Пазителката

Vega Jane #2

by David Baldacci, Дейвид Балдачи, Деян Кючуков (Translator)

Продължението на „Довършителката“ е тук! Един от най-обичаните световни автори продължава успешната си YA серия, която грабва от първата страница.

Вега Джейн и нейният приятел Делф са взели картата, оставена им от Куентин Хърмс, и са избягали от родното си Горчилище, твърдо решени да прекосят Мочурището и да намерят свобода от другата му страна. Но Мочурището е създадено специално за да държи хората в селото. То е пълно с кръвожадни същества и зловещи магии и няма да им позволи да се измъкнат безнаказано. Вега Джейн трябва открие скритите си заложби, да победи нови врагове и да намери приятели, ако иска да открие истината за Горчилище и Мочурището.

Очаква ви невероятно приключение, изпълнено с опасности, напрежение и неочаквани обрати в духа на шедьоври като „Властелинът на пръстените”, „Хари Потър” и „Игрите на глада”.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction, Dystopia, Audiobook, Adventure, Magic

376 pages, Paperback

First published September 8, 2015

About the author

David Baldacci has been writing since childhood, when his mother gave him a lined notebook in which to write down his stories. (Much later, when David thanked her for being the spark that ignited his writing career, she revealed that she’d given him the notebook to keep him quiet, "because every mom needs a break now and then.”)

David published his first novel, Absolute Power, in 1996; the feature film adaptation followed, with Clint Eastwood as its director and star. In total, David has published 52 novels for adults; all have been national and international bestsellers, and several have been adapted for film and television. David has also published seven novels for younger readers. His books are published in over 45 languages and in more than 80 countries, with over 200 million copies sold worldwide.

In addition to being a prolific writer, David is a devoted philanthropist, and his greatest efforts are dedicated to his family’s Wish You Well Foundation®. Established by David and his wife, Michelle, the Wish You Well Foundation supports family and adult literacy programs in the United States.

A lifelong Virginian, David is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Virginia School of Law.

Reviews

[Suzzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a roller coaster ride for my interest. The beginning of the book was good, the middle was meh, but the ending was really good. I am glad I picked up book three at the library to read this week so I can see where these characters go and what is beyond the Quag.

Overall, this has been a good series. I'm hoping the third book brings the great factor though. Still think this is a wonderfully weird world!

[Anne]

I decided not to finish this book.
I found it hard to believe that it was written by David Baldacci.
I know other people have loved it, but I honestly didn't think the plot or the writing was very good -- it was almost too elementary.
And it felt like he was trying awfully hard to sound British.

[Alayne Emmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the second in the series and I found it better than the first one. It had lots of weird beasts, magic and different characters. This made all the more enjoyable and I had forgotten a lot about this book as I had read it awhile ago.
A completely different genre for David Baldacci who usually writes crime novels. This was aimed at the younger readers but it would appeal to us “oldens” as well. Worth a read if you like something different.

[Aastha Dhuppad]

I NEED THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW!!!

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vega Jane, Delph, and Harry two are back in this brand new adventure in this sequel to the Finisher by David Baldacci. Our friends are now in the Quag full of dangerous perils and creatures. As they continue in their quest, will they be able to survive in the Quag and find out the truth about their history and more? Read on and find out for yourself.

This was a great installment in the Vega Jane series. if you enjoy YA adventure fantasy stories as well as David Baldacci, definitely check this book out. It is action-packed and has fantastical elements in it. You can find this book at your local library and wherever books are sold.

[Jlweaver · Rating 5 out of 5]

I NEED THIS BOOK... NOW

[Maria Kirilova · Rating 3 out of 5]

[3.5 stars]
HOW DARE YOU END IT LIKE THIS
I READ ALL THOSE PAGES WAITING FOR THEM TO GET THERE
AND IT DARES TO END WITH THIS CLIFFHANGER
I NEED THE NEXT BOOK
I NEED IT

[Mimi 'Pans' Herondale · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS WAS AMAZING!!

Delph is DEFINITELY my favorite character ;)

[Skip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really a 3.5. This one picks up where the last one ended with Jane Vega, Delph and canine Harry Two in the Quag. Together they face many beasts (too many to understand) and many obstacles. I would have liked the book better, but I found Jane Vega's and Delph's personalities too schizophrenic: brave and loyal when necessary, but always lacking in self-confidence. Also, I found the various charms a bit confusing, but liked their companions, especially the tension about whether they were friend or foe.

[Mick Dubois · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is intended for a younger public, but I enjoyed it anyway. It's a dystopian fantasy setting. Works best if you've read part 1 first. I don't know if number 3 is out yet, I'll have to check. At the time that I read this, it wasn't.

[Arianna Dallyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have had the opportunity to be given this book as an ARC and let me tell you, from what I've read, it is an amazing sequel.

[Daniel Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book #2 was definitely action packed. Monster after monster trying to kill our teenage badass and her friends. She can fly with a device and carry her dog and one friend. She has a healing stone. And a boomerang spear that she can throw at monsters, destroy them, and it comes back to her. And she’s gained a witches wand and can cast spells like Hermoine. And our spunky teen is gaining magical fighting power naturally without devices and we find she descends from a lineage of great leaders and warriors. They appear to be have crossed the dangerous wilderness. What lies ahead, they have no idea. Entertaining enough for me to finish the series.

[Nathaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

How does a thriller writer sit down and write the most interesting fantasy books to exist? it's not fair!

This book is such a ride. We're following Vega Jane and Delph (as well as some new characters) as they work their way through the Quag. They meet up with many obstacles and I cannot tell you how this book is held together because it's so... unconnected but in the end it's so beautiful and all I want to do is read the next two books. I don't even know how to write a review for this because this book holds my entire heart. Now that they're out of the Quag I'm excited to see if their next predicament is as interesting as the Quag. I'm really hoping this series remains solid for me throughout the next two books because I want to be able to look at it and say "this series is jam-packed with things that are bloody brilliant"

Also, I might change the way I speak because I love the way they say wotcha, blimey, and bloody. It makes this book so much more fun. Baldacci really dug deep inside himself to make up a writing style that's weird, and whimsical, and bloody fantastic. I need to start reading his thrillers ASAP because he's absolutely amazing.

[Elena Papadopol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nu stiu ce ii lipseste, dar nu m-a facut sa imi pese foarte mult de personaje, desi este plina de actiune, mister si magie.

[Gabi Leoncini · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I gave this book a 4.9 out of 5 stars. It wasn't quite as good as the first and was a bit slow at times however, I still really enjoyed it! Oh and what is it with baldacci and cliff hangers??

[Lesa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still can’t believe this author wrote the Will Roby series.... So completely different!

[aconstellationoftomes · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Delph was expecting me to lead. Hel, I was expecting me to lead. I just hoped I wasn't leading us to our doom." (Vega Jane)

The Keeper is a formulaic and predictable addition to the fantasy genre, but the characters and the world makes it enjoyable.

Vega Jane, the main character of The Keeper is heroic, strong, fiesty and stubborn. She's also smart, curious and practical. There's something about Vega that makes me want to see her succeed. In The Keeper, Vega uses every resource at her disposal to protect herself and her friends. Towards the end of The Keeper, I also started seeing a different aspect of Vega's personality: angry, bitter and jaded and I would like to see more of how Vega's journey has affected her in The Width of the World.

Along for the adventure through The Quag is Daniel "Delph" Delphia, Vega's best friend, and Harry-Two, Vega's canine. I didn't expect Delph to be anything more than Vega's sidekick in The Keeper, but he becomes a character in his own right and has an important role to play in The Quag. Delph is also an awesome best friend. He's loyal and willing to go to the ends of the world for Vega. There's also a developing romance between Vega and Delph, but it's subtle and middle-grade in nature and doesn't take anything away from the main plot. It's also hilarious to Vega get jealous when another character in The Keeper starts paying attention to Delph and Delph is so oblivious about what's going on.

The world-building in The Keeper is quite good. The Keeper builds on the world and information that's in The Finisher. So much more new and exciting information is revealed. I was learning about The Quag through Vega's eyes and experiencing everything with her. The creatures in The Quag are imaginative and well-described and the trials and tribulations that Vega face in The Quag adds to its foreboding and dangerous atmosphere. And while I still have a lot of questions about the events in The Finisher and The Keeper, I was more invested in Vega's journey than the answers to my questions.

I also appreciate that the characters and creatures in The Quag aren't all monsters. Some creatures are helpful and good, others are morally grey and many are atrocious. The characters and creatures in The Quag make The Keeper surprising, unpredictable and exciting.

However, I do have a few gripes with The Keeper. The Keeper is a little too long and has pacing problems. The first half of The Keeper is slow and dragging because nothing much is going on. I also never felt like the characters were in imminent danger. I always had a sense that they would succeed. This is partially because Vega learns about her new powers and abilities through coincidences. Whenever she's in trouble, a new power or ability would emerge that would save her in the nick of time. The Keeper also involves more fantasy and magic than the The Finisher , which has a more dystopian feel. I'm a little sad to see Vega relying more on magic than her smarts and practicality.

I'm extremely invested in Vega Jane's journey to discover the truth and I can't wait to read more about it in The Width of the World.

"I didn't care for blokes who were that agreeable. Give me stubbornness or outright deceit any light and I will readily accept it. But casual kindness will bedevil me all night long." (Vega Jane)

[Jeff Raymond · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oof, this book.

So, a caveat first and foremost. I read this for a specific reason, and I was not familiar with the first book in the series outside of the basic plot. Also, this was my first real exposure to David Baldacci, being, again, familiar with his earlier work for adults from my old bookselling days.

I read one Brad Meltzer book back in the day. I know his comic stuff is good, but I found his prose lacking for a traditional novel. It's not to say I love a lot of flourish, but a more workmanlike, dialogue-heavy prose doesn't always work for me. Baldacci, at least in The Keeper, is very similar to that and to books like James Dashner (for this age set), where solid descriptions take a backseat to a more workmanlike prose.

This is unfortunate, because The Keeper has a lot going for it, including some solid worldbuilding and interesting magic structures. Even coming in during the middle of the story, there's a lot to be engaged with in terms of what it offers in a fantasy about a girl and her companion trying to escape from an evil town. The action is good, but at 400+ pages, the whole thing just feels tiring as opposed to epic. It can be a difficult line to walk, but on a whole, it just should be better.

Obviously, start on book one. If the writing in that is anything like this, you'll know very quickly whether it's a book you'll be into or not. For my money, there are a lot of better fantasy books for this age group out there worth your time.

[Bev Walkling · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this while a passenger on a very long road trip. I have a tendency to nod off at times under these circumstances so I know I missed parts of the story but when I was awake it was good enough to keep me listening even though it is outside my typical genre. The woman doing the reading did an excellent job.

This book is book 2 in a series and isn't the style I have typically come to associate with David Baldacci though he has shown with books like Wish You Well that he can excel in more than one genre. Neither my husband (who was driving) nor I had read the first book. It didn't seem to be that much of a drawback.

I am pretty confident that my rating would be higher if I had heard all of the book. I did recommend it to my adult son and would consider reading a hard copy if I came across one.

[Hailey Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book even more than The Finisher. The book picks up quickly right away, but the second half of the book was even more fast paced. I had a harder time wanting to put this book down, there was always something new happening every chapter that it kept you on your toes. There is a lot of information in this book that it did feel slightly overwhelming but thankfully there is a dictionary in the back to help you better keep track of all the new things. The book ends in a really good place, it leaves you wanting more but the adventure on the Quag is now over.

[Jenn Jordan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a really hard time finishing this book. I enjoyed the first book, but this second book was...difficult to get through. It was boring, the flow was choppy, the main character seemed much less mature than she did in the first book. I'll most likely forget to read the third book, and I don't even know what it's going to be about.

[Kristen Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sequel has us on even more adventures as Vega Jayne is in the Quag and stirring up all sorts of new characters, both good and evil. I really love discovering more about the Quag and the creatures there. I cannot wait to read the next book!

[Mollie Fredrickson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I loved the first book. But I have to say, this wasn’t nearly as good. I had to give up. I hate to say it but yeah I was disappointed. I got to about 40% and just wasn’t inspired to pick it up again. I felt like I gave it a fair shot. Maybe I’ll try again later but for now, it’s a no go for me :(

[Monica Haak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ik vond dit gewoon erg leuk! :)

[Harlow Craig]

Amazing second installment of the Vega Jane series, after reading the Finisher, Who thought it could get better.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume took this story in a completely unexpected direction. I can't wait for the story to continue!

[Xena Elektra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoying the series so far. It's a fun adventure that reminds me a little of The Hobbit and Oz. Vega and Delph are fun characters to follow and they are constantly meeting interesting people and finding new wild and crazy things. It's very much like traveling through Oz feeling. What is going to be the next place you find?

I haven't read any of Baldacci's other books. Which means I don't have the perspective other people do of saying wow this is so different than the rest of his work. That being said, I've been enjoying this a lot and I love that I can't predict every thing that happens. Some of it yes, but there's a lot of surprises too.

[Robert · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got a free copy of The Finisher in summer of 2014 and only recently read it. The only reason I read this (and will proceed to read books 3 and 4) is out of an irrational need to complete things. I really don't recommend this series. It is full of unnecessary jargon, poorly described threats, a holier-than-thou protagonist who just happens to be naturally good at anything important, and a muddled and meandering plot.

[Tony · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love the Camel Club series and enjoy Baldacci's books normally. I did not enjoy this at all. It was all over the place. So many holes a colander would be jealous.

It felt rushed, I know it was aimed at teenage market but so many silly extremes. With absolute horror and death, with stupid killer dog and comic voices of characters??? I have the third book to read. I will not rush to read that =(

[David Raz · Rating 2 out of 5]

After the first book, which led me to believe that the author is capable of writing decent original young-adult fantasy, this second book was a disappointment. Was there a real need to add wands, Hogwarts' spells and unicorns to the story? Did the story not work without some bad-old juvenile romance? Sadly, two stars out of five.