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Pillage #1
Pillage
Upon his mother's death, fifteen-year-old Beck Phillips is sent to live with an eccentric uncle he had never met in a remote manor house, where he learns that his family suffers from a curse that allows him to make plants grow on command and dragon eggs hatch.
312 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
93 people are currently reading
6157 people want to read
About the author
Obert Skye
48 books883 followersObert Skye read his first book at age two. He wrote his first story at age four. And he was nearly trampled by a herd of water buffalo at age six. For a short time, he lived on the Isle of Skye in Scotland, where he spent time as a candy-taster. Several years ago, Obert Skye says, he discovered the existence of Foo. Publishing his story as a fictional series was not Obert’s first choice. Nevertheless he is content that the “history” is being told.
Hobbies and other interests: Collecting old maps, water polo, roller coasters.
Hobbies and other interests: Collecting old maps, water polo, roller coasters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 659 reviews
December 11, 2008
Reviewed by Tasha for TeensReadToo.com
Fifteen-year-old Beck Phillips' favorite activity is causing trouble - and his latest scheme is setting off an angry hive of bees through the air ducts in his current school. Maybe this inclination for trouble comes from moving around a lot, a non-existent father, or the fact that his mother is very ill.
When his mom dies, Beck is uprooted from his life once again and is sent to live with his wealthy but estranged uncle out in the mountainous country. On the train ride to Kingsplot, Beck meets Kate, who can't even be bothered to give Beck the time of day, even though he thinks that she is the prettiest thing going. Little do they both know that they are going to see much more of each other, even though it's not at the top of Kate's priority list.
When Beck arrives at his uncle's mansion, an air of mystery greets him. While the house has seven floors and hundreds of rooms, Beck, along with his uncle and a minimal house staff, are the only occupants. What's even stranger is that Beck's uncle only comes out of his domed room once in a blue moon.
As time progresses, Beck learns dark secrets about his lost family. Secrets that include buried basements, forbidden gardens, an ancient book of unusual family history, and most surprising of all...dragons!
Beck's life has changed forever, and there is no turning back now. Along with some newfound friends, Beck is about to embark on his biggest adventure yet.
PILLAGE was an absolutely amazing book. It takes you on an adventure that is beyond your wildest dreams. From the very first chapter, the author's humor came out and I found myself laughing along with Beck's schemes. There was also a great suspense factor. This is one of those books that I just couldn't put down. I eagerly anticipated each turn of events (of which there were many) and was shocked at many things, especially the ending, which gave the term "plot twist" a whole new meaning.
The plot itself was also very interesting. Incorporating dragons into any modern-day book is always very intriguing, and the author had a knack for making everything seem real. And even though the book was set in modern day, it felt like it was set long ago. The whole story seemed to have this vintage fairy-tale feel to it, which I just devoured.
Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to both young and old readers looking for a great read. After reading PILLAGE I have definitely fallen in love with the fantasy genre and definitely look forward to more of Obert Skye's books.
Fifteen-year-old Beck Phillips' favorite activity is causing trouble - and his latest scheme is setting off an angry hive of bees through the air ducts in his current school. Maybe this inclination for trouble comes from moving around a lot, a non-existent father, or the fact that his mother is very ill.
When his mom dies, Beck is uprooted from his life once again and is sent to live with his wealthy but estranged uncle out in the mountainous country. On the train ride to Kingsplot, Beck meets Kate, who can't even be bothered to give Beck the time of day, even though he thinks that she is the prettiest thing going. Little do they both know that they are going to see much more of each other, even though it's not at the top of Kate's priority list.
When Beck arrives at his uncle's mansion, an air of mystery greets him. While the house has seven floors and hundreds of rooms, Beck, along with his uncle and a minimal house staff, are the only occupants. What's even stranger is that Beck's uncle only comes out of his domed room once in a blue moon.
As time progresses, Beck learns dark secrets about his lost family. Secrets that include buried basements, forbidden gardens, an ancient book of unusual family history, and most surprising of all...dragons!
Beck's life has changed forever, and there is no turning back now. Along with some newfound friends, Beck is about to embark on his biggest adventure yet.
PILLAGE was an absolutely amazing book. It takes you on an adventure that is beyond your wildest dreams. From the very first chapter, the author's humor came out and I found myself laughing along with Beck's schemes. There was also a great suspense factor. This is one of those books that I just couldn't put down. I eagerly anticipated each turn of events (of which there were many) and was shocked at many things, especially the ending, which gave the term "plot twist" a whole new meaning.
The plot itself was also very interesting. Incorporating dragons into any modern-day book is always very intriguing, and the author had a knack for making everything seem real. And even though the book was set in modern day, it felt like it was set long ago. The whole story seemed to have this vintage fairy-tale feel to it, which I just devoured.
Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to both young and old readers looking for a great read. After reading PILLAGE I have definitely fallen in love with the fantasy genre and definitely look forward to more of Obert Skye's books.
November 15, 2018
2 stars
For the most part, this book was boring to me. From the picture on the cover, I expected it to be a dragon adventure. Well, the first sign of dragons was on page 207. That’s the two thirds mark, y’all. Definitely not soon enough for my taste. Another reason why it was boring was because the lead was a horrendous boy who bullied others so he wouldn’t get bullied himself. I never did figure out why I was supposed to be rooting for the jerk. He showed a completely different personality in the back third of the book, which made him seem bipolar when compared to the crude and rude personality he had through the majority of the story. Adults were presented as complete idiots who had no original or smart ideas. This is a horrible idea to put into a children’s book, since children are supposed to be learning from adults both at school and at home.
The only thing that saved this book from being a one-star read for me was that once the dragons finally showed up, things got interesting and action-packed, like I had originally expected from the cover and back-cover blurb. I actually ended the book slightly curious about the next phase of the trilogy. Not sure that I’ll read it, but it’s not a definite no, as it had been through the first two thirds of the book.
I can’t recommend this book, as it’s disrespectful and puts down all adults as being less intelligent than a bratty kid who didn’t care to gain knowledge from his teachers or any other adult in his life. In addition, it presents the idea that a bully should be idolized, since the reader is supposed to root for the lead who is a huge bully to everyone he meets. I can’t support that.
For the most part, this book was boring to me. From the picture on the cover, I expected it to be a dragon adventure. Well, the first sign of dragons was on page 207. That’s the two thirds mark, y’all. Definitely not soon enough for my taste. Another reason why it was boring was because the lead was a horrendous boy who bullied others so he wouldn’t get bullied himself. I never did figure out why I was supposed to be rooting for the jerk. He showed a completely different personality in the back third of the book, which made him seem bipolar when compared to the crude and rude personality he had through the majority of the story. Adults were presented as complete idiots who had no original or smart ideas. This is a horrible idea to put into a children’s book, since children are supposed to be learning from adults both at school and at home.
The only thing that saved this book from being a one-star read for me was that once the dragons finally showed up, things got interesting and action-packed, like I had originally expected from the cover and back-cover blurb. I actually ended the book slightly curious about the next phase of the trilogy. Not sure that I’ll read it, but it’s not a definite no, as it had been through the first two thirds of the book.
I can’t recommend this book, as it’s disrespectful and puts down all adults as being less intelligent than a bratty kid who didn’t care to gain knowledge from his teachers or any other adult in his life. In addition, it presents the idea that a bully should be idolized, since the reader is supposed to root for the lead who is a huge bully to everyone he meets. I can’t support that.
September 15, 2008
This was an okay book fantasy book. I liked it for what it was, but my expectations were higher because of the reviews I have read.
My main problem was Skye's "tell-not-show" approach. Many times, Skye's main character, Beck Phillips, explains what is going on rather than letting the situation play itself out and letting the reader discovery it for his/herself. Also, Beck is always extremely self-aware and almost to the point of unbelievability. At one time he tells the reader that since he never had a father he felt that his feelings towards his uncle, Aaron, was compensating and that he was trying to make his uncle into a father figure. This seems like the kind of revelation you would get further in the book (perhaps not after the first time of meeting a man you don't know).
I also though that Skye made Beck into the teenager that he thought a teen should be. On several occasions Beck comments on how weird adults are including their weird humor, their weird phrases, and their weird rules. The character, for me, did not feel natural. Beck's humor is also pretty lame.
The overall concept of the story was great (which is why I gave it two stars and not one), but the execution wasn't as good. If you want to read a light fantasy that is about dragons I would suggest Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke.
My main problem was Skye's "tell-not-show" approach. Many times, Skye's main character, Beck Phillips, explains what is going on rather than letting the situation play itself out and letting the reader discovery it for his/herself. Also, Beck is always extremely self-aware and almost to the point of unbelievability. At one time he tells the reader that since he never had a father he felt that his feelings towards his uncle, Aaron, was compensating and that he was trying to make his uncle into a father figure. This seems like the kind of revelation you would get further in the book (perhaps not after the first time of meeting a man you don't know).
I also though that Skye made Beck into the teenager that he thought a teen should be. On several occasions Beck comments on how weird adults are including their weird humor, their weird phrases, and their weird rules. The character, for me, did not feel natural. Beck's humor is also pretty lame.
The overall concept of the story was great (which is why I gave it two stars and not one), but the execution wasn't as good. If you want to read a light fantasy that is about dragons I would suggest Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 10, 2018
Pillage is one of those fun adventure fantasy books that young boys should enjoy. In a time when Harry Potter and Percy Jackson and others are stealing the show, it's fun to find a fantasy book of similar vein that is still very fresh and fun to read.
Pillage follows a young boy named Beck through his very troubled life. The initial chapter gives us insight into his devious streak as he carries out a plot that would result in having school closed for a few days. The plan falls apart and Beck quickly finds himself in more trouble than he was prepared for...something which will become a theme throughout the book.
The writing and pacing of the plot is quick. Within moments of the failed prank, we find that Beck's mom has died, the funeral takes place, and a lawyer informs Beck that, not only does he have family but he has a very rich uncle. With that, Beck is immediately shuttled onto a train en route to Kingsplot. Once there, he's quickly disillusioned as to his uncle's wealth and sanity as well as any hope of normalcy or happiness going forward.
The book progresses elegantly and quickly through many strange events that Beck and his friends work through and finally climaxes with the discovery of the dragons promised on the back of the book.
I really enjoyed the writing. The characters felt real and I grew attached to them. The plot was well crafted and moved along quickly enough for young readers to keep engaged while still maintaining enough depth to keep it interesting.
I've told both of my boys that they MUST read this book. I hope they do. I'm sure they'll enjoy it. The book didn't set itself up for a sequel and the author is doing well enough with his other series that he probably doesn't want to spread himself too thin, but I still think it would be interesting to learn more about the family of Pillage...perhaps a prequel to the current adventure?
*****
4 stars out of 5
Pillage follows a young boy named Beck through his very troubled life. The initial chapter gives us insight into his devious streak as he carries out a plot that would result in having school closed for a few days. The plan falls apart and Beck quickly finds himself in more trouble than he was prepared for...something which will become a theme throughout the book.
The writing and pacing of the plot is quick. Within moments of the failed prank, we find that Beck's mom has died, the funeral takes place, and a lawyer informs Beck that, not only does he have family but he has a very rich uncle. With that, Beck is immediately shuttled onto a train en route to Kingsplot. Once there, he's quickly disillusioned as to his uncle's wealth and sanity as well as any hope of normalcy or happiness going forward.
The book progresses elegantly and quickly through many strange events that Beck and his friends work through and finally climaxes with the discovery of the dragons promised on the back of the book.
I really enjoyed the writing. The characters felt real and I grew attached to them. The plot was well crafted and moved along quickly enough for young readers to keep engaged while still maintaining enough depth to keep it interesting.
I've told both of my boys that they MUST read this book. I hope they do. I'm sure they'll enjoy it. The book didn't set itself up for a sequel and the author is doing well enough with his other series that he probably doesn't want to spread himself too thin, but I still think it would be interesting to learn more about the family of Pillage...perhaps a prequel to the current adventure?
*****
4 stars out of 5
December 22, 2008
Skye, Obert Pillage, Shadow Mountain; Language~G, Sexual Content~G; Violence~G
Life for Beck Phillips has just gone from not so good to miserable. For the past several years he has been the primary caregiver for his mentally ill mother who has just passed away. Not minutes after her funeral he is put on a train and told that his uncle, who he didn’t know existed, has agreed to take him in. The train takes him to a remote town called Kingsplot. Beck’s uncle lives in a mansion high on a hill away from the town. He is greeted by the few servants that are still employed by his uncle. There is almost no furniture in the large drafty mansion and Beck wonders what he has been thrown into. Immediately he is sent to school and weird things begin to happen both at home and at school.
In a break from his popular Leven Thumps series, Skye brings readers a story reminiscent of a fairytale. The plot is slow and the reader must persist through many pages of set-up until any action begins. Inserted at the beginning of each chapter is a teaser from a long lost journal that helps to move the story along and keep the reader trying to guess the importance of the inserted selections. Overall, this book is a good choice for avid readers, but would not hold the attention of most readers. The audiobook for this title is not recommended. The reader’s voice is monotone and does little to engage the reader.
MS Optional Allison Madsen~Teen Librarian-SJO Public Librarian
Life for Beck Phillips has just gone from not so good to miserable. For the past several years he has been the primary caregiver for his mentally ill mother who has just passed away. Not minutes after her funeral he is put on a train and told that his uncle, who he didn’t know existed, has agreed to take him in. The train takes him to a remote town called Kingsplot. Beck’s uncle lives in a mansion high on a hill away from the town. He is greeted by the few servants that are still employed by his uncle. There is almost no furniture in the large drafty mansion and Beck wonders what he has been thrown into. Immediately he is sent to school and weird things begin to happen both at home and at school.
In a break from his popular Leven Thumps series, Skye brings readers a story reminiscent of a fairytale. The plot is slow and the reader must persist through many pages of set-up until any action begins. Inserted at the beginning of each chapter is a teaser from a long lost journal that helps to move the story along and keep the reader trying to guess the importance of the inserted selections. Overall, this book is a good choice for avid readers, but would not hold the attention of most readers. The audiobook for this title is not recommended. The reader’s voice is monotone and does little to engage the reader.
MS Optional Allison Madsen~Teen Librarian-SJO Public Librarian
September 30, 2013
The story started out lame, and then began to intrigue me. In the end I couldn't get past Skye's writing style. Most of the dialogue was cheesy and cliche' (like a teenager would ever say, "I'm sorry for the way I acted...for my actions.") And when a dragon is chasing him, "his presence made me move faster." His presence made me move faster?! Are you serious? It sounds like a five year old is writing this.
However, there were a few great twists at the end which I found satisfying.
I think Skye's problem is he doesn't have a good editor. I know adverbs are necessary sometimes, but he seriously used them in every dialogue tag. If he took out all the "he said needlessly", the book would be ten pages shorter.
I always feel guilty when I give bad reviews, because obviously this guy is published, famous, and has lots of money from his books. I have squat. I guess until my own dreams come true, I can make myself feel better by belittling others' writing. (depressed sigh)
However, there were a few great twists at the end which I found satisfying.
I think Skye's problem is he doesn't have a good editor. I know adverbs are necessary sometimes, but he seriously used them in every dialogue tag. If he took out all the "he said needlessly", the book would be ten pages shorter.
I always feel guilty when I give bad reviews, because obviously this guy is published, famous, and has lots of money from his books. I have squat. I guess until my own dreams come true, I can make myself feel better by belittling others' writing. (depressed sigh)
September 29, 2013
Redundant, awkward prose; an interesting premise but dull execution; unrealistic dialogue--and narration, for that matter; an unrelatable protagonist; all the action you wanted squeezed into a tiny segment of the book;
April 28, 2010
I am a sucker for pretty cover art and this book has been making puppy-dog eyes at me for a while now. I finally got around to reading it and like Obert Skye's Leven Thumps series (which also have pretty covers) I found it a little slow to get into. It seemed to me that the last 1/4 of the book had everything I expected it to have while the first 3/4 was just kind of slow and didn't provide enough new plot information or twists to drive the story the way it could have been. It was obviously good enough to keep me reading; I just wish that the entirety of the book had a little more depth and action rather than it being crammed into the last 4 chapters. I've always had a hard time identifying with main characters who are purposeful troublemakers (whether they redeem themselves or not) and perhaps that inhibited my ability to invest myself in Beck's well-being at first. Overall the book had an interesting concept, but it could have been more well developed and enthralling.
March 27, 2013
I might be mean to say this, but I don't fancy a book that introduces a bunch of hatching dragon eggs as though they were unborn puppies (albeit hatched from eggs) and then have the protagonist who witnessed the hatching proceed to destroy them. Yea, yea, dragons don't evoke sympathy, but the balance of this particular narrative was off. Don't get the child (reader) to think the baby dragons might be pets and then have them be killed with nary a regret. Seems like an animal cruelty treatise the way it reads, written by someone ready to go poaching in Africa. Oh well. Guess we won't read the sequel. I realize dragons are like the Hitler analog in the medieval fantasy world but at least Smog is introduced as odious from the outset. Though I'm sure some kids like the book nevertheless I don't approve of reading it to kids.
August 9, 2008
This was a great book. I like the twists and turns in it. At some points a tiny bit confusing but pretty much all of it was understandable. It is a short-read so if you are looking for a book to read to kill some time it would be a great book to pick out. I got it because I liked this Author's other books so i decided to give it a try.
July 24, 2009
not my favorite. I thought it was all a bit obvious. The ending wasn't my favorite either.
January 12, 2020
This was a good story, but I struggled with several different things about the book. I did not like how much Beck complained about adults and how they say and do stupid things. This is not an idea I want encouraged to my preteens/teens which is the intended audience for this book. I also felt like Beck had the annoying disobedient teenager part down, but was way to perspective about feelings to make me truly believe he was a teen. I will not be listening to the rest of the series.
June 20, 2021
Me ha encantado, buscaba uno de esos libros muy cortitos,midell grate con mucha y poco información a la vez. Los protagonistas eran espectaculares y no podía evitar amar a Beck. Una historia precioso con fantasía de acompañante además siempre pasaban cosas y los plot twist del final eran increíbles. Sé que es una saga pero los siguientes libros no están en español así que prefiero dejarlo aquí ya que el final del primer libro está cerrado. 💘
February 23, 2023
I really can't handle the quipy dialogue heavy writing style. dragons were cool but didn't really even make an appearance until more than 2/3 of the way through the book. I think I would have really enjoyed this in the 5th grade or so, which makes sense as that's probably the target audience
August 20, 2020
It had a very nostalgic feeling to it. Reminded me of the books I read as a child. Of course I can't hold this book to an adult standard...so I'm simply going to enjoy the easy read and the nostalgic feeling it gave me.
October 4, 2018
I thought this was a great YA book.
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March 2, 2017#129
Readby Kris
http://readingwithkaren.blogspot.com/...
Readby Kris
http://readingwithkaren.blogspot.com/...
March 28, 2011
Obert Skye describes things in the book very well. He created detailed pictures in my head. The setting is a big mansion that the main character describes as "somewhere between a mall and a castle. There were more chimneys and windows than any chimney or window store could possibly stock. I counted at least seven floors." The main character is a boy named Beck Phillips who goes to live with his uncle because his mother dies. The story makes me feel kind of cold because of all of the mist and fog in the setting. The overall mood of the story is kind of creepy.
Beck Phillips is a boy who is strong spirited and he is kind of independent. He struggles in the beginning of the book because his mother dies. He says," In the history of mothers there had certainly been better, but in fairness to history there had most certainly been worse." We know by this that Beck had a hard time at home, but he does miss his mother. He feels unhappy about leaving to live with his uncle, but goes anyway. Beck is curious and likes to explore the train and the mansion and the property around the mansion.
When Beck Phillips' mother dies, he is sent to live with his crazy uncle in Kingsplot. The servants in the mansion where his uncle lives seem a little jumpy when Beck arrives. They tell him to stay out of back yard and when he asks if there is a basement they answered a little too quickly. Beck feels that there is a mystery to the house and decides to explore. He is enrolled in a school in town. He has a hard time at school because of the history of the principal and his family. He enjoys his time at home where he can sneak around and explore the mansion and its grounds. He finds a new "friend" in Milo who explores with him. Together they find a large stone wall in the back yard that surrounds something....they want to know what! The two boys climb ivy up the side of the wall and into the middle where they discover eight stones which turn out to be dragon eggs. By accident they hatch the dragons and end up raising eight baby dragons in a small conservatory inside the stone wall. The kids have their hands full. It becomes even worse when the dragons start pillaging Kingsplot for anything that looks valuable. Read the story to learn the unexpected ending to this book.
Beck Phillips is a boy who is strong spirited and he is kind of independent. He struggles in the beginning of the book because his mother dies. He says," In the history of mothers there had certainly been better, but in fairness to history there had most certainly been worse." We know by this that Beck had a hard time at home, but he does miss his mother. He feels unhappy about leaving to live with his uncle, but goes anyway. Beck is curious and likes to explore the train and the mansion and the property around the mansion.
When Beck Phillips' mother dies, he is sent to live with his crazy uncle in Kingsplot. The servants in the mansion where his uncle lives seem a little jumpy when Beck arrives. They tell him to stay out of back yard and when he asks if there is a basement they answered a little too quickly. Beck feels that there is a mystery to the house and decides to explore. He is enrolled in a school in town. He has a hard time at school because of the history of the principal and his family. He enjoys his time at home where he can sneak around and explore the mansion and its grounds. He finds a new "friend" in Milo who explores with him. Together they find a large stone wall in the back yard that surrounds something....they want to know what! The two boys climb ivy up the side of the wall and into the middle where they discover eight stones which turn out to be dragon eggs. By accident they hatch the dragons and end up raising eight baby dragons in a small conservatory inside the stone wall. The kids have their hands full. It becomes even worse when the dragons start pillaging Kingsplot for anything that looks valuable. Read the story to learn the unexpected ending to this book.
February 22, 2012
The reason why i liked this book is because one i love storys with dragons they are cool creatures that can fly breath fire etc. I think its funny how the main character Beck is a realy big troble maker if you have read the book right at the beginning he is in a duct with some bees wow pretty crazy. There is also some pretty amuzeing comedy like when hes in the airduckt he falls into a classrom on a desk i thought that was hastarical. There is also good action like in the end the town is raided by the dragons he has grown and he has to kill them all.
Now about the setting i LOVE the setting hes in its like in a huge mansion with a huge back yard heck its even got a train. There are rivers and stone well and inside it is where he grows the dragons with his friends.
NOw fo the last thing my summery first is starts of that he and his mother are living together in a aparment basicly beck is takeing care of his mom beck i a trouble maker but one day his mom dies and he sent to a old town with a uncle. He meets some friends and in the back yard they find a wall and inside they find a book and stone well he reads the book and learns how to grow dragons that will pillage for him. But the dragons get out of control and start terrorizng the town and beck releizes that his uncle is his father and one of his friends a goblin type thing who is trying to control the dragons they stop him. And him and his father defeat the dragons and the last dragon dropped a egg witch is a queen egg so they throw back in a stone feild and they lived happly ever after.
Now about the setting i LOVE the setting hes in its like in a huge mansion with a huge back yard heck its even got a train. There are rivers and stone well and inside it is where he grows the dragons with his friends.
NOw fo the last thing my summery first is starts of that he and his mother are living together in a aparment basicly beck is takeing care of his mom beck i a trouble maker but one day his mom dies and he sent to a old town with a uncle. He meets some friends and in the back yard they find a wall and inside they find a book and stone well he reads the book and learns how to grow dragons that will pillage for him. But the dragons get out of control and start terrorizng the town and beck releizes that his uncle is his father and one of his friends a goblin type thing who is trying to control the dragons they stop him. And him and his father defeat the dragons and the last dragon dropped a egg witch is a queen egg so they throw back in a stone feild and they lived happly ever after.
March 31, 2011
Wow! That was really good! It started out kind of iffy and I could put the book down without any real drive to pick it up again. So when I reached page 62 I basically forced myself to read it because I didn't want to take forever to read this. It got much better once I got to page 100 or so.
I was constantly waiting for a dragon to appear but it was quite the surprise when Beck found a certain something. Skye did very good with interweaving Beck's plant-growing ability and the dragons together. Beck's family history was also very interesting but it was obvious from an early time in the book that he was some type of ancestor to a family I will not name.
They had quite the turn of events with the household. I never would have guessed that things would've happened the way they did. Although, some of the happenings were almost painfully obvious. It wasn't boring but, for me, this lacked the drive to read and not put the book down. I was at the end of the book and things were really exciting and had to get up and do something and it wasn't torture to put the book down. But I equally wanted to finish because I was getting worried that (with less than 20 pages left) things weren't going to wrap up very satisfyingly. But they did.
It was a satisfying end and I'm curious as to how Skye came up with a squel to this. I will definately be buying Choke. Pillage left me more curious than it did dying with excitement.
I was constantly waiting for a dragon to appear but it was quite the surprise when Beck found a certain something. Skye did very good with interweaving Beck's plant-growing ability and the dragons together. Beck's family history was also very interesting but it was obvious from an early time in the book that he was some type of ancestor to a family I will not name.
They had quite the turn of events with the household. I never would have guessed that things would've happened the way they did. Although, some of the happenings were almost painfully obvious. It wasn't boring but, for me, this lacked the drive to read and not put the book down. I was at the end of the book and things were really exciting and had to get up and do something and it wasn't torture to put the book down. But I equally wanted to finish because I was getting worried that (with less than 20 pages left) things weren't going to wrap up very satisfyingly. But they did.
It was a satisfying end and I'm curious as to how Skye came up with a squel to this. I will definately be buying Choke. Pillage left me more curious than it did dying with excitement.
March 10, 2013
I read this book for a book club and didn't enjoy it at all. I may have been in a bad mood when I read it, but nothing clicked for me. The beginning of this book is very slow, the first two thirds could really be hurried up a bit more and the first chapter cut out entirely. For me, the characters were very inconsistent. Their reactions to things do not make sense with the characters. Beck (the maine character) is not emotional at all, which makes hime horribly hard to relate to. The only character that I got attached to was The book was not suspenseful, the journal entries in the beginning of chapters took care of that. I thought it was predictable, and it was, That was a very nice change. Overall, I greatly disliked this book, it was badly written, it is more of a children's book than a teen's, and there wasn't much action.
June 3, 2009
A very quick, but enjoyable read. I immediately handed it to my 12-year old after I was done because I knew she'd love it (I was right).
I liked the idea here, and thought that Obert delivered it well.
Setting: A dreary place in some remote town. It's cloudy and dark a lot, so there is not much scenery-describing text.
Plot: A boy is trying to figure out why his uncle is crazy and what is up with the garden. He also gets some lessons in the dangers of unchecked curiosity.
Conflict: There are some interesting twists in this book (I would expound, but I don't want to give anything away).
Characters: I thought the author did well with making each character enjoyable and unique. The interaction between Beck and Kate is especially charming.
Text: Well-written and clear.
I liked the idea here, and thought that Obert delivered it well.
Setting: A dreary place in some remote town. It's cloudy and dark a lot, so there is not much scenery-describing text.
Plot: A boy is trying to figure out why his uncle is crazy and what is up with the garden. He also gets some lessons in the dangers of unchecked curiosity.
Conflict: There are some interesting twists in this book (I would expound, but I don't want to give anything away).
Characters: I thought the author did well with making each character enjoyable and unique. The interaction between Beck and Kate is especially charming.
Text: Well-written and clear.
June 18, 2022
I saw this a while back and read it for my school’s book club. While I’d say it’s for younger readers, it was still really nice and well written. It tells the story of Beck Phillips who is suddenly sent away to his uncle’s after his mother passes away. Without any warning or notice, he’s already placed on a train to Kingsplot after the funeral. But, Kingsplot is far from normal as are all the folks at his uncle’s wealthy land and manor. While I finished it in three days, it was definitely a quick read and quickly paced with the content. I’m quite content with the innocent yet action packed fights and events with a fantasy book. Trying to combine modern times with medieval notions is a skill. I think this one does well. I will probably read the next book in the series soon.
January 25, 2011
I read the first Leven Thumps book and didn't care for it. I had heard that Obert Skye's ability to write had improved with each book he has written, and therefore I decided to give him another shot.
First, I can't say this book is horrible. I realize it's youth fiction, and from a young person's standpoint this book has the potential to be fun and interesting. However, I can't say that this book wowed me either. It's short, and it cruises along at a decent pace, but overall there's a certain style that Mr. Skye incorporates into his writing that I have a hard time getting past. It was worth reading once, but was largely forgettable and not worth a return trip down that road.
First, I can't say this book is horrible. I realize it's youth fiction, and from a young person's standpoint this book has the potential to be fun and interesting. However, I can't say that this book wowed me either. It's short, and it cruises along at a decent pace, but overall there's a certain style that Mr. Skye incorporates into his writing that I have a hard time getting past. It was worth reading once, but was largely forgettable and not worth a return trip down that road.
July 26, 2010
This was actually included with Choke, which I won in a First Reads giveaway. Which is a good thing, as it allowed me to start the story from the beginning.
I really enjoyed the story, a tale of generations of the Pillage / Phillips family of males and how their ability to affect the growth of plants and also raise dragons ultimately consumes and destroys them. The question in this, and subsequent I presume, book is, how will the protagonist Beck Phillips handle it?
I'm reading Choke next and definitely looking forward to it.
I really enjoyed the story, a tale of generations of the Pillage / Phillips family of males and how their ability to affect the growth of plants and also raise dragons ultimately consumes and destroys them. The question in this, and subsequent I presume, book is, how will the protagonist Beck Phillips handle it?
I'm reading Choke next and definitely looking forward to it.
March 9, 2010
Even for a fantasy book, this one had some gaps. And while I like a happy ending, things tied up a little too neatly at the end to really seem plausable. Also, a few too many "Because I'm an Angry Teenager, Dang-it!" cliches for my taste... this one always seemed on the cusp of getting interesting, but when we got to the big climax, the author seemed to have forgotten it was supposed to be exciting. It wasn't out-right BAD, but I promise within six months I will forget I ever read it.
October 25, 2011
I really enjoyed reading this book, it drew me in quite quickly. It took me only a few days to get completely through it, and I appreciate that there is no series-its just a single book. That being said, I didn't like how quickly it ended. A majority of the book was spent building up the plot and then within just a few short chapters everything was resolved. I wish he had spent a little more time wrapping things up. Despite that, I still would recommend this to a friend-it was a fun read.
July 27, 2008
I hadn't even heard of this book before I went to the book store and saw it there. I liked the Leven Thumps books so I desided to give it a try. It was pretty good. A really easy read, and it's pretty short. It's about a 15 year old boy whose had a hard life growing up and then has to move in with his crazy uncle.
November 27, 2011
This was the second time I'd read this story and I was honestly just as suprised by the ending this time as I was the first. It's a very original story, that Obert Skye weaves beautifully together. It's not your typical dragon story. The main character is likable and funny. I'm excited to read the second book.
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