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Amber and the Hidden City
Thirteen year old Amber Robinson's life is full of changes. Her parents are sending her to a private school away from her friends, and high school looms before her. But little does she know that her biggest change awaits in a mysterious city hidden from the world for a thousand years. Why? Amber's grandmother is a princess from this magical kingdom of Marai. She's been summoned home to use her special abilities to select the new king but she no longer has the gift, and her daughter was never trained for the task. That leave only one person with the ability to save the city: Amber! But there are those who are determined that Amber never reaches Marai and they will do anything to stop her. Prepare yourself for an exciting adventure that spans from the Atlanta suburbs to the grasslands of Mali. It's a story of a girl who discovers her hidden abilities and heritage in a way that surprises and entertains.
- GenresFantasyMiddle Grade
228 pages, Paperback
First published December 15, 2013
9 people are currently reading
164 people want to read
About the author
Milton J. Davis
78 books246 followersMilton Davis is owner of MVmedia, LLC , a small publishing company specializing in Science Fiction, Fantasy and Sword and Soul. MVmedia’s mission is to provide speculative fiction books that represent people of color in a positive manner. Milton is the author of eight novels; his most recent The Woman of the Woods and Amber and the Hidden City. He is co-editor of four anthologies; Griots: A Sword and Soul Anthology and Griot: Sisters of the Spear, with Charles R. Saunders; The Ki Khanga Anthology with Balogun Ojetade and the Steamfunk! Anthology, also with Balogun Ojetade. MVmedia has also published Once Upon A Time in Afrika by Balogun Ojetade.
Milton resides in Metro Atlanta with his wife Vickie and his children Brandon and Alana.
Milton resides in Metro Atlanta with his wife Vickie and his children Brandon and Alana.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 12, 2014
This story was absolutely delightful! A beautiful tale of self discovery, and owning ones power. I wish there were more tales of Amber's adventures. Quite charming!
February 3, 2018
I need more stars.
It's out in hardcover now.
The cover art alone is worth the price.
Please to make with sequel (Amber and the Enchanted Sword) posthaste.
It's out in hardcover now.
The cover art alone is worth the price.
Please to make with sequel (Amber and the Enchanted Sword) posthaste.
March 23, 2018
Mr. Davis' Amber and the Hidden City completely rejuvenated my love of reading!
I became aware of this book when Mr. Davis posted the artwork for the cover. I loved what the artist had created and found the book's description very intriguing. However, I wasn't sure if YA novel was something that I could really relate and delve into. I learned a very important lesson...NEVER doubt the creative and narrative genius of Mr. Davis! I LOVED this book!!!! From start to finish I felt like the story was coming alive around me and the development of the characters was...well...brilliantly natural. I felt excitement when the characters discovered things - I actually got a little worried when trouble hit - I even got hungry when meals were described (and yes, I looked up recipes after each meal scene)!
I don't say this lightly, I loved reading Harry Potter...but not nearly as much as I loved reading this book. I sincerely feel like I just read a story that is destined to be a classic.
I became aware of this book when Mr. Davis posted the artwork for the cover. I loved what the artist had created and found the book's description very intriguing. However, I wasn't sure if YA novel was something that I could really relate and delve into. I learned a very important lesson...NEVER doubt the creative and narrative genius of Mr. Davis! I LOVED this book!!!! From start to finish I felt like the story was coming alive around me and the development of the characters was...well...brilliantly natural. I felt excitement when the characters discovered things - I actually got a little worried when trouble hit - I even got hungry when meals were described (and yes, I looked up recipes after each meal scene)!
I don't say this lightly, I loved reading Harry Potter...but not nearly as much as I loved reading this book. I sincerely feel like I just read a story that is destined to be a classic.
January 9, 2015
I loved this story--the characters were appealing and distinctive, the plot was engaging and well paced, and the ending had a surprise twist that I enjoyed. I only wish there had been one more pass by a copy editor to catch typos and accidental wrong words.
Amber Robinson jumps at a chance to spend the summer holiday with her beloved grandmother, little guessing that her grandmother's invitation has an ulterior motive. Long ago, when her grandmother was Amber's age, she came into our modern world from the hidden kingdom of Marai. She gave up her Maraibu name, Alake, and became Corliss. But now Corliss's aged father Jakada has contacted her through the veil that separates Marai from our world. He needs Corliss--or her granddaughter Amber--to come back to Marai and fulfill the duty of choosing the next Sana, or ruler. If this doesn't happen, it could spell disaster for Marai, and perhaps our world as well.
One thing I liked from the beginning was the ambivalence Corliss (or Alake) feels about bringing her granddaughter back to the city-state that she herself was happy to leave:
The very decision to close the city off from the world is questioned: it's clear that Jakada's rival and enemy, Bagule, is cruel and ambitious, but with Jakada having twice violated his own rule about interaction with the outer world, was his decision to hide the city away a good one? Not only does the author raise this question, he answers it, and in a thoughtful way.
Amber has to travel to Senegal and then Mali before she can reach Marai, and in both countries friendly local people help her and her grandmother. In a refreshing contrast to almost any story featuring African locales, there's not a child soldier, Islamist militia, or deadly disease to be seen. In Senegal, wealthy Madam Josephine picks them up in a Mercedes and hosts them in her spacious house; in Mali, Amber is befriended by Pemba, a girl her age, who takes her to the market to buy some local clothes.
Meanwhile, two agents are out to intercept Amber: one is Aisha, a shapeshifter sent by Bagule; the other is Bissau, a handsome boy just Amber's age, sent by Jakada. Their attempts to get used to our modern world are lots of fun, and Aisha in particular was a favorite of mine. Here she is dealing with a would-be assailant in Senegal:
You show him, Aisha!
Maybe from these snippets you can see why I like the book so much. The storytelling has such a sure touch.
Alas, though, there are quite a few copyediting errors, including cases where, for instance, Bissau's name is used when Bagule's is meant, and vice versa, which is momentarily confusing, since they're on opposite sides. Since this is an ebook, though, these would be easy to fix, and I hope maybe I can prevail on the author to do so--it's too good a story to have errors like this mar it. There are also two cases of continuity error, but these too could easily be fixed. But even with the continuity errors and the copyediting errors, it's such a fun story, and such a positive story, that I hope it gains more readers. And a sequel would be fun, if the author were inclined....
Amber Robinson jumps at a chance to spend the summer holiday with her beloved grandmother, little guessing that her grandmother's invitation has an ulterior motive. Long ago, when her grandmother was Amber's age, she came into our modern world from the hidden kingdom of Marai. She gave up her Maraibu name, Alake, and became Corliss. But now Corliss's aged father Jakada has contacted her through the veil that separates Marai from our world. He needs Corliss--or her granddaughter Amber--to come back to Marai and fulfill the duty of choosing the next Sana, or ruler. If this doesn't happen, it could spell disaster for Marai, and perhaps our world as well.
One thing I liked from the beginning was the ambivalence Corliss (or Alake) feels about bringing her granddaughter back to the city-state that she herself was happy to leave:
Yes, Amber would be praised in Marai, but her life would not be her own. She would be wound up in a web of tradition and duty so tight she would suffocate. A leader of Marai was a gilded slave, bound to the traditions and obligated to serve others for the tranquility and prosperity of the city. It was why she fled; now she was sending her granddaughter into the cage she despised.
The very decision to close the city off from the world is questioned: it's clear that Jakada's rival and enemy, Bagule, is cruel and ambitious, but with Jakada having twice violated his own rule about interaction with the outer world, was his decision to hide the city away a good one? Not only does the author raise this question, he answers it, and in a thoughtful way.
Amber has to travel to Senegal and then Mali before she can reach Marai, and in both countries friendly local people help her and her grandmother. In a refreshing contrast to almost any story featuring African locales, there's not a child soldier, Islamist militia, or deadly disease to be seen. In Senegal, wealthy Madam Josephine picks them up in a Mercedes and hosts them in her spacious house; in Mali, Amber is befriended by Pemba, a girl her age, who takes her to the market to buy some local clothes.
Meanwhile, two agents are out to intercept Amber: one is Aisha, a shapeshifter sent by Bagule; the other is Bissau, a handsome boy just Amber's age, sent by Jakada. Their attempts to get used to our modern world are lots of fun, and Aisha in particular was a favorite of mine. Here she is dealing with a would-be assailant in Senegal:
“Excuse me sir,” she said in her sweetest tone. “Where would I find the American compound?”
The man looked puzzled. “American compound? There is no… oh, you must mean the American Embassy.”
“Yes, that is what I mean.”
The man scratched his chin. “It’s a long way from here. Come, I’m walking to my car. I’ll take you there.”
“Merci, sir! Merci!” Aisha followed the man to a dusty vehicle. She was used to automobiles now, so she climbed into the passenger side. They pulled away quickly.
“What’s your name?” the man asked.
“Aisha.”
“Well, Aisha, your Momma should have taught you never to get in a car with a stranger.”
The man’s sinister grin was barely on his face when Aisha snatched her wicked dagger from her clothes and pressed the tip into his neck. It was her turn to grin.
“No, sir. You should be old enough to know not to try to take advantage of pretty young girls. Now take me to this American embassy.”
You show him, Aisha!
Maybe from these snippets you can see why I like the book so much. The storytelling has such a sure touch.
Alas, though, there are quite a few copyediting errors, including cases where, for instance, Bissau's name is used when Bagule's is meant, and vice versa, which is momentarily confusing, since they're on opposite sides. Since this is an ebook, though, these would be easy to fix, and I hope maybe I can prevail on the author to do so--it's too good a story to have errors like this mar it. There are also two cases of continuity error, but these too could easily be fixed. But even with the continuity errors and the copyediting errors, it's such a fun story, and such a positive story, that I hope it gains more readers. And a sequel would be fun, if the author were inclined....
August 28, 2014
While a book like this is sorely needed in many ways, I can't say I particularly liked it. Yes, it is a young adult fantasy book (probably suitable for a lot of middle-grade readers) with a Black girl as the protagonist and a cast of interesting, admirable women and men. It is occasionally funny, always spirited, and full of action, but ultimately just not well-written (and this goes beyond the fact that it's a terribly-edited first edition with so many typos that it becomes hard to read).
October 25, 2015
Fun book. Should be suitable for children and middle grades. Probably acceptable for readers as young as 7 years old.
May 2, 2017
This was a really cute book, but I wish the editor(s) would have made a few more passes. The large number of typos and grammatical errors (and in some cases the wrong characters were speaking when they were supposed to be elsewhere) were very distracting.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews