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The Storm Runner #1
Sturmläufer
Zane soll den Maya-Gott des Todes befreien? Nur weil irgendso eine olle Prophezeiung das voraussagt? Nie im Leben! Doch dann überschlagen sich die Ereignisse und Zane muss einen Deal mit dem Todesgott eingehen. Es wird schon nicht so schlimm werden ... Oder?!
512 pages, Hardcover
First published September 18, 2018
1306 people are currently reading
19589 people want to read
About the author
J.C. Cervantes
20 books853 followersJ.C. is a New York Times best-selling author. Her books have been published in more than twelve countries and have appeared on national lists, including the American Booksellers Association New Voices, Barnes and Noble’s Best Young Reader Books, and Amazon’s Best Books of the Month. She has earned multiple awards and recognitions, including the New Mexico Book Award and the Zia Book Award.
She currently resides in the Land of Enchantment with her family and spoiled pups, but keeps part of her heart in Southern California, where she was born and raised. When she isn’t writing, she is haunting bookstores and searching for magic in all corners of the world.
Author also writes under Jennifer Cervantes
She currently resides in the Land of Enchantment with her family and spoiled pups, but keeps part of her heart in Southern California, where she was born and raised. When she isn’t writing, she is haunting bookstores and searching for magic in all corners of the world.
Author also writes under Jennifer Cervantes
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,340 reviews
August 8, 2018
Welcome to the Volcano!
Zane Obispo has a pretty sweet life. Since last year, he’s been homeschooled, which means the other kids can’t pick on him anymore. He gets to spend a lot of his time out in the desert of New Mexico, wandering and exploring with his faithful boxer-dalmatian, Rosie.
His mom loves him like crazy. His uncle Hondo is a fun housemate, even though he’s maybe a little too addicted to pro wrestling and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.
As for the neighbors, Zane only has two: friendly Mr. Ortiz, who grows top secret chile-pepper varieties in his garden, and Ms. Cab, who works as a phone psychic and pays Zane to help her out. What’s not to like?
And did I mention the volcano in Zane’s backyard?
That’s right. Zane has his very own volcano. He and Rosie spend a lot of time climbing around on it. Recently, they even found a secret entrance that leads inside. . . .
Yep, life is good!
Er, except that Zane was born with mismatched legs. One has always been shorter than the other, so he walks with a limp and uses a cane. He’s learning to deal, though, and is a crazy-fast hobbler.
Oh, and also . . .Zane just got accepted to a new private school. He doesn’t want to go, but his mom is insisting. Class starts tomorrow.
Then there’s the accident—Zane sees a small plane crash into the mouth of his volcano. He was close enough to glimpse the pilot’s face . . . and either it was a very good Halloween mask, or the pilot was an alien zombie monster.
On top of all this, there’s a pretty new girl in town— Brooks—who warns Zane he’s in mortal danger. But Brooks doesn’t exist, according to the school records. And how does she know who he is, anyway?
Soon, Zane discovers that nothing in his life is what he thought. There’s a reason he was born with a limp. There’s a reason he’s never met his father—a mysterious guy his mom fell in love with on a trip to the Yucatán. Something very strange is going on in Zane’s volcano, and Brooks claims it’s all tied to some ancient prophecy.
How much do you know about the Maya myths? Did you know the Maya have a goddess of chocolate? (Dude, how come the Greeks don’t get a goddess of chocolate? No fair.) The Maya also have shape-shifters, demons, magicians, giants, demigods, and an underworld that may or may not be accessible from the back of a local taco shop.
J. C. Cervantes is about to take you on a trip you will never forget, through the darkest, strangest, and funniest twists and turns of Maya myth. You will meet the scariest gods you can imagine, the creepiest denizens of the underworld, and the most amazing and unlikely heroes, who have to save our world from being ripped apart.
Maya myth and magic is closer than you think. In fact, it’s right in our backyard.
Welcome to the volcano. Welcome to The Storm Runner.
Zane Obispo has a pretty sweet life. Since last year, he’s been homeschooled, which means the other kids can’t pick on him anymore. He gets to spend a lot of his time out in the desert of New Mexico, wandering and exploring with his faithful boxer-dalmatian, Rosie.
His mom loves him like crazy. His uncle Hondo is a fun housemate, even though he’s maybe a little too addicted to pro wrestling and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.
As for the neighbors, Zane only has two: friendly Mr. Ortiz, who grows top secret chile-pepper varieties in his garden, and Ms. Cab, who works as a phone psychic and pays Zane to help her out. What’s not to like?
And did I mention the volcano in Zane’s backyard?
That’s right. Zane has his very own volcano. He and Rosie spend a lot of time climbing around on it. Recently, they even found a secret entrance that leads inside. . . .
Yep, life is good!
Er, except that Zane was born with mismatched legs. One has always been shorter than the other, so he walks with a limp and uses a cane. He’s learning to deal, though, and is a crazy-fast hobbler.
Oh, and also . . .Zane just got accepted to a new private school. He doesn’t want to go, but his mom is insisting. Class starts tomorrow.
Then there’s the accident—Zane sees a small plane crash into the mouth of his volcano. He was close enough to glimpse the pilot’s face . . . and either it was a very good Halloween mask, or the pilot was an alien zombie monster.
On top of all this, there’s a pretty new girl in town— Brooks—who warns Zane he’s in mortal danger. But Brooks doesn’t exist, according to the school records. And how does she know who he is, anyway?
Soon, Zane discovers that nothing in his life is what he thought. There’s a reason he was born with a limp. There’s a reason he’s never met his father—a mysterious guy his mom fell in love with on a trip to the Yucatán. Something very strange is going on in Zane’s volcano, and Brooks claims it’s all tied to some ancient prophecy.
How much do you know about the Maya myths? Did you know the Maya have a goddess of chocolate? (Dude, how come the Greeks don’t get a goddess of chocolate? No fair.) The Maya also have shape-shifters, demons, magicians, giants, demigods, and an underworld that may or may not be accessible from the back of a local taco shop.
J. C. Cervantes is about to take you on a trip you will never forget, through the darkest, strangest, and funniest twists and turns of Maya myth. You will meet the scariest gods you can imagine, the creepiest denizens of the underworld, and the most amazing and unlikely heroes, who have to save our world from being ripped apart.
Maya myth and magic is closer than you think. In fact, it’s right in our backyard.
Welcome to the volcano. Welcome to The Storm Runner.
July 20, 2024
Who's ready for a GUSHFEST of epic proportions? Hopefully the answer answer is, YOU, because I am about to let loose!
The Storm Runner is a Middle Grade Fantasy Adventure novel published through the Rick Riordan Presents imprint.
If you aren't aware, the purpose of this imprint is to provide a stage for diverse voices to tell stories based upon myths and folklore from their own cultures.
This action-packed book is based upon Mayan Mythology and is full of angry gods, magic, mythological creatures and a ton of adventure.
Our main character, Zane Obispo, stands out among his peers due to a limp caused by a leg that is a little shorter than the other.
Throughout school, Zane has had to deal with bullies and the feelings of inadequacy that can come when you feel like people are only seeing your differences, as opposed to the rest of you.
Despite his challenges, Zane is the sweetest baby cinnamon roll, full of good humor, love for his family and respect for his elders.
I truly fell in love with Zane's character. I think he is an incredible role model for young readers and, heck, even some adult readers.
Not only is Zane a great character, but he is surrounded by a whole flock of amazing side characters who bring humor, love, depth and drama to this adventurous tale.
I don't know about you, but for me, side characters can make or break a book. This group is fabulous and only served to enhance the fun of the story.
After he witnesses a demon crash a plane into a volcano near his house, Zane ends up heading out on a quest to save the world with his new friend, Brooks, who also happens to be a shape-shifter, and his lovable Uncle Hondo.
Together these three battle scary enemies and plot incredible schemes to save all of humanity.
Through their trials, Zane discovers who he truly is and how powerful he can be.
There was a ton of action in this book. Literally, scene-after-scene of edge of your seat moments that keep you glued to the pages long after 'lights out' time has come!
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves middle grade stories and/or books based upon mythology.
Additionally, I think this would be a great book for parents or guardians to read with the kids in their life.
I think there are a lot of great discussions to be drawn from this book and a lot of fun that can be shared as well.
Overall, this is a fantastic story that will leave you feeling like magic is not only possible, but real.
Thank you so much to Rick Riordan Presents and Disney-Hyperion for providing me with a copy of this book to read and review.
It was such a wonderful experience, one I will be thinking about and dreaming about for some time to come.
I really appreciate the opportunity and hope that this series is a big success and continues on!
The Storm Runner is a Middle Grade Fantasy Adventure novel published through the Rick Riordan Presents imprint.
If you aren't aware, the purpose of this imprint is to provide a stage for diverse voices to tell stories based upon myths and folklore from their own cultures.
This action-packed book is based upon Mayan Mythology and is full of angry gods, magic, mythological creatures and a ton of adventure.
Our main character, Zane Obispo, stands out among his peers due to a limp caused by a leg that is a little shorter than the other.
Throughout school, Zane has had to deal with bullies and the feelings of inadequacy that can come when you feel like people are only seeing your differences, as opposed to the rest of you.
Despite his challenges, Zane is the sweetest baby cinnamon roll, full of good humor, love for his family and respect for his elders.
I truly fell in love with Zane's character. I think he is an incredible role model for young readers and, heck, even some adult readers.
Not only is Zane a great character, but he is surrounded by a whole flock of amazing side characters who bring humor, love, depth and drama to this adventurous tale.
I don't know about you, but for me, side characters can make or break a book. This group is fabulous and only served to enhance the fun of the story.
After he witnesses a demon crash a plane into a volcano near his house, Zane ends up heading out on a quest to save the world with his new friend, Brooks, who also happens to be a shape-shifter, and his lovable Uncle Hondo.
Together these three battle scary enemies and plot incredible schemes to save all of humanity.
Through their trials, Zane discovers who he truly is and how powerful he can be.
There was a ton of action in this book. Literally, scene-after-scene of edge of your seat moments that keep you glued to the pages long after 'lights out' time has come!
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves middle grade stories and/or books based upon mythology.
Additionally, I think this would be a great book for parents or guardians to read with the kids in their life.
I think there are a lot of great discussions to be drawn from this book and a lot of fun that can be shared as well.
Overall, this is a fantastic story that will leave you feeling like magic is not only possible, but real.
Thank you so much to Rick Riordan Presents and Disney-Hyperion for providing me with a copy of this book to read and review.
It was such a wonderful experience, one I will be thinking about and dreaming about for some time to come.
I really appreciate the opportunity and hope that this series is a big success and continues on!
August 22, 2020
wait you’re telling me this 13 year old boy is a whole 6 inches taller than me..... I thought fiction was supposed to be a safe space not a place for me to get violently ATTACKED like this
:: rep :: Latinx cast, disabled MC (shorter leg, uses cane)
:: content warnings :: battle violence, internalized ableism, mild body horror (eyes in arm), depictions of blood, animal death, almost drowning
:: rep :: Latinx cast, disabled MC (shorter leg, uses cane)
:: content warnings :: battle violence, internalized ableism, mild body horror (eyes in arm), depictions of blood, animal death, almost drowning
September 10, 2018
This book was SO GOOD!!!!! Zane was absolutely adorable and had such a great voice, and although there’s so much more to be explored I learned so much about Mayan mythology that I didn’t know before. There was so much about this book that I loved and just can’t formulate into words now, but if you enjoy Rick’s books you guys definitely have to pick this one up! (ALSO: Hispanic AND Disabled rep?? I CANT SAY BETTER THINGS!)
(This is not a huge spoiler, but I will warn those who are weary of these things that an animal does die in the beginning of the story. But, as with all middle grades I’ve read so far, things turn out okay in the end :) )
(This is not a huge spoiler, but I will warn those who are weary of these things that an animal does die in the beginning of the story. But, as with all middle grades I’ve read so far, things turn out okay in the end :) )
June 15, 2019
I did end up enjoying this, and it started out rather slow. This is part of the Rick Riordan Presents. Rick doesn't know some of the other world mythologies as well, so he set up other people to write them in his sort of universe.
Here's the thing with it. I wish Rick would have just gone ahead and co-written these books and used the formula he already established. The humor was missing from this story. I mean it does have some humor, but it's few and far between. There doesn't feel like a whole lot of joy in the pages, but there is plenty of teen-angst and some self-pity. It is nice that our main character has a handicap, and because it is so much a focus of the main Character that it begins to feel like this self-pity and there is some transformation of that toward the end, but not enough. I'm sure that is totally like real life is and how people feel, so it's really good to have that out there. The reader is not drawn in enough to Zane to really see things from his perspective. I felt like an outsider looking in at this world and so much of it just wasn't fun.
I think it would have been very helpful if Rick could have infused his humor and characters and madcap situations into this story. The fun was missing and it felt like work in some ways.
Still, I was introduced to completely know mythology stories I know little about and I still want to know more. I'm interested in reading some more and finding out more about these archetypes. The god of Death is our big bad and he is made up of maggots which I find interesting. He also smells really bad. There are good ideas here and much promise, but it was only at the end I got a little invested in the story. It felt a little like work to read at the beginning. There was action and twists and turns to keep my interest, but the pacing was a little slow compared to other Rick mythology stories.
I will explore more of the Rick Riordan presents stories and mythologies and I wish he would have more to do with them as a co-author. Just help guide them and kick up the humor. Still, I never would have read anything about Mayan mythology without this book and I'm glad I got the chance to do so. I hope the next book is even better. There are lots of cultures with mythologies out there and I hope he adds a ton of them. I want to know more. I want to own them just to have the references to the stories.
Here's the thing with it. I wish Rick would have just gone ahead and co-written these books and used the formula he already established. The humor was missing from this story. I mean it does have some humor, but it's few and far between. There doesn't feel like a whole lot of joy in the pages, but there is plenty of teen-angst and some self-pity. It is nice that our main character has a handicap, and because it is so much a focus of the main Character that it begins to feel like this self-pity and there is some transformation of that toward the end, but not enough. I'm sure that is totally like real life is and how people feel, so it's really good to have that out there. The reader is not drawn in enough to Zane to really see things from his perspective. I felt like an outsider looking in at this world and so much of it just wasn't fun.
I think it would have been very helpful if Rick could have infused his humor and characters and madcap situations into this story. The fun was missing and it felt like work in some ways.
Still, I was introduced to completely know mythology stories I know little about and I still want to know more. I'm interested in reading some more and finding out more about these archetypes. The god of Death is our big bad and he is made up of maggots which I find interesting. He also smells really bad. There are good ideas here and much promise, but it was only at the end I got a little invested in the story. It felt a little like work to read at the beginning. There was action and twists and turns to keep my interest, but the pacing was a little slow compared to other Rick mythology stories.
I will explore more of the Rick Riordan presents stories and mythologies and I wish he would have more to do with them as a co-author. Just help guide them and kick up the humor. Still, I never would have read anything about Mayan mythology without this book and I'm glad I got the chance to do so. I hope the next book is even better. There are lots of cultures with mythologies out there and I hope he adds a ton of them. I want to know more. I want to own them just to have the references to the stories.
April 24, 2019
I’m more surprised than you that I didn't enjoy this oh so promising, beloved middle grade. ~Unpopular review incoming~
Zane Obispo is a Latinx boy who walks with a cane. He's got a best friend name Rosie who happens to be a Boxer-Dalmatian mix and Zane likes to explore the volcano near his home in New Mexico. Inevitably, his story is intertwined with the Mayan gods and legends of his beloved books. Zane embarks on an adventure and faces shapeshifters (called nawals), giants, and demons on a path to self-discovery and to answer a call to magic that could be in his blood.
So why didn't I like this? Well for the most part it was Zane's voice. For instance, Zane has a crush on Brooks who is a mysterious girl that introduces him to the existence of Mayan supernaturals. Zane thinks of her as a not-like-the-the-girls kind of love interest. Ok, that's overdone by now but I can let that one go.
Zane is witty and curious but also he's very self-deprecating especially regarding his shorter leg and limp. One of the biggest selling points for me to pick this up was the disability representation which I found extremely distasteful at times. It's hard to overlook these instances when lines like this tie Zane’s disability to a larger plot point. And then a few lines later let's pile on more gross language. More than once Zane refers to himself or his leg as "gimp" and that's disheartening and harmful. There's another instance of this kind of language here. In the end, Zane does accept his limp as a part of him but there's still this overarching negative connation for his disability. There's still this idea that Zane should be fixed and that just irked me.
This book also had some pacing issues and I felt like so many parts really dragged on. Cervantes' has a bright and refreshing imagination but something just didn't translate. This is mostly an issue of personal preference. Rosie, Zane's dog, dies pretty early on and I think you should let kids know that before they pick this up.
I was so thrilled to hear about a own voices Latinx story based in Mayan folklore. I learned so much about Ah-puch, Hurakan, Ixkakaw, Ixtab, and Xib'alb'a. We need more stories that feature the folklore of other cultures. Can authors or publishers also limit the number of stories inspired by the same ole regurgitated Greek myths? Please and thank you. I don't know why it's taken this long to have a middle grade story like this hit shelves because those aspects of this story were fantastic! However, it wasn't enough to carry the story or erase the issues I had with the disability representation. I'm sad to say that I'll be passing on the sequel.
Zane Obispo is a Latinx boy who walks with a cane. He's got a best friend name Rosie who happens to be a Boxer-Dalmatian mix and Zane likes to explore the volcano near his home in New Mexico. Inevitably, his story is intertwined with the Mayan gods and legends of his beloved books. Zane embarks on an adventure and faces shapeshifters (called nawals), giants, and demons on a path to self-discovery and to answer a call to magic that could be in his blood.
So why didn't I like this? Well for the most part it was Zane's voice. For instance, Zane has a crush on Brooks who is a mysterious girl that introduces him to the existence of Mayan supernaturals. Zane thinks of her as a not-like-the-the-girls kind of love interest. Ok, that's overdone by now but I can let that one go.
Zane is witty and curious but also he's very self-deprecating especially regarding his shorter leg and limp. One of the biggest selling points for me to pick this up was the disability representation which I found extremely distasteful at times. It's hard to overlook these instances when lines like this tie Zane’s disability to a larger plot point. And then a few lines later let's pile on more gross language. More than once Zane refers to himself or his leg as "gimp" and that's disheartening and harmful. There's another instance of this kind of language here. In the end, Zane does accept his limp as a part of him but there's still this overarching negative connation for his disability. There's still this idea that Zane should be fixed and that just irked me.
This book also had some pacing issues and I felt like so many parts really dragged on. Cervantes' has a bright and refreshing imagination but something just didn't translate. This is mostly an issue of personal preference. Rosie, Zane's dog, dies pretty early on and I think you should let kids know that before they pick this up.
I was so thrilled to hear about a own voices Latinx story based in Mayan folklore. I learned so much about Ah-puch, Hurakan, Ixkakaw, Ixtab, and Xib'alb'a. We need more stories that feature the folklore of other cultures. Can authors or publishers also limit the number of stories inspired by the same ole regurgitated Greek myths? Please and thank you. I don't know why it's taken this long to have a middle grade story like this hit shelves because those aspects of this story were fantastic! However, it wasn't enough to carry the story or erase the issues I had with the disability representation. I'm sad to say that I'll be passing on the sequel.
May 4, 2019
Most of my thoughts on this can be said far more eloquently by Priscilla, so I'll just leave her review here.
Basically, I love the mythology aspects (obviously!) and think there were some innovative and exciting ideas. However the narrative voice really brought this down, particularly because the amount of Zane's internalized ableist thinking. I think the intent was there, but I'm concerned disabled readers would find this more harmful than uplifting. I'll be on the lookout for ownvoices reviews of the disability rep, but I myself found it hard to read.
Basically, I love the mythology aspects (obviously!) and think there were some innovative and exciting ideas. However the narrative voice really brought this down, particularly because the amount of Zane's internalized ableist thinking. I think the intent was there, but I'm concerned disabled readers would find this more harmful than uplifting. I'll be on the lookout for ownvoices reviews of the disability rep, but I myself found it hard to read.
May 24, 2020
Many thanks to Disney Hyperion for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review
That was very disappointing. I feel really bad to bash this book considering the fact the Disney Press is so generous to me. That said, I am legally required to provide an honest review. I cannot, honestly, say that I enjoyed this book. I loved the aspect of Mayan mythology but I slowly realized that it was just not well done. It honestly felt exactly like Percy Jackson but with Mayan Gods. It didn't feel creative or fun. Half the time, I didn't know what was going on and the other half, I was just getting mad at the overuse of so many cliches. Better luck next time, Rick Riordian.
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That was very disappointing. I feel really bad to bash this book considering the fact the Disney Press is so generous to me. That said, I am legally required to provide an honest review. I cannot, honestly, say that I enjoyed this book. I loved the aspect of Mayan mythology but I slowly realized that it was just not well done. It honestly felt exactly like Percy Jackson but with Mayan Gods. It didn't feel creative or fun. Half the time, I didn't know what was going on and the other half, I was just getting mad at the overuse of so many cliches. Better luck next time, Rick Riordian.
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July 22, 2021
Poprawna książka spełniająca założenia serii Rick Riordan Przedstawia... Dla mnie jednak za mało mityczna, za mało majańska. Fajna lektura, ale na pewno nie jest to coś, co pozwoli nam bliżej poznać majańskie bóstwa. Cieszę się zaś, że powstają tego typu książki o innych mitologiach, niż, na przykład, grecka.
August 23, 2019
3.5
"If you can read this, you've got magic in your blood. Only another godborn would be able to see the words on these last few pages. Which is why I took the risk to write down the whole truth. I was hoping to find you. Hoping I could trust you with the secret. If you wait long enough, your destiny will come knocking. Take it from me - someday, when you least expect it, the magic will call to you."
...
The Storm Runner is yet another addition to Rick Riordan's new imprint, Rick Riordan Presents, with this book centering around Mayan mythology. (yes please!) In this first installment to a new middle grade series, we follow Zane Obispo, a 13 year old latino boy who walks with a cane. He and his dog Rosie love to explore the dormant volcano right outside of Zane's backyard, but when Zane witnesses an incomprehensibly strange event that makes him cross paths with a mysterious girl named Brooks, things get even weirder. Apparently, Zane's lineage is entirely godly, and intertwined with a prophecy that could lead to the end of the world.
I feel like I'm in the minority here.
Sure, there's a lot to love about The Storm Runner. There's disabled rep, latin american culture, mayan mythology, and some really lovable characters. Also, there's a lot of hot chocolate too.
So...why didn't I love this book then?
Well, I can't deny that J.C. Cervantes is a talented writer. She brought Zane's voice to life, and I did enjoy his character. However, I can't deny that this book majorly suffers from uneven pacing. The first half of this book dragged. Like, really dragged. I almost considered DNFing this at one point, and I don't often do that. Thank the gods my interest piqued halfway through this book and I decided to finish it.
The greatest strength of The Storm Runner is it's world and mythology. I loved reading about the Mayan gods, and the myths and legends surrounding them. Truly, I'm so pleased with what Rick's new imprint has brought to the realm of children's books. There's great diversity, amazing cultural representation with own-voices storytelling, and exciting adventure plots.
It's a shame, though, that I wasn't particularly attached to Zane or Brooks. Brooks, for sure, didn't really feel developed in this book. What was her character, exactly? I mean, she's fine, but I didn't feel anything for her.
I had fun with this book, and I understand why a lot of people really love it. But the pacing, and Zane's sometimes grating voice hindered my enjoyment of this story. Will I read the sequel? I'm not sure. The synopsis will really have to pique my interest in order for me to pick it up.
"If you can read this, you've got magic in your blood. Only another godborn would be able to see the words on these last few pages. Which is why I took the risk to write down the whole truth. I was hoping to find you. Hoping I could trust you with the secret. If you wait long enough, your destiny will come knocking. Take it from me - someday, when you least expect it, the magic will call to you."
...
The Storm Runner is yet another addition to Rick Riordan's new imprint, Rick Riordan Presents, with this book centering around Mayan mythology. (yes please!) In this first installment to a new middle grade series, we follow Zane Obispo, a 13 year old latino boy who walks with a cane. He and his dog Rosie love to explore the dormant volcano right outside of Zane's backyard, but when Zane witnesses an incomprehensibly strange event that makes him cross paths with a mysterious girl named Brooks, things get even weirder. Apparently, Zane's lineage is entirely godly, and intertwined with a prophecy that could lead to the end of the world.
I feel like I'm in the minority here.
Sure, there's a lot to love about The Storm Runner. There's disabled rep, latin american culture, mayan mythology, and some really lovable characters. Also, there's a lot of hot chocolate too.
So...why didn't I love this book then?
Well, I can't deny that J.C. Cervantes is a talented writer. She brought Zane's voice to life, and I did enjoy his character. However, I can't deny that this book majorly suffers from uneven pacing. The first half of this book dragged. Like, really dragged. I almost considered DNFing this at one point, and I don't often do that. Thank the gods my interest piqued halfway through this book and I decided to finish it.
The greatest strength of The Storm Runner is it's world and mythology. I loved reading about the Mayan gods, and the myths and legends surrounding them. Truly, I'm so pleased with what Rick's new imprint has brought to the realm of children's books. There's great diversity, amazing cultural representation with own-voices storytelling, and exciting adventure plots.
It's a shame, though, that I wasn't particularly attached to Zane or Brooks. Brooks, for sure, didn't really feel developed in this book. What was her character, exactly? I mean, she's fine, but I didn't feel anything for her.
I had fun with this book, and I understand why a lot of people really love it. But the pacing, and Zane's sometimes grating voice hindered my enjoyment of this story. Will I read the sequel? I'm not sure. The synopsis will really have to pique my interest in order for me to pick it up.
March 4, 2019
If you can read this, you've got magic in your blood. Only another godborn would be able to see the words on these last few pages. Which is why I took the risk to write down the whole truth. I was hoping to find you. Hoping I could trust you with the secret. If you wait long enough, your destiny will come knocking. Take it from me-- someday, when you least expect it, the magic will call to you."
These are Zane's last words to his readers. After reading this I was legit emotional. I just kept thinking that after young readers experience Zane's story and read these words they will think, "I am more than the sum of my flaws", and that is such a POWERFUL message! And I loved the way the author switched to second person POV to really suck the reader even further into the story!
I loved learning about the Maya mythology. It's so amazing that more authors are publishing books with diverse characters and diverse mythologies. I can't wait to read the next one.
Not a full review just a quick summary of my initial thoughts after reading. This book is A M A Z I N G!
March 14, 2019
DNF-ed
I didn’t have high hopes, these days I’m dreading every book I want to pick up, but even with that this book didn’t hit many points. There’s also the fact that I’m, maybe, too old for middle grade books, and The Storm runner is, after all, dedicated to the younger audience and it would be more appealing to them.
The idea of Mayan mythology was interesting however I didn’t hear much about it in the 1/3 of the book that I listened too, and even what I heard was dumped on me. The start of the book was slow, but at the same time fast considering how short after meeting our main character we are thrown into the mythology world. The writing isn’t anything special and the characters felt meh. The main character, Zane, is making some dumb decisions , so yeah, dumb decisions.
I didn’t have high hopes, these days I’m dreading every book I want to pick up, but even with that this book didn’t hit many points. There’s also the fact that I’m, maybe, too old for middle grade books, and The Storm runner is, after all, dedicated to the younger audience and it would be more appealing to them.
The idea of Mayan mythology was interesting however I didn’t hear much about it in the 1/3 of the book that I listened too, and even what I heard was dumped on me. The start of the book was slow, but at the same time fast considering how short after meeting our main character we are thrown into the mythology world. The writing isn’t anything special and the characters felt meh. The main character, Zane, is making some dumb decisions , so yeah, dumb decisions.
April 23, 2022
Reread so I can finally continue and hopefully finish this series!
The Storm Runner is an urban fantasy featuring Mayan mythology. It follows 13 year old Zane Obispo and his dog Rosie. Zane enjoys spending time outdoors exploring the dormant volcano near his home. But when Brooks, a new girl at school, tells him the volcano imprisons an angry Mayan god and Zane is destined to release him, he's not sure how to feel. The two end up going to the volcano to try and stop this from happening, but when demons attack, everything gets chaotic fast. Zane is thrust into a world where an all out war between gods is on the verge of happening and he finds out one of these gods is his father.
I really love the RR presents series. They're all so lovely and I haven't come across one I didn't enjoy. I will say this one is not one of my faves, but I did enjoy it and I'm excited to see what happens next. I don't know what it is about Zane, but I feel distant from him? Maybe I just need to finally move on to the sequel.
It could also be that we don't really get to know any of the other characters besides Zane. While Brooks, and Zane's uncle are present through most it, we only learn superficial info about these two. I feel like they could've been more fleshed out. Zane does seem to spend more time in his head than talking to the people around him.
Anyway, there is a ton of adventure in this book and I really loved how the Mayan mythology interacted with the real world. I think the sequel is going to be in better than this one so I can't wait to start!
Rep: Latine/Mayan cast, Disabled cishet male MC with a shorter leg and uses a cane.
CWs: Ableism, ableist language, bullying, animal death, violence, blood, injury/injury detail. Moderate: medical content, fire/fire injury, near-drowning incident.
____________________________________________________________
3.5/5
This was such a fun book about Mayan mythology! I've briefly read a little bit about Maya society and remember learning about it in school, but I don't remember anything super concrete. Zane enjoys hiking the mountain nearby his home with his dog, Rosie. What he doesn't know is that the volcano is holding an ancient Maya evil and he is prophesied to release the evil deity into the world. Zane does exactly it while trying to save his friend Brooks and Rosie. This sets him on an adventure to try and fix his mistake.
I loved Zane's determination to save Brooks and find Rosie. The journey Brooks, Zane and his uncle go on was so much fun. I loved learning about Mayan mythology this way. I love how much these books give me the same vibes from the Percy Jackson series. I get the mythology, an adventure and funny jokes/commentary on current events! What's not to like?
The Storm Runner is an urban fantasy featuring Mayan mythology. It follows 13 year old Zane Obispo and his dog Rosie. Zane enjoys spending time outdoors exploring the dormant volcano near his home. But when Brooks, a new girl at school, tells him the volcano imprisons an angry Mayan god and Zane is destined to release him, he's not sure how to feel. The two end up going to the volcano to try and stop this from happening, but when demons attack, everything gets chaotic fast. Zane is thrust into a world where an all out war between gods is on the verge of happening and he finds out one of these gods is his father.
I really love the RR presents series. They're all so lovely and I haven't come across one I didn't enjoy. I will say this one is not one of my faves, but I did enjoy it and I'm excited to see what happens next. I don't know what it is about Zane, but I feel distant from him? Maybe I just need to finally move on to the sequel.
It could also be that we don't really get to know any of the other characters besides Zane. While Brooks, and Zane's uncle are present through most it, we only learn superficial info about these two. I feel like they could've been more fleshed out. Zane does seem to spend more time in his head than talking to the people around him.
Anyway, there is a ton of adventure in this book and I really loved how the Mayan mythology interacted with the real world. I think the sequel is going to be in better than this one so I can't wait to start!
Rep: Latine/Mayan cast, Disabled cishet male MC with a shorter leg and uses a cane.
CWs: Ableism, ableist language, bullying, animal death, violence, blood, injury/injury detail. Moderate: medical content, fire/fire injury, near-drowning incident.
____________________________________________________________
3.5/5
This was such a fun book about Mayan mythology! I've briefly read a little bit about Maya society and remember learning about it in school, but I don't remember anything super concrete. Zane enjoys hiking the mountain nearby his home with his dog, Rosie. What he doesn't know is that the volcano is holding an ancient Maya evil and he is prophesied to release the evil deity into the world. Zane does exactly it while trying to save his friend Brooks and Rosie. This sets him on an adventure to try and fix his mistake.
I loved Zane's determination to save Brooks and find Rosie. The journey Brooks, Zane and his uncle go on was so much fun. I loved learning about Mayan mythology this way. I love how much these books give me the same vibes from the Percy Jackson series. I get the mythology, an adventure and funny jokes/commentary on current events! What's not to like?
November 4, 2018
"Part human?
"Yes," Ms. Cab said. "Your father is a supernatural. And your leg? Its defective for one reason only. Supernaturals and humans don't mix-- it often ends badly. Bum legs, terrible eyesight, missing fingers or toes, anger-management issues."
An adventure based on Maya mythology about a protagonist with a physical disability? Sign me up! Zane Obispo has a disability, he has mismatched legs as one is shorter than the other. Yet see that title again: storm RUNNER. This is probably the best thing about this book: the representation. Zane's disability wasn't his weakness, it was his strength. His disability was not a burden, it was a sign that he can be someone great, that he is a hero.
I'll leave the rest of this review hidden because of possible spoilers.
However, I implore you to go read the book and see it for yourself!!
"Yes," Ms. Cab said. "Your father is a supernatural. And your leg? Its defective for one reason only. Supernaturals and humans don't mix-- it often ends badly. Bum legs, terrible eyesight, missing fingers or toes, anger-management issues."
An adventure based on Maya mythology about a protagonist with a physical disability? Sign me up! Zane Obispo has a disability, he has mismatched legs as one is shorter than the other. Yet see that title again: storm RUNNER. This is probably the best thing about this book: the representation. Zane's disability wasn't his weakness, it was his strength. His disability was not a burden, it was a sign that he can be someone great, that he is a hero.
I'll leave the rest of this review hidden because of possible spoilers.
However, I implore you to go read the book and see it for yourself!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 9, 2019
[3.5 Stars]
January 5, 2019
★★★★½
Zane Obispo and his dog Rosie love to hike their volcano, even though Rosie only has three legs and Zane needs a cane to walk. Then a plane driven by a pilot demon crashes right by Zane’s head and he is thrown into a new and unknown world and a prophecy he doesn’t want to be a part of.
This book is centered on Mayan mythology and is an amazing way to start learning about this mythology. It has Gods and Giants and Magicians and Shape-Shifters. There are magical items that make you soul-travel and some that look completely flawless. Also there’s a goddess of Chocolate who apparently makes the best hot chocolate healing juice ever, which sounds amazing but also I’m a human and completely normal so of course it would completely destroy me.
Storm Runner is a fast paced, magical book following our characters as they fight demons and try to stop the world from ending. Obviously if you like Rick Riordan’s books or learning about mythology, this book would be perfect for you. And even if you don’t and you just like magical books that take place in the real world and follow a hero then you will also like this book.
I will say that it was more serious than I was expecting, and didn’t have that normal Rick Riordan humor (which makes sense because it’s obviously not written by him). And it took me a couple of days to get into it, just because you were being introduced into the story.
But this book was amazing. The characters were all unique and it was interesting to read about all of them. The way the book was written, aka the formatting was interesting, especially with it being an almost frame story (it’s sort of one but kind of not really cause you don’t see much of the frame). Also the ending was amazing. I thought I knew how it was going to end but I had absolutely no idea, and it left me really excited to read the next book. It was even better than I thought it was going to be. Definitely recommend!
Zane Obispo and his dog Rosie love to hike their volcano, even though Rosie only has three legs and Zane needs a cane to walk. Then a plane driven by a pilot demon crashes right by Zane’s head and he is thrown into a new and unknown world and a prophecy he doesn’t want to be a part of.
This book is centered on Mayan mythology and is an amazing way to start learning about this mythology. It has Gods and Giants and Magicians and Shape-Shifters. There are magical items that make you soul-travel and some that look completely flawless. Also there’s a goddess of Chocolate who apparently makes the best hot chocolate healing juice ever, which sounds amazing but also I’m a human and completely normal so of course it would completely destroy me.
Storm Runner is a fast paced, magical book following our characters as they fight demons and try to stop the world from ending. Obviously if you like Rick Riordan’s books or learning about mythology, this book would be perfect for you. And even if you don’t and you just like magical books that take place in the real world and follow a hero then you will also like this book.
I will say that it was more serious than I was expecting, and didn’t have that normal Rick Riordan humor (which makes sense because it’s obviously not written by him). And it took me a couple of days to get into it, just because you were being introduced into the story.
But this book was amazing. The characters were all unique and it was interesting to read about all of them. The way the book was written, aka the formatting was interesting, especially with it being an almost frame story (it’s sort of one but kind of not really cause you don’t see much of the frame). Also the ending was amazing. I thought I knew how it was going to end but I had absolutely no idea, and it left me really excited to read the next book. It was even better than I thought it was going to be. Definitely recommend!
December 8, 2020
Oh its been a long time since I have read a book this bad. So my fifth grader had to pick a fantasy book for a creative book report project, and I picked three possibilities from the library. We picked wrong. This is a Rick Riordan writer, he has collected a few young writer to mentor and sponsor, but let me tell you, the Storm Runner reads as a less good, more confusing Rip Off of the Lightning Thief. Lets see, there are demons, Gods, shape shifters, the Maya God of Death and Destruction, Al Puch. There are missing eyeballs, a boxmation pet named Rosie (my kid liked that part.) There were Jade Stones and some scary twins. Missing sisters, prophecy, God Fathers. Nothing about the story made sense, but even worse, failed to captivate. Now have to help him write a summer and gather artifacts to represent the story. Wish me luck. I wouldn't bother reading this thing personally....
June 11, 2018
ok so first of all: THE DOG DIES
()
OVERALL this fits in the same formula as Rick Riordan's books and also the first RR Presents book, Aru Shah and the End of Time.
I didn't love it as much as Aru Shah and I think a big part of it was this recurring subplot with Zane's two older neighbors, the seer Ms. Cab and the mortal gardener Mr. Ortiz, who kept persistently asking out Ms. Cab even though she kept saying no, and Zane kept saying how much he admired how "persistent" Mr. Ortiz was about asking out Ms. Cab and I was like NO WAY MAN BACK OFF. ()
That's not necessarily something that's going to be on the radar of most of the middle-grade kids reading this but still, seems like it's just contributing to some generally kind of gross background radiation.
THAT ASIDE, hell ya disabled Latino kid going on fantasy adventures! The meat of the book is cool and the Mayan myths are definitely a compelling basis for Percy Jackson-style shenanigans.
()
OVERALL this fits in the same formula as Rick Riordan's books and also the first RR Presents book, Aru Shah and the End of Time.
I didn't love it as much as Aru Shah and I think a big part of it was this recurring subplot with Zane's two older neighbors, the seer Ms. Cab and the mortal gardener Mr. Ortiz, who kept persistently asking out Ms. Cab even though she kept saying no, and Zane kept saying how much he admired how "persistent" Mr. Ortiz was about asking out Ms. Cab and I was like NO WAY MAN BACK OFF. ()
That's not necessarily something that's going to be on the radar of most of the middle-grade kids reading this but still, seems like it's just contributing to some generally kind of gross background radiation.
THAT ASIDE, hell ya disabled Latino kid going on fantasy adventures! The meat of the book is cool and the Mayan myths are definitely a compelling basis for Percy Jackson-style shenanigans.
Read
October 27, 2018Mini review:
Trigger warnings: None up until the point I read.
DNF
I received an E-ARC via Netgalley and Disney Book Group. However this review is based on the final version of the book. I was really excited when I heard about this book! And so happy when I got it on Netgalley. Unfortunately I didn't have the time to read it earlier. Then the final version released and I opted to read that.
The beginning was pretty enjoyable. As the story continued I found the writing style a bit annoying. The Storm Runner was also too similar to Percy Jackson. It just didn't stand on it's own.
Overall this wasn't for me. Still recommend.
Trigger warnings: None up until the point I read.
DNF
I received an E-ARC via Netgalley and Disney Book Group. However this review is based on the final version of the book. I was really excited when I heard about this book! And so happy when I got it on Netgalley. Unfortunately I didn't have the time to read it earlier. Then the final version released and I opted to read that.
The beginning was pretty enjoyable. As the story continued I found the writing style a bit annoying. The Storm Runner was also too similar to Percy Jackson. It just didn't stand on it's own.
Overall this wasn't for me. Still recommend.
April 3, 2024
Although this had a shaky start, it finished smooth like butter. This was quite a read. I have had this checked out on audio from my library for sooooo long, and I am so sorry. No one put a hold on it, so I guess that wasn't too bad. But I still am glad it took me such an extended time to finish it. Honestly, I wish my library let us borrow than fifteen books. It's just not enough for a book hoarder like me.
Anyway, back to the review. I am eating up all the Rick Riordan Presents books that I am reading. Granted, I am off to a rather slow start. That said, these kids books about mythology and legends from a variety of cultures are so good. In this case, the focus is on Maya mythology. The Maya civilization actually still exists, but it goes back to the time before written history. Central America is the region from which the Maya civilization arose, including southeastern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize and southwestern Honduras and El Salvador (Wikipedia). The Maya folklore/legends are fascinating, beautifully illustrated in this novel.
The lead character is a preteen boy named Zane Obispo who was born with one leg that is shorter than the other, causing him to limp. He is teased mercilessly by his schoolmates, leading to him taking a year off from school. He loves to spend time at an extinct volcano in his backyard in New Mexico, with this dog Rosie, who is also differently abled (she has three legs). Zane discovers a secret heritage that ties him to Maya legends and takes him an adventure that is dangerous, exciting, and life-changing.
At first, I was confused at all the things that were thrown at me, and I didn't think I'd rate this very highly, but I kept listening because I was curious. I'm glad, because I actually fell in love with this book. There's a lot of strange stuff happening, and there are nasty creatures that come after Zane. I didn't know what was going on, and I felt like that could have been a little better explained on page. But getting past that, I was very engaged to the point, I couldn't stop reading it. I loved how distinct the world-building is, even though if you've read any books about modern day characters engaging with gods and goddesses and creatures from mythology, you will recognize some plot devices. What I'm saying is the author puts their own spin and does a good job introducing readers to Maya folklore/legends.
As far as the characters, they were very vivid and fascinating. I came to love Zane and root for him. Honestly, Zane was frustrating in parts. He has a big chip on his shoulder. His father was never in his life and that led to hardships for him and his mother. But I loved his big heart and how he is unafraid to take risks and make sacrifices for those he loves. And he is fearless in the sense that even though he might feel scares, he still perseveres in the face some really scary and unpalatable circumstances. Zane evolves wonderfully over the course of the story in the journey he undertakes (in more ways than one) as he learns more about who is he is. The secondary characters were great as well. Brooks continues to have an air of mystery as she is portrayed through the 1st person POV of Zane. Even so, she was multi-layered and so brave. I loved how Zane's young uncle Hondo accompanies him on the journey. He was a lot of fun, and super brave as well as he has zero super powers. The other characters that Zane engages with and gets to know are really fascinating. I love reading book with Latin, especially Mexican culture, and I really appreciate that the narrator is Latinx, because the pronunciations were accurate and further immersed me in the cultural aspects. The cultural representation was so well done, and I appreciate how this book looks at the way people who are differently abled are treated in society. Zane had a very hard time with others and kids were so freaking mean to him. I had a hip problem and I had a limp and had to use a crutch for a long time, so I can tell you that is real. I felt for Zane because you can't erase something like that about yourself just to fit in, and nor should you feel like you have to be worthy. I could see why Zane was so attached to his dog Rosie because she was definitely his emotional support.
I have to say the villains are very scary and gross. They were so hateful and I was booing them. There are plenty of moments that have you thinking evil will win, but hang in there. All I'm going to say. There are some very unpalatable descriptions with bad smells and slime (and I am so sensitive to that because I'm such a germaphobe and I hate dirt/filth). I had a lot of ick moments as I read this book.
I love the juxtaposition between mythology/folklore and contemporary setting, which is why my favorite type of fantasy is urban/contemporary. It's so fun seeing these ancient beings interacting with the everyday, wearing baseball caps, jeans, sunglasses, etc. Also seeing this incredible world of legend under the everyday normality (that some people can't even see).
I think this book wraps out so great and I loved how it ended. It totally made up for the slow and questionable start. I had so much fun reading the book. It has some really good humor and great action sequences. I thoroughly recommend the audiobook. I'm really excited to listen to the next book in the series.
Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.
Anyway, back to the review. I am eating up all the Rick Riordan Presents books that I am reading. Granted, I am off to a rather slow start. That said, these kids books about mythology and legends from a variety of cultures are so good. In this case, the focus is on Maya mythology. The Maya civilization actually still exists, but it goes back to the time before written history. Central America is the region from which the Maya civilization arose, including southeastern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize and southwestern Honduras and El Salvador (Wikipedia). The Maya folklore/legends are fascinating, beautifully illustrated in this novel.
The lead character is a preteen boy named Zane Obispo who was born with one leg that is shorter than the other, causing him to limp. He is teased mercilessly by his schoolmates, leading to him taking a year off from school. He loves to spend time at an extinct volcano in his backyard in New Mexico, with this dog Rosie, who is also differently abled (she has three legs). Zane discovers a secret heritage that ties him to Maya legends and takes him an adventure that is dangerous, exciting, and life-changing.
At first, I was confused at all the things that were thrown at me, and I didn't think I'd rate this very highly, but I kept listening because I was curious. I'm glad, because I actually fell in love with this book. There's a lot of strange stuff happening, and there are nasty creatures that come after Zane. I didn't know what was going on, and I felt like that could have been a little better explained on page. But getting past that, I was very engaged to the point, I couldn't stop reading it. I loved how distinct the world-building is, even though if you've read any books about modern day characters engaging with gods and goddesses and creatures from mythology, you will recognize some plot devices. What I'm saying is the author puts their own spin and does a good job introducing readers to Maya folklore/legends.
As far as the characters, they were very vivid and fascinating. I came to love Zane and root for him. Honestly, Zane was frustrating in parts. He has a big chip on his shoulder. His father was never in his life and that led to hardships for him and his mother. But I loved his big heart and how he is unafraid to take risks and make sacrifices for those he loves. And he is fearless in the sense that even though he might feel scares, he still perseveres in the face some really scary and unpalatable circumstances. Zane evolves wonderfully over the course of the story in the journey he undertakes (in more ways than one) as he learns more about who is he is. The secondary characters were great as well. Brooks continues to have an air of mystery as she is portrayed through the 1st person POV of Zane. Even so, she was multi-layered and so brave. I loved how Zane's young uncle Hondo accompanies him on the journey. He was a lot of fun, and super brave as well as he has zero super powers. The other characters that Zane engages with and gets to know are really fascinating. I love reading book with Latin, especially Mexican culture, and I really appreciate that the narrator is Latinx, because the pronunciations were accurate and further immersed me in the cultural aspects. The cultural representation was so well done, and I appreciate how this book looks at the way people who are differently abled are treated in society. Zane had a very hard time with others and kids were so freaking mean to him. I had a hip problem and I had a limp and had to use a crutch for a long time, so I can tell you that is real. I felt for Zane because you can't erase something like that about yourself just to fit in, and nor should you feel like you have to be worthy. I could see why Zane was so attached to his dog Rosie because she was definitely his emotional support.
I have to say the villains are very scary and gross. They were so hateful and I was booing them. There are plenty of moments that have you thinking evil will win, but hang in there. All I'm going to say. There are some very unpalatable descriptions with bad smells and slime (and I am so sensitive to that because I'm such a germaphobe and I hate dirt/filth). I had a lot of ick moments as I read this book.
I love the juxtaposition between mythology/folklore and contemporary setting, which is why my favorite type of fantasy is urban/contemporary. It's so fun seeing these ancient beings interacting with the everyday, wearing baseball caps, jeans, sunglasses, etc. Also seeing this incredible world of legend under the everyday normality (that some people can't even see).
I think this book wraps out so great and I loved how it ended. It totally made up for the slow and questionable start. I had so much fun reading the book. It has some really good humor and great action sequences. I thoroughly recommend the audiobook. I'm really excited to listen to the next book in the series.
Overall rating: 4.5/5.0 stars.
June 17, 2023
This honestly felt too much like Percy Jackson. Like the writing…. Idek if I was reading Percy’s narration or Zane. But it was still fun
Read
July 9, 2019*DNF at 39%*
I just couldn’t get into this
I just couldn’t get into this
September 17, 2022
zane dreads starting his new school, but then something interesting comes out of it—he meets a girl who tells him he’s destined to release an ancient and deadly maya god, ah-puch. he finds out that he’s the son of another maya god and finding out who that god is may be the key to taking down ah-puch and unbinding himself to ah-puch.
i believe this is my second rick riordan presents book and it did not disappoint! this book was full of elements you can expect in a rick riordan/rick riordan presents book: full of cultural history and mythology, lightheartedness and humor, and, of course, a deadly quest.
i loved getting to know zane in this book, as well as brooks (the girl he met at school who becomes his friend) and hondo (zane’s young uncle who’s obsessed with wrestling). i’d say this book focused a bit more on the plot, but there was definitely a lot of good moments with the characters.
i recommend this to anyone who enjoys mythology-based books!
source: my local library via libby
i believe this is my second rick riordan presents book and it did not disappoint! this book was full of elements you can expect in a rick riordan/rick riordan presents book: full of cultural history and mythology, lightheartedness and humor, and, of course, a deadly quest.
i loved getting to know zane in this book, as well as brooks (the girl he met at school who becomes his friend) and hondo (zane’s young uncle who’s obsessed with wrestling). i’d say this book focused a bit more on the plot, but there was definitely a lot of good moments with the characters.
i recommend this to anyone who enjoys mythology-based books!
source: my local library via libby
Want to read
January 31, 2018I need to read this omg. I'm currently taking Mesoamerican archeology and we're learning about the Mayans!!
November 20, 2018
i was really into this!! i thought the plot was just a touch overcomplicated and had more gore than i expected from a middle grade book, but overall very fun and exciting!
November 11, 2018
I was never Miss-Know-It-All when it comes to mythology.
I barely know basics about Greek mythology, know even less about Scandinavian one, and when it comes to Maya, before I came across this book, I had no idea it even exists.
Here is what come books for, to make us learn, end even though I can’t say that I am an expert in Maya mythology after finishing The Storm Runner, I can say that I know at least little about it.
The Storm Runner is a middle grade fantasy book that follows a 13 years old boy Zane. Along with Zane, readers can discover gods, creatures and legends that are part of Maya mythology.
This is own voices novel because the author’s origin, and it also represents diversity because our main character is Hispanic, and he is also disabled person (one of his legs is smaller then the other one).
The story is written in first person, from Zane’s POV.
I loved following Zane through the story, he was really interesting and had good sense of humour. I even laughed out loud couple of times, despite this not being a comedy.
Discovering ancient Maya gods and legends was exciting, even though the names (as they are so much different from my native language) often made me confused, and I would forget who was who in a very short time.
However, because the author did a good job in bringing us a story, it was easy to keep up.
The characters of the book were fascinating and I can see them being someone’s favorite characters. I surely liked them, especially Zane.
I can also easily imagine The Storm Runner being turned into movie or tv show.
I’ve read some reviews for this novels that compare it to Percy Jackson saying it is very similar to it. Since I haven’t read that series yet, I can’t tell you if that is the case, but I can tell you that the atmosphere in the book did remind me of the second Percy Jackson movie (and I love those movies, in case you didn’t know (and yes, I know it’s an unpopular opinion)).
I would recommend this book to fans of middle grade and young adult fantasy, but also to everyone who’d like to read a story that talks about Maya mythology.
Since this is a middle grade book, it will be easy to follow to everyone who know nothing about it.
I barely know basics about Greek mythology, know even less about Scandinavian one, and when it comes to Maya, before I came across this book, I had no idea it even exists.
Here is what come books for, to make us learn, end even though I can’t say that I am an expert in Maya mythology after finishing The Storm Runner, I can say that I know at least little about it.
The Storm Runner is a middle grade fantasy book that follows a 13 years old boy Zane. Along with Zane, readers can discover gods, creatures and legends that are part of Maya mythology.
This is own voices novel because the author’s origin, and it also represents diversity because our main character is Hispanic, and he is also disabled person (one of his legs is smaller then the other one).
The story is written in first person, from Zane’s POV.
I loved following Zane through the story, he was really interesting and had good sense of humour. I even laughed out loud couple of times, despite this not being a comedy.
Discovering ancient Maya gods and legends was exciting, even though the names (as they are so much different from my native language) often made me confused, and I would forget who was who in a very short time.
However, because the author did a good job in bringing us a story, it was easy to keep up.
The characters of the book were fascinating and I can see them being someone’s favorite characters. I surely liked them, especially Zane.
I can also easily imagine The Storm Runner being turned into movie or tv show.
I’ve read some reviews for this novels that compare it to Percy Jackson saying it is very similar to it. Since I haven’t read that series yet, I can’t tell you if that is the case, but I can tell you that the atmosphere in the book did remind me of the second Percy Jackson movie (and I love those movies, in case you didn’t know (and yes, I know it’s an unpopular opinion)).
I would recommend this book to fans of middle grade and young adult fantasy, but also to everyone who’d like to read a story that talks about Maya mythology.
Since this is a middle grade book, it will be easy to follow to everyone who know nothing about it.
Read
August 2, 2022The Storm Runner follows Zane, a middle-schooler, who suddenly sees himself involved in a terrifying and unbelievable adventure to save the world. Part of the Rick Riordan Presents, an imprint focus on ownvoices mythological series. I was so excited to pick this one because 1) Mayan mythology !!! and 2) Zane is a disabled, Latinx kid !!!
I have such conflicted feelings about this book, that’s why when this ended up as the first pick for Latinx Book Club, I thought a reread would clear up my head. It did not end well for the book, friends. Many things I could forgive and let pass in my first read were impossible to look away from this time. And here I am, more conflicted than ever.
My expectations were not wrong, the story has potential, but the execution is all wrong. This an adventure story with a main character who doesn’t know everything and makes mistakes along the way, he also deeply cares about his family and friends. Family is such an important part of the story and it’s clear the love Zane feels for his mother and uncle. The world-building is fascinating and the tiny bits of Latinx culture we get to see are very satisfying.
Now, I just have a huge problem with the disability rep here. Zane uses a cane and this a very painful thing for him. He has so much internalized ableism. He’s always belittling himself and constantly is reminding us how different and unwanted he is… And I get it, I’ve also had internalized ableism that I had to work on. Being disabled in an able-bodied world is not easy, I know that. But here, all this hate just made me sad and uncomfortable.
Keep reading about my problems with the book on my blog, Cande Reads.
I have such conflicted feelings about this book, that’s why when this ended up as the first pick for Latinx Book Club, I thought a reread would clear up my head. It did not end well for the book, friends. Many things I could forgive and let pass in my first read were impossible to look away from this time. And here I am, more conflicted than ever.
My expectations were not wrong, the story has potential, but the execution is all wrong. This an adventure story with a main character who doesn’t know everything and makes mistakes along the way, he also deeply cares about his family and friends. Family is such an important part of the story and it’s clear the love Zane feels for his mother and uncle. The world-building is fascinating and the tiny bits of Latinx culture we get to see are very satisfying.
Now, I just have a huge problem with the disability rep here. Zane uses a cane and this a very painful thing for him. He has so much internalized ableism. He’s always belittling himself and constantly is reminding us how different and unwanted he is… And I get it, I’ve also had internalized ableism that I had to work on. Being disabled in an able-bodied world is not easy, I know that. But here, all this hate just made me sad and uncomfortable.
Keep reading about my problems with the book on my blog, Cande Reads.
January 7, 2021
I've started to appreciate The Storm Runner on the middle where the real adventure begins. Which I've got to know the Mayans version of gods and creatures along the way.
The first few chapters were not that engaging. There are tension and action but it didn't capture me well enough. I must say, they actually confused me to the point that I can't follow the flow of the story. I've just read on and didn't mind what is going on with the main character, who is Zane Obispo, and who really he is. And what he needs to do. Zero fucks given.
But came the middle part where I felt like I was tug to my core and instruct me to pay attention because the book will be wild. And sure it was! I don't want to spoil but this is the point where I can't stop reading and I really care about Zane Obispo, even he is an annoying child who asks a lot of question. I-want-to-know-about-him-already care. Something like that.
And it didn't disappoint. I've got to know what I need to know. It was really impressive. Knowing the Mayan gods, too! And their powers and capabilities. Even the antagonists are well-written. I just noticed some similarities with Harry Potter and Percy Jackson on some elements but it is probably unavoidable.
Will surely read the next one!
The first few chapters were not that engaging. There are tension and action but it didn't capture me well enough. I must say, they actually confused me to the point that I can't follow the flow of the story. I've just read on and didn't mind what is going on with the main character, who is Zane Obispo, and who really he is. And what he needs to do. Zero fucks given.
But came the middle part where I felt like I was tug to my core and instruct me to pay attention because the book will be wild. And sure it was! I don't want to spoil but this is the point where I can't stop reading and I really care about Zane Obispo, even he is an annoying child who asks a lot of question. I-want-to-know-about-him-already care. Something like that.
And it didn't disappoint. I've got to know what I need to know. It was really impressive. Knowing the Mayan gods, too! And their powers and capabilities. Even the antagonists are well-written. I just noticed some similarities with Harry Potter and Percy Jackson on some elements but it is probably unavoidable.
Will surely read the next one!
September 26, 2018
full review to come
January 17, 2019
A fun and entertaining read about Mayan gods. I loved the MC’s voice because he was so witty, and I had a lot of fun with this story.
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