Against the Tide

Spirit Animals #5

by Tui T. Sutherland

The sun is shining in the Hundred Isles, and yet the path forward seems crowded with shadows. Conor, Abeke, Meilin, and Rollan have traveled across the world, seeking a set of powerful talismans in order to keep them from enemy hands. Throughout their journey the young heroes have been hounded by pursuers, who always seem to know just where to find them. Now they know why.

One of them is a traitor.

As they steer the crystal blue waters of this tropical paradise, the team can't help but suspect each other. There's a spy in their midst, and before this mission is over, a deadly trap will close around them.

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

180 pages, Hardcover

First published September 30, 2014

About the author

Okay, I know what you’re thinking. Tui? What kind of name is that? Is it short for something?

Nope. Among the many great things to come out of New Zealand (the Lord of the Rings movies, cats that paint, my mom) is a bird called the tui—not as well known as the kiwi, but a heck of a lot noisier!

I was born July 31 (same birthday as Harry Potter!) in Caracas, Venezuela, and lived in Asuncion, Paraguay; Miami, Florida; and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, before moving to New Jersey in high school, where I started doing theatre—mostly backstage work, because (a) it was fun, and (b) you got to hang out in the dark with cute boys. (Er, I mean . . . because it was artistically fulfilling, yes.)

I graduated from Williams College in ’98 and I currently live in Boston with my husband, my perfect new baby, and my adorable yoodle Sunshine (what’s a yoodle? A puppy that’s three-quarters poodle and one-quarter Yorkshire terrier, of course!).

Much to my parents’ relief, I abandoned my theatrical aspirations after college for the far more stable and lucrative career of fiction writing.

My first two official books were beginning readers, part of Grosset & Dunlap’s “First Friends” series for kids learning to read. MEET MO AND ELLA is tough to find now, but FUN WITH MO AND ELLA should still be out there somewhere.

My first novel for teenagers was THIS MUST BE LOVE, which retells Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream in a modern-day high school, from the POV of the two heroines, Hermia and Helena.

And now I'm writing in a new project called SEEKERS! It's a children's book series that I'm writing with Erin Hunter. Check out my blog to find out more!

Reviews

[Made by Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Hazel · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story:
In this adventure we find Conor, Abeke, Rollan, and Meilin with the Greencloaks heading towards Oceanus, which consists of the Hundred Isles. There they plan to find the Great Beast that actually wants to meet them, Mulop the Octopus. However the journey is not going to be easy as the Conquerors have already seized control of the Hundred Isles and the mysterious mole that is giving them secrets. Will they be able to find Mulop and claim his talisman, or will the Conquerors get one step closer in freeing Kovo the Ape? As the stakes continue to rise no one will be able to leave without great sacrifice.
The stories, being geared for a younger audience, might appear fast paced for older audiences. However I still found myself highly entertained by the way so much can be conveyed without overdoing the details. I found myself seeing the Hundred Isles as based off locations like Polynesia and the Philippines. As we get closer to the series end we see that the story is getting a slightly darker tone, both for the characters and the locations. This may seem kind of ironic or counterintuitive as the Hundred Isles are essentially a tropical paradise that you'd would want to vacation at. These changes are definitely going to be useful for having the characters develop and grow as they continue to strive to save Erdas. All I'll say is that the ending left me shocked and scarred as the characters. There is no way I'm missing books six and seven.
Caution:
A boy burns to death after standing on a magic rock for too long. Sharks attack whales and blood is mentioned. There are battles between people and animals, and it might be intense for some. A boy mentions forcing an animal to do his will and we see the animal with a broken leg. A girl has a dream where she sees a ruined garden and her dead father, which might scare younger readers. A snake takes control of people.
Lessons:
The choices we make today can have an effect on future generations, for good or evil. It is wrong to force our wills and desires upon others. People with Christian backgrounds might want to use Gerathon and Kovo as examples of how the Devil can manipulate people. When we use harmful substances we only hurt ourselves and those around us.

[- The Polybrary - · Rating 5 out of 5]

~*Check out all my reviews over on The Bent Bookworm!*~

"You will wish you had been kinder."

WHOA!!! The series took a HUGE leap forward in intensity with this installment. I had pretty much decided nothing much would surprise me with it and was just sort of trundling along...and then I got smacked in the face! The ending is a total shocker and cliffhanger (unless you are WAY better than I am at picking up on foreshadowing and curveballs). Still nothing inappropriate for middle grade (elementary school age) readers.

Against the Tide is also the first in this series to actually have what I would call quotable lines. There was some humor alongside of all the "OMG" happening, and I actually went and looked up the author's other books because I enjoyed it that much.

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[Reading Rediscovered · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a whirlwind of adventure! Conor, Rollan, Abeke and Meilin set off for The Hundred Islands to find Molup to get the Coral Octopus talisman. This one is a little different became the four have been invited to come. In order to find Molup, the teams split up and one team goes to the Sunshine Island to find the black conch and the other team goes to the Nightshade Island to find the white conch.
Once they have the two conch shells they make their way to Molup and retrieve the talisman. Unfortunately the Conquerors are right there to take it from them (they don't succeed) but we find out that Meilin was secretly given Bile at her ceremony instead of the Nectar so she is the mole!

[Denae Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The plot is finally getting somewhere. The readers not only learn what the bile really is, but who the mole is and the Conquerors' ultimate plan. There is a quirky octopus (my favorite great animal thus far), and an ending that changes everything.
I was extra annoyed with Meilin for being rude, but whatevs. She just lost her dad and wanted someone to blame.
I still dislike the tones of romance, but at least those were toned down. These kids are 11! (That says eleven, not eleven factorial.)
Rollan is sarcastic, but other than that these books have little humor. Too bad. I guess that just doesn't fit the tone of the series.
Oh, and I dislike monkeys.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a thrilling ride for the 5th talisman, the coral octopus. This story takes place in many difference places. There are two islands that contain items to gather this coral octopus. One was the scene of the " great battle" for Erdas turning to tragedy, what is on this island is devastating. I guess you'll have to read the book for the rest ;).

[Kasia (kasikowykurz) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uwielbiam to, jak szybko się tego słucha! Nie jest to moja ulubiona seria, ale zauważyłam, że z przyjemnością do niej wracam i słucham o przygodach dzieciaków i jej Zwierzoduchów. Osobiście chciałabym bardzo wciągnąć się bardziej, ale i tak dobrze się bawię i zapewne szybko wrócę :D

[lev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Das war zu emotionally damaging digga😭😭
Und das Ende war SO uncalled for??!!!

[Steve S · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son and I nearly listened to the whole book in one day. Sutherland is a good writer.

[Gaillard Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

J'aime beaucoup cette série !

[Samantha S.]

So according to Amazon, it is called AGAINST THE TIDE.

Amazon description:

The sun is shining in the Hundred Isles, and yet the path forward seems crowded with shadows. Conor, Abeke, Meilin, and Rollan have traveled across the world, seeking a set of powerful talismans in order to keep them from enemy hands. Throughout their journey the young heroes have been hounded by pursuers, who always seem to know just where to find them. Now they know why.

One of them is a traitor.

As they steer the crystal blue waters of this tropical paradise, the team can't help but suspect each other. There's a spy in their midst, and before this mission is over, a deadly trap will close around them.

SO Excited

[Stephanie Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book that felt disjointed because of the different authors. All the others did a very good job of keeping the same voice this one started off just different enough to make me bothered by it. It was very exciting however and it did have a nice twist.

[Roy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a heart-wrenching book! Yet it is so very well written. I'm thinking I need to read more from this author. I am certainly reading more of this series!!

[riverri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't like Sui T. Sutherland's take on this book. The dialogue of the characters feel strange and the I didn't particularly like the writing-style either.

[D'ale lui Damian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Înfruntând torentul

Pe măsură ce parcurgem volumele, copiii au de înfruntat adepții Devoratorului care sunt din ce în ce mai nemiloși și mai mulți.

Ursul polar de Cristal din păcate l-au pierdut în confruntarea directă dintre ei și Cuceritori, iar acum fiecare echipă are câte 2 talismane. Dacă ajung și mai multe talismane în posesia Cuceritorilor, Erdasul ajunge să fie învins, așa ca o greutate enormă se află pe umerii acestor copii. Mai mult, aceste talismane il pot elibera pe Gheraton din cușca in care se afla inchis de atâția ani. Copiii au aflat că unul dintre ei oferă informații, iar încrederea a fost afectată.

În acest volum trebuie să obțină Talismanul de Coral a Caracatiței Mulop, talisman de o mare importanță. Și tot în acest volum aflăm si cine este trădătorul...oare voi ați bănuit corect? Eu da!

[AWD · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought Mulop was a shark at first. When did the cover happen.

[Emily Traasdahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3.5 stars*

[InvisableDuck · Rating 5 out of 5]

My childhood series and the first book I read by Tui T Sutherland. She's an amazing author

[book.oliwia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐
Nie mówcie do mnie

[Wioska Pandy]

Fajna ale zakończenie niestety nie najlepsze ale jeżeli o to chodziło zakończenie było niespodziewane.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

My families favorite book from the series.

[Nicholai Vidanes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book deserves to get a five star rating because it is an exciting tale. The words in the book are powerful. This book is relatable because I am trying to have more friends and try new things. It is also very entertaining because in this adventure we find Conor, Abeke, Rollan, and Meilin with the Greencloaks heading towards Oceanus in search of Mulop the octopus,and claim his talisman before the conquerors. If this book continue to series, I would definitely read it because it would show Meilin’s adventures with jhi. It could also show Abeke’s relationship with Shane. I like how the book is explaining everything in detail. I would recommend this book because this is totally awesome and made you look forward for more.

[Kino · Rating 3 out of 5]

Series really starts to pick up, and sadly at the same time - drag on on its fifth installment. The series as a whole remains a totally harmless read. Good story, good characters, kinda like a reliable fast food chain. It's good, can even be great depending on your mood and quite consistent with the delivery. But, it is still a formulaic book. Still, as I've said. It is harmless, worth the time if you aren't reading anything else and easily better than a lot of other fantasy books.

[Amber · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm liking this series less and less. I started this series because the first book is by Brandon Mull. I've liked the kids who bonded with the 4 fallen. I've struggled a bit with Meilin's attitude, but I felt like she was getting better. I even thought the few bits of romance were kind of cute, even though it seems weird how young they are. But from the style of the series, and the type of time period it's based, it's really not that weird to me. Especially were it's a magical world, and these kids are forced into growing up within a days time. I've loved the 4 fallen spirit animals, and their behaviors. Other than that I'm not liking this series much. I'm one of those weird people who like and want the good to win over the evil. However I've noticed that isn't at all the case with these books. Fist evil won and that's why the 4 had fallen in the first place, next good loses in every single book at the end. It sucks. These poor kids have the worst luck. And then for one of them to have been tricked into getting the bile instead of the nectar, it's just to much for me. I feel like I have to know what happens next and at the same time these books just keep getting darker and more depressing. I sure hope it gets better from here, but really it can't get much worse than it is, other than all good dies and evil rules the world of Erdas, but than again maybe that's been the goal of this series all along. I'm just really disappointed by all the horrible things that keep happening. This is not a series I would ever recommend to children in the age group it's intended for.

[Danielle R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has 192 pages in it. For me it is quite a small book however a really good one. There are 4 main characters in this book.I could connect to Abeke and Melein in the same way because they both go through troubles like Melein losing one of her closest relatives and Abeke feeling betrayed by people. However I can also connect to Rolin because he went from everything like a mother to nothing like how I was happy then my family went into hard times. Conor I can relate to because he worries so much about his family and how they are doing back at home. I gave this 4 stars because it has so much fighting to the point where you cant get out of it and the fighting is so detailed that it showed how every person felt about another. It reminded me about how everyone has troubles and sometimes people have to rise up to help when the problem gets to bad to handles. This ending is quite unexpected because of who the mole that has been helping the enemy and it is quite sad for 2 of them are lost to another.

[Ionia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book stuck with the formula of the previous books (those poor kids.) The author had some tricks reserved for the end, which was rather unexpected and moved in a direction that I did not anticipate, but I still didn't see much change in this book. Nothing showstopping, leastways.

Older kids will likely enjoy this book as much as the others, and I think if you have a child with an adventurous mind they will get a kick out of this. As for the adults, you will likely find your rational mind yelling at you if you read from cover to cover. Who could have this much bad luck?

Overall, it was a fun way to pass the time and it would be a good gift for an imaginative child.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The youngsters who are the last, best hope of Erdas--Conor, Abeke, Meilin, and Rollan--may be down, but they're not out. In this installment of the series, they sail to Oceanus in search of yet another talisman, this one from the Great Octopus. Although they receive help from several locals, including the young ruler, they still face many challenges. There are hints about the identity of the traitor among their midst, which is revealed near the book's conclusion. Despite their success in meeting their challenges, things look quite grim as the book ends. The Conquerors seem to have all the advantages. Filled with action from start to finish, the book features a daring fight with sharks who are attacking the whales who are transporting their vessel. I can't wait to see what comes next as the heroes' ranks are thinned out.

[Ace Balwayan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok. OK. In the last book, Rollan's mother mentioned that there is a mole in their group that's why the Conquerers knew where they are or where they're going. Honestly, I thought it was Tarik. I was pretty damn sure about it. But then... oh god. That twist! I never suspected it would be Meilin. Sure she's a b*tch but hey.. she summoned Jhi and a pledged Greencloak. I know, I know. Tarik is a Greencloak too but you know.. he's the most suspicious of them all. Plus, as a senior Greencloak, he could have a lot of hidden agenda like maybe he wanted to be their leader that's why he's working with the Devourer. But NO. Meilin had to be the mole because she unknowingly drank the Bile. I hate you.

The crazy Octopus should've told them. Like you know... at least tied Meilin before Gerathon took over her body or whatevs.