and that could happen if he was gay or not.
2. Emory is in a wheelchair, and this isn't a big deal, it is not a major plot thing, other than he falls in love and that could happen if he was in a wheelchair or not. - The author did a great job of showing that differences only exist in the eye of the beholder.
3. The story is engaging and the plot is "believable"- the book is well written.
4. The characters are fairly well developed.
I thought more care could have been put into some of the logistics of the story:
1. Zach reports a crime to the police - saying he got an IM from a random, unknown source, and the police don't ask for more clarity.. and, Zach says he is going to run up to his room to get more information - or to "check on it" and they leave.
2. the "creature that eats your astral head" doesn't really put up much of a fight at the end... this seemed like a weak ending... and was a good opportunity for the boys (Zach & Emory) to bond even more closely by way of an epic battle.
3. Zach spends a whole lot of time in the astral plane... and the police and his grand parents, for the most part leave him alone - they aren't worried or even check on him? given that his grandparents are so concerned about internet 'evil' this is a bit unbelievable.
All in all it is a good book. Brent Hartinger is a good writer, I do feel like this one was a bit rushed and telephoned in, but the story idea is great.
so... four stars.
August 27, 2014
3.5
What to do when your younger brother goes missing? First a frantic search of all his favorite spots and call all his friends, but then what? When you live on an island what do you do? Although both Zach and his grandparents thought that Hinder Island was a safe place, far away from the dangers of the world, but it turns out nowhere is safe. After having a sense that something wasn't right, Zach finds his brother missing and is frantic to save him.
So, desperate he turns to some strange incense the woman at the natural healing store gave him. Once he breaths it in he finds himself floating outside his body, able to travel great distances while his physical self remains still on the bed.
Once on the astral plane he can hear his brother crying, but can't do much about it without his body. He also meets Emory, another astral traveler, who has his own mysterious sadness to him. Zach needs Emory's help to save his brother, but will that be enough? Added to that is the dangerous shadow creature that lurks nearby, ready to attack them.
This was a rather short, quick read. It did have a bit of a creepy atmosphere to it and an interesting idea with the astral projection, but progressed too quickly. The two main characters seemed to immediately develop feelings for each other, with very little to support it and the tension wasn't enough to really create suspense. The characters seemed to defeat the forces against them easily even when the odds seemed overwhelming.
Overall it was a nice story, but it lacked the oomph to really carry it for me.
What to do when your younger brother goes missing? First a frantic search of all his favorite spots and call all his friends, but then what? When you live on an island what do you do? Although both Zach and his grandparents thought that Hinder Island was a safe place, far away from the dangers of the world, but it turns out nowhere is safe. After having a sense that something wasn't right, Zach finds his brother missing and is frantic to save him.
So, desperate he turns to some strange incense the woman at the natural healing store gave him. Once he breaths it in he finds himself floating outside his body, able to travel great distances while his physical self remains still on the bed.
Once on the astral plane he can hear his brother crying, but can't do much about it without his body. He also meets Emory, another astral traveler, who has his own mysterious sadness to him. Zach needs Emory's help to save his brother, but will that be enough? Added to that is the dangerous shadow creature that lurks nearby, ready to attack them.
This was a rather short, quick read. It did have a bit of a creepy atmosphere to it and an interesting idea with the astral projection, but progressed too quickly. The two main characters seemed to immediately develop feelings for each other, with very little to support it and the tension wasn't enough to really create suspense. The characters seemed to defeat the forces against them easily even when the odds seemed overwhelming.
Overall it was a nice story, but it lacked the oomph to really carry it for me.
April 26, 2011
Shadow Walkers is the first novel I have read that focuses on astral projection. Hartinger did a wonderful job explaining how his characters are able to walk through another realm. I didn't feel lost at all and by the end of the book I felt like I knew the concept of astral projection pretty well. Definitely interesting.
However, there is something about astral projection that makes me roll my eyes. I realize how silly this sounds coming from someone who loves to read about shape shifters and zombies. So, to begin, this book is given two stars more because it just isn't for me. If astral projection fascinates you, read this! You will probably really like it.
Now, that being said, the plot is fun, but I felt like the characters are a little blah. There emotions were clear but I couldn't find myself feeling anything with them. I didn't find myself relating to any of them much or liking them a whole lot. And though I loved Zach's relationship with his little (adorable!) brother Gilbert, I didn't like his relationship with Emory. It seemed rushed to me. Did not find myself wondering what they were doing after I put the book down.
I did finish the book because I had to know what happens at the end. Does Zach get his happily ever after? Does he find his brother and return him home safely? Definitely recommend Shadow Walkers to the younger readers and those that enjoy reading about astral projection.
However, there is something about astral projection that makes me roll my eyes. I realize how silly this sounds coming from someone who loves to read about shape shifters and zombies. So, to begin, this book is given two stars more because it just isn't for me. If astral projection fascinates you, read this! You will probably really like it.
Now, that being said, the plot is fun, but I felt like the characters are a little blah. There emotions were clear but I couldn't find myself feeling anything with them. I didn't find myself relating to any of them much or liking them a whole lot. And though I loved Zach's relationship with his little (adorable!) brother Gilbert, I didn't like his relationship with Emory. It seemed rushed to me. Did not find myself wondering what they were doing after I put the book down.
I did finish the book because I had to know what happens at the end. Does Zach get his happily ever after? Does he find his brother and return him home safely? Definitely recommend Shadow Walkers to the younger readers and those that enjoy reading about astral projection.
June 10, 2011
Why I read this: I love the paranormal novels Flux has been putting out lately, so I jumped on this one when I heard about it.
Plot: For how short this book is, I felt like there was a pretty good plot line that involved almost a dual plotline. The main story is that Zach is looking for his brother Gilbert by using astral projection, a new talent he has found with the help of some interesting incense. In the astral realm he finds another boy who he connects with instantly, but also a creepy octopus like substance that seems to want to harm him. He must find a way to help his brother while fending off this evil thing after his soul.
Characters: I have to say I wish there was a bit more character development on the part of the two main characters. I feel like I only glimpsed into the two boys that found each other on this astral realm. I didn't feel completely connected to either of them so I felt this distance to who they were and couldn't quite connect the way I like to when reading a novel. I did appreciate Zach's love for his brother and how it brought him to risk his soul to save him.
Relatability: I think it's an interesting read for anyone who likes a twist of paranormal in an otherwise realistic fiction plot. The main character is also gay, which also may interest readers.
Cover Commentary: Not a favorite of mine.
Plot: For how short this book is, I felt like there was a pretty good plot line that involved almost a dual plotline. The main story is that Zach is looking for his brother Gilbert by using astral projection, a new talent he has found with the help of some interesting incense. In the astral realm he finds another boy who he connects with instantly, but also a creepy octopus like substance that seems to want to harm him. He must find a way to help his brother while fending off this evil thing after his soul.
Characters: I have to say I wish there was a bit more character development on the part of the two main characters. I feel like I only glimpsed into the two boys that found each other on this astral realm. I didn't feel completely connected to either of them so I felt this distance to who they were and couldn't quite connect the way I like to when reading a novel. I did appreciate Zach's love for his brother and how it brought him to risk his soul to save him.
Relatability: I think it's an interesting read for anyone who likes a twist of paranormal in an otherwise realistic fiction plot. The main character is also gay, which also may interest readers.
Cover Commentary: Not a favorite of mine.
September 24, 2016
*sigh* so much potential.
While I had been initially put off by the premise written in the description, the novel itself does a good job of presenting the idea of Astral projection, where the main character is a normal, skeptical person, but first tries astral projection because he's been grounded and is bored. Then later, out of desperation and a desire to save his little brother, he tries again.
The description of the astral plane is fascinating, with a cool grasp on how movement, vision, hearing, and feeling works, as well as "tracking".
However... the love story was not well presented. The characters fall in love within a day, and while I tried to rationalize it with "well, they are meeting each other's souls, rather than through their physical bodies," but still, it was just so fast with nearly no emotional growth. The plot too was accelerated, with a lot of tension facsimilated through enemies and time, which while not bad as a plot device, felt rushed in the story.
Additionally, there were quite a few "conveniences" that just put me off, the special incense that helped him enter the astral realm actually working, given three as a sample when ten cost $100, as well as several other things.
Overall, this makes a fast read that can be entertaining, but doesn't have any true emotional depth or complexity.
While I had been initially put off by the premise written in the description, the novel itself does a good job of presenting the idea of Astral projection, where the main character is a normal, skeptical person, but first tries astral projection because he's been grounded and is bored. Then later, out of desperation and a desire to save his little brother, he tries again.
The description of the astral plane is fascinating, with a cool grasp on how movement, vision, hearing, and feeling works, as well as "tracking".
However... the love story was not well presented. The characters fall in love within a day, and while I tried to rationalize it with "well, they are meeting each other's souls, rather than through their physical bodies," but still, it was just so fast with nearly no emotional growth. The plot too was accelerated, with a lot of tension facsimilated through enemies and time, which while not bad as a plot device, felt rushed in the story.
Additionally, there were quite a few "conveniences" that just put me off, the special incense that helped him enter the astral realm actually working, given three as a sample when ten cost $100, as well as several other things.
Overall, this makes a fast read that can be entertaining, but doesn't have any true emotional depth or complexity.
August 7, 2014
I really liked this book. It's a good, quick read that goes by even quicker because you're immersed in the story. Despite being only about 200 pages, the main characters feel lifelike, or as lifelike as possible from a first-person perspective. The overall theme of astral projection is wonderfully described and the astral realm comes to life from the imagery. The pacing works for a short book and the mystery of trying to find the protagonist's younger brother who has been kidnapped is well thought out. Zach's affection for his brother reminds me of Lucky's affection for his own brother in Steven dos Santos's "The Culling", a book I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoyed this book. Though there is some romance in this book, Zach's mission to find his brother takes precedence over his relationship with Emory, with only a few sections regarding their interest in each other. Overall this was a fun story to read and I highly recommend it.
September 20, 2011
This book was recommended by a friend, so I wanted to like it more than I actually did. As other reviewers have pointed out, this is not a well written book. It's not terrible, but it's not really engaging either. There isn't quite enough going on in the main plot, or internally in the main character, to make you care about what happens.
In fact, the main plot is the least interesting part of the story. The fact that Zach is gay, struggling with telling his family and having a crush on a school mate, is far more interesting. These things are only mentioned in passing, really, and never developed in favor of a too contrived main plot that ends up being mostly silly (in my opinion). I often like schlocky, fluff books, but this is not one of them.
On the up side, it's a short book that can be read in just a couple of hours.
In fact, the main plot is the least interesting part of the story. The fact that Zach is gay, struggling with telling his family and having a crush on a school mate, is far more interesting. These things are only mentioned in passing, really, and never developed in favor of a too contrived main plot that ends up being mostly silly (in my opinion). I often like schlocky, fluff books, but this is not one of them.
On the up side, it's a short book that can be read in just a couple of hours.
September 17, 2012
Set in Washington, on an island near Tacoma, so lots of local appeal.
Zach lives on tiny Hinder Island with his grandparents and his younger brother, Gilbert. One day Gilbert disappears and Zach attempts to find him using astral projection. While he is on the astral plane he meets Emory, who is cute and seems equally attracted to Zach. Together they continue the search for Gilbert, but they are also being tracked by another old being on the astral plane that wants to devour their souls.
I wanted to love this book, because I loved Geography Club and Last Chance Texaco. Unfortunately, I didn't. I don't think I can put my finger on exactly what turned me off either. I like the local setting, I love that there are realistic LGBT teens. I don't know. I just didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to.
Zach lives on tiny Hinder Island with his grandparents and his younger brother, Gilbert. One day Gilbert disappears and Zach attempts to find him using astral projection. While he is on the astral plane he meets Emory, who is cute and seems equally attracted to Zach. Together they continue the search for Gilbert, but they are also being tracked by another old being on the astral plane that wants to devour their souls.
I wanted to love this book, because I loved Geography Club and Last Chance Texaco. Unfortunately, I didn't. I don't think I can put my finger on exactly what turned me off either. I like the local setting, I love that there are realistic LGBT teens. I don't know. I just didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to.
May 31, 2011
This book was a recommend and so I checked it out. I finished it in a few hours (it's under 200 pages) and was left feeling conflicted on what to rate it. It wasn't horrible by any means, it was okay.
I think my main problem was that I didn't really feel invested in the characters. I don't know if it was because of the short length of the book or if maybe they were not fleshed out more.
The one fascinating thing I did like was about astral projection. It's not an ability/superpower that you run across often in science-fiction/fantasy works. I do like the approach that was taken in describing the astral plane as well as going a little bit into some theories about it.
All in all, it was an okay read.
I think my main problem was that I didn't really feel invested in the characters. I don't know if it was because of the short length of the book or if maybe they were not fleshed out more.
The one fascinating thing I did like was about astral projection. It's not an ability/superpower that you run across often in science-fiction/fantasy works. I do like the approach that was taken in describing the astral plane as well as going a little bit into some theories about it.
All in all, it was an okay read.
September 20, 2014
I had added Shadow Walkers to my 'to-read' list a while back, and I'm not sure where I got the recommendation. I wish I remembered so I could make sure to either ignore the rest of their suggestions, or at least take them with a grain of salt.
Unfortunately, while I'm pretty willing to let a lot of things slide for good queer books (particularly YA, since I couldn't find any when I was of the actual demographic), there's just too much that made this book fairly unbearable to read. I will give Hartinger credit, though, for a book about a young boy, it feels like it was written by a young boy... or more realistically, an adult trying to act like a young boy. The dialogue was stilted and the inner monologues are so distractingly horrible.
Unfortunately, while I'm pretty willing to let a lot of things slide for good queer books (particularly YA, since I couldn't find any when I was of the actual demographic), there's just too much that made this book fairly unbearable to read. I will give Hartinger credit, though, for a book about a young boy, it feels like it was written by a young boy... or more realistically, an adult trying to act like a young boy. The dialogue was stilted and the inner monologues are so distractingly horrible.
July 25, 2011
I probably ought to stop reading books by Hartinger as I find myself increasingly disappointed with each subsequent book. The storytelling and writing quality are just on this downward trajectory, and I'd like to harbor happy thoughts of his writing.
This book is full of repetition and trite passages. Character development is weak, and plot is even weaker. According to Kindle, I had read 20% before we actually got any semblance of what I'd call a plot.
Perhaps it's time for the author to devote himself to either his online writing/critiquing or his writing as I don't think he's capable of successfully accomplishing both.
This book is full of repetition and trite passages. Character development is weak, and plot is even weaker. According to Kindle, I had read 20% before we actually got any semblance of what I'd call a plot.
Perhaps it's time for the author to devote himself to either his online writing/critiquing or his writing as I don't think he's capable of successfully accomplishing both.
September 21, 2012
I'm slightly conflicted about my opinion of this book (novella?). It's a decent read, but this might sound a little strange, but it almost felt like fanfic. I don't mean that in a condescending way, it's just that Shadow Walkers doesn't try to be ground breaking or make any statement, it's just to the point entertainment.
For the record (the characters are pretty adorable to be honest), Shadow Walkers is great for a quick popcorn type read, just nothing that I would suggest anyone go out of their way for.
For the record (the characters are pretty adorable to be honest), Shadow Walkers is great for a quick popcorn type read, just nothing that I would suggest anyone go out of their way for.
July 29, 2013
I got this book on a whim from the sale bin of National Bookstore, because the back blurb implied a queer romance, and it was a pleasant surprise overall. It was short and plot was easily resolved, but I liked having a main character I could actually relate to (he's gay and he has online friends, yay!), whose queerness isn't the source of the drama of the story. It would be awesome if there were a ton more books like these.
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April 12, 2011I was happy to see a supernatural suspense novel with a gay teen character in which the protagonist's sexual orientation was neither treated as a social "issue" nor seemed to be a source of undue psychological stress on the character. Full review on Finding Wonderland: http://writingya.blogspot.com/2011/04...
June 6, 2011
Book wasn't one of the best Brent Hartinger book I have read, but it was very enjoyable and a quick read. I really hope there is a sequel to it, as I would love to know some more about the boys' relationship. Very happy about the epilogue, which gave me just enough info to be satisfying, but still wanting more.
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