Sunwing

Silverwing #2

by Kenneth Oppel

Kenneth Oppel gives a bat's-eye view of the horrors of animal testing in Sunwing , the sequel to his popular and award-winning novel for middle readers, Silverwing . Shade, the lost baby bat of the first book, has rejoined his colony only to lose his freedom as the bats plunge into a mysterious human building they believe is paradise. The building's vast interior forest, with its teeming insects and eerie absence of owls, certainly seems like Eden. But Shade and his Brightwing friend Marina, now young adults, discover that the humans have a sinister motive for befriending the bats--they are using them as unwitting suicide bombers over a jungle war zone. In addition, the bats are threatened once again by Goth, the giant jungle bat with the cannibalistic tastes and irrepressible knack for survival of Hannibal Lecter. This time he has a plan for making his god, Zotz, to be explicit (and Oppel is), by ripping out the hearts of 100 imprisoned bats, owls, and rats. Shade's and Marina's race to save their companions from this two-pronged threat makes for exciting and occasionally terrifying reading. Once again Oppel immerses readers in the world view of his tiny flying mammals. It becomes second nature to see things upside down, hide in crevices, squint at the brightness of the sun, and sense danger through sound vibrations. Particularly chilling is his portrayal of the humans' laboratory, with its concentration-camp-like indifference to life. In Sunwing , Oppel offers breathless suspense while eliciting our compassion for these misunderstood creatures of the night. (Ages 9 to 12) --Lisa Alward

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction, Animals, Middle Grade, Childrens, Adventure

Paperback

First published August 12, 1999

About the author

I was born in 1967 in Port Alberni, a mill town on Vancouver Island, British Columbia but spent the bulk of my childhood in Victoria, B.C. and on the opposite coast, in Halifax, Nova Scotia...At around twelve I decided I wanted to be a writer (this came after deciding I wanted to be a scientist, and then an architect). I started out writing sci-fi epics (my Star Wars phase) then went on to swords and sorcery tales (my Dungeons and Dragons phase) and then, during the summer holiday when I was fourteen, started on a humorous story about a boy addicted to video games (written, of course, during my video game phase). It turned out to be quite a long story, really a short novel, and I rewrote it the next summer. We had a family friend who knew Roald Dahl - one of my favourite authors - and this friend offered to show Dahl my story. I was paralysed with excitement. I never heard back from Roald Dahl directly, but he read my story, and liked it enough to pass on to his own literary agent. I got a letter from them, saying they wanted to take me on, and try to sell my story. And they did.

Reviews

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this sequel to Silverwing, the young bat Shade and his friends embark on a new adventure as he tries to find his father and solve the mystery of Nocturna's Promise (a sort of prophecy saying that humans will help the bats to one day overcome the war with the owls and be able to fly in the daylight once more). But, of course, nothing goes smoothly and soon it seems that, instead of helping the bats, the humans are hurting them--most dreadfully. And, of course, it was too much to hope that the evil cannibal bat Goth could have truly perished from the lighting strike that befell him in the previous book--so poor Shade must not only contend with the trials the humans place before him, but with Goth's malicious tactics as he (Goth) tries to fulfill his own destiny, to be vested with power by Zotz (a sort of bat-god) and rule over all the bats.

I am a big fan of Oppel's writing style. He manages to craft engaging characters who are three-dimensional while also providing a thought-provoking story and lots of fantastic action sequences. His skill at writing male protagonists who are thoughtful and sensitive (as well as brave and strong) is evident as we see Shade mature from an adolescent into "adulthood" (whatever that is in bat-terms). There's even a bit of romance here as he develops feelings for Marina.

The book itself is also more mature, and I think for a more mature audience than Silverwing. I was personally very disturbed with the way the humans used the bats and there were also a few gross and gruesome scenes with the cannibal bats. (Even more shocking is that Oppel drew the humans-using-bats aspect from WWII history. Yikes!) So, personally, I didn't *enjoy* the book as much as the first. But, with these cautions, however, I would still recommend the book as good for older MG or even YA.

[Beth White · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book so much. Everything about it warms my heart. Maybe it’s the memories of my childhood reading of this book and loving it then, or maybe it’s just that it is, on its own, just an amazing book. Probably both.

This book continues the story of Shade from Silverwing (book #1) and his journeys looking for his father and the truth of the “bands” and Nocturna’s promise. Although I guess “technically” a children’s book, and one I read as a teenager, re-reading as an adult showed me another few levels to this book and it’s interpretations, and I felt I took away more than just an excellently written and engaging story, but also life lessons and thoughts to ponder on further about issues such as how we treat others without truly knowing them and their motives, as well as environmental issues about how we treat wildlife and nature. Captivating me from an enjoyment as well as an intellectual and world conscious perspective, I absolutely loved this book, even more so dare I say than the first, and would recommend to any reader.

[Lemurkat · Rating 3 out of 5]

The continuing story of Shade Silverwing - this time taking him south to the rainforest,putting him in the hands of the humans (and their diabolical plans) and once again bringing him in contact with the cannibal bat, Goth. A cute adventure story, with some rather dark moments and interesting characters.

But one zoological fact bugs me no end - the insistence that owls hibernate - owls DO NOT hibernate!

[Belinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

4,25 sterren - Nederlandse paperback - Ik heb dyslexie -
Voor kids vanaf 10 jaar. Gift van Rosey voor de huisbibliotheek. 🦋🦋🦋

[Qt · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. It took me a while to get into this one, even though it's a great story and I love bats. I think it was more because I was reading it in bits and pieces whenever I got a chance, because the story starts right out--anyway, I did enjoy it and the finale was thrilling. I'll certainly be continuing the series!

[Belinda Vlasbaard · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 sterren - Nederlandse hardcover

Op zoek naar zijn vader komt de jonge vleermuis Schim terecht in een reusachtig en geheimzinnig mensenbouwwerk.

Het is zo groot dat er een heel bos in past, het is er warm en licht als op een zomeravond, het allerbelangrijkste is: er leven geen uilen.
Een paradijs voor vleermuizen dus.

Maar Schim en ziijn vriendin Marina vertrouwen het niet. Wat gebeurt er met de vleermuizen die zomaar verdwijnen? En waar is Schims vader?

Zonnevlerk is een erg leuk en geslaagd vervolg op Zilvervlerk, het eerste boek in de trilogie van Kenneth Oppel.

Het is zo spannend geschreven dat je het boek in een keer uit wil lezen. Ik vind het niet alleen een boek voor kinderen, maar voor alle leeftijden. Het is ook een bijzonder verhaal want Kenneth verteld allemaal verhalen door elkaar die op het einde helemaal bij elkaar komen.

Schim zoekt zijn vader maar ondertussen krijgen de andere vleermuizen ruzie met de uilen en er dreigt een oorlog uit te breken. En de god van de junglevleermuizen dreigt ondertussen ook nog macht over de wereld te krijgen. Schim weet bijna zeker dat zijn vader zich in een vreemd gebouw bevind en is vastbesloten om het uit te zoeken.

Maar dan word hij gevangen genomen door de mensen en hij word naar het zuiden met een bom aan zich gestuurd met een heleboel anderen. Daar in de jungle ontdekt hij iets vreselijks… De junglevleermuizen nemen allerlei dieren gevangen maar waarom? En ondertussen hebben de vleermuizen en de ratten, die eerst vijanden waren, zich verenigt om het op te nemen tegen de god van de junglevleermuizen, maar zal dat lukken? Als je dat wilt weten moet je het boek maar zelf lezen.

[Simon Crowley · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a rare thing when a sequel surpasses the original, however I found this to be exactly the case with Sunwing! Many plot points in Silverwing seemed unnecessary and superfluous when reading that book on its own, however once I moved to this second book, I grew to love how Oppel brings everything full circle and ties off essentially all of the loose ends that he created in Silverwing. In addition to this, I found this book got a lot deeper philosophically than the first novel and forces the reader to think and Conte.plate the characters motives a lot more which I really enjoyed.

I did find that the ending finished in a "too good to be true" kind of way, but it was satisfying to see everything get wrapped up nicely.

The only thing im still wondering about is if Goth has survived yet again somehow! I haven't read Firewing yet, so TBD!

[Gracie Frost · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD IT A 4.5. There was a lot of adventure and a LOTS OF BLOOD but that fine. And one more thing marina and shade sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G
lol LOVE THE BOOK!!!! 📚💗🤪

[Darcey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series has gone from "I see why middle-school me liked this" to "I am actually really enjoying this as an adult". I liked the Vampyrum Spectrum in Silverwing, so I'm glad we got to see more of them here; I liked their dark religion and their weird Aztec sacrificial rituals. I also liked the plot about humans using bats in their wars; that's one of the few parts I'd remembered from reading this as a kid.

After finishing this book, I looked it up, and the Vampyrum Spectrum bats are real; that's their genus+species name. They are not vampire bats, which I guess is why the book calls them "cannibal bats" the whole time instead.

In Silverwing, there were hints of the supernatural, with the albino bat Zephyr being able to hear echoes of the past and future. This book went all in on the supernatural elements, making it clear that the bat gods are real; this surprised me, as I'd expected the supernatural stuff to remain plausibly deniable.

Full spoiler-y plot summary: Shade and Marina have arrived at Hibernaculum, the cave where the Silverwing bats hibernate each winter. But things are not safe; the owls have been attacking bats in the night, and it looks like, come spring, there will be a war. Meanwhile, Shade is preoccupied by thoughts of what happened to his father, Cassiel: last year, while at Hibernaculum, he and a few others had flown off to investigate a human building; they believed it was part of Nocturna's promise and would help restore the bats to the sun. Those bats had all disappeared, and were presumed dead until Zephyr, the bat who could hear into the past and future, had told Shade otherwise. Now, Shade decides that, instead of hibernating, he will set out in search of his father. His friends Marina and Chinook, his mother Ariel, a wise elder named Frieda, and several other bats all join him.

They fly to the human building, where they hear a beautiful bat song; it lures them into a tunnel, which spits them out into an artificial forest inside the building, which is full of other bats. At first this place seems like a paradise, and a fulfillment of Nocturna's promise; there are no owls, so they can fly during the light of day, and the glass of the ceiling makes the sun dim enough for them to look at. There are bugs piped in through the walls, and a freshwater stream, and they live contentedly with plenty to eat and drink. But Shade is suspicious: if this is truly paradise, why is there no way out? He searches for one, while the other bats call him ungrateful. But then, one day, the humans come in and take many bats while they're sleeping, including Shade's frenemy Chinook. Shade is determined to find an escape, so he and Marina dive into the stream, and are sucked through a tunnel, nearly drowning. It takes them to another enclosure.... this one full of owls. The owls almost kill Shade and Marina, but they escape through the stream again, with one young owl, Orestes, following them. This time they end up in a jungle, where Goth (who has survived, and been magically healed by his god Cama Zots) is being held. Shade and Orestes, trusting each other despite being enemies, save each other's lives as Goth attacks them. They hide, thinking they will surely soon be eaten, but then the humans come in and capture Goth and also Orestes. Shade and Marina sneak out behind them, and end up in a lab, where the humans are affixing metal discs to the bats' stomachs. Shade tries to get closer, but is captured. After getting a metal disc sewn onto his stomach, he is loaded onto a plane with the other captured bats.

Shade and the other bats are dropped over a jungle city. There, a device in their ears sings them a sound map, pointing to a building. Shade sees that, when the bats land on the building, the metal discs explode; they are being used as weapons in a human war. Shade manages to save his friend Chinook, and they remove the discs safely from each other's bellies, but almost get eaten by jungle bugs and fish in the process. Then, another northern bat finds them, and brings them to a hollow statue where the bats have taken refuge. Shade learns that, up until 3 days ago, Cassiel had been their leader, but he had just been captured by the cannibal bats.

Meanwhile, Goth has also been dropped over the jungle. He returns to the Aztec pyramid where his family lives, and learns that he is now king, since his father has died. The other cannibal bats remove the disc safely from his belly and store it in the ritual chamber. There, the old priest shows Goth an Aztec carving, which reveals that there will be a solar eclipse in three days; this will give the bat god Cama Zots an opportunity to kill the sun, regaining power over his sister, Nocturna, who has banished him to the underworld. Goth sacrifices a northern bat, tearing out its heart, and asking Cama Zots how to kill the sun. The presence of Zots fills the room and speaks through Goth's voice, saying that they must make 100 sacrifices during the 10 minutes of the eclipse.

Meanwhile, after Shade is captured, Marina flies back in through the opening in the roof, using a stick to jam it open. She tries to warn the other bats, but few will listen; they all believe that the human building is part of Nocturna's promise. But a few Silverwings, including Ariel and Frieda, believe Marina, and they escape. As they debate what to do, whether to return to Hibernaculum or to fly south to look for Shade and the others, a bat convoy appears with bad news: the owls have attacked Hibernaculum. This convoy is filled with bats from many different colonies who managed to escape, and it's heading south towards a bat stronghold called Bridge City where the bats will prepare to wage war with the owls. Upon arriving, Marina and the others tell of the human building, the cannibal bats, and everything else. Then rats arrive, led by Romulus, who is king now; he declares peace with the bats and says he will aid them in their war. He also prepares a barge to sail on the underground rivers, taking Marina and Ariel more swiftly down south to look for Shade. They leave.

In the confusion of Cama Zots speaking, another bat who had been brought in for sacrifice, named Ishmale, had escaped. He flies back to the statue and tells everyone what happened. Shade, realizing his father might still be alive, decides to go rescue him, even though it means the other bats will leave without him to fly back north. He tries to speak to Zephyr over the great echo distance, and hears Zephyr's voice telling him he needs to save the sun. Then Ariel and Marina appear. The southern rats are led by a General Cortez whose son has also been taken by the cannibals, so the rats and some of the bats go together to free all the captives and save the sun. They get there just as the eclipse is beginning; they free the rat and owl captives but others have already been taken up for sacrifice. Shade and the others fight the cannibal bats. The old priest, realizing that 100 sacrifices won't be made in time, goes to drop the explosive disc on the entire Aztec pyramid, sacrificing everyone. But Shade uses his magic sound powers to slow the disc's fall, giving the northern bats, rats, and owls time to evacuate the pyramid before the disc hits. It lands just after the eclipse has ended, destroying the cannibal bats.

Shade and the other northern bats fly home, with Shade's father and a convoy of owls. One of the owls was Orestes, whom Shade had saved previously; he turns out to be the son of the owl king who is waging war. When they arrive back, Orestes is able to convince the king to stop waging war, and they agree to peace. Shade boldly asks for the sun back too, and the owl king grants this.

[Barbi Faye (The Book Fae) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this fantasy novel, which is a sequel to "Silverwing". That novel told of the horrors of animal testing. Now, Shade, the cute but lost baby bat has found his beloved colony. They become trapped in a human building that houses a huge Eden like indoor forest. It has lots of food and no enemies; we all know it is too good to be true. Shade and Marina, (one of THE biggest reasons I am reading these books, my DAUGHTER'S name is Marinah!) find out that the humans want to use them as trained suicide bombs in a war. Nice. Gotta love humans, eh?
Goth the bat eater has found them out and is threatening them, still explicitly worshipping his cannibal god, Zotz. Shade and Marina are the bats to save the day, and their colony.
I loved the lush fantasy in these novels, it was almost like being a bitty bat!! There was a strong sense of a village raising a child; a kind of community love that is shown in the colony, towards Shade, and afterward towards Marina too. I enjoyed the author's writing style; I still need to read the third novel. These novels aren't just for middle readers as I think the fantasy is pretty mature.
http://barbifayethebookfae.simplesite...

[Marcus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: Sunwing
Author: Kenneth Oppel
Price: $6.99 USD
ISBN-13: 978-1-4169-4997-8
ISBN-10: 1-4169-4997-6

Shade Silverwing has gone a long way from the young bat he was. After reuniting with his colony, Shade sets out on another quest, to find his long lost father.

Although this quest sounds simple enough, there are plenty of obstacles Shade and Marina must overcome. Whether that be the return of the Cannibal bats, the other creatures of the world wanting the bats dead, or mother nature herself. The two companions over come all challenges they come across. But with great obstacles come great outcomes, both become great feats for the young bats.

"Sunwing" is the second book the the trilogy "Silverwing." This book has as much suspense as the first book, even hinting at a bit of romance. As these books are heavily story and plot-driven, I would not recommend this book to anyone who has not yet read the first one. If you have read the first one and enjoyed it, then you simply must read this book.

[Cassandre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Présentation de l'éditeur
Parti à la recherche de son père, Cassiel, Ombre fait la découverte d'un étrange bâtiment, où se sont installés des milliers de chauves-souris. Est-ce le paradis terrestre dont rêvait Cassiel ? Ceux qui vivent là le pensent, mais Ombre n'y croit pas, et il s'obstine dans sa quête. Avec ses amis Chinook et Marina, il devra faire preuve de courage et de sagesse pour affronter les tromperies des hommes, la cruauté des chouettes, et la folie de Coth le Vampire. Parviendra-t-il à libérer son peuple de la malédiction qui le condamne à l'obscurité ?

[Yoanny Gonzalez]

Yoanny Gonzalez
period 14/15
Tittle: Sun-Wing
Author: Kenneth Oppel
Number of Pages: 299
Date Completed: October 5th
Rating:8

A minor character who had a major importance in this book was Marina.
She waasnt like the other bats she was a different kind of bat. She was had a major importance in this book because when Shane got trap she was with him and she knew were he was at. So she was able to tell his mother where he was at. She was also important because she helped the silverwings fight the carnivourus bats and helped Shane find his lost father.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Again, I don't care much for what the story is about, bats and... their gods? I also have a hard time liking the attitude of the main character, a self-proclaimed hero. I wish Oppel would make him slightly more humble. However, Oppel is such a good writer that you find yourself flipping through the pages wanting to know what's next despite yourself!

[Jezer Villamor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sunwing, the sequel to the book Silverwing, is a a book written by the author Kenneth Oppel. The book is a fictional adventure book which would delight any reader whose interests are fantasy. The main plot is a continuation of the original story/ first book in which young Shade continues his search for his father, and tries to stop the evil jungle bat Goth.

[Tashy Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm so glad I finally get to continue this series. This book was absolutely thrilling, it was just one thing after another and it just kept me hooked right until the very end. I'm intrigued to know where the story is going to go in the 3rd book.

[Chandler ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you read Silverwing, there is just no getting around not reading this book. This series is addicting and you must read every book to get the full effect.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

an exciting thriller that you just can't put down!

[Gale · Rating 4 out of 5]

“How the Sun was Won”

Second in an amazing trilogy (not just for Young Adult readers) SUNWING continues the exploits of young Shade Silverwing and his loyal lady companion, Marina. After the owls have broken the truce of centuries by destroying the bats’ beloved nursery, Tree Haven, Shade remains determined to find his heroic father, Also to subvert the demonic plot of Goth, the vampire bat and his cannibal kind, from destroying entire colonies of peaceful, northern bats. At the conclusion of SILVERWING it was not clear that Goth had died; it may prove that the author wants to keep him hanging (as bats do while roosting and hibernating) around--to provide spiteful melodrama.

With deft references to scenes of gore and glory in the first book Oppel rewards readers when many favorites return—this time down to Central America, with its cannibal bats, exotic and dangerous predators—including, of course, those ubiquitous baddies, the Humans. Shade is determined to discover the truth about the mysterious metal bands which have been callously attached to many of his species. But for what purpose? Can Humans be trusted to be truly acting on behalf the bats—or the owls? And which bat god is the true one? Curiously, Nocturna provides little help for her faithful. How can a suspicious alliance among bats, owls and rats succeed against the cannibals--And prevent eternal darkness?

The style of this fast-paced page-turner is by now familiar to its fans/readers: multiple thread lines in each chapter; peeks into the private musings of Shade and others, and the inevitable pendulum swings between the demons and the saviors. Serious themes include: religious sectarianism, false prophets, self-doubt, and mutilation of animals by Humans. Ancient Mesoamerican cultures with their bloody customs are referenced,with the use of their calendar to predict solar eclipses. The role of family loyalty is paramount, for our heroes are motivated to save a father, a brother, a mother. Long-suffering Arial knows the heartache of loving two heroes.

September 14, 2018

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sunwing is a bold follow-up to Silverwing, and while it takes a darker turn, it still has everything that made the first book great—memorable characters, a unique bat’s-eye view of the world, and a real sense of adventure.

In this one, Shade sets out to find his missing father and ends up discovering a so-called bat paradise that turns out to be anything but. The idea that humans are using bats as living bombs in a war zone is wild, but somehow it works in this story. There are some pretty intense themes here—animal testing, war, sacrifice—and it might be a bit much for really young readers, but middle school and up should be fine (as long as they can handle some creepy moments).

I liked that Oppel didn't pull any punches. The lab scenes are disturbing in a good, thought-provoking way, and the villain, Goth, is as scary as ever. His whole cult-like plan to bring his bat god back to power through heart sacrifices is super dark but also kind of fascinating. The supernatural elements are a lot stronger here than in the first book, which might not be everyone's thing, but I didn’t mind it.

Not everything was perfect. The love triangle felt a little forced, and some of the plot turns were hard to believe, but overall, the story kept me hooked. I really liked seeing Shade grow as a character and how Marina continues to be brave and smart without falling into the usual sidekick role.

It’s definitely a more intense book than Silverwing, but also more epic in scope. If you liked the first one and are okay with things getting a bit darker and weirder, this is definitely worth the read.

Looking forward to seeing where the series goes next!

[Aeryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sunwing continues to follow the life of the young bat, Shade, as well as his friends and family.

This book is much darker than Silverwing (book 1) and deals with the interference of humans into the world of nature. I can't really say what they do, but it has a lot to do with the bands from book 1. In fact, I can't truly get into the plot at all without spoilers, because there were a lot of times I actually said "Holy ****" out loud while reading.

I mean I don't even really have anything else to say besides "the whole book is great, go read it" except that it features a love triangle which isn't to my taste. I don't think I can take a star off even for that, though, because a book that had me thinking about it constantly even through holiday celebrations deserves five stars. I hated having to put it down.

Again, I think this is more appropriate for kids fifth grade+ because it really deals with some dark themes. I don't know that it's terribly appropriate for anyone younger. I mean... I would have read through this book like a house on fire when I was in third grade, but it might have given me some nightmares.

Anyway, in summary, you have to read this one. I'm looking forward to book 3, even though it seems to be from a different bat's perspective. I'm sure I won't be disappointed. I can't decide whether to read Firewing or Darkwing (the prequel) first.

[John Panther · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, Oppel's continuation of the young bat's journey had me fascinated and shocked - this book was much darker than I originally thought.

Following Shade and Marina's journey in trusting the Humans to help fulfil Nocturna's Promise, while being hunted down by Goth and the ever-present threat of a war on the horizon between bat's and owls, was utterly adventurous and gripping. There are multiple plot points and storyline that interlink and accumulate to an epic conclusion. Some answers still yet to be revealed and new story lines opened, which will hopefully be resolved in the final installment.

Seeing these young bat's go through some gruelling treatment and harsh environments was thrilling and at times, worrisome. I can see why the book teeters on the edge of Children and Teen Fiction books - there is some dark imagery and scenes that unfold. However, for an older reader, this made the book more enjoyable.

Overall, Oppel has created an amazing sequel and I'm excited to finish the series and hopefully find out all the answers I need!

[Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished off the second book of the Silverwing Trilogy, "Sunwing" by Kenneth Oppel. I think I actually liked this better than the first book, and I liked that very much. These books deal with bats of many species. Silverwings, greywings, vampire bats ... not to mention lots of owls and rats and other creatures, all fighting for survival. In the first book, young Shade, a silverwing, becomes separated from his tribe during their winter flight to their Southern habitat. He meets up with all sorts of obstacles, but finally achieves a reunion with his family. In "Sunwing" a new adventure lies in store ... the search for his long-lost father. A new enemy is at the forefront of this tale ... Humans. These books fall under the category of 'Young Adult' fiction, but I enjoy the author's writing style. I'm looking forward to the third book, "Firewing", which I hope to track down soon.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this sequel to Silverwing, Shade and Marina return as does scary cannibal bat Goth, who is now determined to sacrifice 100 bats during a solar eclipse in order to raise his god to power and extinguish the sun for good. Mixed in with this supernatural story is an equally evil story of human experimentation, capturing bats (and rats and owls) and attaching explosives to them, to use them as essentially suicide bombers in a war. This is based on actual real events, as the author notes in his afterword. With bad guys like that, the weird supernatural god plot seems redundant and once more an odd clash between science and superstition. I'd have enjoyed the book a lot more without the weird underworld god element as the bat and bat/bird/rat politics alone make a very interesting story. Still, the bats are once again charming and described in interesting and sympathetic detail.

[Emilou · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great sequel to the series. This is probably one of my favorite anthropomorphic fantasy series. It's very imaginative and interesting. I especially like how Oppel related it to an experiment that happened during WWII with bats and explosives, especially since I was skeptical about that part of the book. I also like the symbolism with the different groups of bats that Shade meets in this book and the previous one (the bats in the attic and the bats in the laboratory). I don't know if he meant it that way, but I've seen a lot of religious symbolism in these books around the bats' religion. I can't wait to read the next book.

[Nolan Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second entry in Oppel's series of bat themed novels improves on the first in many ways. The plot ramps up the stakes and goes to more daring places while still feeling grounded in reality. The magical elements are given more weight but don't compromise the story, which is one longer adventure. We also get the perspectives of more characters and get away from Shade which adds depth to the world. Some of the plot elements are more gruesome and may be disturbing to some young readers, however the horror elements are exciting and may keep children's interest. I know many people who grew up with these books and they are remembered fondly decades later.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found Sunwing to be better than it's predecessor, Silverwing.

While it is rated for ages 8-12, I would urge parents to read this book first, as it can be graphic and not suitable for everyone. There are several scenes of the cannibal bats killing other creatures, including ripping out and eating their still-beating hearts.However, the society of the Vampyrum Spectrum was based on Aztec and Mayan societies, and sacrifices were a big part of those.

I do appreciate that Oppel put an author's note at the end, explaining his inspirations. We as readers should be horrified by what the Humans were doing to the bats, rats, and owls, and learning that this is based on true events should cause a reader to pause and think about how we treated (and continue to treat) animals. This thought process may be a bit over the heads of the intended age range, however.

[Elizabeth Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series has really surprised me. For what is labeled as a "middle school level" book, the plot is very thought out and unique. The author has taken a variety of inspirations from human intervention into bats' habitats, biology and unique abilities with echolocation to create almost super natural gifts, and mythology of bats to create a surprisingly in depth world.

Also, to be labeled a children's book it was intense and a little dark at times. The characters faced real adversity and the villians were severe threats. But it made for a story with several plots that all came together in the end. To see this level of thought go into a "children's" book was kind of amazing.

[Shaynning - Libraire Jeunesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ce deuxième opus est flou dans ma mémoire, car il y a belle lurette que je l,ai lu. Ce qui me reste comme sentiment est cependant très positif. Une suite digne du premier, dirait-on. Je sais que dans ce second tome, nous retrouvons une fois de plus Marina et Ombre, duo adorable, ainsi que Chinook, un jeune hibou. Il est question d'une horrible machination humaine qui implique le massacre de milliers de volatiles à des fins guerrières. La cruauté humaine est donc flagrante dans ce tome.

Un autre excellent livre signé Oppel.


Catégorisation: Roman Fantasy canadien, littérature jeunesse intermédiaire, 3e cycle primaire, 10-12 ans+
Note: 9/10

[Robert (NurseBob) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This second instalment in Kenneth Oppel's award-winning series about the little bat who could is actually a well written adventure yarn which stretches from the far North all the way down to Brazil. Pitting diminutive bat "Shade" against the menacing vampire bat "Goth" makes for some harrowing chapters with just enough supernatural touches (not to mention interference from evil humans) to make you want to turn the next page. But a children's book? With passages detailing bloody sacrifices, demonic monsters, and grisly wounds it's not exactly your typical bedtime story...