Escape from Atlantis

Atlantis #1

by Kate O'Hearn

From the author of the Pegasus series comes a spellbinding first book in a new fantasy series for fans of Rick Riordan and Shannon Messenger following two cousins whose summer vacation gets swept away by a storm that lands them on the lost island of Atlantis.

The last way that Riley Evans wanted to spend spring break was studying whales on the family sailboat in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle. With only her dad, aunt, and annoying cousin Alfie for company, she is so bored staring at the waves that she’s starting to see mermaids between them. But when their boat is capsized during a sudden storm, Riley finds more excitement than she bargained for as she and Alfie are washed ashore with neither of their parents in sight. Where they’ve been shipwrecked is no deserted island, though.

Atlantis is a place beyond imagination, inhabited by both people and incredible creatures ranging from unicorns and gargoyles to talking animals. But not everyone welcomes the cousins’ arrival, and beneath the wonder of this mythical land lurk dangerous secrets—something strange is happening to the inhabitants. What Riley wants more than anything is to find her father and go home. But the closer she gets to this goal, the more the islanders seem determined to keep her from reaching it.

As Riley and Alfie unravel the mystery of Atlantis and its most terrifying part, the Forbidden Zone, they realize that the clock is ticking. If they can’t learn what happened to their parents and find a way off the island soon, it may be too late to leave.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Adventure, Mythology, Childrens, Mystery, Magic

448 pages, Hardcover

First published December 14, 2021

About the author

Kate O'Hearn was born in Toronto Canada, but raised in the heart of New York City and has lived in many places throughout her life. These days, she calls the south coast of England home. She has 3 brothers, no sisters and is passionate about animals and their causes and has many animal friends. (Pets)

Over the course of her life she has had several careers before finding her real love, writing children's books. Being the only girl in family of boys, she grew up a true tom-boy and always loved books with high adventure. But one of the problems she discovered was a lack of female leads in these adventure books.

When she started to write, Kate decided to address this imbalance and now writes high fantasy adventures with strong, compassionate and adventure loving girl heroes. There are plenty of boys in the story to keep it interesting and challenging, but she believes that a girl hero can be as brave, strong and adventurous as a boy.

She insists that adventures are for everyone!

So come and enjoy a few adventures with her...

Reviews

[Librarylady · Rating 3 out of 5]

Escape from Atlantis is the first book in a new fantasy series from Kate O'Hearn, author of the Pegasus series. While I am a fan of her regular work, this series was not a winner for me. In this book, a family is shipwrecked while on vacation and wind up in Atlantis. If you are thinking it will be the iconic advanced society, well before it's time, under the sea then you would be wrong. This is a completely different Atlantis with strange half human, half animal creatures that they cannot escape from. Not only did I not find the change in setting to be compelling, I did not like the characters or the plot. The whole book was a shipwreck for me, and I only finished it in ordered to give a well informed opinion. I won't be continuing with this series.

[Carolina (fictionologyst) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fact that I devoured this 400-pages book in one sitting have said it all, I’M OBSESSED!

This is a page turning, fast paced adventure about two cousins stranded in a mysterious island called Atlantis following their shipwreck. But this version of Atlantis is something that I haven’t read before, it’s completely twisted, full of mysteries, and has an eerie vibes to it. The adventure is thrilling, I keep turning the pages to find out what will happen!

I love the main characters Riley and Alfie, one has a major development than the other but both are very well written. I also love reading about how their relationship slowly changed throughout their adventure together. The only thing that disturb me is one of the character’s decision at the end, I think it’s really selfish and preposterous (you know what I mean when you read it).

[ElsaMakotoRenge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun Kate O’Hearn book! To be honest, Escape from Atlantis was much different than I expected, but not in a bad way. I thought we would watch Riley and Alfie struggling to “survive in the wilderness” more, and what we got was an eerie, slightly creepy MG novel with mystery vibes and lots of cool fantasy elements. I really enjoyed it!

The only thing I did not like was the way Riley’s father’s behavior and final choice were treated. I don’t mind the actual outcome at all, but I don’t think his choice should have been so thoroughly justified, either. I think it would have been better to have the same outcome, but either have him not be so happy about it, or not justify that reaction lol.

My favorite of the Atlanteans was definitely Maggie! She was great, and who doesn’t like a cat-lady (literally, lol)?

This was a fun book, and I would definitely recommend if you enjoyed O’Hearn’s other books or just want an interesting MG fantasy book with some mystery/eerie vibes. As the book specifically says “Book 1” on the binding and has an open ending (not a cliffhanger, just open for more), I’ll be happily looking forward to the sequel!

[Yapha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Riley, her cousin Alfie, her father, and his mother are on a several weeks long trip near the Bermuda Triangle, studying whales, when a freak storm comes up. Their boat is no match, especially when what appears to be a sea monster begins to tear it apart. Riley and Alfie wake up on the shore of a kind of paradise that they are told is the lost city of Atlantis. Nothing is as it appears, however, and Riley and Alfie realize they must do everything they can to escape. A fantastic adventure and hopefully the start to a new series. Recommended for grades 4 & up.

eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss

[Chris Velazquez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wanting to pick up a new series, this first book in a three-part series sounded interesting to me. Two cousins, Riley and Alfie, are sailing with Riley's dad and Alfie's mom, when they find themselves shipwrecked and marooned in a lost island, Atlantis, where things are, well, weird. So how was the book?

Overall, I quite enjoyed this book. The story is simple, but is well told, so I was engaged throughout. Everything seems okay in Atlantis, everyone is polite and helps each other out and live in peace, until the ugly sides start showing, especially when it comes to the cloaked people, who are basically anthropomorphic animals,and how they are treated by the normal humans in Atlantis. All the while, Riley and Alfie have to set their differences aside to get through this place and find out what happened to her dad and his mom.

The story is mainly elevated by a group of likable main characters. Riley and Alfie had the typical flaws of kids in their age range, especially the more emotional and volatile Alfie, but they remain likable as they go through thick and thin together and develop a closer bond. Bastian and Miss Pigglesworth are likable throughout as the new friends; Maggie is a welcome motherly figure, Galina is a good friend despite the communication issues, while Pea is an absolute delight and arguably my favorite character in the book. Gideon was also great as the gentle giant who makes it his mission to aid and protect the main characters. The rest of the characters are adequate in their roles, especially Kerry, one of the few other kids in the island, who goes above and beyond being a mean girl. I do wish the other children could have had a bigger role in the story, though.

The story has some flaws, though. Like how at times Riley and Alfie don't really sound their age in their dialogue, and how the story, as I said, is very simple, a lot of it is the same stuff without any new twists, and many questions are left unanswered, though since it's a three-part series, it does mean that questions will be answered later, so that wasn't much of a big flaw. Beyond that, it's still a good story with good characters. And another thing that put a smile to my face is the big hints that the author is a big fan of Gargoyles, which is my favorite tv show of all time, from little details such as a cat-woman named Maggie, but mainly due to the inclusion of gargoyles in the story; gargoyles that turn to stone during the day and come alive at night, with the one we meet being seven feet tall, having a notably deep voice, being very protective, and being called Gideon, and it all feels so very much like the main character in Gargoyles, Goliath, voiced by the incomparable Keith David. It was just something that made the geek in me smile.

In the end, despite the simplicity and a couple of flaws, this was a fun, enjoyable book, and I look forward to continuing the series.

[Jayne K. (Fyrefli Fictionary) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two cousins are shipwrecked and they can’t find their parents. Things could not get worse. Until they realize that they landed on Atlantis. Yes, that Atlantis. And while they are amazed by the fantastical place and creatures of legend, they realize the true danger has only begun as they slowly begin to uncover the secrets of the island. Will they be able to find a way off the island and back to the rest of their families? Let’s find out!

Read if you like: fantasy, general mythology, hidden lands, mystery and secret plots, found family, family who learns to love each other.

Riley did not want to spend her spring break on a boat with her marine biologist father. Her mom and brother got to stay home, lucky them. To make things worse, her dad and Aunt Mary thought it would be a good idea for her horrible cousin Alfie could come along. Worst spring break ever. Riley is wishing for home until she sees something in the water that looks suspiciously like a mermaid. But before she can convince anyone of what she saw a huge storm overtakes their boat and she finds herself and her cousin washed up on the beach of a seemingly deserted island.

As Riley and Alfie begin to search for help, they meet some very strange individuals. Some are nice to a fault. And some are downright beastly. There are a lot of rules and boundaries on the island. The worst part is no one will give them a straight answer as to why the rules are so important. And where are their parents? How did two kids get to safety and not them? With too many questions and not nearly enough information the duo begins to search for clues and what they find leaves them even more desperate to find their family and get back home.

Escape from Atlantis was a really fun book. The storyline and pacing were great. My big kid and I were in and ready to go from the beginning with no lulls despite there being a lot of “what is happening” and “now what are we going to do” type of situations. While we get some insights to what is happening on Atlantis there is still plenty to unpack and we will be anxiously awaiting the next book.

The characters were well written and believable for tweens. Riley is a little older and wiser and just wants to be heard. Alfie is a little spoiled and bratty and dealing with family changes. On the island, they befriend a boy and his dog, as well as a few other Atlantean residents, and together they learn to work together. With Riley at the lead, they uncover part of the truth about why the many residents of Atlantis are so strictly structured. But there are still so many secrets and places left unexplored. Hopefully, we’ll get more answers in book 2 Return to Atlantis.

[eve.lyn._.reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

🌊💧🐟Escape from Atlantis🐟💧🌊
Riley is frustrated, for many weeks; her dad, aunt, and cousin have been traveling on the Bermuda triangle. All they can see is the sea. Sea. Sea. Until Riley spots something strange, a mermaid. But not like one in children's tales, but ones that look deadly and horrifying. Then a storm appears, one that seems not to relent, and almost follows their ship. When a giant Leviathan attacks their ship, causing Riley to be separated from her family. Now she is stuck on an island with her cousin Alfie. The people of the island claim that it is Atlantis. Yet they have no recollection of their past lives, and their behavior is strange. Some humans are starting to transform into animals. Riley and Alfie must find out what's wrong with the island, and get off before it's too late.


Riley and Alfie go on a daring adventure, sent on an island with strange things happening.. I thought the premise of this book was interesting. I did feel like the characters emotions felt, superficial. Like the felt the right emotion at the right time. It didn't feel deep or complex in any way. I couldn't get really emotionally invested in this book. I found that the setting stood out to me more than Riley.

The beginning felt a bit rushed... almost to generic and contrived. Then we end up on a strange island that twists things up. It was interesting the whole concept, yet by the end we are left with many unanswered questions that might be answered in book two.

I felt like Riley and Alfie seemed to calm/accepted what was happening way to easily. They settled into life on Atlantis so easily without much struggle. Riley got along with everyone and seemed to really adore characters that weren't that great?

The whole memory-loss, forgetting your past, stuck on an island! Wow what a amazing concept. Yet most of this was Riley and Alfie finding dead ends and doing things that added no value to the plot. Then the ending felt so easy after all the struggle. Characters would feel intense sadness, but on a page or so shrug it off so easily.

Finishing this book, I felt a bit like a lot of things were not tied up; a lot of things were just left hanging. I'm not so sure about picking up book two when it comes out. I do hope however, that in the coming books the relationship between characters can take more of a forefront because some things feel under-developed.

[Lily · Rating 2 out of 5]

To be fair, I might've been a bit too old for the book, that's why I didn't give it one star, but a younger audience isn't an excuse for bad writing and a horrible ending. To give some background for the ending, both of the adults were turning into animals, and the girl's dad turned into a dolphin, and by the time they were escaping he was fully a dolphin. Surprise surprise, he saves them from the giant sea monster. Bur right before he leaves, they ask him if he'll come back and he says that he "belongs in the ocean now" and maybe he "always has." Not that he would try to come back. Just that he loved the ocean more than his kids. Even though there's a chance he could change back to human once they get back home. He said "'I don't want to change back. I love being what I am now... I love you more than anything, but you must let me go. The ocean has always been my second home... I can't give up on it now." You mean like you're giving up on your kid and wife back home? Also he says that he loves her more than anything... yet he's not going to stay with her. And this girl just accepts this. Later she has inner dialogue that says "He was gone. But it wasn't divorce; it wasn't death or abandonment. She had lost her father to a dream and she knew her family would be okay." Yeah, except it was basically abandonment... Listen, this would all be maybe okay if they didn't just act like it was fine. It's not just the characters having a warped perspective because of shock or trauma or whatever, it's that, no, they're just totally okay with it. The ending could maybe, possibly be saved in the sequel, if they do something like have the mom be devastated and this brings the daughter back to her senses and she realizes what happened or something like that. But even without that ending, I'd still give it three stars, because the plot, the pace of the book, just isn't interesting, the characters feel like the aren't worked on at all, like they're just a placeholder, other than being annoying, so you can't really get attached to them even the slightest bit.

[Federica de Quagliatti · Rating 2 out of 5]

E’ un romanzo d’intrattenimento, ma di poca sostanza.
Il mondo magico di Atlantide è costruito in modo accurato, con una topografia e una nomenclatura dei personaggi e dei luoghi che riescono a sostenere l’intricata trama e avventura dei protagonisti. Tuttavia, manca a mio parere una certa profondità nei personaggi e una visione di quale sia il messaggio ultimo che l’autrice vuole trasmettere ai lettori. E’ importante andare d’accordo con i membri della propria famiglia? L’amore per la famiglia?
Se sì, è tutto sostenuto da relazioni tra i personaggi poco profonde, che non giustificano lo sforzo dei protagonisti.
Prendiamo per esempio il padre della protagonista, Riley: dopo essere stato salvato dalla figlia ed essersi trasformato in delfino, l’abbandona lasciando che sia lei a spiegare alla madre, rimasta a casa, cosa fosse successo. Non è di certo un comportamento consono a quello di padre, e d’altro canto non notiamo grande disappunto nella protagonista, che invece ha trascorso tutto il libro nel tentativo di salvarlo per poter tornare a casa.
Il cambiamento nel rapporto tra i protagonisti, Riley e Alfie, risulta troppo repentino: come può essere che i due ragazzi, che si erano scontrati fino a due secondi prima imparano all’istante a collaborare? Inoltre, risulta spiazzante come Sebastian, ragazzo che ha vissuto per anni su Atlantide, perfettamente integrato nella Community, accetti quasi senza batter ciglio che i protagonisti Riley e Alfie, due persone che ha appena conosciuto, gli svelino tutte le bugie che Beresford gli ha raccontato, compresa la morte dei suoi genitori.

[Daniele Kasper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fans of Percy Jackson will love this series that has all the feel of that series with plenty of unique twists and turns of its own.

Main character Riley had been looking forward to spending her entire spring break with her family studying whales on a boat in the infamous Bermuda Triangle. But she ends up forced to live aboard the sailboat with her annoying cousin too. A vicious storm capsizes the boat and Riley washes ashore with Alfie and the adults are nowhere to be found. They are shipwrecked. But this is no deserted island. It's Atlantis. Filled with things beyond belief, Riley and Alfie meet unicorns and talking animals. But not everyone on Atlantis is happy that there are strangers on its shores. All Riley wants is to find her father and go home, but the inhabitants of the island seem reluctant to let her leave.

This one has lots of set up and moves slow to start, it builds to the big reveal and the uncovering of the mystery. It might be a little too slow for some readers but there is still lots of action. Atlantis is not the beautiful island of lore, it is dark and scary. O'Hearn has blended reality and fantasy and let her imagination run wild with creating a land filled with wonders for kids to explore.

[Loni · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started off with a bang. You are thrown into the chaos right away, and it doesn't really slow down. This was a very different take on the tale of Atlantis. It intrigued me, but at the same time, it might have been a step too far outside of the box for me. I don't want to give anything away, as there is a lot that could be considered spoilers. It just felt a little weird and incomplete. I know that it's suppose to be a part of a series, so I can kind of understand the incompleteness, but even for a first installment it felt too vague in some ways. I really don't feel like I got the answers to ANY of my questions, and I feel like I should have gotten at least one or two, and then left some for suspense. I had high hopes for this one. Maybe I'm just out of touch with my inner middle-grade and that's why it felt different.
I would be curious to read the next book in the series and see if there are any answers. Please, I want some answers. Book 1 alone wasn't enough to make me fall in love with the series though. Will for sure be on the look for book 2 with my fingers crossed.

[Caitlyn F. · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first, the book was a bit meh. It was obviously targetted towards younger audiences but as I continued to read more and more, I was trapped inside of this book and on Atlantis with Alfie and Riley.
This book was very interesting. I was certain it would be 3.5 stars at most, but no, this was a 4.5 star read right here, everyone.
It's been a while since I've read a good book that had little to no romance in it. I had gotten to the point where I thought pretty much all books had romance in them (which is totally fine because the stories I write have romance in them too).
The ending broke my heart but also was making me smile. I was torn between feeling sad and happy and was on the verge of tears, especially at the acknowledgements.
I am so honored to have this outstanding book on my shelf and now, every time I look at this book I'll smile and when I gaze out over the ocean and the crashing waves, I'll wonder what mysteries are really hiding in the distance and below the surface.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Riley is on a working vacation with her marine biologist father studying humpback whales. Her aunt and bratty cousin Alfie are also with them. Then a strange storm forms around them and the boats sinks. Riley and Alfie are rescued by underwater creatures who take them to them to their town and the two cousins have to find a way home.

This is not your usual Atlantis story. It is written for young people, but these guys are strange, and scary. It’s like an alien island zoo divided into increasingly dangerous areas. Kind of a combination of the Time Machine, Divergent and The Animal Kingdom.

Footnote: 1) During the sailing ship attack it says they were thrown into the cold North Atlantic. But they were in the Bermuda Triangle, near Miami, still in warm waters.

Fave scenes: meeting Pea, the Red Moon, finding the Moon Dancer and Riley’s dad’s farewell.

[Kirsty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ohh my gosh - escape from Atlantis was absolutely incredible!!! I was hooked from the moment I first opened the book.
And meeting the character Pea… I fell in love immediately.
The story is so enhancing, and I was constantly left wanting to know more after every chapter.
I fell in love with the island and learning more and more about the place and the characters whom live within. The kind blue and yellow cloaks, to the dangerous and at first mysterious red clocks. To the humans already there, and to all the questions that come about why and how the island is how it is.
I absolutely love Kate’s style of writing and imagination which made Escape from Atlantis so phenomenal!
I am so so so excited to find out what happens next in Riley’s life and if the island will play apart again!

[Readsandeats · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were a number of things with this book that did not sit well with me and I found that it put me off.
We meet Riley and Alfie,who are cousins. They are sailing with Riley's Dad and Alfie's Mum whale watching when they are cuaght in a storm that wrecks their boat. The kids end up on Atlantis, whilst their paretns end up in the forbidden forest. The kids soon discover that all is not right in Alantis and that you are shunned for being different, that if you don't conform then the leaders have ways of making you do so.
The kids make friends withe various characters that all help them try to find their parents.
Whilst the plot idea was good, I foung the shunning and ways to make you conform to be awful and didn't sit well with me.

[Kaylee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid four stars. This book is so enjoyable! I think it’s Kate O’Hearn’s best (or one of them) because the story and setting are so interesting. Her weakest point, in my opinion, is definitely character writing, so having such an interesting setting pushing a fun story really helps the gaps in character development not be too noticeable. I like this Atlantis trilogy better than the Titans one so far by a lot, and that’s coming from a horse lover who should adore any book with a horse or horse-adjacent main character. Speaking of characters, Alfie’s actually not too bad in his development, which was a pleasant surprise. I just really like this book. It’s genuinely fun to read. Can’t wait to read Return to Atlantis!

[Ren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I genuinely have no idea what I thought this would be, but it definitely wasn't this. Riley and Alfie act like kids, a notable change from a lot of middle grade that I read, and as the mystery side of things began unfolding this was a genuinely good read! This definitely leans into a lot of the interesting brainwashy sci-fi kind of stuff, the utopian ideology, which I wasn't expecting, and the ending hit me in a way I didn't think it would with something like this.

My only problem was with the length and editing, this definitely needed another pass, and the amount of small typos I found throughout detracted heavily from what was happening, because they were so abundant in one chapter I wasn't sure what I was reading.

[Cathy | A Case Full of Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Riley and her cousin Alfie have been shipwrecked on an island in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle. Atlantis. But this is not the Atlantis that is normally shown in fiction. There is something off about the perfection of it. Something eerie.

All Riley and Alfie want to do is find their parents, but the leaders in Atlantis seemed determined to distract them from their mission.

While the writing itself wasn't the best, the story really pulled me in and I was invested.

I'm not sure how I feel about the ending... I guess I'll have to wait for the next book and see what happens.

[Eileen Winfrey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Riley and her horrible cousin Alfie are shipwrecked by a sea serpent and some mermaids onto an island. Here, the people are in a trance as they go about their daily lives until they start turning into animals and are shunned. Riley and Alfie must escape. Complications ensue.
It was ok, but I felt like there were too many unresolved threads of plot/plots resolved in one sentence.

[Bailee Hegwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing! It was definitely not what I expected though. It was perfect though! It had the perfect amount of drama, plot twists, and things that made me angry. It was very easy to read through this book. It kind of reminded me of the show Once Upon A Time. I would definitely recommend this book!

[Anita]

Can't wait until #2 comes out in Jan 2023 Waiting for Riley and her friends from Atlantis what is going to happen to her dad and aunt ? It is definitely a must read if you like adventure and mythology.

[therices1 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was really difficult to get into. I just didn't feel the emotion or like the characters. But I kept at it and it got better. So much so that I was excited to read the next book which was much better.

[Artemis Lestrage · Rating 3 out of 5]

It would probably be better for mid teens and up but nothing bad happens in the book. (Romance and violence) But still interesting. It can get confusing! Be prepared! There is a lot of whiplash 😅 But it has really good parts (the ending is not one of them... don't say I didn't warn you) 😈

[Kirsten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting middlegrade adventure with lots of weird stuff going on in Atlantis and questions that make me wonder what the next book will be about. The more I think about it the weirder it gets.

[Gianni Farina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was ok I just don’t like the end and too many things happened near the end!

[Linnea · Rating 3 out of 5]

meh. good for the Unwanteds/adventure-type readers. not my thing

[Ashlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness. The ending is just- how? Incredible book, and I definitely recommend it.

[liza · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was compelling!! Some of the character connections felt dry or stiff in places, however. Loved the fantasy in it, and the world building was spectacular.

[Tamika S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kids thought this was a 3 star book. The ending didn't make sense to any of us.

[BrittanB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book