Ambush

Pillage #3

by Obert Skye

Things are strange in the town of Kingsplot. The usually sleepy town is experiencing things it just can t explain. Plants are vandalizing the museum, buildings are being torn apart at night, and the minds of residents are growing foggy and confused. In the Pillage manor above the town, Beck s life is unraveling as well. The girl he cares for has had enough, his father is in the hospital, and the madness that has poisoned Beck s ancestors is beginning to infect his own thoughts. There s also the matter of the manor. Behind its walls and floors are more surprises, including an elevator that s been walled up for years. Furthermore, in order to save his father, Beck must plant the final dragon stone, which brings to life much more than he expected. Not just one dragon appears, but three the king and two wicked guardians. Beck s new desire to pillage is in stark contrast to the rightful task he knows he must perform a task that will put an end to the dragons once and for all. Of course, even the best-laid plans can fall apart beneath the surprise of an ambush. This final book in the Pillagy series takes Beck, Kate, and Wyatt through their most dangerous adventure ever.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Dragons, Fiction, Adventure, Magic, Childrens

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 11, 2012

About the author

Obert Skye read his first book at age two. He wrote his first story at age four. And he was nearly trampled by a herd of water buffalo at age six. For a short time, he lived on the Isle of Skye in Scotland, where he spent time as a candy-taster. Several years ago, Obert Skye says, he discovered the existence of Foo. Publishing his story as a fictional series was not Obert’s first choice. Nevertheless he is content that the “history” is being told.

Hobbies and other interests: Collecting old maps, water polo, roller coasters.

Reviews

[Ryne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Prepare yourselves. Like the two books before it, this book has DRAGONS! Um, and SECRET PASSAGES! And plants ATTACKING PEOPLE!

That's pretty much it. Ambush is still well-written, but it ultimately didn't deliver for me. I read all three books of the series within about a week, so they're all still fresh on my mind, and some of the issues I'd felt existed in the earlier books were present in this one too. I'm not sure if the problems were greater or if I was just annoyed by them now, but after having enjoyed Pillage and Choke, I didn't end up liking Ambush as much as I'd thought I would. My reactions throughout the series were pretty much thus:

Pillage: Wow! This is good!
Choke: Well, this was kind of similar, but I think it was still pretty good.
Ambush: Meh.


Beck still retains his typical sarcastic and "bad-boy" attitude. His flippant remarks were still kind of entertaining, but they really left him as a flat and unrealistic character to me. I have a hard time believing anyone would speak that way in some of the situations he's placed in. Over a three-volume series, he honestly hasn't changed that much. And don't get me started about Beck's father--honestly, the 360-degree change that both he and Beck undergo at the end of the book just didn't seem believable. After Skye took so much time to build up the changes that the dragons were working in Beck--the "darkness," the connection he feels to the dragon Judas, etc.--he basically just says, "We got better" when the dragons died, and leaves it at that. Beck's "darkening" reminded me a little too much of the Lord of the Rings, anyway, and that abrupt character change cheapened that somewhat. His father's change was even less believable.

Of course, Beck and Kate's relationship doesn't really change that much in the novel (or the previous one), either. The worst thing that happens is that she dumps him and (gasp!) goes to Prom with a mutual friend. They made up far too easily, too. It felt a bit like some daytime TV drama for teens.

What can I say about Wyatt? In both this book and in Choke, he's really just kind of annoying. He never becomes a key character the way Milo was in the first novel; he's just around for occasional comedic effect (and poor effect at that). The book almost tells you that he's just filling in the "Third Character Slot" in order to try to make things more interesting.

The book was still a good read, but I wonder if maybe Skye was feeling a little tired near the end of the series. This book didn't catch my interest or imagination the way Pillage did, and it really didn't have many new things to tell me.

[Emma · Rating 1 out of 5]

All of the books in this series follow the same plot, and the main character learns nothing from his mistakes. In this book, he becomes downright unlikable and completely unsympathetic. Overall, this series could have just been one book and been all the better for it. It was an interesting premise, but the author clearly ran out of ideas after book 1.

[Kennedy Francis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one more than the first two, and I thought Beck was far more interesting in this one. Unfortunately, Kate really became a nothing character, which I was afraid was going to happen when I was reading Choke. The main storyline was the same as the first two though, with slightly more variation. These are definitely books that I am too old for, and so I rated them higher than I otherwise would have. If you have a middle school student who loves dragons, this is a good series for them!

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beck is trying to put his life back together and forget the pillage the dragons had done by getting rid of the last stone. Beck, Kate and Wyatt find a chute that seems to have no bottom and decide this is a great place to dispose of the stone.
After getting rid of the last stone, Beck is far from safe. The plants seems to be attaching him on every side. When he is taken to see his father in the hospital, he is told that to end all this craziness he must plant the stone. Trying to convince his father and himself that the stone is now out of reach doesn't happen. Beck knows that he can get to it but to do so will mean lying to Kate and that is something that he doesn't want to do.
However.... he does get the stone, plants it and what is hatched is the worst dragon yet or is it.

[Zade Tischner/(black) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book ¨Ambush¨ is the subsequent to the series of the pillage as a boy named beck tries to get rid of dragons once and for all! So the main character beck finds a secret area in his dads mansion and decides to investigate. He finds out that it has to do with more dragons and the curse that Milo put on them. The plants find out about the other stone and are out to make sure that beck will plant that stone and create another dragon. Meanwhile Kate is getting suspicious with Beck. She is getting more suspicious each day when beck denies access to a secret place in the mansion when she finally goes down there, her heartbreaks and she breaks up with beck. The dragons hatch anyway and try to terrorizes kings plot.

I really liked this book, i enjoyed every second of the book. And even stayed up a few night just to read it. I felt so relatable to beck. How everything He did seem to just be bad. And how everything he did kinda just went wrong. I thought that some parts where rather unnecessary, that he found that other room in the secret shaft. It was cool but i thought it was unnecessary.
I didn’t like the part when, kate broke up with him it just crushed my insides. I felt so bad, for an imaginary character. I guess good job on the author’s part there. I really like how the author portrayed the characters, and setting. In my mind imagined scene kinda like this. You know he did very well with a lot of things. I really like what imagined with the dragons, and the secret room and all the other cool looking details. I like how beck acts he acts like a really well made character like i kid you could be friends with immediately on the first day of school. I really enjoyed this book i an else who reads can enjoy it as well, i loved almost every second of it.

Everything has consequences is what i learned while reading i think this fits the theme of the book even if the consequences are good or bad. As you can tell this theme works because of all the unlucky catastrophes he and the town of kings plot went through and all the blame he got. I really enjoyed this book and couldn’t stop reading, i just hope more people could read it too, and that’s my view of the book ambush.
































































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[A. L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was bit repetitive in places with some dumb character choices, but overall a reasonably compelling story that I'm glad I read.

Three things I liked: 1. Beck is a frustrating character, and yet a believable one with all his faults and frustrations at both the people in his life and himself. He is self-aware enough to know when he's messing up yet not mature enough to get a good handle on controlling himself. 2. The Pillage curse and their relationship with the dragons is pretty unique, and I can't think of any other stories that are quite similar to these in that regard. 3. I never once stopped wanting to know how the story wrapped up and where it was going.

Three things I did not like: 1. What is it with 2000's-2010's junior fiction and really unpleasant adult figures? Beck at least has a couple of adults that aren't constantly acting like idiots or out to get him, but most of the authority figures in his life are really not cool, and some are just cruel for no reason. 2. Some of the plot threads don't really go anywhere. Maybe they were supposed to be red herrings or something, but mostly they felt dangling and forgotten. 3. No details to avoid spoilers, but Kate forgives Beck way too easily. A part of me is glad that she's willing to forgive and move on, but maybe not quite so easily.

I would say that this book would be best enjoyed by 12-15-year-olds, particularly boys, but really anyone who loves a good dragon story, and it is a decent warning against greed and the lust for power.

[Catie McKee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, I think it was a good book, and Igeniuely enjoyed it. I would suggest readers finish this series and anyone who enjoys books with dragons in it.
The one thing I didn't like was the aspect of memory loss in Kingsplot as a factor. Well, I do like it as a magic mechanic, but I wish it was introduced in the previous books, especially the second one. And because of this mechanic, it almost invalidates the antagonist of the second book. Another thing that didn't both me a lot, but I know bothers others, is that Beck can be a little unbearable sometimes. I didn't mind it because he's a teenage boy, it's in character, and it makes sense with the curse over the Pillage family.
Once again, I did enjoy this series, and I like how the end was wrapped up in a fairly seamless and happy way (those books are nice sometimes). I will be looking into reading other books by Obert Skye.

[Thomas Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good finish. I will say the first one was the best, and the second one was the worst. But the way Beck develops in Ambush was AMAZING. Even just that made the third book way worth reading.
Now, I"m not usually fond of repetitive stories, and lots of people were saying this series was really repetitive. I must say, it wasn't that bad. The third one was kinda like the second one, as in, it had the same characters with the same flaws and the same weaknesses. But the stakes were raised, for one, and the character development made everything different. It answered all my questions, and while Kate was kinda annoying and stupid, it ended the 'like' story well.
It was middle grade fiction--Not always my favorite. But this one.... Worth it.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Geeeez, what a series. And by what a series I mean: What do you mean something like this can get published and there's fiction written on the internet more entertaining and solid than this.

First star for being a book with chapters and having dragons in it.
Second star for it probably being something SOMEONE SOMEWHERE would enjoy... Probably a 4th grader who thinks like a male with three brain cells to rub together. AKA the protag of this series.
Third star for it being the last one.

Yeah, it's just so not for me. Overall enjoyable stars? None. Get it out of here. At least I'm done with this series now.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This final installment in the Pillagy (Pillage Trilogy) was so much fun! I finished it with a big smile on my face. The main character Beck is a snarky teen who seems to attract trouble like a tractor beam. This time, though, he really gets in trouble. Everyone, especially the plants, have it out for him. And then there is that undeniable pull to hatch a dragon... It was a pleasure to take this journey of the imagination.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably the best trilogy I've read so far, I have definitely fallen in love with it. This last book is a beautifully written ending to the whole story, full of emotions. I cannot help myself but feel sad that reading this trilogy has come to an end. I feel proud, fulfilled, and honored to have had an opportunity to come across these books and read them. Job well done, author! :)

[Rachelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

All Challenges done. Book #102 for this year.

Book 3 of the Pillage series. Probably the darkest of the 3 books. Young Beck has some really hard lessons ahead of him in this book, but will the Pillage curse allow him to learn it or will he lose all that he has come to care for.

Some decisions.. really take a toll. The author did a great job on this one.

[December Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was the best out of the 3 in the trilogy. I thought Beck was a bit hard to be empathetic with but all in all it wasn't that bad. Also it was a rare YA lacking drugs, sex, and cursing something I wish more YA's were without.

[Sabrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good series for a young reader... the writing was a little clumsy for me and Beck was irritating that he couldn't learn his lesson from previous experiences with the dragons, but it is a good read for younger readers, imagination and fantasy.

[C.J. Milbrandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wherever Beck goes, trouble follows. And sometimes, it's not even his fault. A heart-harrowing finale to the Pillage trilogy. It's a favorite series, and I'm bumping Skye onto my favorite author list.

[Abby Robinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Is this book Young Adult or a children's book? If it's a children's book, then it's a wonderful one. If it's a Young Adult, then it needs some work. For a young adult novel, the ending was too happy, and no one got hurt. It just needed a little more danger for me.

[Doug · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good to finish this story I started many years ago. It was easy to get back into it. It’s a simple, easy novel good for middle schoolers. The characters are flat and the plot simplistic. Still lots of fun and descriptive. I felt like I was in Kingsplot.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a great conclusion to the Pillage series. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and would definitely recommend this book! :)

[B. Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was worried for Beck throughout this book. The end was good, but I was sad about the dragons. Seemed like a pretty hard thing to do. Anyway, altogether nice little trilogy. Enjoyable reads.

[Anne (Angel Anne Reviews) Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 angel stars

[M0th 4m3zcu4 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best way to end the series, i found myself lost in this novel.

[Quincee Soto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good conclusion to the trilogy and talks a bit more about their curse.

[Autumn Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it, Obert skye knocks it out of the park again. I couldn't put it down. My only gripe is that the Grimm knot isn't a real book. I'd love to read that.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

All three of these books are the same. Beck never learns his lesson.

[Eliza Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was good but there could have been more pop into the story

[Willow · Rating 2 out of 5]

This whole series is just the same thing over and over again in each book.
The characters are good, but overall the books were just ok.

[Bonnie Arriola]

Great conclusion

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

They found in one of the abandoned rooms of the huge manor, a little chute that seemed to have no bottom. So the through the egg stone down the chute. Put part of the curse would make them go selfish and dark.

[07SpencerT · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ambush was a great book. My favorite of the series was probably Choke, but this one was really good to. I would suggest this book to anyone that doesn't hate reading about dragons and mysteries. It's all about a kid named Beck, a sarcastic teenager who is always getting into trouble. His family has this curse that makes them go crazy to plant these dragon eggs that destroy Kingsplot. In this book him and his friends, Kate and Wyatt, get rid of the last dragon egg, but Beck can't resist getting it back and there is lots of pressure on him when plants attack him so when no one is around he retrieves the egg and plants it in a cavern. His friends find out get mad and leave him. He eventually lets the dragons run wild and he has to kill them.
The was good. It was interesting to get the point of view of the insane person. It kind of bugs you, but at the same time that's what makes it good. I would suggest that anyone who has read the first two books should read this one.
Because I need to make my book review longer for my grade in English. I'm going to add some other things that destroy the fluency of my book review. Some common themes in the book are: if you procrastinate it makes things harder to do, being selfish makes people mad, and don't raise dragons.

The book takes place in our time in a small town called Kingsplot. It couldn't take place any where else because the effect of the book would be ruined. The protagonist characters in this book are Beck, Wyatt, and Kate. Beck is the narrator. He's a sarcastic kid that is always getting into trouble. He's slightly insane because of a family curse. Kate is a girl with some attitude. She is Becks girlfriend. Wyatt is Becks best friend. He is a little full of himself. The Antagonist characters in the book are Edward Pillage, Jude, and Malcom. Edward Pillage is Beck's dad. He is completely insane. Jude is the king dragon. He is a very majestic. Malcom is Jude's his body guard.

Now that I've written two paragraphs more can my grade go up?

[Nervete · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book you follow the final adventure of Beck Pillage, a young protagonist with a slightly overdone but still very enjoyable attitude that enables the story to go from dark and serious to light and funny quickly. the humor is targeted to preteens through young adults but I'm sure adults could still find it funny or at the very least clever. Personally I loved this book from its dark madness to its light humor (most of the time anyway), it is exceedingly well written and the plot while slightly predictable was still enjoyable especially the madness and ending. On the topic of madness, the two characters (or three if you count the sheriff at the end) that go mad, really act crazy, like how you would expect a madman to act, while one of them may have been a little over the top it is still closer to some written examples of madness that I have read. The main character's spiral into madness, at least to me, was very well written and subtle at first, to the point of you not quite realizing he has gone made until he starts destroying things and hurting people via a gigantic dragon that just loves killing those who have hurt its master.

The character Kate was a little underdeveloped in my opinion, being that she is one of the main characters. As for Whayat (I think that is how you spell it) he is your stereo typical third wheel and girl crazed character, however he still does bring some comedic relief during the madness section, which without would have been a very dark and depressing few chapters. Finally we have Beck's father Aaron, who in the last book nearly killed all of the main characters, sort of on accident, well not really, its really hard to tell, but he is probably one of the more changing characters throughout the series, from distant unknown relative in Pillage, to maniacal manipulative madman bent on raising a dragon despite knowing it will kill him, his town, and his family during Choke, and finally to a sort of fatherly figure, who then goes mad and again nearly kills everyone this time not even a little bit on accident.