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The Chronicles of Egg #1
Deadweather and Sunrise
A stunning middle-grade debut—full of heart, humor, and nonstop action.
It’s tough to be thirteen, especially when somebody’s trying to kill you.
Not that Egg’s life was ever easy, growing up on sweaty, pirate-infested Deadweather Island with no company except an incompetent tutor and a pair of unusually violent siblings who hate his guts.
But when Egg’s father hustles their family off on a mysterious errand to fabulously wealthy Sunrise Island, then disappears with the siblings in a freak accident, Egg finds himself a long-term guest at the mansion of the glamorous Pembroke family and their beautiful, sharp-tongued daughter Millicent. Finally, life seems perfect.
Until someone tries to throw him off a cliff.
Suddenly, Egg’s running for his life in a bewildering world of cutthroat pirates, villainous businessmen, and strange Native legends. The only people who can help him sort out the mystery of why he’s been marked for death are Millicent and a one-handed, possibly deranged cabin boy.
Come along for the ride. You’ll be glad you did.
It’s tough to be thirteen, especially when somebody’s trying to kill you.
Not that Egg’s life was ever easy, growing up on sweaty, pirate-infested Deadweather Island with no company except an incompetent tutor and a pair of unusually violent siblings who hate his guts.
But when Egg’s father hustles their family off on a mysterious errand to fabulously wealthy Sunrise Island, then disappears with the siblings in a freak accident, Egg finds himself a long-term guest at the mansion of the glamorous Pembroke family and their beautiful, sharp-tongued daughter Millicent. Finally, life seems perfect.
Until someone tries to throw him off a cliff.
Suddenly, Egg’s running for his life in a bewildering world of cutthroat pirates, villainous businessmen, and strange Native legends. The only people who can help him sort out the mystery of why he’s been marked for death are Millicent and a one-handed, possibly deranged cabin boy.
Come along for the ride. You’ll be glad you did.
296 pages, Hardcover
First published May 29, 2012
60 people are currently reading
3104 people want to read
About the author
Geoff Rodkey
29 books305 followersGeoff Rodkey is the New York Times bestselling author of the suburban-apocalypse comedy LIGHTS OUT IN LINCOLNWOOD and eleven books for middle grade kids: Kevin Hart's MARCUS MAKES A MOVIE and MARCUS MAKES IT BIG; the science fiction comedy WE'RE NOT FROM HERE; the illustrated comedy THE TAPPER TWINS GO TO WAR (WITH EACH OTHER) and its three sequels; the critically acclaimed CHRONICLES OF EGG adventure-comedy trilogy; and THE STORY PIRATES PRESENT: STUCK IN THE STONE AGE, a comic novel bundled with a how-to guide for kids who want to create stories of their own.
Geoff is also the Emmy-nominated screenwriter of such hit films as DADDY DAY CARE, RV, and the Disney Channel's GOOD LUCK, CHARLIE, IT'S CHRISTMAS. His early writing credits include the educational video game WHERE IN THE WORLD IS CARMEN SANDIEGO?, the non-educational MTV series BEAVIS AND BUTT-HEAD, and Comedy Central's POLITICALLY INCORRECT.
Geoff grew up in Freeport, Illinois and began his writing career on his high school newspaper. While in college, he was an editor of both the Harvard Lampoon and the Let's Go travel guide series.
Geoff is also the Emmy-nominated screenwriter of such hit films as DADDY DAY CARE, RV, and the Disney Channel's GOOD LUCK, CHARLIE, IT'S CHRISTMAS. His early writing credits include the educational video game WHERE IN THE WORLD IS CARMEN SANDIEGO?, the non-educational MTV series BEAVIS AND BUTT-HEAD, and Comedy Central's POLITICALLY INCORRECT.
Geoff grew up in Freeport, Illinois and began his writing career on his high school newspaper. While in college, he was an editor of both the Harvard Lampoon and the Let's Go travel guide series.
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November 8, 2013
The best way I can describe it is Lemony Snicket meets Pirates of the Caribbean, with a sprinkling of Tom Sawyer for good measure. That’s not really an accurate description, because this debut novel isn’t exactly like anything else I’ve read, but it gives you an idea of what awaits.
Pity our poor hero, thirteen year-old Egg Masterson, who lives on a miserable island with bad weather, a volcano, and lots of pirates. His family runs a small plantation where his father grows ugly fruit (“like a boring orange”). His siblings are named Adonis and Venus, while poor Egg was dubbed Egbert. His mother died giving birth to him. His brother and sister hate him. His father is neglectful at best. His tutor is fat, lazy and stupid. His only entertainment is reading the few books his tutor owns and climbing trees so he doesn’t get beat up by Adonis.
Then one day, Egg’s father comes back from the volcano with a piece of parchment and a baffled look on his face. He packs up the family and they sail for the nearby island of Sunrise for a mysterious errand. That’s when things become very interesting for Egg, very quickly.
Egg is a brave, likable and honorable character, and the reader will be cheering for him all the way. We’ll also meet the beautiful and plucky Millicent, the ferocious one-handed cabin boy Guts, and a whole cast of villains and scoundrels, most of whom are not what they appear to be. You can expect ancient Native treasure (possibly magical), pirate battles aplenty, wild hogs, jelly bread, fights to the death with biting and cannonballs, croquet, the very first boatload of obnoxious tourists, and even a wagonload of grenades. Best of all, Deadweather and Sunrise is the first of a series, and once you’ve read the first book, you’ll be dying to find out what happens next for Egg and the gang. I know I am!
Pity our poor hero, thirteen year-old Egg Masterson, who lives on a miserable island with bad weather, a volcano, and lots of pirates. His family runs a small plantation where his father grows ugly fruit (“like a boring orange”). His siblings are named Adonis and Venus, while poor Egg was dubbed Egbert. His mother died giving birth to him. His brother and sister hate him. His father is neglectful at best. His tutor is fat, lazy and stupid. His only entertainment is reading the few books his tutor owns and climbing trees so he doesn’t get beat up by Adonis.
Then one day, Egg’s father comes back from the volcano with a piece of parchment and a baffled look on his face. He packs up the family and they sail for the nearby island of Sunrise for a mysterious errand. That’s when things become very interesting for Egg, very quickly.
Egg is a brave, likable and honorable character, and the reader will be cheering for him all the way. We’ll also meet the beautiful and plucky Millicent, the ferocious one-handed cabin boy Guts, and a whole cast of villains and scoundrels, most of whom are not what they appear to be. You can expect ancient Native treasure (possibly magical), pirate battles aplenty, wild hogs, jelly bread, fights to the death with biting and cannonballs, croquet, the very first boatload of obnoxious tourists, and even a wagonload of grenades. Best of all, Deadweather and Sunrise is the first of a series, and once you’ve read the first book, you’ll be dying to find out what happens next for Egg and the gang. I know I am!
February 25, 2021
Egbert is about to be thirteen years old and he is the youngest among his siblings and he's different from them. He enjoys reading books and dreams of one day leaving the island, Deadweather he grew up on. Pirates are the main inhabitants of Deadweather. He has an older brother, Adonis and an older sister, Venus. His mother died while giving birth to him and his dad is a businessman who owns a plantation and works all day, everyday at that plantation along with field pirates.
One day Egbert's father comes across something that he leaves the island along with his family to go to Sunrise where he is hoping to find a native to help with whatever he has found. Egbert's father goes to a lawyer to get help and then ends up at one of the Sunrise's wealthiest man, Pembroke's house. There Egbert meets Pembroke's daughter, Millicent whom he becomes attracted to straightaway. Millicent gives him a short name, Egg. His family ends up getting lost possibly dead when an incident happens with the hot air balloon that Pembroke had organised.
Egg is left behind and spends all his time with Millicent and also learns ways of rich life. When he learns that Pembroke is trying to get him killed and possibly killed his family too, he ends up at a ship where he becomes a prisoner of the rich people and then pirates take over and he escapes from there and also meets another boy, Guts. They befriend each other and they tell everything they learned about Pembroke to Millicent. Millicent doesn't believe them but helps them anyway. They end up on another pirate ship but the pirate on this ship, Burn Healy is a man of honour who treats kids with mercy in every respect and helps them get safely to Deadweather.
When Egg, Guts and Millicent come back to Egg's home and the plantation, they find out that Pembroke has taken over the plantation and they outwit the soldiers. Pembroke believes that there is a treasure on this land and is determined to get that treasure for himself. In the end, Egg and Pembroke come to an agreement with Millicent's help. Also, Egg finds out that the treasure isn't here on this land but there is a map that can only be translated by a native and possibly lead to this said treasure. Egg and Guts then leave for the New Lands in search of someone who can actually translate that map.
I liked Egg. His siblings treat him badly and even thrash him every chance they get and even his father beats him more than the other two kids. He is blamed for his mother's death by his siblings. My heart went out to him. He endured so much by everyone. He was easy to like and was mostly level headed for a thirteen year old.
I also liked Guts. He was sold off to pirates by someone that is not revealed and he doesn't trust anyone for that reason. He was really funny too what with him wanting to kill everyone. I also liked field pirate, Mung and the domestic pirate, Quint.
I could not like Millicent considering she was pretty much the only girl besides Venus in the book. She came across as arrogant. I understand that she belongs to a wealthy and powerful family and she is the only child but there was something that I could not like about her. Just when I thought that I might like her, the way she did those negotiations in the end basically ignoring the fact that her father had killed Egg's family was the last straw for me.
I really liked the scene with the underpants. That actually made me laugh out loud and hard. It was really funny. There's something about reading middle-grade books that always makes me feel good. I finished this book in one sitting and I really liked it. Looking forward to the next one (I do hope his family is alive somehow especially his father).
4 stars
One day Egbert's father comes across something that he leaves the island along with his family to go to Sunrise where he is hoping to find a native to help with whatever he has found. Egbert's father goes to a lawyer to get help and then ends up at one of the Sunrise's wealthiest man, Pembroke's house. There Egbert meets Pembroke's daughter, Millicent whom he becomes attracted to straightaway. Millicent gives him a short name, Egg. His family ends up getting lost possibly dead when an incident happens with the hot air balloon that Pembroke had organised.
Egg is left behind and spends all his time with Millicent and also learns ways of rich life. When he learns that Pembroke is trying to get him killed and possibly killed his family too, he ends up at a ship where he becomes a prisoner of the rich people and then pirates take over and he escapes from there and also meets another boy, Guts. They befriend each other and they tell everything they learned about Pembroke to Millicent. Millicent doesn't believe them but helps them anyway. They end up on another pirate ship but the pirate on this ship, Burn Healy is a man of honour who treats kids with mercy in every respect and helps them get safely to Deadweather.
When Egg, Guts and Millicent come back to Egg's home and the plantation, they find out that Pembroke has taken over the plantation and they outwit the soldiers. Pembroke believes that there is a treasure on this land and is determined to get that treasure for himself. In the end, Egg and Pembroke come to an agreement with Millicent's help. Also, Egg finds out that the treasure isn't here on this land but there is a map that can only be translated by a native and possibly lead to this said treasure. Egg and Guts then leave for the New Lands in search of someone who can actually translate that map.
I liked Egg. His siblings treat him badly and even thrash him every chance they get and even his father beats him more than the other two kids. He is blamed for his mother's death by his siblings. My heart went out to him. He endured so much by everyone. He was easy to like and was mostly level headed for a thirteen year old.
I also liked Guts. He was sold off to pirates by someone that is not revealed and he doesn't trust anyone for that reason. He was really funny too what with him wanting to kill everyone. I also liked field pirate, Mung and the domestic pirate, Quint.
I could not like Millicent considering she was pretty much the only girl besides Venus in the book. She came across as arrogant. I understand that she belongs to a wealthy and powerful family and she is the only child but there was something that I could not like about her. Just when I thought that I might like her, the way she did those negotiations in the end basically ignoring the fact that her father had killed Egg's family was the last straw for me.
I really liked the scene with the underpants. That actually made me laugh out loud and hard. It was really funny. There's something about reading middle-grade books that always makes me feel good. I finished this book in one sitting and I really liked it. Looking forward to the next one (I do hope his family is alive somehow especially his father).
4 stars
April 22, 2012
As reviewed on my blog:
So let's see. It is easy to see a certain kind of formula that came about over the last decade or so involving male Cinderellas. You've got Harry Potter with those nasty Dursleys making him live under the stairs. There's Percy Jackson with his dyslexia. Both, of course, have sidekicks with whom they banter and battle highly dangerous foe. The result of Harry and Percy's success among young readers has generated a whole lot of heroes of their ilk. Now there are plenty of young guys treated badly who find out they are special and, of course, have sidekicks and some sort of maybe- first-love interest (who may or not be a sidekick). Most of these are entertaining and immediately after reading, forgettable. So my initial response when I received Geoff Rodkey's Deadweather and Sunrise , the first in The Chronicles of Egg, was a distinct lack of enthusiasm. Chronicles? Pirates? A boy and a girl on the cover? Yawn.
But, but, but then I began reading and was immediately and completely hooked. Rodkey has created a witty and intriguing alternate world, one that is filled with pirates and feels along the lines of 18th and 19th century British Empire or something of that ilk. His male Cinderella is one Egbert, who understandably prefers the nickname Egg. He lives on the putrid outlier island of Deadwater which is largely populated by pirates. "There were two kinds on Deadwater: the normal ones who hung around down in Port Scratch, drinking and getting into knife fights whenever they weren't off raiding Cartager gold ships; and the busted-down, broken ones,who'd lost too many limbs or eyes or organs to crew a ship, but not enough to kill them outright." It is the latter who work on his father's ugly fruit plantation, seemingly the only legal enterprise on Deadwater. Tormented by his miserable older siblings Adonis and Venus (both of whom are nothing like their namesakes) and ignored by his taciturn and always-working father, Egbert's life is that of the classic downtrodden male Cinderella. But suddenly everything changes. There's a map, a girl, her villainous father, gruff and good pirates, nasty dangerous pirates, and something more sinister lurking in the wings that may involve the original people of the area, termed Natives, who we only see far, far off, toiling on the nearby island Sunrise's silver mine.
Egg tells his own story with humor and a likable lack of self-pity. There is adventure galore as he goes from one cliffhanger (one is literally a cliffhanger) to the next and wit as well. For it is Rodkey's writing that made this rise for me above the others of its type --- a dry sense of humor, the sort of throw-away lines Dickens does so well, great pacing, and excellent world building. I can see that some might be worried about the mention of those mysterious Natives, but my sense and hope is that Rodkey is setting us readers up for something significant about them in future volumes. In this start to the series they are far-off figures Egg is only very vaguely informed about through hearsay and stories of the past related by various characters. That they are so barely known and then only as myth feels intentional on the author's part and something I am hopeful he will bust open in good ways in future volumes.
Of course there is much more that we readers will be waiting for as well --- what exactly did happen to Egg's family after they went off? What and where is he headed next? Geoff Rodkey has definitely got my attention and I'm eager to see where he is going to take this chronicle next. Oddly enough, when searching for a link for the book I came across a review by none other than Rick Riordan who describes it as "Lemony Snicket meets Pirates of the Caribbean,with a sprinkling of Tom Sawyer for good measure." Not too bad a description at all.
So let's see. It is easy to see a certain kind of formula that came about over the last decade or so involving male Cinderellas. You've got Harry Potter with those nasty Dursleys making him live under the stairs. There's Percy Jackson with his dyslexia. Both, of course, have sidekicks with whom they banter and battle highly dangerous foe. The result of Harry and Percy's success among young readers has generated a whole lot of heroes of their ilk. Now there are plenty of young guys treated badly who find out they are special and, of course, have sidekicks and some sort of maybe- first-love interest (who may or not be a sidekick). Most of these are entertaining and immediately after reading, forgettable. So my initial response when I received Geoff Rodkey's Deadweather and Sunrise , the first in The Chronicles of Egg, was a distinct lack of enthusiasm. Chronicles? Pirates? A boy and a girl on the cover? Yawn.
But, but, but then I began reading and was immediately and completely hooked. Rodkey has created a witty and intriguing alternate world, one that is filled with pirates and feels along the lines of 18th and 19th century British Empire or something of that ilk. His male Cinderella is one Egbert, who understandably prefers the nickname Egg. He lives on the putrid outlier island of Deadwater which is largely populated by pirates. "There were two kinds on Deadwater: the normal ones who hung around down in Port Scratch, drinking and getting into knife fights whenever they weren't off raiding Cartager gold ships; and the busted-down, broken ones,who'd lost too many limbs or eyes or organs to crew a ship, but not enough to kill them outright." It is the latter who work on his father's ugly fruit plantation, seemingly the only legal enterprise on Deadwater. Tormented by his miserable older siblings Adonis and Venus (both of whom are nothing like their namesakes) and ignored by his taciturn and always-working father, Egbert's life is that of the classic downtrodden male Cinderella. But suddenly everything changes. There's a map, a girl, her villainous father, gruff and good pirates, nasty dangerous pirates, and something more sinister lurking in the wings that may involve the original people of the area, termed Natives, who we only see far, far off, toiling on the nearby island Sunrise's silver mine.
Egg tells his own story with humor and a likable lack of self-pity. There is adventure galore as he goes from one cliffhanger (one is literally a cliffhanger) to the next and wit as well. For it is Rodkey's writing that made this rise for me above the others of its type --- a dry sense of humor, the sort of throw-away lines Dickens does so well, great pacing, and excellent world building. I can see that some might be worried about the mention of those mysterious Natives, but my sense and hope is that Rodkey is setting us readers up for something significant about them in future volumes. In this start to the series they are far-off figures Egg is only very vaguely informed about through hearsay and stories of the past related by various characters. That they are so barely known and then only as myth feels intentional on the author's part and something I am hopeful he will bust open in good ways in future volumes.
Of course there is much more that we readers will be waiting for as well --- what exactly did happen to Egg's family after they went off? What and where is he headed next? Geoff Rodkey has definitely got my attention and I'm eager to see where he is going to take this chronicle next. Oddly enough, when searching for a link for the book I came across a review by none other than Rick Riordan who describes it as "Lemony Snicket meets Pirates of the Caribbean,with a sprinkling of Tom Sawyer for good measure." Not too bad a description at all.
June 5, 2012
I have come across so many unimaginative books lately, that I was a bit skeptical when I started reading this book. The synopsis sounded wonderful, but I have been fooled quite a bit lately by those, so I was crossing my fingers and hoping for the best. I got what I was hoping for. This was an original storyline, full of fun characters, action-filled story lines, suspense, humor, fun, excitement, and mystery.
Egbert grew up in a family that never really seemed to care for him much, you see, his mother died giving birth to him, and his siblings blamed her death on him. They all live on a dirty island surrounded by pirates (none of which look like Johnny Depp) and a farm full of ugly fruit. Egbert's life soon changes when they make an unexpected trip to Sunrise - and not only does he get a new name, Egg - but his outlook on things changes as well. I really wish I could give you a better summary than that, but saying anymore really would give away things that I feel would be unfair to you as a potential reader of this book. There are so many things that happen, that you will not want to put the book down. I know I didn't.
I think this book would be VERY appealing to boys and still interest the girls as well. Millicent is a very strong female character in the book, and I'm sure the girls will love her, and the boys... well, what in here is NOT to like for them? There are pirates, daring escapes, fights to the death, pig manure, hidden secrets, and more pirates.
The author did an amazing job keeping the reader entranced in the world, always wondering what would happen next, and giving us plenty to look forward to while keeping the pace steady. I highly recommend this book to anyone.
I received an ARC copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review. And I will say, this book earned all four of these stars. Very well done. I'm looking forward to book two in this series!!
Egbert grew up in a family that never really seemed to care for him much, you see, his mother died giving birth to him, and his siblings blamed her death on him. They all live on a dirty island surrounded by pirates (none of which look like Johnny Depp) and a farm full of ugly fruit. Egbert's life soon changes when they make an unexpected trip to Sunrise - and not only does he get a new name, Egg - but his outlook on things changes as well. I really wish I could give you a better summary than that, but saying anymore really would give away things that I feel would be unfair to you as a potential reader of this book. There are so many things that happen, that you will not want to put the book down. I know I didn't.
I think this book would be VERY appealing to boys and still interest the girls as well. Millicent is a very strong female character in the book, and I'm sure the girls will love her, and the boys... well, what in here is NOT to like for them? There are pirates, daring escapes, fights to the death, pig manure, hidden secrets, and more pirates.
The author did an amazing job keeping the reader entranced in the world, always wondering what would happen next, and giving us plenty to look forward to while keeping the pace steady. I highly recommend this book to anyone.
I received an ARC copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair review. And I will say, this book earned all four of these stars. Very well done. I'm looking forward to book two in this series!!
November 10, 2022
Jetzt erinnere ich mich, warum das Buch von mir nur 3 Sterne bekam...
Ich hoffe, dass die Verantwortlichen für ihre begangenen Verbrechen im Verlauf der nächsten beiden Bücher noch zu Verantwortung gezogen werden. Sonst hätte diese Geschichte doch eine recht seltsame Botschaft.
Ich hoffe, dass die Verantwortlichen für ihre begangenen Verbrechen im Verlauf der nächsten beiden Bücher noch zu Verantwortung gezogen werden. Sonst hätte diese Geschichte doch eine recht seltsame Botschaft.
November 15, 2015
'I knew the world was out there. I just didn't see a place for myself in it. And even if there might be, I had no idea how to go about finding it.
It never occurred to me that the world might come find me - and that without me lifting a finger to make it happen, one day my life would change, completely and forever.
But it did. And this is the story of it.'
Growing up in Deadweather, Egbert (although he prefers 'Egg') always thought that life outside of Deadweather would be more civilized and more respectful. Growing up with his brother Adonis and sister Venus who treated him like an unwanted brother and his father who he couldn't even be sure really loved him, Egbert didn't have the easiest of lives. But when Egbert gets a taste of what other people are truly like, even on the illustrious island Sunrise, he realizes that his family may not be as bad as he originally made them out to be. When his family goes missing after his father makes a mysterious discovery, Egg begins to suspect that he had actually found evidence of the Fire King's treasure (which was a supposed myth) and that it's somewhere back on his home in Deadweather.
This book was an immense amount of fun and I had trouble putting it down because I was so enthralled in the story. The story was told from the point-of-view of Egg which was different as it seems most books I've read are from the point-of-view of a female so it was an interesting but fun perspective shift for me. Guts was my favorite character though, he cracked me up. Guts mopped the decks of a pirate ship but was not a pirate himself. He refused to wear shoes, his hair hung in his eyes so much you couldn't be positive he could actually see, and he was quite a wild little animal.
"He'd never use that knife."
"He would, actually. He's quite violent. And not well in the head."
"What kind of 'not well'?"
"The kind that stabs people! Look at this." I opened two buttons on my shirt and pulled it far enough off my shoulder to give her a good look at the blood-crusted bite mark on ym shoulder.
"Oh, that's awful! Does he have a dog?"
"No, that was him."
Millicent's eyebrows jumped. "Right, then. Good to know. Thanks for the tip."
One of my kids asked me what the story was about so I told her the basis. Her immediate response was 'How long until you finish so I can read it?' She snagged it just as soon as I was done. I found it to be a bit violent but was satisfied that it was kept to a minimum. This is a series/trilogy that I will definitely be keeping an eye out for in the future. The ending sets up Egg and Guts' next adventure perfectly. Funny and definitely entertaining, this one is a true 'middle-grade' gem.
It never occurred to me that the world might come find me - and that without me lifting a finger to make it happen, one day my life would change, completely and forever.
But it did. And this is the story of it.'
Growing up in Deadweather, Egbert (although he prefers 'Egg') always thought that life outside of Deadweather would be more civilized and more respectful. Growing up with his brother Adonis and sister Venus who treated him like an unwanted brother and his father who he couldn't even be sure really loved him, Egbert didn't have the easiest of lives. But when Egbert gets a taste of what other people are truly like, even on the illustrious island Sunrise, he realizes that his family may not be as bad as he originally made them out to be. When his family goes missing after his father makes a mysterious discovery, Egg begins to suspect that he had actually found evidence of the Fire King's treasure (which was a supposed myth) and that it's somewhere back on his home in Deadweather.
This book was an immense amount of fun and I had trouble putting it down because I was so enthralled in the story. The story was told from the point-of-view of Egg which was different as it seems most books I've read are from the point-of-view of a female so it was an interesting but fun perspective shift for me. Guts was my favorite character though, he cracked me up. Guts mopped the decks of a pirate ship but was not a pirate himself. He refused to wear shoes, his hair hung in his eyes so much you couldn't be positive he could actually see, and he was quite a wild little animal.
"He'd never use that knife."
"He would, actually. He's quite violent. And not well in the head."
"What kind of 'not well'?"
"The kind that stabs people! Look at this." I opened two buttons on my shirt and pulled it far enough off my shoulder to give her a good look at the blood-crusted bite mark on ym shoulder.
"Oh, that's awful! Does he have a dog?"
"No, that was him."
Millicent's eyebrows jumped. "Right, then. Good to know. Thanks for the tip."
One of my kids asked me what the story was about so I told her the basis. Her immediate response was 'How long until you finish so I can read it?' She snagged it just as soon as I was done. I found it to be a bit violent but was satisfied that it was kept to a minimum. This is a series/trilogy that I will definitely be keeping an eye out for in the future. The ending sets up Egg and Guts' next adventure perfectly. Funny and definitely entertaining, this one is a true 'middle-grade' gem.
November 3, 2015
(3.5) It was okay, I'm a bit intrigued as to what may happen next so I might read the next book but it isn't really high on my priorities right now.
May 7, 2012
In the latest issue of The Horn Book, Roger Sutton poses the question, "What Hath Harry Wrought?" His essay focuses on positive changes in our assumptions about children's reading habits, but Rowling's success hath wrought more insidious changes in the publishing industry as well. Pre-Harry, when I saw the word "chronicles" on the cover of a book, it brought me warm, fuzzy memories of Narnia and Prydain. Post-Harry, "chronicles" translates to "a series consisting of at least three volumes of at least 300 pages apiece, with derivative plots, stock characters, and probably some boring magic."
Enter the Chronicles of Egg.
In the first volume, Deadweather and Sunrise, we meet thirteen-year-old Egbert (Egg). He and his family run an ugly fruit plantation on a fetid island - Deadweather - inhabited solely by pirates and his own small household. Deadweather exists in the shadow of the much more attractive Sunrise Island, where tropical breezes cool the white sand beaches and proto-tourists roam the glittering streets. When Egbert's taciturn father finds something intriguing on their property, he sails the family to Sunrise, setting in motion a swashbuckling plot that manages to sustain suspense and momentum throughout its 288 pages.
I have to stop here and thank Monica Edinger, because I never would have picked up this book without her endorsement. Seriously. The ARC was sitting on my "Eh, probably won't bother reading" shelf, looking like a boring rehash of a million tired old tropes, and waiting to be used as a giveaway. I'm so glad I reclaimed it.
Deadweather and Sunrise is much better than it has any right to be. The elements of the plot are not particularly original, but the author arranges them in some startling and delightful ways. There are maimed pirates working an ugly fruit plantation, the world's first passenger cruise through pirate-infested waters, and a particularly malodorous stowaway attempt. Where the book really shines, though, is in its characters.
Egg himself is an appealing hero, making lots of brave and dumb choices for believably noble reasons. The standout character, however, is his friend Millicent (who also happens to be the daughter of the villain). As well-drawn strong female fantasy characters go, it doesn't get much better than this. For once, the author has not chosen from between the two Strong Girl stock characters: Strong Like a Boy or Stunningly Brainy. Millicent is very intelligent, yes, and also brave and strong, but it's her diplomacy skills that save the day at the crucial moment. Applied knowledge FTW! (This made me realize how much female "intelligence" in fantasy novels amounts to "I read all the time and am able to regurgitate information at will.") Millicent is also bossy, spoiled, and headstrong, calling to mind another classic Strong Girl: Princess Eilonwy of Llyr.
I look forward to reading the rest of this trilogy. There are all kinds of intriguing loose ends, and I want to know more about the endearingly unstable cabin boy, Guts.
Enter the Chronicles of Egg.
In the first volume, Deadweather and Sunrise, we meet thirteen-year-old Egbert (Egg). He and his family run an ugly fruit plantation on a fetid island - Deadweather - inhabited solely by pirates and his own small household. Deadweather exists in the shadow of the much more attractive Sunrise Island, where tropical breezes cool the white sand beaches and proto-tourists roam the glittering streets. When Egbert's taciturn father finds something intriguing on their property, he sails the family to Sunrise, setting in motion a swashbuckling plot that manages to sustain suspense and momentum throughout its 288 pages.
I have to stop here and thank Monica Edinger, because I never would have picked up this book without her endorsement. Seriously. The ARC was sitting on my "Eh, probably won't bother reading" shelf, looking like a boring rehash of a million tired old tropes, and waiting to be used as a giveaway. I'm so glad I reclaimed it.
Deadweather and Sunrise is much better than it has any right to be. The elements of the plot are not particularly original, but the author arranges them in some startling and delightful ways. There are maimed pirates working an ugly fruit plantation, the world's first passenger cruise through pirate-infested waters, and a particularly malodorous stowaway attempt. Where the book really shines, though, is in its characters.
Egg himself is an appealing hero, making lots of brave and dumb choices for believably noble reasons. The standout character, however, is his friend Millicent (who also happens to be the daughter of the villain). As well-drawn strong female fantasy characters go, it doesn't get much better than this. For once, the author has not chosen from between the two Strong Girl stock characters: Strong Like a Boy or Stunningly Brainy. Millicent is very intelligent, yes, and also brave and strong, but it's her diplomacy skills that save the day at the crucial moment. Applied knowledge FTW! (This made me realize how much female "intelligence" in fantasy novels amounts to "I read all the time and am able to regurgitate information at will.") Millicent is also bossy, spoiled, and headstrong, calling to mind another classic Strong Girl: Princess Eilonwy of Llyr.
I look forward to reading the rest of this trilogy. There are all kinds of intriguing loose ends, and I want to know more about the endearingly unstable cabin boy, Guts.
November 20, 2014
I liked this quite a bit, but I don't know about classifying it as "Middle Grade". There are some situations within that make me think YA is a much better category. I initially was thinking about giving this to a niece for Christmas, but after reading it I don't think it would be appropriate for her age.
That said.. Well written, fun characters, good story, pirates are cool... 4 stars.
That said.. Well written, fun characters, good story, pirates are cool... 4 stars.
March 12, 2013
Time to dive back into the world of Middle Grade literature. I love jumping into Middle Grade every once so often. It’s actually pretty surprising to see how enjoyable some of these books can be even for older readers like myself. I feel like it really takes a lot of talent to pull off a good Middle Grade book for that reason though. You want a book that will appeal to younger people, but to have that same book also have appeal to older readers is pretty awesome. Geoff really pulled this feat off in Deadweather and Sunrise.
There were a lot of things I loved about this book. One of the main things was the atmosphere of the book. It’s a really fun book, but you do have a dark undertone with the pirates and everything else going on. The story takes off as soon as you get into the book, and I was surprised to not see it let up much throughout the book. There was a little downtime but it was a fairly fast paced book overall. Middle Grade is just one of those things I have to take in small doses. While it is a lot of fun, it can get a little overbearing sometime if you’re use to mostly YA. But this book really does a great job of bridging that gap a little.
Egg and Millicent.. What can you say about these two? They are adorable together. Okay, maybe adorable isn’t the right word. Although I guess you could say whatever you wanted about them. These two were incredible. You really don’t think of them being so young when you’re actually reading the book. They are two really tough characters that go through a lot of hardships on their journey. You really can’t help but love Millicent though, she is pretty feisty. There are a lot of other marvelous characters in this book too especially when you look at all the pirates. They were a pretty diverse bunch and they had a lot of really humorous dialogue.
Overall I was really impressed by how good this book turned out to be. I was a little skeptical even though it sounded really good. I just really have to see a lot of great things fall into place for me to really be able to enjoy a Middle Grade novel and I really saw everything fall into place with Deadweather and Sunrise. Great story, likeable characters and a quick read. I really do think this book is geared a little more towards those that enjoy adventures and such. But I do think you could find a little bit of everything throughout the book.
If this book sounds interesting to you, I really can’t think of any reason why you shouldn’t check it out. Don’t decide not to read it just because you see that it is Middle Grade, I don’t think that is very fair. It has a lot of potential to be liked by older readers too, so I think if you gave it a shot you might actually really end up enjoying it. Geoff did a really good job writing it to make it appealing to a lot of different readers.
I can’t wait to jump into the second book in the series. I have it waiting for me, and plan to get to it fairly soon. I got a feeling it will be just as awesome as the first book, if not better. With the way this first book ended, I feel as though it will be a fairly smooth transition into book two which is a major plus. So I am really looking forward to it, and I hope all of you will check out this book so you can follow along in the series with me.
Thank you to Media Masters Publicity for providing me with a copy of this book for review.
There were a lot of things I loved about this book. One of the main things was the atmosphere of the book. It’s a really fun book, but you do have a dark undertone with the pirates and everything else going on. The story takes off as soon as you get into the book, and I was surprised to not see it let up much throughout the book. There was a little downtime but it was a fairly fast paced book overall. Middle Grade is just one of those things I have to take in small doses. While it is a lot of fun, it can get a little overbearing sometime if you’re use to mostly YA. But this book really does a great job of bridging that gap a little.
Egg and Millicent.. What can you say about these two? They are adorable together. Okay, maybe adorable isn’t the right word. Although I guess you could say whatever you wanted about them. These two were incredible. You really don’t think of them being so young when you’re actually reading the book. They are two really tough characters that go through a lot of hardships on their journey. You really can’t help but love Millicent though, she is pretty feisty. There are a lot of other marvelous characters in this book too especially when you look at all the pirates. They were a pretty diverse bunch and they had a lot of really humorous dialogue.
Overall I was really impressed by how good this book turned out to be. I was a little skeptical even though it sounded really good. I just really have to see a lot of great things fall into place for me to really be able to enjoy a Middle Grade novel and I really saw everything fall into place with Deadweather and Sunrise. Great story, likeable characters and a quick read. I really do think this book is geared a little more towards those that enjoy adventures and such. But I do think you could find a little bit of everything throughout the book.
If this book sounds interesting to you, I really can’t think of any reason why you shouldn’t check it out. Don’t decide not to read it just because you see that it is Middle Grade, I don’t think that is very fair. It has a lot of potential to be liked by older readers too, so I think if you gave it a shot you might actually really end up enjoying it. Geoff did a really good job writing it to make it appealing to a lot of different readers.
I can’t wait to jump into the second book in the series. I have it waiting for me, and plan to get to it fairly soon. I got a feeling it will be just as awesome as the first book, if not better. With the way this first book ended, I feel as though it will be a fairly smooth transition into book two which is a major plus. So I am really looking forward to it, and I hope all of you will check out this book so you can follow along in the series with me.
Thank you to Media Masters Publicity for providing me with a copy of this book for review.
November 20, 2012
When you read “debut author” you are ready to make some allowances, you needn’t with Geoff Rodkey. He has spun this juvenile fiction adventure story like a pro. He’s funny and earnest and has the pacing, villains, and gore well in hand. He is also able to throw in plenty of keep-you-on-your-toes plot twists that do not, wonderfully enough, feel like they come out of nowhere. He is convincing and consistent if you are willing to slow down long enough to admire the job; which is harder than it sounds.
Rodkey does take time with the beginning establishing Egbert’s unfortunate circumstances and giving the reader a feel for this fantasy culture. His wit is high energy, which works for this kind of adventure, and I see Rodkey eventually catching up with the likes of N.D. Wilson and Eoin Colfer. In the meantime, the pages sail by, even if one cringes to think ‘how is Egg going to get out of that one?’ Rodkey draws out some pretty good action sequences.
Melissa at The Book Nut captures the feel of the characters perfectly when she writes: “Think of it as Pirates of the Caribbean with a 13-year-old Will Turner. There’s a Jack Sparrow character in Egg’s friend Guts, and Millicent could be Elizabeth Swan.” Yeah, they are younger, blonder versions… It wasn’t something I hadn’t thought about while reading, having forgotten it since reading Melissa’s review, but they are very reminiscent. There are other characters, of course, some a bit more caricature-ish, but Rodkey uses it wisely, I think; illustrating where he needed so as to not bog down his read unnecessarily, certainly not at the expense of the pace. He maintains a successful balance of Egg’s inner dialog with the action, and not just balance in how Rodkey spends his time, but how he uses one to affect the other (and vice versa). Who Egg is affects his choices which affects the outcome, but he is also made to react or is placed due to the actions of another.
As Book One Deadweather and Sunrise could stand alone, but I can’t think why one would want it to. While Rodkey wraps up a few things, he’s laid out quite a bit more to entice the reader. The reader is going to like at least one character and are bound to be intrigued by at least one lure Rodkey has set for the next adventure. I am happy to say I am interested in the outcomes of more than a few characters and plot trajectories.
——————–
recommendations: ages 10 & up. boys or girls, avid reader or no, those who love adventure stories, pirates (maimed or otherwise), and/or first crushes. fans of N.D. Wilson and/or Rick Riordan.
of note: Rodkey writes boys and boats really well. and Guts is my favorite. I adore his rough language, blood-thirst, and the way he tells Millicent to shut-up…yeah, the bickering was great.
L (omphaloskepsis)
http://contemplatrix.wordpress.com/20...
Rodkey does take time with the beginning establishing Egbert’s unfortunate circumstances and giving the reader a feel for this fantasy culture. His wit is high energy, which works for this kind of adventure, and I see Rodkey eventually catching up with the likes of N.D. Wilson and Eoin Colfer. In the meantime, the pages sail by, even if one cringes to think ‘how is Egg going to get out of that one?’ Rodkey draws out some pretty good action sequences.
Melissa at The Book Nut captures the feel of the characters perfectly when she writes: “Think of it as Pirates of the Caribbean with a 13-year-old Will Turner. There’s a Jack Sparrow character in Egg’s friend Guts, and Millicent could be Elizabeth Swan.” Yeah, they are younger, blonder versions… It wasn’t something I hadn’t thought about while reading, having forgotten it since reading Melissa’s review, but they are very reminiscent. There are other characters, of course, some a bit more caricature-ish, but Rodkey uses it wisely, I think; illustrating where he needed so as to not bog down his read unnecessarily, certainly not at the expense of the pace. He maintains a successful balance of Egg’s inner dialog with the action, and not just balance in how Rodkey spends his time, but how he uses one to affect the other (and vice versa). Who Egg is affects his choices which affects the outcome, but he is also made to react or is placed due to the actions of another.
As Book One Deadweather and Sunrise could stand alone, but I can’t think why one would want it to. While Rodkey wraps up a few things, he’s laid out quite a bit more to entice the reader. The reader is going to like at least one character and are bound to be intrigued by at least one lure Rodkey has set for the next adventure. I am happy to say I am interested in the outcomes of more than a few characters and plot trajectories.
——————–
recommendations: ages 10 & up. boys or girls, avid reader or no, those who love adventure stories, pirates (maimed or otherwise), and/or first crushes. fans of N.D. Wilson and/or Rick Riordan.
of note: Rodkey writes boys and boats really well. and Guts is my favorite. I adore his rough language, blood-thirst, and the way he tells Millicent to shut-up…yeah, the bickering was great.
L (omphaloskepsis)
http://contemplatrix.wordpress.com/20...
August 10, 2012
Originally Reviewed At:Mother/Gamer/Writer
Rating: 5 out of 5 Controllers
Review Source: Publisher for Honest Review
Reviewer: AimeeKay
Just finished reading this awesome book! So much fun! The descriptions were exceptional and while the book had its action and adventure, it was also really humorous. Almost every page had me giggling.
As for the characters themselves, my two favorites were Egg and Guts. Egg was an excellent main character. He was funny and determined. And Guts, well Guts was absolutely insane! Literally. Completely cuckoo. But I enjoy the odd insane character from time to time, especially when they make me laugh. I enjoyed Millicent as well, although she seemed a bit of a brat, she was still confident and adventurous.
I also appreciated the descriptions, particularly the ones of the weather around Deadweather….I could just feel the stifling air and the stickiness of the humidity. Of course that could also be because it’s been wicked hot and humid here as well…but the author hit the description of how it feels right on the head in my opinion.
The book had a semi-satisfying ending. No drop off cliff hanger, but it does leave itself set up for the next book in the Chronicles of Egg. I say semi-satisfying because I really wanted to see what would happen to Egg and his friends next, but unfortunately I will have to wait for the next book. While it left some questions unanswered and created new ones with the way the adventure seemed to resolve itself, I didn’t feel that it just got cut off mid story so I guess I can wait ’til the next one comes out.
Honestly, The Chronicles of Egg: Deadweather and Sunrise is a GREAT book. I’m giving it 5 out of 5 controllers. I think kids and adults will both get a kick out of Egg and his adventures. Definitely good for boys as well as girls. Middle Graders will all approve!
Rating: 5 out of 5 Controllers
Review Source: Publisher for Honest Review
Reviewer: AimeeKay
Just finished reading this awesome book! So much fun! The descriptions were exceptional and while the book had its action and adventure, it was also really humorous. Almost every page had me giggling.
As for the characters themselves, my two favorites were Egg and Guts. Egg was an excellent main character. He was funny and determined. And Guts, well Guts was absolutely insane! Literally. Completely cuckoo. But I enjoy the odd insane character from time to time, especially when they make me laugh. I enjoyed Millicent as well, although she seemed a bit of a brat, she was still confident and adventurous.
I also appreciated the descriptions, particularly the ones of the weather around Deadweather….I could just feel the stifling air and the stickiness of the humidity. Of course that could also be because it’s been wicked hot and humid here as well…but the author hit the description of how it feels right on the head in my opinion.
The book had a semi-satisfying ending. No drop off cliff hanger, but it does leave itself set up for the next book in the Chronicles of Egg. I say semi-satisfying because I really wanted to see what would happen to Egg and his friends next, but unfortunately I will have to wait for the next book. While it left some questions unanswered and created new ones with the way the adventure seemed to resolve itself, I didn’t feel that it just got cut off mid story so I guess I can wait ’til the next one comes out.
Honestly, The Chronicles of Egg: Deadweather and Sunrise is a GREAT book. I’m giving it 5 out of 5 controllers. I think kids and adults will both get a kick out of Egg and his adventures. Definitely good for boys as well as girls. Middle Graders will all approve!
April 4, 2020
First in a series.
Good characters, fantastic main character in Egg, funny writing and some excellent turns of comedic phrasing. Good plot. Loads of adventure. Villainy abounds. I especially liked that the pirates were neither all evil, but far from nice or kindly or misunderstood. Some, like Healy, have their own code and they stick by it, while still being pretty terrifying. Others, like most of the fruit-workers, are just out for the most money and they don't particularly care where it comes from.
My complaints?
#1 Millicent.
Seriously, I understand she loves her father and all, but there comes a point where you have to accept the truth of who another person is regardless of your personal feelings for said person.
#2
13 year-olds falling in love? Wanting to marry? Seriously? Always troublesome for me.
Why was Egg's father so mean to him? Allowing everyone to torment him? His siblings to hurt him and get away with bad behavior that he in turn never could do without punishment? Never being allowed jelly pastries? Was it simply because of his mother's death? Or something else?
Liked Guts.
So, I assume in book two they will be on the mainland having adventures, learning more about the natives and their mythology and the Fist of Ka and finding the treasure, all the while pursued by Millicent's evil, power-hungry father Pembroke?
2020 update: The sequels do not live up to promise of this one.
Good characters, fantastic main character in Egg, funny writing and some excellent turns of comedic phrasing. Good plot. Loads of adventure. Villainy abounds. I especially liked that the pirates were neither all evil, but far from nice or kindly or misunderstood. Some, like Healy, have their own code and they stick by it, while still being pretty terrifying. Others, like most of the fruit-workers, are just out for the most money and they don't particularly care where it comes from.
My complaints?
#1 Millicent.
Seriously, I understand she loves her father and all, but there comes a point where you have to accept the truth of who another person is regardless of your personal feelings for said person.
#2
13 year-olds falling in love? Wanting to marry? Seriously? Always troublesome for me.
Why was Egg's father so mean to him? Allowing everyone to torment him? His siblings to hurt him and get away with bad behavior that he in turn never could do without punishment? Never being allowed jelly pastries? Was it simply because of his mother's death? Or something else?
Liked Guts.
So, I assume in book two they will be on the mainland having adventures, learning more about the natives and their mythology and the Fist of Ka and finding the treasure, all the while pursued by Millicent's evil, power-hungry father Pembroke?
2020 update: The sequels do not live up to promise of this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 10, 2013
Egbert's had a rough life. He lives on a hot an humid island so stifling it's called Deadweather. The island is overrun with pirates and his family owns a plantation of Ugly Fruit trees. His brother and sister are terrible and beat on him frequently... And his name is Egbert. Then one day out of nowhere their father up and takes them on a trip to Sunrise island. They meet the Pembroke family and the powerful Mr. Pembroke is friendly and invites them to his house for a stay. Then Egbert's family disappears. For awhile he's happy. He's living with the Pembroke family and has taken on a new moniker, Egg. Then someone tries to kill him. From there Egg goes on a desperate journey running into pirates and soldiers trying to figure out why he was almost murdered and stop it from actually happening. This is te fort book in the Chronicles of Egg series and it's full of adventure and humor. Loaded with pirates and danger and stowaways readers will be rooting for Egg as he tries to figure out what to do and comes into contact with a few surprising allies. The book is loaded with interesting character and lots of action. It's also told with a sense of humor with the narration coming from Egg. He has a really great voice that readers will find engaging. I recommend this book for readers in 5-8 grades.
May 31, 2012
Well, that wasn't what I expected at all. This book looks like a light and fluffy kids' adventure story, but it really isn't. About the first half was strongly reminiscent of Treasure Island, Robinson Crusoe, and a bit of Lord of the Flies. Nothing good ever happened to the main character, or the people around him. People naturally tend toward evil, not bravery and decency, like Egg. There was a lot of overt violence, but also some implied very nasty violence, which would make me want to bump this up to a higher age demographic. The second half picked up in that there was a lot more action and conflict, but Egg's life didn't get a whole lot better. I kind of want to read the sequel in hopes that things will get better for him. But I've tried that before, and it doesn't usually work. I did enjoy the pirates in the second half of the book--Healy's odd version of integrity intrigues me, and Egg's harvester-pirates, while not exactly bone-deep loyal, do seem realistic. If I do read the second book, it will be because I want to find out what happens to Egg, the backstory behind Healy, and what happens to the Natives. But with how depressing and off-putting the first 150 pages of the first book were, I'm just not sure I'm going to have the motivation to read the second.
May 30, 2012
I don't usually do very many reveiws but i was sent this to reveiw for a magazine and as there aren't many reveiws of this book yet i thought I might as well.
First of all I loved this book. Absolutly love it. It's awsomness.
The storyline:
Egg Lives on a stinky island called Deadweather with his dad, older sister Venus and Older brother ( I can't remember his name...) He's bullied by his syblings. One day they go to another island called sunrise where they stay with the pembrokes and their beautiful daughter Millicent. Egg falls in love with her. Suddenly his family mysteriously vanish and he's left living in luxury with Millicent and her kind family. And then someone trys to push him of a cliff. They fail. Egg then has a brilliant adventure with Millicent and a new friend called guts.
I loved all of the charecters, they were all really exciting charecters and they were fun to read about.
I really loved this book, the best one I've read so far this year, ican't wait for the next one!!
First of all I loved this book. Absolutly love it. It's awsomness.
The storyline:
Egg Lives on a stinky island called Deadweather with his dad, older sister Venus and Older brother ( I can't remember his name...) He's bullied by his syblings. One day they go to another island called sunrise where they stay with the pembrokes and their beautiful daughter Millicent. Egg falls in love with her. Suddenly his family mysteriously vanish and he's left living in luxury with Millicent and her kind family. And then someone trys to push him of a cliff. They fail. Egg then has a brilliant adventure with Millicent and a new friend called guts.
I loved all of the charecters, they were all really exciting charecters and they were fun to read about.
I really loved this book, the best one I've read so far this year, ican't wait for the next one!!
March 28, 2013
Great middle grade adventure for boys (and girls)! I loved Egg and his friends, and can't wait to find out what happens to them next!
February 21, 2024
Deadweather and Sunrise, the first installment in the new "Chronicles of Egg" series, is the kind of book I had been desperate to read: exciting and action-packed, heartfelt, and rather sophisticated. The book reminded me of what I consider to be the "Golden Age" of Young Adult fiction, from 2001-2008, a time in which similarly well-written, exciting and authentic novels were being published. I think that author Geoff Rodkey really has a winner with this one, and I definitely think he's in the same company as Eoin Colfer, Michael Scott, Jonathan Stroud and Rick Riordan as far as style. D&S is also a prime example of why I wish there was a better term for novels that are marketed to the younger-than-teenagers crowd - "middle grade" doesn't seem to cut it. It's been my experience that a lot of readers pass over such books because of a misconception that they're somehow "juvenile," and in fact, lately I've gotten the impression that when it comes to publishers and [adult] readers, the "middle grade" label has a sort of stepchild status. I have to say, D&S is one of the most original, authentic and well-written BOOKS that I've read in months. Even though I get why Putnam labeled it grades 3-5 for marketing reasons, I would definitely categorize this novel as perfect for the middle school/preteen crowd and beyond. In my opinion, this novel is too mature to warrant an elementary grade leveling. And also, some of the story elements are a bit mature for the under-10's.
The novel centers around the young Egbert (called "Egg"), who lives a thankless life on his negligent father's ugly fruit plantation on the pitiful island of Deadweather. By chance, Egg winds up on the beautiful but treacherous island of Sunrise, where he draws the attention of a ruthless tycoon, meets and becomes infatuated with said tycoon's daughter (a delightful character with a not-so-delightful name of "Millicent"), is wrongly accused of murder (it's a bit complicated) and soon finds himself caught up in the dangerous world of rival pirate gangs. I appreciated that the pirates in question weren't portrayed as harmless, goofy caricatures (like that silly stop-motion flick The Pirates or that even sillier live-action flick, Hook) but as actually mad, bad, and dangerous to know. Even the pirates of Pirates of the Caribbean were more mild than the ones presented here. And I liked that. Like I said, D&S had a sort of sophistication to it that I don't see in a lot of novels nowadays. This wasn't just an "oh-how-cute" book. I found myself absolutely absorbed in the story and felt a connection to the main characters. Also, there were several times throughout the novel when Rodkey completely had me guessing what would happen next. After the slew of predictable and formulaic teen-fiction novels I'd read recently, that was a welcome change.
What I want prospective readers to know about Deadweather and Sunrise is how fun and authentic it is. Please don't let the illustrated cover design fool you - this book has way more going for it than you may assume. I don't think it's premature in the least to say that the "Chronicles of Egg" looks to be one of the most promising new series I've seen in the last 2-3 years. Like I said, D&S has a very authentic feel to it, but it also has a sophistication and a sort of maturity to it that I can't quite describe. There were several times when I was absolutely nervous for the characters and the situation they were in. And I think that's the mark of a truly gifted author: someone who's able to get the reader to really feel for the characters and what's going on in the story. They also skillfully employ allusions and innuendos in order to create an emotional reaction, rather than pander to the audience by resorting to edgy or TMI scenarios. Hats off to Geoff Rodkey!
I have no idea how I'm going to quell the need for the next installment! What I do know is that I've found a real winner with Deadweather and Sunrise, and I will definitely be recommending this novel to my students.
The novel centers around the young Egbert (called "Egg"), who lives a thankless life on his negligent father's ugly fruit plantation on the pitiful island of Deadweather. By chance, Egg winds up on the beautiful but treacherous island of Sunrise, where he draws the attention of a ruthless tycoon, meets and becomes infatuated with said tycoon's daughter (a delightful character with a not-so-delightful name of "Millicent"), is wrongly accused of murder (it's a bit complicated) and soon finds himself caught up in the dangerous world of rival pirate gangs. I appreciated that the pirates in question weren't portrayed as harmless, goofy caricatures (like that silly stop-motion flick The Pirates or that even sillier live-action flick, Hook) but as actually mad, bad, and dangerous to know. Even the pirates of Pirates of the Caribbean were more mild than the ones presented here. And I liked that. Like I said, D&S had a sort of sophistication to it that I don't see in a lot of novels nowadays. This wasn't just an "oh-how-cute" book. I found myself absolutely absorbed in the story and felt a connection to the main characters. Also, there were several times throughout the novel when Rodkey completely had me guessing what would happen next. After the slew of predictable and formulaic teen-fiction novels I'd read recently, that was a welcome change.
What I want prospective readers to know about Deadweather and Sunrise is how fun and authentic it is. Please don't let the illustrated cover design fool you - this book has way more going for it than you may assume. I don't think it's premature in the least to say that the "Chronicles of Egg" looks to be one of the most promising new series I've seen in the last 2-3 years. Like I said, D&S has a very authentic feel to it, but it also has a sophistication and a sort of maturity to it that I can't quite describe. There were several times when I was absolutely nervous for the characters and the situation they were in. And I think that's the mark of a truly gifted author: someone who's able to get the reader to really feel for the characters and what's going on in the story. They also skillfully employ allusions and innuendos in order to create an emotional reaction, rather than pander to the audience by resorting to edgy or TMI scenarios. Hats off to Geoff Rodkey!
I have no idea how I'm going to quell the need for the next installment! What I do know is that I've found a real winner with Deadweather and Sunrise, and I will definitely be recommending this novel to my students.
December 2, 2012
As a kid, I used to fantasize about running away and becoming a trapeze artist in the circus. I practiced my act in the tops of trees, on the roof of the house, on swing-sets banisters... basically anything high. Mom, wanting me to survive adolescence, put my hyperactive limbs in gymnastics. I made my best friend spot me as I learned to do flips. I stood on the edge of the chair and instructed her to grasp the waistband of my shorts and make sure I didn't land on my head. I should have worried about her head. When my legs rocketed through the rotation she leaned forward too much and I caught her under the chin. I landed on my feet and found her on the floor knocked out cold. Yes, she is still my best friend, but she never helped me with another acrobatic move. Today I just dream (literally) of flipping as a flexible 13-year-old. Egbert Masterson is 13, and he too, likes to fantasize. He fantasizes about traveling to exotic places found in the books he's read, or eating delicious jelly bread, or rescuing Millicent (the girl he has a crush on) from pirates. Not only do his fantasies come true they careen out-of-control in this non-stop action adventure involving murder, cutthroat pirates, assassins, and treasure.
Egbert lives on Deadweather on a fruit farm with his father, Hok, brother, Adonis, and sister, Venus. His mother died giving birth to him and he is hated, beat, and verbally abused by the trio. Hok hires tutors for the children because his wife wanted them educated and while the first tutor did teach Egbert how to read, the second tutor didn't teach him anything. But that was okay because he brought books and Egbert continued his education by teaching himself. When Hok discovers something on the farm, the group heads to Sunrise Island, except Daddo doesn't tell his kiddos exactly why they are going there. When Egbert loses his family, is almost tossed off a cliff, and then captured by pirates, you would think things couldn't get worse, but they do. Egg is forced to try and figure out what his dad found that was so important that people are trying to kill him to get it.
The funny pirate talk makes for some good ole fun - it might be 'ard fer sum young-ins ta understand, but ye will have ta decide fer yerself. The part where the pirate goes after Millicent with intentions that aren't honorable might be confusing also, but I can see young readers not understanding how the whole situation transpired. The characters are so extreme they are funny - almost cartoonish - and while there is violence it is on the slapstick side for the most part. The deaths occur willy-nilly and there is no remorse or much thinking about them. Egg doesn't feel sorry for himself and his decency and humor balance out the other kooky characters, as well as, lighten the violent parts. Egg explains why he likes Millicent's cocky, confident attitude which adds a nice touch to the character development. She's a strong female character with a mind of her own and take-charge attitude. The plot has many unpredictable twists because of her and her actions at the end make sense in light of her personality traits.
The loose ends are not tied up and it seems obvious that there will be a sequel. We do not learn the details of what happened to Egg's family. We also don't know why the most fearsome pirate of the seas went out of his way to help Egg. Maybe they are related? Maybe he's Egg's uncle? Other unresolved issues at the end of the story are the two men hell-bent on killing Egg walk away with no intention of not going after him another time and the treasure has not been found. The end screams, to be continued... The only resolution happens for Millicent. I also wanted to know Guts history and how he ended up with the pirates. The world-building is excellent and characters engaging. I look forward to book 2. Let the treasure hunt begin. Oy!
Reading Level 5.2
Egbert lives on Deadweather on a fruit farm with his father, Hok, brother, Adonis, and sister, Venus. His mother died giving birth to him and he is hated, beat, and verbally abused by the trio. Hok hires tutors for the children because his wife wanted them educated and while the first tutor did teach Egbert how to read, the second tutor didn't teach him anything. But that was okay because he brought books and Egbert continued his education by teaching himself. When Hok discovers something on the farm, the group heads to Sunrise Island, except Daddo doesn't tell his kiddos exactly why they are going there. When Egbert loses his family, is almost tossed off a cliff, and then captured by pirates, you would think things couldn't get worse, but they do. Egg is forced to try and figure out what his dad found that was so important that people are trying to kill him to get it.
The funny pirate talk makes for some good ole fun - it might be 'ard fer sum young-ins ta understand, but ye will have ta decide fer yerself. The part where the pirate goes after Millicent with intentions that aren't honorable might be confusing also, but I can see young readers not understanding how the whole situation transpired. The characters are so extreme they are funny - almost cartoonish - and while there is violence it is on the slapstick side for the most part. The deaths occur willy-nilly and there is no remorse or much thinking about them. Egg doesn't feel sorry for himself and his decency and humor balance out the other kooky characters, as well as, lighten the violent parts. Egg explains why he likes Millicent's cocky, confident attitude which adds a nice touch to the character development. She's a strong female character with a mind of her own and take-charge attitude. The plot has many unpredictable twists because of her and her actions at the end make sense in light of her personality traits.
The loose ends are not tied up and it seems obvious that there will be a sequel. We do not learn the details of what happened to Egg's family. We also don't know why the most fearsome pirate of the seas went out of his way to help Egg. Maybe they are related? Maybe he's Egg's uncle? Other unresolved issues at the end of the story are the two men hell-bent on killing Egg walk away with no intention of not going after him another time and the treasure has not been found. The end screams, to be continued... The only resolution happens for Millicent. I also wanted to know Guts history and how he ended up with the pirates. The world-building is excellent and characters engaging. I look forward to book 2. Let the treasure hunt begin. Oy!
Reading Level 5.2
July 13, 2012
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Wow. I wasn't expecting that. At all. When I received this book for review I wasn't anticipating to love it as much as I did. In fact, I was kind of weary, because I was thinking: middle grade and pirates. How can this be the type of book I would enjoy. Well let me just tell you, I was wrong, dead wrong. I loved this book so much, I'm not sure how I can even give such a magnificent book justice, but I will try.
From the very first page of Deadweather and Sunrise, I was hooked, I'm not lying. The author paints such vivid imagery in your head, that you devour the words, sometimes reading them over and over until you have that beautiful, fixed image in your mind that he painted with words.The settings he created were so realistic, yet they had that hint of fantasy, pure genius.
The main character Egbert (later known as Egg) was incredible. He was the type of guy I would love to know. He was sensitive, caring and brave and they way he loved Millicent, it was stunning. What I also loved about Egg and Millie's romance, was that Egg was a real gentleman towards her, he didn't push anything and didn't say anything till he was sure she loved him back.
And Millie? I don't know who wouldn't love Millicent. Seriously. She is smart and will do what she thinks is right, she won't back down in a fight and will grab her rifle and aim, literally. She is a lovely character and has brilliant traits and charisma that a good heroine needs.
The other characters I also loved reading about. With some of the antagonists I was quivering at the knees, but our smart,resourceful, brave, fantastic, magnificent Egg managed to think of a way where he could rescue himself, Millie and his new loyal friend, Guts.
The plot also had many twists and turns, at parts in the story I was gobsmacked and my eyes were following the words furiously to find out what is going to happen next. Trust me, Deadweather and Sunrise has a LOT of surprises. There were quite a few characters who will really shock you and some of their actions I was not expecting at all.
I also wouldn't rank this book middle-grade, it has so much depth to it and feeling. If you are put off of this book because you think it is beneath you, think again. It has a lot of life lessons about family, trust and love and it contains a LOT of adventure!
Overall, Deadweather and Sunrise will not fail to surprise you. The characters are beautifully described and throughout the book you just get to know them better and better. Geoff Rodkey is a genius when it comes to writing, his writing is like a masterpiece, the images that you receive while reading the book stay in your mind for awhile.The words spring off the page and it's almost like you collect them and bottle them up because you want to keep them forever and treasure them. That's how I felt about it. So please, this book has been out for almost two months, if you haven't already read it, I suggest you do so. Soon.
Wow. I wasn't expecting that. At all. When I received this book for review I wasn't anticipating to love it as much as I did. In fact, I was kind of weary, because I was thinking: middle grade and pirates. How can this be the type of book I would enjoy. Well let me just tell you, I was wrong, dead wrong. I loved this book so much, I'm not sure how I can even give such a magnificent book justice, but I will try.
From the very first page of Deadweather and Sunrise, I was hooked, I'm not lying. The author paints such vivid imagery in your head, that you devour the words, sometimes reading them over and over until you have that beautiful, fixed image in your mind that he painted with words.The settings he created were so realistic, yet they had that hint of fantasy, pure genius.
The main character Egbert (later known as Egg) was incredible. He was the type of guy I would love to know. He was sensitive, caring and brave and they way he loved Millicent, it was stunning. What I also loved about Egg and Millie's romance, was that Egg was a real gentleman towards her, he didn't push anything and didn't say anything till he was sure she loved him back.
And Millie? I don't know who wouldn't love Millicent. Seriously. She is smart and will do what she thinks is right, she won't back down in a fight and will grab her rifle and aim, literally. She is a lovely character and has brilliant traits and charisma that a good heroine needs.
The other characters I also loved reading about. With some of the antagonists I was quivering at the knees, but our smart,resourceful, brave, fantastic, magnificent Egg managed to think of a way where he could rescue himself, Millie and his new loyal friend, Guts.
The plot also had many twists and turns, at parts in the story I was gobsmacked and my eyes were following the words furiously to find out what is going to happen next. Trust me, Deadweather and Sunrise has a LOT of surprises. There were quite a few characters who will really shock you and some of their actions I was not expecting at all.
I also wouldn't rank this book middle-grade, it has so much depth to it and feeling. If you are put off of this book because you think it is beneath you, think again. It has a lot of life lessons about family, trust and love and it contains a LOT of adventure!
Overall, Deadweather and Sunrise will not fail to surprise you. The characters are beautifully described and throughout the book you just get to know them better and better. Geoff Rodkey is a genius when it comes to writing, his writing is like a masterpiece, the images that you receive while reading the book stay in your mind for awhile.The words spring off the page and it's almost like you collect them and bottle them up because you want to keep them forever and treasure them. That's how I felt about it. So please, this book has been out for almost two months, if you haven't already read it, I suggest you do so. Soon.
February 4, 2013
Egbert lives with his father, older brother (Adonis) and sister (Venus) on Deadweather Island, home to their families ugly fruit plantation. Egbert's mother died during childbirth causing resentment, a beating or two from his brother and bitterness and sadness from his father. Egbert's dad even breaks with the family tradition of naming his children after Greek God's by naming him Egbert. One day, Egbert's father decides to take the family on a trip to neighboring Sunrise Island. While there, he mysteriously meets with a lawyer and shows him a parchment with Native writing. Soon after the family is introduced to a influential man from town, Mr. Pembroke. The family is invited to come stay at his home and he even insists they go on one of his famous balloon rides. However, at the last moment Egbert jumps out leaving the family to float away and eventually they disappear all together. The Pembroke's invite him to stay with them at Cloud Manor and it is here that he receives the nick name Egg from their daughter, Millicent Pembroke. Things begin to become suspicious when Mr. Pembroke asks Egg questions about what he knows about the Fire King and the parchment that his dad had. After Egg's family fails to return, Mr. Pembroke tells Egg the right thing to do is for him to adopt him, but Egg refuses believing that he and Millicent are destined to marry. Becoming angered Mr. Pembroke suggests that Egg become his apprentice, but plots to have him pushed off a cliff instead. When the would be assassin falls to his death instead, Egg chooses to flee aboard a tourist boat, placing himself in the path to come face to face with pirates. Just look at the cover. It has all the elements of the story, the balloon, pirate ships, Cloud Manor and even Millicent at his side. My favorite character was Guts, the one armed cabin boy who curses and says what's on his mind. Guts, fits him to a tee doesn't it? He stays loyal and true to his friend Egg, even warning him that there is something fishy about Millicent. On the flip side, I had a harder time with Egg. Which is kinda strange since he is the main character but how he seemed to only be thirteen but was planning to marry Millicent and oozing with affection for her. Maybe it was all the books he read that made him a true romantic. Although Egg's family was cruel to him and I can understand that he wouldn't miss them terribly, I also would have thought he would have asked more questions about them or pushed harder to have Mr. Pembroke look for them. It left me with the feeling that they just got swept under the rug or will be revisited in Book 2 . Overall, the story is filled with mystery, yep pirates, some suspenseful escapes and a quest to unravel the hiding spot for the Fire Kings treasure. A 3 out of 5 book for me.
Just for the record, copy of the book provided by Penguin publishing and won at Charlotteslibrary.blogspot. A big thank you to both
Just for the record, copy of the book provided by Penguin publishing and won at Charlotteslibrary.blogspot. A big thank you to both
July 24, 2013
Deadweather and Sunrise I'll admit that when I was first seduced by the cover of Deadweather and Sunrise. After all, it's hard not to expect adventure when there are pirates involved. Better yet, I knew that our young hero was one Egbert, a boy whose life was filled with mishap and adventure. If there is one thing I love, it's a male protagonist. So off I went, falling page by page deeper in love with Geoff Rodkey's written world.
Young Egbert's story is very similar to many other protagonists out there. Well, at least it is at the beginning. Downtrodden and misunderstood, Egg (as he prefers to be called) has a life that not many of us would envy. His family is just terrible. The island he lives on smells and is filled with pirates, but not the type of cool pirates we would all envision mind you. Worst of all, it seems to Egg that no adventure will ever make its way into his life. He should be careful what he wishes for.
I was a huge fan of every character who made their way into this book. Each and every one fits perfectly into the story, and yet they all have such stunning personalities. If I had to choose a favorite, I do believe Miss Millicent gets my vote. The perfect combination of daring and demure, here is a girl that is worthy of Egg's affection. I was a bit saddened that there weren't sparks flying just yet, but I have hope for the next book. Suffice it to say that the entire cast surrounding Egg make this a book that you just can't stop reading.In terms of adventure, there's plenty. I noticed that this book is a little slower to start out, but again Geoff Rodkey really works hard to build the world for the reader. Deadweather Island comes to life, and stands out in stark contrast to Sunrise Island. I can't wait to see more of the world as they travel, and I know there is much more to come in the next book.
So, as you can probably discern, I really enjoyed Deadweather and Sunrise. As usual I could probably ramble on and on, but I'll leave it to you to decide whether or not this is something for you. A quick heads up to parents looking at this for your children: there is violence. I wouldn't say it's over the top, but it is there. I mean, there are pirates involved after all. Pick this up, the series is just getting started!
Young Egbert's story is very similar to many other protagonists out there. Well, at least it is at the beginning. Downtrodden and misunderstood, Egg (as he prefers to be called) has a life that not many of us would envy. His family is just terrible. The island he lives on smells and is filled with pirates, but not the type of cool pirates we would all envision mind you. Worst of all, it seems to Egg that no adventure will ever make its way into his life. He should be careful what he wishes for.
I was a huge fan of every character who made their way into this book. Each and every one fits perfectly into the story, and yet they all have such stunning personalities. If I had to choose a favorite, I do believe Miss Millicent gets my vote. The perfect combination of daring and demure, here is a girl that is worthy of Egg's affection. I was a bit saddened that there weren't sparks flying just yet, but I have hope for the next book. Suffice it to say that the entire cast surrounding Egg make this a book that you just can't stop reading.In terms of adventure, there's plenty. I noticed that this book is a little slower to start out, but again Geoff Rodkey really works hard to build the world for the reader. Deadweather Island comes to life, and stands out in stark contrast to Sunrise Island. I can't wait to see more of the world as they travel, and I know there is much more to come in the next book.
So, as you can probably discern, I really enjoyed Deadweather and Sunrise. As usual I could probably ramble on and on, but I'll leave it to you to decide whether or not this is something for you. A quick heads up to parents looking at this for your children: there is violence. I wouldn't say it's over the top, but it is there. I mean, there are pirates involved after all. Pick this up, the series is just getting started!
October 15, 2012
2.5 stars.
On the first page I thought that it reminded me of "How to Train Your Dragon", the Dreamworks movie, and The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic by Jennifer Trafton and that vein did continue throughout the book. I laughed when I realized that there was a actual non-related "Mount Majestic" in Deadweather and Sunrise.
Cute writing. Story was decent but nothing remarkable. Characters were fine when they weren't being silly. Stuff like that....but when I got to the part where Egg fell into Insta-love! at the young age of 13 and was thinking about marriage and dreaming of a house and six kids and etc, etc...I was really quite annoyed. He is THIRTEEN! (13) In many ways still a child himself. I just didn't see how that was really plausible. So that was annoying.
Why did Egg's siblings treat him so horribly? Why did his father not pick up on that and stop them? Why did Millicent hate her mother so much? Where are Egg's father and siblings exactly? Are they dead?
I got upset at Millicent for being so blindly faithful to her father when all evidence was to the contrary.
Favorite exchange:
E: "Are you sure we're heading west?
M: Of course.
E: Then why is the sun rising in front of us?
M: That's the strangest thing...it's rising in the wrong place.
E: Is that what you think?
M: What else could it be?
E: We're going the wrong way!
M: Impossible. I had us going west.
E: What's more likely-the earth started turning in the other direction, or you went the wrong way?"
Favorite non main character: Quint the houseelf pirate.
Overall, an enjoyable MG book with pirates, treasure, and a good narrating voice.
On the first page I thought that it reminded me of "How to Train Your Dragon", the Dreamworks movie, and The Rise and Fall of Mount Majestic by Jennifer Trafton and that vein did continue throughout the book. I laughed when I realized that there was a actual non-related "Mount Majestic" in Deadweather and Sunrise.
Cute writing. Story was decent but nothing remarkable. Characters were fine when they weren't being silly. Stuff like that....but when I got to the part where Egg fell into Insta-love! at the young age of 13 and was thinking about marriage and dreaming of a house and six kids and etc, etc...I was really quite annoyed. He is THIRTEEN! (13) In many ways still a child himself. I just didn't see how that was really plausible. So that was annoying.
Why did Egg's siblings treat him so horribly? Why did his father not pick up on that and stop them? Why did Millicent hate her mother so much? Where are Egg's father and siblings exactly? Are they dead?
I got upset at Millicent for being so blindly faithful to her father when all evidence was to the contrary.
Favorite exchange:
E: "Are you sure we're heading west?
M: Of course.
E: Then why is the sun rising in front of us?
M: That's the strangest thing...it's rising in the wrong place.
E: Is that what you think?
M: What else could it be?
E: We're going the wrong way!
M: Impossible. I had us going west.
E: What's more likely-the earth started turning in the other direction, or you went the wrong way?"
Favorite non main character: Quint the house
Overall, an enjoyable MG book with pirates, treasure, and a good narrating voice.
September 16, 2012
First Impression: How can you not love a book set on an island full of pirates? When this one appeared in my mailbox, I was excited and when I finally started reading it, I found I couldn't put it down.
While Reading: Poor Egg doesn't have it easy. His father is a hard-working man who is distant at best, his mother is dead, and his siblings are unusually cruel to him. His brother takes every chance to hurt him and Egg is too much of a daydreamer to notice his oncoming attacks most of the time. You'd think he'd be happy to be rid of his family though, but when they disappear in a strange ballooning accident, he finds himself living in a mansion with the beautiful Millicent and her family.
But when he's unsure about officially becoming a part of her family, his family only dead a couple of days, he finds himself nearly thrown off a cliff. There's something that the Pembroke's want on his father's land and he's determined to find out what it is. Hopefully, he won't be killed in the process.
I loved the pace of this book. Full of action, Egg is on the run and meets some interesting characters along the way. I absolutely love Millicent, who is very smart and seems to take a liking for Egg. The deranged cabin boy is quite that and makes for an interesting sidekick towards the end of this first book. And the pirates.. seriously, how can you not love pirates?
Final Verdict: For fans of pirates, sharp-tongued girls, and adventurous boys. A highly recommended read for both boys and girls alike.
While Reading: Poor Egg doesn't have it easy. His father is a hard-working man who is distant at best, his mother is dead, and his siblings are unusually cruel to him. His brother takes every chance to hurt him and Egg is too much of a daydreamer to notice his oncoming attacks most of the time. You'd think he'd be happy to be rid of his family though, but when they disappear in a strange ballooning accident, he finds himself living in a mansion with the beautiful Millicent and her family.
But when he's unsure about officially becoming a part of her family, his family only dead a couple of days, he finds himself nearly thrown off a cliff. There's something that the Pembroke's want on his father's land and he's determined to find out what it is. Hopefully, he won't be killed in the process.
I loved the pace of this book. Full of action, Egg is on the run and meets some interesting characters along the way. I absolutely love Millicent, who is very smart and seems to take a liking for Egg. The deranged cabin boy is quite that and makes for an interesting sidekick towards the end of this first book. And the pirates.. seriously, how can you not love pirates?
Final Verdict: For fans of pirates, sharp-tongued girls, and adventurous boys. A highly recommended read for both boys and girls alike.
October 29, 2014
Egbert is 13 years old, and lives on Deadweather Island, where the weather is always bad on his family's ugly fruit plantation. When his father puts together a crew on short notice, they are off to Sunrise, where the weather is perfect. Then they meet a man named Roger Pembroke, who invites them over to have dinner. Egbert, who's new nickname is Egg, falls in love with Pembroke's daughter; Millicent, and after Pembroke puts Egg's family on a hot-air balloon, they never return. Egg lives with the Pembrokes for three weeks, then on a journey up the side of the mountain with a man named Birch; Egg loses Pembroke's trust. In a thrilling tale of pirates, treasure, friendship and hiding, Geoff Rodkey delights readers with boatloads of action and a lot of not knowing who to trust. Will Pembroke find the treasure that he long has looked for, or will Egg find it first?
What I thought about it:
Deadweather And Sunrise was a fantastical read. The cover captured my attention and lured me in, for which I am very glad. Geoff Rodkey writes with such description, and sells you from the first few chapters. His imagination is wild and his touch of love is captivating. There are lots of emotions in this story: love, fear, hate, and many others. I could not put it down. The action in this book was enthralling, and made you wonder what would happen next. Deadweather And Sunrise is a must read for fan of pirates, action and suspense. Read more reviews at: www.mybookwormblog.wordpress.com
What I thought about it:
Deadweather And Sunrise was a fantastical read. The cover captured my attention and lured me in, for which I am very glad. Geoff Rodkey writes with such description, and sells you from the first few chapters. His imagination is wild and his touch of love is captivating. There are lots of emotions in this story: love, fear, hate, and many others. I could not put it down. The action in this book was enthralling, and made you wonder what would happen next. Deadweather And Sunrise is a must read for fan of pirates, action and suspense. Read more reviews at: www.mybookwormblog.wordpress.com
March 31, 2013
I have to admit, I was a little unsure about this book when I started reading it. Pirates really aren't my thing. But, I was totally hooked by the first couple of chapters. Egbert, or Egg as he becomes known, is a true hero. He tries to do the right thing, even if it means dying or losing the girl he loves. And as it often happens with a hero, their choices end up being in their favor, just maybe not at first glance. The book was filled with continual action and took twists and turns I had no idea were coming. I'm very curious to see how Burn Healy's character is involved in all the action, and I do have a few guesses I'm keeping to myself. The description of the islands and characters were wonderful and I could picture everything in my head as I read. I can't wait to start Book 2 - New Lands!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher/publicity company for my honest opinion. All thoughts are my own.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher/publicity company for my honest opinion. All thoughts are my own.
February 17, 2013
This book is truly amazing. I'm not even kidding. If you're a fiction reader and you miss this one, consider yourself cursed.
Geoff Rodkey's got that talent to constantly hold your attention, and his characters, mainly Egbert and Millicent, have personalities so distinct, they seem REAL to me!
I can honestly say this is one of the best books I've read this year, and I'm happy enough finishing the year with it.
This author has definitely re-ignited my hope in proper fantasy-fiction. Go read it, you'll love it.
Geoff Rodkey's got that talent to constantly hold your attention, and his characters, mainly Egbert and Millicent, have personalities so distinct, they seem REAL to me!
I can honestly say this is one of the best books I've read this year, and I'm happy enough finishing the year with it.
This author has definitely re-ignited my hope in proper fantasy-fiction. Go read it, you'll love it.
April 8, 2013
The book was darker than I thought it was going to be. There were many injuries, fighting, death, pirates, and so much more than I thought there would be. It feels like it's aimed for the higher ages of the juvenile spectrum.
Egg was cool. He was the geeky, oddball kid in a family of aggressive and violent ones. He loses them to a ambitious and evil man who wants something Egg's dad found.
He runs for his life as he tries to make it back to Deadwater Island to keep the man from getting it first.
Egg was cool. He was the geeky, oddball kid in a family of aggressive and violent ones. He loses them to a ambitious and evil man who wants something Egg's dad found.
He runs for his life as he tries to make it back to Deadwater Island to keep the man from getting it first.
May 20, 2013
Well, Once we got past the first several chapters where we learn that Egg is hated by his brother and sister and treated indifferently by his father, things start moving along. The first few chapters are boring, but tell readers how Egg was raised on an island, with no other servants than retired or disabled pirates. There are more adventures to be had, and when Egg meets Millicent, and then Guts, they fight off an army and figure out how to hide the natives' treasure map. Looking forward to part 2 in the next book.
October 23, 2012
Not at all what I expected, but highly interesting. My only complaint is that so little is answered by the end of the first book. It felt like we were leading up to some revelations but then all of a sudden the book was over. Plus, I kept thinking Egg's missing family would show up out of the blue or someone would unveil his true parentage or something family related. Didn't happen. Oh well, guess that's what sequels are for!
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