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Scepter #3
The Ruby of Helios
In their quest to overthrow the reign of the evil King Argyle so they can free their parents and the rest of his slaves, a small clan of youngsters has banded together to reunite the jewels of the Scepter of Harmony. Having stolen the Emerald of Phaunos and reuniting it with the scepter, they must once again test their skills and resolve as they face the challenge of grabbing the Ruby of Helios from a ruthless band of raiders. With the diegylis still hot on their heels, the band of rebels navigate the waters of the Great Lake, as well as the scorching desert of the Land of Sands, before facing a tribe of reptilian beasts who would rather die than relinquish the power of the ruby. Though unexpected help comes from two powerful sources, will it be enough to save one of them from certain death, and the others from overwhelming odds? Failure is not an option, for if they don't succeed, Argyle will destroy the scepter, and the kingdom will collapse into ruin.
208 pages, Paperback
Published December 5, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 3, 2015
“The Ruby of Helios” by Scott Collins is the third novel in Scepter series and follows the first two books, “Scepter” and “The Emerald of Phaunos.” Four teenagers are on a mission to free their parents and end the rule of the evil wizard and self-appointed King Argyl. Their mission is fraught with danger that lurks not only in the mystical world in which they live, but also from the diegylis, Argyl’s army of half-men/half-werewolf soldiers. To defeat King Argyl, the teens must reunite the jewels of the Scepter of Harmony. No easy task as these jewels are spread around the world and in the hands of several mythical creatures, some of whom are not willing to give up their powerful jewel.
Having read and reviewed the first two novels in this series, I was happy to see “The Ruby of Helios” pop up on the Reader’s Favorite list of available books. Mr. Collin’s writing style is perfectly suited for his target audience—pre to early teens—and here’s why: Unlike many YA novels, Collins’ characters walk the fine line that separates the child from the adult. By this I mean that the teen protagonists talk and think like teenagers while the adults talk and think like adults. The children’s approach to dangerous situations is always spot on to how I think teenagers would talk about solutions and their actions to escape or confront the danger. This remarkable talent and consistency applies to all aspects of Collins’ writing style and characters, down to and including the least of the supporting characters. The brothers Daniel and Aiden along with the sisters Olivia and Lily are star characters that everyone, young and old, cannot help loving. Each of them possesses an unusual supernatural talent that blends seamlessly into the story and the challenges they face.
I highly recommend this and all the series novels to pre and early teens, and folks up to and including a hundred years of age. I’m a fan and I plan to read and review each of these novels as they are published.
Having read and reviewed the first two novels in this series, I was happy to see “The Ruby of Helios” pop up on the Reader’s Favorite list of available books. Mr. Collin’s writing style is perfectly suited for his target audience—pre to early teens—and here’s why: Unlike many YA novels, Collins’ characters walk the fine line that separates the child from the adult. By this I mean that the teen protagonists talk and think like teenagers while the adults talk and think like adults. The children’s approach to dangerous situations is always spot on to how I think teenagers would talk about solutions and their actions to escape or confront the danger. This remarkable talent and consistency applies to all aspects of Collins’ writing style and characters, down to and including the least of the supporting characters. The brothers Daniel and Aiden along with the sisters Olivia and Lily are star characters that everyone, young and old, cannot help loving. Each of them possesses an unusual supernatural talent that blends seamlessly into the story and the challenges they face.
I highly recommend this and all the series novels to pre and early teens, and folks up to and including a hundred years of age. I’m a fan and I plan to read and review each of these novels as they are published.
December 6, 2015
During their stay with the Centaurs in Alustria, Halem and Atreyu have a change of heart and decide to join Daniel and Aidan’s small group to defeat Argyle. They start training with the younger Centaurs in strengthening exercises and weapons use under Liam. At the end of each day they get lessons in Alustrias' history and character building advice from Shon. The trials and tribulations between the human children and the young Centaurs are age appropriate, common problems dealing with peers.
With the group down to five children at this point, Daniel, Aidan, Zack, Olivia, and Lilly are in a small boat heading down river to the Great Lake. Feeling safe they discuss the next leg of their quest in a relaxed atmosphere. Until they notice storm clouds moving their way. The children are faced with pirates, merpeople, and the threat of Argyle getting closer to capturing them. There are new threats that our questers must face while crossing the scorching desert in search for the Ruby of Helios. They are tested to their limits of endurance. Things only get worse when Argyle’s diegylis (The half man, half wolf warrior creatures.) catch up with them.
Mr. Collins has written a unique, epic adventure, including battle scenes, which are sure to thrill boys and girls alike. Olivia and Lilly contribute their fair share to overcoming each obstacle that challenges their group. I really appreciate the fact that even though there are disagreements within the group they manage to cooperate and work together in the end.
FYI: The Ruby of Helios is book 3 of the Scepter series. It is important to read the series in order. **Originally written for "BigAl’s Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy.** November 30, 2015
With the group down to five children at this point, Daniel, Aidan, Zack, Olivia, and Lilly are in a small boat heading down river to the Great Lake. Feeling safe they discuss the next leg of their quest in a relaxed atmosphere. Until they notice storm clouds moving their way. The children are faced with pirates, merpeople, and the threat of Argyle getting closer to capturing them. There are new threats that our questers must face while crossing the scorching desert in search for the Ruby of Helios. They are tested to their limits of endurance. Things only get worse when Argyle’s diegylis (The half man, half wolf warrior creatures.) catch up with them.
Mr. Collins has written a unique, epic adventure, including battle scenes, which are sure to thrill boys and girls alike. Olivia and Lilly contribute their fair share to overcoming each obstacle that challenges their group. I really appreciate the fact that even though there are disagreements within the group they manage to cooperate and work together in the end.
FYI: The Ruby of Helios is book 3 of the Scepter series. It is important to read the series in order. **Originally written for "BigAl’s Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy.** November 30, 2015
December 29, 2015
I read the first two and considered them a guilty pleasure, even though they were intended for teens. I felt quite pleased about two thirds of the way through when I realised there had to be another book because the kids hadn’t found all the stones yet. Attractive settings seemed pulled right out of the author’s imagination, creating a psychedelic dystopian world including some boat scenes which I really enjoyed. There was enough humour to keep the ball rolling and the main characters are delightful. The novel isn’t horrific; there is a bit of a Disney quality about Argyle although he does some nasty spells to eke out his vengeance. The theme is very much about the turning of tables and the oppressed rising up which will appeal to early teens in this genre (and middle aged people who rather like such things.)
4 stars
4 stars
January 6, 2016
I read the first two books of this series (gave them both 5 star ratings), so it was only natural for me to read the third installment. As with the first two, this one was also an excellent read!
Synopsis (from the author): In their quest to overthrow the reign of the evil King Argyle so they can free their parents and the rest of his slaves, a small clan of youngsters has banded together to reunite the jewels of the Scepter of Harmony.
Having stolen the Emerald of Phaunos and reuniting it with the scepter, they must once again test their skills and resolve as they face the challenge of grabbing the Ruby of Helios from a ruthless band of raiders.
With the diegylis still hot on their heels, the band of rebels navigate the waters of the Great Lake, as well as the scorching desert of the Land of Sands, before facing a tribe of reptilian beasts who would rather die than relinquish the power of the ruby.
Though unexpected help comes from two powerful sources, will it be enough to save one of them from certain death, and the others from overwhelming odds?
Failure is not an option, for if they don't succeed, Argyle will destroy the scepter, and the kingdom will collapse into ruin.
What I liked: The characters of Daniel, Aidan, Lilly, Olivia, and Zack are familiar and ones with which I connected early in the series. I enjoyed this particular set of trials, from pirates, and merpeople, to the diegylis, and the threat of Argyle himself. The ingenuity of the characters to exploit their own abilities to help get out of scrapes makes for a fun read.
What I didn’t like: Argyle, the evil King, seems a little one dimensional to me. I understand the need to portray the villain as purely evil, but a little more depth, or even some additional background on the King would help frame him better. Other than that, not much to dislike.
Overall impression: Like the first two books of this series, I truly enjoyed the read. The familiar characters, interesting situations, and the continuing quest to free their world from the clutches of King Argyle make this book an excellent addition to the series. Recommended for fantasy readers of all ages!
My rating: 5 Stars
Synopsis (from the author): In their quest to overthrow the reign of the evil King Argyle so they can free their parents and the rest of his slaves, a small clan of youngsters has banded together to reunite the jewels of the Scepter of Harmony.
Having stolen the Emerald of Phaunos and reuniting it with the scepter, they must once again test their skills and resolve as they face the challenge of grabbing the Ruby of Helios from a ruthless band of raiders.
With the diegylis still hot on their heels, the band of rebels navigate the waters of the Great Lake, as well as the scorching desert of the Land of Sands, before facing a tribe of reptilian beasts who would rather die than relinquish the power of the ruby.
Though unexpected help comes from two powerful sources, will it be enough to save one of them from certain death, and the others from overwhelming odds?
Failure is not an option, for if they don't succeed, Argyle will destroy the scepter, and the kingdom will collapse into ruin.
What I liked: The characters of Daniel, Aidan, Lilly, Olivia, and Zack are familiar and ones with which I connected early in the series. I enjoyed this particular set of trials, from pirates, and merpeople, to the diegylis, and the threat of Argyle himself. The ingenuity of the characters to exploit their own abilities to help get out of scrapes makes for a fun read.
What I didn’t like: Argyle, the evil King, seems a little one dimensional to me. I understand the need to portray the villain as purely evil, but a little more depth, or even some additional background on the King would help frame him better. Other than that, not much to dislike.
Overall impression: Like the first two books of this series, I truly enjoyed the read. The familiar characters, interesting situations, and the continuing quest to free their world from the clutches of King Argyle make this book an excellent addition to the series. Recommended for fantasy readers of all ages!
My rating: 5 Stars
July 17, 2016
Each of these books, so far, have started right where the previous one left off. With the Emerald of Phaunos fitted back into the Scepter of Harmony, the young crusaders manage to elude the clutches of the ruthless diegylis by escaping on a raft. Enjoying their leisurely cruise down the river, they suddenly find themselves in trouble once they hit the Great Lake. Now, they find themselves in a life-and-death situation, along with two females Aidan had rescued before. Who will save them and their two new friends?
In this third installment, we finally get to read more about the two brothers that were left behind at Alustria. Haleim has changed his mind and wants to help defeat Argyle and restore the kingdom. With no fighting skills, Shon convinces Haleim and Atreyu to undergo the intensive training the young Centaurians must pass to become warriors. Some of the Centaurians resent Humans living among them, and show their displeasure during the brother’s training. I really enjoyed this part of the story, and how Haleim and Atreyu overcame the obstacle course. I’m looking forward to when, or if, they meet back up with Daniel, Aidan, Olivia, Lily, and Zack.
With the book being split between the two groups, I felt like some of the battles that Daniel’s group encountered during their trip to Plhegthon were somewhat glossed over. There was so much anticipation, dread, and fear over the denizens that lived under the sand, that when they finally confronted one, it was more of a fizzle and not an explosion. I was hoping it would be an epic battle like with the man-eating toad, or the creature that lived in the lake under the mountain. Unfortunately, it wasn’t, so I was left disappointed.
In the meantime, Aryle is preparing a massive fleet to defeat Queen Kyrei and her mer-folk once and for all. What secret weapon does he have stashed in the vats he’s assigned to each of his vessels? Hmmm. We still haven’t found out what is motivating him though. What happened in his past to make him so hateful and vile? I really want to know what makes him tick.
There are other unanswered questions. Like what happened to Zack? Aidan being impulsive and judgmental, saw Zack’s abandonment of Lilly as a showing of his true colors. But I’m sure there was more to that scene that we’ve been made privy to. Book 4 hasn’t been written yet, but I think Collins is working on it. I can’t wait to continue this journey with these brave youngsters.
This is an entertaining, well-written, fast-paced, young adult adventure, and I recommend it for children and adults alike. I give it 4 feathers.
In this third installment, we finally get to read more about the two brothers that were left behind at Alustria. Haleim has changed his mind and wants to help defeat Argyle and restore the kingdom. With no fighting skills, Shon convinces Haleim and Atreyu to undergo the intensive training the young Centaurians must pass to become warriors. Some of the Centaurians resent Humans living among them, and show their displeasure during the brother’s training. I really enjoyed this part of the story, and how Haleim and Atreyu overcame the obstacle course. I’m looking forward to when, or if, they meet back up with Daniel, Aidan, Olivia, Lily, and Zack.
With the book being split between the two groups, I felt like some of the battles that Daniel’s group encountered during their trip to Plhegthon were somewhat glossed over. There was so much anticipation, dread, and fear over the denizens that lived under the sand, that when they finally confronted one, it was more of a fizzle and not an explosion. I was hoping it would be an epic battle like with the man-eating toad, or the creature that lived in the lake under the mountain. Unfortunately, it wasn’t, so I was left disappointed.
In the meantime, Aryle is preparing a massive fleet to defeat Queen Kyrei and her mer-folk once and for all. What secret weapon does he have stashed in the vats he’s assigned to each of his vessels? Hmmm. We still haven’t found out what is motivating him though. What happened in his past to make him so hateful and vile? I really want to know what makes him tick.
There are other unanswered questions. Like what happened to Zack? Aidan being impulsive and judgmental, saw Zack’s abandonment of Lilly as a showing of his true colors. But I’m sure there was more to that scene that we’ve been made privy to. Book 4 hasn’t been written yet, but I think Collins is working on it. I can’t wait to continue this journey with these brave youngsters.
This is an entertaining, well-written, fast-paced, young adult adventure, and I recommend it for children and adults alike. I give it 4 feathers.
July 17, 2016
Each of these books, so far, have started right where the previous one left off. With the Emerald of Phaunos fitted back into the Scepter of Harmony, the young crusaders manage to elude the clutches of the ruthless diegylis by escaping on a raft. Enjoying their leisurely cruise down the river, they suddenly find themselves in trouble once they hit the Great Lake. Now, they find themselves in a life-and-death situation, along with two females Aidan had rescued before. Who will save them and their two new friends?
In this third installment, we finally get to read more about the two brothers that were left behind at Alustria. Haleim has changed his mind and wants to help defeat Argyle and restore the kingdom. With no fighting skills, Shon convinces Haleim and Atreyu to undergo the intensive training the young Centaurians must pass to become warriors. Some of the Centaurians resent Humans living among them, and show their displeasure during the brother’s training. I really enjoyed this part of the story, and how Haleim and Atreyu overcame the obstacle course. I’m looking forward to when, or if, they meet back up with Daniel, Aidan, Olivia, Lily, and Zack.
With the book being split between the two groups, I felt like some of the battles that Daniel’s group encountered during their trip to Plhegthon were somewhat glossed over. There was so much anticipation, dread, and fear over the denizens that lived under the sand, that when they finally confronted one, it was more of a fizzle and not an explosion. I was hoping it would be an epic battle like with the man-eating toad, or the creature that lived in the lake under the mountain. Unfortunately, it wasn’t, so I was left disappointed.
In the meantime, Aryle is preparing a massive fleet to defeat Queen Kyrei and her mer-folk once and for all. What secret weapon does he have stashed in the vats he’s assigned to each of his vessels? Hmmm. We still haven’t found out what is motivating him though. What happened in his past to make him so hateful and vile? I really want to know what makes him tick.
There are other unanswered questions. Like what happened to Zack? Aidan being impulsive and judgmental, saw Zack’s abandonment of Lilly as a showing of his true colors. But I’m sure there was more to that scene that we’ve been made privy to. Book 4 hasn’t been written yet, but I think Collins is working on it. I can’t wait to continue this journey with these brave youngsters.
This is an entertaining, well-written, fast-paced, young adult adventure, and I recommend it for children and adults alike. I give it 4 feathers.
In this third installment, we finally get to read more about the two brothers that were left behind at Alustria. Haleim has changed his mind and wants to help defeat Argyle and restore the kingdom. With no fighting skills, Shon convinces Haleim and Atreyu to undergo the intensive training the young Centaurians must pass to become warriors. Some of the Centaurians resent Humans living among them, and show their displeasure during the brother’s training. I really enjoyed this part of the story, and how Haleim and Atreyu overcame the obstacle course. I’m looking forward to when, or if, they meet back up with Daniel, Aidan, Olivia, Lily, and Zack.
With the book being split between the two groups, I felt like some of the battles that Daniel’s group encountered during their trip to Plhegthon were somewhat glossed over. There was so much anticipation, dread, and fear over the denizens that lived under the sand, that when they finally confronted one, it was more of a fizzle and not an explosion. I was hoping it would be an epic battle like with the man-eating toad, or the creature that lived in the lake under the mountain. Unfortunately, it wasn’t, so I was left disappointed.
In the meantime, Aryle is preparing a massive fleet to defeat Queen Kyrei and her mer-folk once and for all. What secret weapon does he have stashed in the vats he’s assigned to each of his vessels? Hmmm. We still haven’t found out what is motivating him though. What happened in his past to make him so hateful and vile? I really want to know what makes him tick.
There are other unanswered questions. Like what happened to Zack? Aidan being impulsive and judgmental, saw Zack’s abandonment of Lilly as a showing of his true colors. But I’m sure there was more to that scene that we’ve been made privy to. Book 4 hasn’t been written yet, but I think Collins is working on it. I can’t wait to continue this journey with these brave youngsters.
This is an entertaining, well-written, fast-paced, young adult adventure, and I recommend it for children and adults alike. I give it 4 feathers.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews