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NEBADOR #1
The Test
NEBADOR - the incredible journey of five young adults from poverty and oppression to respected citizenship in the wide universe...
This epic young-adult science fiction adventure begins as a strange young man arrives in a medieval kingdom. Openly seeking a crew for a mysterious ship no one has seen, it is soon clear he is looking for something other than salty old sailors.
THE TEST is the first book in the NEBADOR series of twelve or more novels. These stories are filled with wit-sharpening and skill-honing challenges - mental, emotional, and spiritual - for both the characters and the reader. It is truly a grand adventure in which the characters come to understand a beloved saying of the Nebador Transport Service: "Personal power is the ability to stand on your own two feet, with a smile on your face, in the middle of a universe that contains a million ways to crush you."
This epic young-adult science fiction adventure begins as a strange young man arrives in a medieval kingdom. Openly seeking a crew for a mysterious ship no one has seen, it is soon clear he is looking for something other than salty old sailors.
THE TEST is the first book in the NEBADOR series of twelve or more novels. These stories are filled with wit-sharpening and skill-honing challenges - mental, emotional, and spiritual - for both the characters and the reader. It is truly a grand adventure in which the characters come to understand a beloved saying of the Nebador Transport Service: "Personal power is the ability to stand on your own two feet, with a smile on your face, in the middle of a universe that contains a million ways to crush you."
292 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2010
2 people are currently reading
183 people want to read
About the author
J.Z. Colby
21 books26 followersBorn in the Mojave Desert, J. Z. Colby now lives and writes deep in a forest of the Pacific Northwest.
He has studied many subjects, formally and informally, including psychology, philosophy, education, and performing arts, but remains a generalist. His primary profession as a mental health counselor, specializing with families and young adults, gives him many stories of personal growth, and the motivation to develop his team of young critiquers and readers.
All his life, he has been drawn toward a broad understanding of human nature, especially those physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual situations in which our capacity to function seems to reach its limits. He finds fascinating those few individuals who can transcend the limits of our common human nature and the dictates of our cultures.
In his spare time, he flies helicopters and airplanes.
Note: I am not attempting to list all the books I've ever read on GoodReads, but just those I've written, and a few that have passed my way very recently.
LETTER TO READERS:
Greetings, young people of planet Earth,
Much adult science fiction is based on the assumption that the human race will be in charge, or at least high up on the pecking order, when we venture to the stars. Young adults have a somewhat clearer memory that when they graduated elementary school, they were not immediately movers and shakers of the world, but instead found themselves in middle school.
Young adults also remember well the training wheels on their first small bicycles. Will-power alone could not propel them to their destinations.
Nebador is about little steps the smallest of us can make from the playpen to the university, from the gutter to the stars.
As you know, your world is changing very rapidly. During times of change, those who are stuck in old, rigid ways of thinking and feeling often don’t do well. Those who can see far and think clearly are best prepared to survive, prosper in some way, and find happiness.
Stories like these help by letting us walk in the shoes of those who have lived through similar times. They become our heroes, giving us strength when we face challenges, and whispering their inspiration to us when we must solve problems.
Someday, many years from now, your stories may also be told, and you will become heroes to younger people who are struggling to understand the universe. They will take comfort in your courage, and learn from the lessons you have already learned.
J. Z. Colby
2010
ON THE WEB SITE http://www.nebador.com
ESSENTIALS
Home Page
Letter to Readers (Book 1 above)
Reviews/Articles
Comments
Not for You?
Where to Get It
Contact
Teachers
TWO FEET
The Book
Comments
Youth Futures
Teams
OF INTEREST
News
Questions
Ask Kibi
Contests!
Fine Art Prints
Reader Art
Audiobooks
PEOPLE
The Characters
The Author (also above)
The Cover Artist
Helpers
Lumiere Players
Nebador Citizens
Contest Winners
DEPTH
Young Adult?
Illustrations
Deep Learning
Fallacies
Inspirations
Dumbledore's
Mensa AG 2011
Writer's Cave
BUSINESS
Prize Codes
Scholarships
Corrections
Ads & Posters
Reviewer Copies
Libraries
Bookstores
Subsidiary Rights
Visits/Interviews
Nebador Archives
He has studied many subjects, formally and informally, including psychology, philosophy, education, and performing arts, but remains a generalist. His primary profession as a mental health counselor, specializing with families and young adults, gives him many stories of personal growth, and the motivation to develop his team of young critiquers and readers.
All his life, he has been drawn toward a broad understanding of human nature, especially those physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual situations in which our capacity to function seems to reach its limits. He finds fascinating those few individuals who can transcend the limits of our common human nature and the dictates of our cultures.
In his spare time, he flies helicopters and airplanes.
Note: I am not attempting to list all the books I've ever read on GoodReads, but just those I've written, and a few that have passed my way very recently.
LETTER TO READERS:
Greetings, young people of planet Earth,
Much adult science fiction is based on the assumption that the human race will be in charge, or at least high up on the pecking order, when we venture to the stars. Young adults have a somewhat clearer memory that when they graduated elementary school, they were not immediately movers and shakers of the world, but instead found themselves in middle school.
Young adults also remember well the training wheels on their first small bicycles. Will-power alone could not propel them to their destinations.
Nebador is about little steps the smallest of us can make from the playpen to the university, from the gutter to the stars.
As you know, your world is changing very rapidly. During times of change, those who are stuck in old, rigid ways of thinking and feeling often don’t do well. Those who can see far and think clearly are best prepared to survive, prosper in some way, and find happiness.
Stories like these help by letting us walk in the shoes of those who have lived through similar times. They become our heroes, giving us strength when we face challenges, and whispering their inspiration to us when we must solve problems.
Someday, many years from now, your stories may also be told, and you will become heroes to younger people who are struggling to understand the universe. They will take comfort in your courage, and learn from the lessons you have already learned.
J. Z. Colby
2010
ON THE WEB SITE http://www.nebador.com
ESSENTIALS
Home Page
Letter to Readers (Book 1 above)
Reviews/Articles
Comments
Not for You?
Where to Get It
Contact
Teachers
TWO FEET
The Book
Comments
Youth Futures
Teams
OF INTEREST
News
Questions
Ask Kibi
Contests!
Fine Art Prints
Reader Art
Audiobooks
PEOPLE
The Characters
The Author (also above)
The Cover Artist
Helpers
Lumiere Players
Nebador Citizens
Contest Winners
DEPTH
Young Adult?
Illustrations
Deep Learning
Fallacies
Inspirations
Dumbledore's
Mensa AG 2011
Writer's Cave
BUSINESS
Prize Codes
Scholarships
Corrections
Ads & Posters
Reviewer Copies
Libraries
Bookstores
Subsidiary Rights
Visits/Interviews
Nebador Archives
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
December 14, 2015
As a series opener this book is pretty good, there is a bit of story set up which isn't amazing but the concept it hints is looks likely to be thoroughly engrossing. The characters did seem a little flat, especailly in the first half of the book, but as the story progressed they developed a bit better and again have the potential to be really interesting and diverse. As the lead character Ilika is kept a little in the background as the reader finds out more about his new crew and the semi-medieval world he found them in rather than his own back story, but I imagine that will come later with the rest of the series. The story itself was really well paced and I imagine for younger readers would also be quite educational (possibly without them even knowing it too). At times it did feel a little dumbed down but since this is a book for younger readers I'm not going to hold that against it. I think I'll be keeping an eye out for this one in future.
January 24, 2013
Nebador The Test was an entertaining read full of great characters and a storyline that kept me intrigued. The setting of this story brought to mind the video games Fable and Oblivion added with a group that made me think of The Goonies. This title also had scenes in it that not only put the characters to a test but the readers as well, giving them things to think about within their own lives. With all these great messages to younger readers, I highly recommend this title and I look forward to reading more of the titles in this series myself.
January 8, 2011
The Nebador Trilogy are mindfully entertaining!!! Worth savoring (rereading when you need to feel.) For young adults, as well as young-at-heart adults. The author paints the story with vitality, each of the characters come alive, with energy and enthusiasm as they make the decision to "Seize the Day" opening the possibilities to better their lives. Feeling their anxieties they struggle with personal baggage, all the while exploring the unknowns around them. Each in their own way and time learning to shoulder responsibilities; developing true and sometimes harsh understanding of the consequences and actions, adjusting to life's circumstances that seem to be constancies that are constantly changing as their trials increase in difficulty. The trilogy: {The Test, Journey and Selection}, fills you with anticipation as you watch the characters move forward into a fascinating and complex universe filled with wondrous and magical new things to explore and discover. Jonathan's skill in weaving a story will leave the readers eager for more in the Nebador Saga.
October 21, 2010
I won a copy on first reads.
I'm noticing that the other reviewers seem to love it or only give 2 stars. I think I would give 2 1/2 if that were possible.
Overall: good premise, weak plot, characters and especially setting, the story still struggles through and actually isn't too bad in the end (especially the last quarter of the book), but it isn't particularly engaging.
The premise was quite interesting, but was barely developed (if at all): the summary/blurb on the website tells you everything you really ever know about the main character, though there are continuous (though rather blatant and repetitive) hints about his background (he's obviously not from there, but likes to spend money and play Santa and gets teary-eyed at the site of injustice and red meat). There's never any new information .
Some have called it a page turner and a quick read, I was turning pages more because I kept expecting something to happen rather than because anything interesting was. I also thought the book was artificially shortened: it was a rather slim volume but was fine print, and gave the feeling of being of being chopped off rather than coming to any resolution. If he's honestly planning on a 12 book series I'd personally recommend a good editing condensing it into 3 or so. The pace picked up about 3/4 through and actually got interesting, though there was still something a little odd and unconvincing about the plot progression.
Character development was also rather sketchy (improving dramatically 3/4 through, perhaps because the characters actually started doing something), but it was still done in a way rather lacking any subtlety and sophistication. Everyone (except the main character) randomly lays out their life story at different points, but all the supporting details, feeling, and actions that would make them seem like realistic people are missing. There's plenty of emotion (probably too much) but it all seems painted on.
Possibly the younger audiences this is targeted to won't mind. The book is supposedly targeted to "young adults", I would think the upper grades of elementary but he seems to be straining for teenagers (possibly that was why the random cuss word was thrown in?).
The setting was likewise shallow and unconvincing. Supposedly the story takes place in a "medieval walled city", though if that wasn't stated outright I'd have no idea. The details and culture of the place seem shallow, illogical and inconsistent, certainly it's no walled city that's ever existed on our planet, and though the possibility remains open that it's actually on some other planet it still seems unlikely that a society could develop with such an incongruous combination of cultural elements and social practices.
Just a sample: At one point the main character decides he needs a disguise, so buys a new outfit and walks into a hairdresser and gets his hair dyed. This apparently makes him almost unrecognizable to the other characters, even the ones that know him. To me, if anybody off the street can get their hair dyed so easily at a hair dresser, it wouldn't be any more remarkable to do so than it is in our current culture and would hardly make a useful disguise. To be able to walk in off the street and get your hair dyed at a hairdresser in a "medieval walled city" seems particularly incongruous.
The main point of the book seems to be to push a particular set of modern morals and value judgments. The setting, plot and characters all seem secondary to and driven by this goal, though it seems odd to do it by plunking the character with the desired morals into a supposedly less developed society. I imagine in future volumes he continues to play Santa and a Wise Mentor (even though he's supposedly only a little older than the group of teens he's trying to train) and manages to reform all of their savage tendencies and elevate their moral standards, though it almost seems as though this has magically already happened (except for the poor irredeemable kid who ran off and became a bad guy instead because he couldn't handle it).
I don't mean to rag on the book too much, it was ok but I was trying to put my finger on why it didn't do much for me in spite of the great premise and elements that had a lot of promise.
I'm noticing that the other reviewers seem to love it or only give 2 stars. I think I would give 2 1/2 if that were possible.
Overall: good premise, weak plot, characters and especially setting, the story still struggles through and actually isn't too bad in the end (especially the last quarter of the book), but it isn't particularly engaging.
The premise was quite interesting, but was barely developed (if at all): the summary/blurb on the website tells you everything you really ever know about the main character, though there are continuous (though rather blatant and repetitive) hints about his background (he's obviously not from there, but likes to spend money and play Santa and gets teary-eyed at the site of injustice and red meat). There's never any new information .
Some have called it a page turner and a quick read, I was turning pages more because I kept expecting something to happen rather than because anything interesting was. I also thought the book was artificially shortened: it was a rather slim volume but was fine print, and gave the feeling of being of being chopped off rather than coming to any resolution. If he's honestly planning on a 12 book series I'd personally recommend a good editing condensing it into 3 or so. The pace picked up about 3/4 through and actually got interesting, though there was still something a little odd and unconvincing about the plot progression.
Character development was also rather sketchy (improving dramatically 3/4 through, perhaps because the characters actually started doing something), but it was still done in a way rather lacking any subtlety and sophistication. Everyone (except the main character) randomly lays out their life story at different points, but all the supporting details, feeling, and actions that would make them seem like realistic people are missing. There's plenty of emotion (probably too much) but it all seems painted on.
Possibly the younger audiences this is targeted to won't mind. The book is supposedly targeted to "young adults", I would think the upper grades of elementary but he seems to be straining for teenagers (possibly that was why the random cuss word was thrown in?).
The setting was likewise shallow and unconvincing. Supposedly the story takes place in a "medieval walled city", though if that wasn't stated outright I'd have no idea. The details and culture of the place seem shallow, illogical and inconsistent, certainly it's no walled city that's ever existed on our planet, and though the possibility remains open that it's actually on some other planet it still seems unlikely that a society could develop with such an incongruous combination of cultural elements and social practices.
Just a sample: At one point the main character decides he needs a disguise, so buys a new outfit and walks into a hairdresser and gets his hair dyed. This apparently makes him almost unrecognizable to the other characters, even the ones that know him. To me, if anybody off the street can get their hair dyed so easily at a hair dresser, it wouldn't be any more remarkable to do so than it is in our current culture and would hardly make a useful disguise. To be able to walk in off the street and get your hair dyed at a hairdresser in a "medieval walled city" seems particularly incongruous.
The main point of the book seems to be to push a particular set of modern morals and value judgments. The setting, plot and characters all seem secondary to and driven by this goal, though it seems odd to do it by plunking the character with the desired morals into a supposedly less developed society. I imagine in future volumes he continues to play Santa and a Wise Mentor (even though he's supposedly only a little older than the group of teens he's trying to train) and manages to reform all of their savage tendencies and elevate their moral standards, though it almost seems as though this has magically already happened (except for the poor irredeemable kid who ran off and became a bad guy instead because he couldn't handle it).
I don't mean to rag on the book too much, it was ok but I was trying to put my finger on why it didn't do much for me in spite of the great premise and elements that had a lot of promise.
October 17, 2010
Received from the Goodreads Firstreads program:
A visitor comes looking for five people to be crew on his ship. Ilika quickly runs into problems finding them, and spends many days acclimating himself to the city he's in and the people around him.
Finally he tests a group of young people, and narrows it down to ten students. Unable to narrow it to the five he needs, he decides to teach all of them, giving them lessons to take into their life if they don't join him and him time to get to know them better.
But these people he's chosen to teach are former slaves, and his treatment of them, as people instead of property, as well as his strange-to-this-land ideologies have brought unwanted attention to him and the High Priest of one of the orders has got a personal score to settle.
Ilika must teach his students, and keep them safe so he can eventually finish his final test and chose his crew.
This book started out very rocky. The sentences were short and blocky with no flow. It had a lot of tell and very little show. This was for the first several chapters, and I still firmly believe that this book could have started much later, and much differently. Added to that the pacing throughout a good portion of the book was very slow.
Some examples of telling and not showing - former slaves that have never before been able to shop and be in the city without rope around their wrists are sent out to get some supplies - do I get to see them out shopping? No, I stay with Ilika and hear about what happened when they get back.
The students Ilika chose are almost all former slaves, and they almost immediately jump feet first into this life, with no fighting or qualms breaking out between them. It seems far too simplistic.
Actually the whole book seemed a bit 'dumbed down' for it's audience, which frustrated me because I think that the age group this is aimed at could handle a bit less heavy-handedness.
I did like how Ilika took every opportunity to make lessons out of normal occurrences in life. It made it seem much more natural. But the lessons themselves got a bit annoying. I don't need to be taught, nor do I think most readers need to be, so it would have been nice for the focus to have been on the characters and their reactions/emotions.
The other thing that bothered me was the almost preaching to me about ideals that Ilika held. I felt like the author was trying to pound ideas into my head (like not eating red meat because it's not healthy, or not chewing on lead pencils because it's poisonous - note it's not that I don't agree with these things, but that I don't think I need to be beat over and over with them). The book very often draws very clear lines between good and bad - the 'good' children are smart and quick to pick up on things and are always rewarded, the 'bad' children are mean, not smart and are punished quite severely.
By the last 45 pages the story started picking up pace and I felt it was finally going to start getting really interesting. It was still a lot of tell, and not quite enough show, but it was improving.
Then it ended. Literally, quite abruptly. I know there's supposed to be several more books in this series, but this felt more like a prologue to an epic story, not a story in and of itself.
I would be interested in seeing where the author takes the story.
A visitor comes looking for five people to be crew on his ship. Ilika quickly runs into problems finding them, and spends many days acclimating himself to the city he's in and the people around him.
Finally he tests a group of young people, and narrows it down to ten students. Unable to narrow it to the five he needs, he decides to teach all of them, giving them lessons to take into their life if they don't join him and him time to get to know them better.
But these people he's chosen to teach are former slaves, and his treatment of them, as people instead of property, as well as his strange-to-this-land ideologies have brought unwanted attention to him and the High Priest of one of the orders has got a personal score to settle.
Ilika must teach his students, and keep them safe so he can eventually finish his final test and chose his crew.
This book started out very rocky. The sentences were short and blocky with no flow. It had a lot of tell and very little show. This was for the first several chapters, and I still firmly believe that this book could have started much later, and much differently. Added to that the pacing throughout a good portion of the book was very slow.
Some examples of telling and not showing - former slaves that have never before been able to shop and be in the city without rope around their wrists are sent out to get some supplies - do I get to see them out shopping? No, I stay with Ilika and hear about what happened when they get back.
The students Ilika chose are almost all former slaves, and they almost immediately jump feet first into this life, with no fighting or qualms breaking out between them. It seems far too simplistic.
Actually the whole book seemed a bit 'dumbed down' for it's audience, which frustrated me because I think that the age group this is aimed at could handle a bit less heavy-handedness.
I did like how Ilika took every opportunity to make lessons out of normal occurrences in life. It made it seem much more natural. But the lessons themselves got a bit annoying. I don't need to be taught, nor do I think most readers need to be, so it would have been nice for the focus to have been on the characters and their reactions/emotions.
The other thing that bothered me was the almost preaching to me about ideals that Ilika held. I felt like the author was trying to pound ideas into my head (like not eating red meat because it's not healthy, or not chewing on lead pencils because it's poisonous - note it's not that I don't agree with these things, but that I don't think I need to be beat over and over with them). The book very often draws very clear lines between good and bad - the 'good' children are smart and quick to pick up on things and are always rewarded, the 'bad' children are mean, not smart and are punished quite severely.
By the last 45 pages the story started picking up pace and I felt it was finally going to start getting really interesting. It was still a lot of tell, and not quite enough show, but it was improving.
Then it ended. Literally, quite abruptly. I know there's supposed to be several more books in this series, but this felt more like a prologue to an epic story, not a story in and of itself.
I would be interested in seeing where the author takes the story.
October 4, 2010
I won this book in First Reads and I wasn't sure how much I'd like it given that I'm not really a huge sci-fi person, however the mention of a "medieval kingdom" in the blurb was enough to sway me that it might be good.
OMG. SERIOUSLY YOU GUYS THIS BOOK IS AMAZING!! I could barely stand to put it down once I'd begun. I loved it and now absolutely can't wait for the second in the series!
Summary and SPOILERS below:
Basically, Ilika is a guy from another place (and possibly another time too) who's sent to this medieval kingdom to find a crew for his "ship". He comes there not knowing the customs and barely knowing the language as well, but he manages to get in and get around and meets some awesome characters as he settles in and begins his search. After a few failed visits to religious orders and guilds and the college, he's told that the sort of people he seems to be after... are slaves. He ends up with thirty specially selected slaves for the day (well, 29 plus the inn-keeper's daughter) and he's meant to cull that thirty down to five through a series of tests - intelligence and ethics and personality etc. But he can't get it lower than ten so he decides to take those ten and educate them further, and take them out and about, and from that group he'll pick five and the other five will be given handsom payment for all their time.
I loved the testing and educating process because the book actually includes diagrams and stuff so the reader can figure out the answers too, or learn alongside the pupils. It was funny to see what we called MAB blocks pop up as well, memories of primary school maths! I'd totally forgotten about them until now. :P
I loved, loved, LOVED this book for so many reasons. The story is fascinating and really well told, it's engrossing and exciting without being heavy-going. And the characters are brought to life so much, you really get to meet them.
My only gripe is that by the end of the book, Ilika and his nine pupils (one got booted, deservedly so) have only just managed to leave the city walls... I'm dying to know which five he's going to pick! My guesses are he will pick Sata and Mati and Kibi, he won't pick Buna or Toli... but then I don't know. Neti and Miko can't be split up and I have no idea if Ilika would choose them, or Rini and Boro. Argh, want to knooooow. :P
I love how there were maps of the city, and also how we got to learn about their customs and language and currency as he and the pupils did - the monetary system, how girls' names end in -a or -i and boys' ones end in -o or -i, and all names are four letters long. My only *real* gripe is that sometimes, the spoken language of the pupils started to sound too modern, out of place in their medieval kingdom. Things like "guys" and someone mentioning a "cattle ranch" - I don't know, it just didn't seem to fit. But that's all, and it's really nothing. I totally recommend this to everyone - it doesn't matter if you don't like sci-fi like me because it's NOT enormously sci-fi at all, there's just that slight air about it. And now I am going to sit and go crazy until I can get my hands on book two. ;)
OMG. SERIOUSLY YOU GUYS THIS BOOK IS AMAZING!! I could barely stand to put it down once I'd begun. I loved it and now absolutely can't wait for the second in the series!
Summary and SPOILERS below:
Basically, Ilika is a guy from another place (and possibly another time too) who's sent to this medieval kingdom to find a crew for his "ship". He comes there not knowing the customs and barely knowing the language as well, but he manages to get in and get around and meets some awesome characters as he settles in and begins his search. After a few failed visits to religious orders and guilds and the college, he's told that the sort of people he seems to be after... are slaves. He ends up with thirty specially selected slaves for the day (well, 29 plus the inn-keeper's daughter) and he's meant to cull that thirty down to five through a series of tests - intelligence and ethics and personality etc. But he can't get it lower than ten so he decides to take those ten and educate them further, and take them out and about, and from that group he'll pick five and the other five will be given handsom payment for all their time.
I loved the testing and educating process because the book actually includes diagrams and stuff so the reader can figure out the answers too, or learn alongside the pupils. It was funny to see what we called MAB blocks pop up as well, memories of primary school maths! I'd totally forgotten about them until now. :P
I loved, loved, LOVED this book for so many reasons. The story is fascinating and really well told, it's engrossing and exciting without being heavy-going. And the characters are brought to life so much, you really get to meet them.
My only gripe is that by the end of the book, Ilika and his nine pupils (one got booted, deservedly so) have only just managed to leave the city walls... I'm dying to know which five he's going to pick! My guesses are he will pick Sata and Mati and Kibi, he won't pick Buna or Toli... but then I don't know. Neti and Miko can't be split up and I have no idea if Ilika would choose them, or Rini and Boro. Argh, want to knooooow. :P
I love how there were maps of the city, and also how we got to learn about their customs and language and currency as he and the pupils did - the monetary system, how girls' names end in -a or -i and boys' ones end in -o or -i, and all names are four letters long. My only *real* gripe is that sometimes, the spoken language of the pupils started to sound too modern, out of place in their medieval kingdom. Things like "guys" and someone mentioning a "cattle ranch" - I don't know, it just didn't seem to fit. But that's all, and it's really nothing. I totally recommend this to everyone - it doesn't matter if you don't like sci-fi like me because it's NOT enormously sci-fi at all, there's just that slight air about it. And now I am going to sit and go crazy until I can get my hands on book two. ;)
July 22, 2011
I won this book on Goodreads First Reads program.
Ilika is a captain in need of a crew. He was sent to this place, this world, to find his crew. He's not from here, probably from another planet, although we are never really told where he is from. This is a semi-medieval world, where there are slaves and horses and all.
Ilika tries to find young people who want and are willing to learn, who also would like to travel far away. He seeks for them among the educated and the smart, but they all are a "kind" of smart he doesn't actually want... So the solution comes up, in a conversation with the baker: slaves. He needs people who are willing to fight for their survival and yet, are free thinkers and are eager to learn and take whatever they can, also improving their lives.
After a while paying for people to hunt down the proper kind of slaves for him, the ones that seem to question or to be uneasy for the slave-like work, he decides that he can't possibly take them all or without some sort of knowledge and inclination and decides that they must pass a test, both of logical thinking and personality, so he can get to know them and choose the ones that will fit best what he needs.
The tests were entertaining, I tried to solve them myself and it wasn't easy but it wasn't hard either, logically, we are all much more educated than the poor slaves, so it has to be easier for us. The personality tests obviously got no right answer, but then again, they're not meant to have.
Ilika eventually chooses some students, but's more than he can take or even needs to take on his ship, so he decides to take them all, teach them and then choose the most fit ones to his ship crew, the others, he would give enough gold and knowledge as for them to be able to live a very comfortable life.
I don't want to tell you more of the story, as I feel like I already fell into some spoilery, although nothing serious in my opinion. The one thing that I disliked the book was the names. All of the characters have similar names: Ilika, Kibi, Sata, Boro, Mati, Rini, Miko, Neti, Buna, Kodi and Misa. So that makes things a bit hard, you have to keep going back and try to remember who is that one and what did they do. Also I mixed up boys and girls more than once - with names like that you can't be too sure...
The positive points, though, are much more interesting than the bad - the educational part is very interesting for any young adult out there, the stories of the slaves are very interesting for us to understand them and the world around them and Ilika is also so raw, so fresh, he isn't sure about himself or others, he must learn as he go, aswell, like the students.
I'm looking forward to the day I'll be able to buy the rest of the series, unfortunatly it won't be happening anytime soon - even though I'm dying to buy more books, my list is long and I have to wait a few months.
Ilika is a captain in need of a crew. He was sent to this place, this world, to find his crew. He's not from here, probably from another planet, although we are never really told where he is from. This is a semi-medieval world, where there are slaves and horses and all.
Ilika tries to find young people who want and are willing to learn, who also would like to travel far away. He seeks for them among the educated and the smart, but they all are a "kind" of smart he doesn't actually want... So the solution comes up, in a conversation with the baker: slaves. He needs people who are willing to fight for their survival and yet, are free thinkers and are eager to learn and take whatever they can, also improving their lives.
After a while paying for people to hunt down the proper kind of slaves for him, the ones that seem to question or to be uneasy for the slave-like work, he decides that he can't possibly take them all or without some sort of knowledge and inclination and decides that they must pass a test, both of logical thinking and personality, so he can get to know them and choose the ones that will fit best what he needs.
The tests were entertaining, I tried to solve them myself and it wasn't easy but it wasn't hard either, logically, we are all much more educated than the poor slaves, so it has to be easier for us. The personality tests obviously got no right answer, but then again, they're not meant to have.
Ilika eventually chooses some students, but's more than he can take or even needs to take on his ship, so he decides to take them all, teach them and then choose the most fit ones to his ship crew, the others, he would give enough gold and knowledge as for them to be able to live a very comfortable life.
I don't want to tell you more of the story, as I feel like I already fell into some spoilery, although nothing serious in my opinion. The one thing that I disliked the book was the names. All of the characters have similar names: Ilika, Kibi, Sata, Boro, Mati, Rini, Miko, Neti, Buna, Kodi and Misa. So that makes things a bit hard, you have to keep going back and try to remember who is that one and what did they do. Also I mixed up boys and girls more than once - with names like that you can't be too sure...
The positive points, though, are much more interesting than the bad - the educational part is very interesting for any young adult out there, the stories of the slaves are very interesting for us to understand them and the world around them and Ilika is also so raw, so fresh, he isn't sure about himself or others, he must learn as he go, aswell, like the students.
I'm looking forward to the day I'll be able to buy the rest of the series, unfortunatly it won't be happening anytime soon - even though I'm dying to buy more books, my list is long and I have to wait a few months.
July 22, 2011
I won this book on Goodreads First Reads program.
Ilika is a captain in need of a crew. He was sent to this place, this world, to find his crew. He's not from here, probably from another planet, although we are never really told where he is from. This is a semi-medieval world, where there are slaves and horses and all.
Ilika tries to find young people who want and are willing to learn, who also would like to travel far away. He seeks for them among the educated and the smart, but they all are a "kind" of smart he doesn't actually want... So the solution comes up, in a conversation with the baker: slaves. He needs people who are willing to fight for their survival and yet, are free thinkers and are eager to learn and take whatever they can, also improving their lives.
After a while paying for people to hunt down the proper kind of slaves for him, the ones that seem to question or to be uneasy for the slave-like work, he decides that he can't possibly take them all or without some sort of knowledge and inclination and decides that they must pass a test, both of logical thinking and personality, so he can get to know them and choose the ones that will fit best what he needs.
The tests were entertaining, I tried to solve them myself and it wasn't easy but it wasn't hard either, logically, we are all much more educated than the poor slaves, so it has to be easier for us. The personality tests obviously got no right answer, but then again, they're not meant to have.
Ilika eventually chooses some students, but's more than he can take or even needs to take on his ship, so he decides to take them all, teach them and then choose the most fit ones to his ship crew, the others, he would give enough gold and knowledge as for them to be able to live a very comfortable life.
I don't want to tell you more of the story, as I feel like I already fell into some spoilery, although nothing serious in my opinion. The one thing that I disliked the book was the names. All of the characters have similar names: Ilika, Kibi, Sata, Boro, Mati, Rini, Miko, Neti, Buna, Kodi and Misa. So that makes things a bit hard, you have to keep going back and try to remember who is that one and what did they do. Also I mixed up boys and girls more than once - with names like that you can't be too sure...
The positive points, though, are much more interesting than the bad - the educational part is very interesting for any young adult out there, the stories of the slaves are very interesting for us to understand them and the world around them and Ilika is also so raw, so fresh, he isn't sure about himself or others, he must learn as he go, aswell, like the students.
I'm looking forward to the day I'll be able to buy the rest of the series, unfortunatly it won't be happening anytime soon - even though I'm dying to buy more books, my list is long and I have to wait a few months.
Ilika is a captain in need of a crew. He was sent to this place, this world, to find his crew. He's not from here, probably from another planet, although we are never really told where he is from. This is a semi-medieval world, where there are slaves and horses and all.
Ilika tries to find young people who want and are willing to learn, who also would like to travel far away. He seeks for them among the educated and the smart, but they all are a "kind" of smart he doesn't actually want... So the solution comes up, in a conversation with the baker: slaves. He needs people who are willing to fight for their survival and yet, are free thinkers and are eager to learn and take whatever they can, also improving their lives.
After a while paying for people to hunt down the proper kind of slaves for him, the ones that seem to question or to be uneasy for the slave-like work, he decides that he can't possibly take them all or without some sort of knowledge and inclination and decides that they must pass a test, both of logical thinking and personality, so he can get to know them and choose the ones that will fit best what he needs.
The tests were entertaining, I tried to solve them myself and it wasn't easy but it wasn't hard either, logically, we are all much more educated than the poor slaves, so it has to be easier for us. The personality tests obviously got no right answer, but then again, they're not meant to have.
Ilika eventually chooses some students, but's more than he can take or even needs to take on his ship, so he decides to take them all, teach them and then choose the most fit ones to his ship crew, the others, he would give enough gold and knowledge as for them to be able to live a very comfortable life.
I don't want to tell you more of the story, as I feel like I already fell into some spoilery, although nothing serious in my opinion. The one thing that I disliked the book was the names. All of the characters have similar names: Ilika, Kibi, Sata, Boro, Mati, Rini, Miko, Neti, Buna, Kodi and Misa. So that makes things a bit hard, you have to keep going back and try to remember who is that one and what did they do. Also I mixed up boys and girls more than once - with names like that you can't be too sure...
The positive points, though, are much more interesting than the bad - the educational part is very interesting for any young adult out there, the stories of the slaves are very interesting for us to understand them and the world around them and Ilika is also so raw, so fresh, he isn't sure about himself or others, he must learn as he go, aswell, like the students.
I'm looking forward to the day I'll be able to buy the rest of the series, unfortunatly it won't be happening anytime soon - even though I'm dying to buy more books, my list is long and I have to wait a few months.
October 13, 2010
Having won "The Test" through Goodreads giveaways I was very excited to find the book in my mail box yesterday afternoon. I put off all the things I had to do and sat down to read.
"The Test" was a quick read and a real page turner, so much so that I read it through in one sitting. The story's concept was well thought out and if I was just judging the book on that I would give the book 41/2 stars. And despite everything else I would read the next book.
However, it felt to me as if this book had been "dumbed down" for a younger audience. The characters come across as flat and unfeeling, for example, the main character, Ilika, doesn't eat red meat but at one point in the story he finds it necessary to go against his beliefs and body needs and do just that. There is no inner turmoil, no disgust at himself and no ill effects from the meat. Later, each of the characters tells his or her story, but there is no lead up of emotion, they just blurt them out as if they were telling events that happened to others.
I was a little confused by the introduction of the main character’s name. In the first chapters of the book he isn’t named, which is fine. When he finally reaches the inn, the character is suddenly referred to by name, in a random way with no introduction to the reader.
The characters are happy all the time, the only interesting one was got rid of for not working with the group. I got a good sense of their disorientation at the new found freedom but there is no way a group of slaves, newly freed would not test their boundaries. These are teenagers who have never met before and they all act like old friends. Where is the completive spirit? Where is the jealousy? There are just the right number of boys and girls in the group to create couples, but they paired up early on, so there is no mystery of who might end up with who and no rivalries to sort out, no realizations of falling in love.
I love the way Ilika uses ever situation as an opportunity to teach and I liked the inclusion of the test questions in the book, but felt the later teaching to be pushed way too much. As a reader I already know how vowels and conconces work. I don’t need it spelled out to me.
I was also disappointed by the role of the “villain”. We are hardly given a reason for his persecution of Ilika. He pops in and out of the story so rarely that he seems like an after thought. I would have loved to have read more of his thinking, his evil ingenuity to force the outcome he desires.
Over all the book felt like it wasn't a finished work. I would gladly have read 200 more pages and have got to know the characters better.
"The Test" was a quick read and a real page turner, so much so that I read it through in one sitting. The story's concept was well thought out and if I was just judging the book on that I would give the book 41/2 stars. And despite everything else I would read the next book.
However, it felt to me as if this book had been "dumbed down" for a younger audience. The characters come across as flat and unfeeling, for example, the main character, Ilika, doesn't eat red meat but at one point in the story he finds it necessary to go against his beliefs and body needs and do just that. There is no inner turmoil, no disgust at himself and no ill effects from the meat. Later, each of the characters tells his or her story, but there is no lead up of emotion, they just blurt them out as if they were telling events that happened to others.
I was a little confused by the introduction of the main character’s name. In the first chapters of the book he isn’t named, which is fine. When he finally reaches the inn, the character is suddenly referred to by name, in a random way with no introduction to the reader.
The characters are happy all the time, the only interesting one was got rid of for not working with the group. I got a good sense of their disorientation at the new found freedom but there is no way a group of slaves, newly freed would not test their boundaries. These are teenagers who have never met before and they all act like old friends. Where is the completive spirit? Where is the jealousy? There are just the right number of boys and girls in the group to create couples, but they paired up early on, so there is no mystery of who might end up with who and no rivalries to sort out, no realizations of falling in love.
I love the way Ilika uses ever situation as an opportunity to teach and I liked the inclusion of the test questions in the book, but felt the later teaching to be pushed way too much. As a reader I already know how vowels and conconces work. I don’t need it spelled out to me.
I was also disappointed by the role of the “villain”. We are hardly given a reason for his persecution of Ilika. He pops in and out of the story so rarely that he seems like an after thought. I would have loved to have read more of his thinking, his evil ingenuity to force the outcome he desires.
Over all the book felt like it wasn't a finished work. I would gladly have read 200 more pages and have got to know the characters better.
October 13, 2010
I'll admit, when I read this book was to be a sci-fi young adult novel in a medieval kingdom, I was both skeptical and intrigued, but mainly skeptical. However, having found interest in all three of those genres in the past, I figured what the heck and went for it.
And am I glad I did! This was exactly what I was hoping for in a medieval sci-fi young adult novel!
This was another one of those single-serving novels for me, where I curl up in bed and don't put it down until the story is finished. Except, horror of horrors, the story isn't finished! There's plenty of serial novels out there which are short, complete stories of their own, which leave you satisfied, perfectly happy to never get your hands on the next story in the series, but this is not one of them! It leaves you with so many questions! Who is Ilika? Where is he from? WHEN is he from? You get hints in the novel that he's probably not from our planet, or at least he hasn't been since he was at a very young age, but on top of that he's also probably a time traveler! On top of that, this entire book of the series is about him choosing five students out of thirty-one to work on “ship,” and the book leaves with nine of them still in tow! Who will be the lucky chosen?
I'm sure before long I'll have the entire series on my already-crowded bookshelf, and when my kids are old enough to understand them, they'll be introduced to the world of Nebador. I'm hoping the series will take a My Teacher Is An Alien-style turn in the future, though I do love the medieval setting as well.
If I were to have any major criticisms it would be on two points. One, the lessons did go a bit too in-depth for most young adult readers, which while I didn't mind as a twenty-something year old, may leave the average fourteen year old confused and frustrated. Two, a lot of the morals the novel is attempting to teach the reader are a bit too in your face. Yet again, I personally don't mind such a factor, but I can imagine many readers and their mentors finding it grating, especially if they don't agree with the morals being presented to them. At the age of rebellion the young adult genre can produce, being told they should be disgusted by red meat may put off the average reader.
And am I glad I did! This was exactly what I was hoping for in a medieval sci-fi young adult novel!
This was another one of those single-serving novels for me, where I curl up in bed and don't put it down until the story is finished. Except, horror of horrors, the story isn't finished! There's plenty of serial novels out there which are short, complete stories of their own, which leave you satisfied, perfectly happy to never get your hands on the next story in the series, but this is not one of them! It leaves you with so many questions! Who is Ilika? Where is he from? WHEN is he from? You get hints in the novel that he's probably not from our planet, or at least he hasn't been since he was at a very young age, but on top of that he's also probably a time traveler! On top of that, this entire book of the series is about him choosing five students out of thirty-one to work on “ship,” and the book leaves with nine of them still in tow! Who will be the lucky chosen?
I'm sure before long I'll have the entire series on my already-crowded bookshelf, and when my kids are old enough to understand them, they'll be introduced to the world of Nebador. I'm hoping the series will take a My Teacher Is An Alien-style turn in the future, though I do love the medieval setting as well.
If I were to have any major criticisms it would be on two points. One, the lessons did go a bit too in-depth for most young adult readers, which while I didn't mind as a twenty-something year old, may leave the average fourteen year old confused and frustrated. Two, a lot of the morals the novel is attempting to teach the reader are a bit too in your face. Yet again, I personally don't mind such a factor, but I can imagine many readers and their mentors finding it grating, especially if they don't agree with the morals being presented to them. At the age of rebellion the young adult genre can produce, being told they should be disgusted by red meat may put off the average reader.
October 31, 2010
First of, before I begin my review, I would like to thank Goodreads' Firstreads program as well as the author, J. Z. Colby, for allowing me to win this book and getting me to read something I might not have on my own! Thank you!!
The Test by J. Z. Colby is a fun-filled adventure that resonates well with children and young adults as well. As this is the first out of a six book series, most of this unsurprisingly is background and set-up for the next five books. Nevertheless, Colby kept me hooked and interested for the entire book and left me wondering what was going to happen next.
Characters? There are a lot of characters in this one and because of this, it makes it difficult to resonate with many of them since there are so many and they all have names with about four letters each. I never got really confused but it made the reading a bit more difficult to try and keep track of them all. However, because this is all set-up for the rest of the series, I didn't really worry about it since it's clear there's plenty of time for me to get to know this characters and to see them develop fully with the next five books. I did have a few favorites though, Kibi being one of them. :)
Plot? Again, as this is pretty much all set-up, nothing really happens in this one, (besides the end). Colby, however, knows how to keep a reader hooked and kept me entertained even during scenes, had I read them in other books, would have killed any love I had for them. I especially enjoyed many of the lessons and tests the potential crew had to go through, it was fun trying to figure them all out!
Writing? The characters in here learned math and I was still utterly entertained. That in of itself should tell you that J. Z. Colby can write and he can write good.
All in all? The test was a fun read. It kept me entertained, taught me a few things and made me laugh. I'd love to check out the rest of the series and see where all my favorite characters end up. :) Thanks again Goodreads and J. Z. Colby! 4/5
The Test by J. Z. Colby is a fun-filled adventure that resonates well with children and young adults as well. As this is the first out of a six book series, most of this unsurprisingly is background and set-up for the next five books. Nevertheless, Colby kept me hooked and interested for the entire book and left me wondering what was going to happen next.
Characters? There are a lot of characters in this one and because of this, it makes it difficult to resonate with many of them since there are so many and they all have names with about four letters each. I never got really confused but it made the reading a bit more difficult to try and keep track of them all. However, because this is all set-up for the rest of the series, I didn't really worry about it since it's clear there's plenty of time for me to get to know this characters and to see them develop fully with the next five books. I did have a few favorites though, Kibi being one of them. :)
Plot? Again, as this is pretty much all set-up, nothing really happens in this one, (besides the end). Colby, however, knows how to keep a reader hooked and kept me entertained even during scenes, had I read them in other books, would have killed any love I had for them. I especially enjoyed many of the lessons and tests the potential crew had to go through, it was fun trying to figure them all out!
Writing? The characters in here learned math and I was still utterly entertained. That in of itself should tell you that J. Z. Colby can write and he can write good.
All in all? The test was a fun read. It kept me entertained, taught me a few things and made me laugh. I'd love to check out the rest of the series and see where all my favorite characters end up. :) Thanks again Goodreads and J. Z. Colby! 4/5
December 9, 2010
I enjoyed The Test and will likely read the next instalment before I judge the entire series. I found the last third of the book a little less entertaining than the first two-thirds. The characters were well defined the only complaint I had was the names were too similar so I ended up backtracking in some cases to double check who had done or said something in earlier chapters.
While the story took some unexpected twists that I did not always see coming many young adult adventures memes are also present. This is not really a surprise and I was expecting this and as a forty year old I also realize I am not the main target audience for the book. In the closing chapters I found some of the characters became a bit predicable.
I thoroughly enjoyed the mix of quasi-fantasy and science fiction with the sometimes subtle and some times obvious hints as to the technology level and focus of later chapters (and potentially later books). I think some of the references would be more magical and fantastic if I were in the target age range for the book. I would imagine that some of the scenes involving lessons and the teacher student relationship would also be better received by my daughter than by me.
To me the ultimate judgement comes down to this; I can't wait to pass this book onto my daughter. I think she will enjoy the book and I hope she will want to read the entire series.
My last comment is on the illustrations. I thought that the'hand-drawn' style illustrations in the book were great. They added to the story far more than a photo or map might have in the same place.
Congratulations to goodreads author J.Z. Colby on the start of what looks to be a good young adult adventure series. I'll be picking up the next volume and I suspect my daughter will be devouring the series as fast ans they can be published.
full disclosure: I won the book as a give away on goodreads.
While the story took some unexpected twists that I did not always see coming many young adult adventures memes are also present. This is not really a surprise and I was expecting this and as a forty year old I also realize I am not the main target audience for the book. In the closing chapters I found some of the characters became a bit predicable.
I thoroughly enjoyed the mix of quasi-fantasy and science fiction with the sometimes subtle and some times obvious hints as to the technology level and focus of later chapters (and potentially later books). I think some of the references would be more magical and fantastic if I were in the target age range for the book. I would imagine that some of the scenes involving lessons and the teacher student relationship would also be better received by my daughter than by me.
To me the ultimate judgement comes down to this; I can't wait to pass this book onto my daughter. I think she will enjoy the book and I hope she will want to read the entire series.
My last comment is on the illustrations. I thought that the'hand-drawn' style illustrations in the book were great. They added to the story far more than a photo or map might have in the same place.
Congratulations to goodreads author J.Z. Colby on the start of what looks to be a good young adult adventure series. I'll be picking up the next volume and I suspect my daughter will be devouring the series as fast ans they can be published.
full disclosure: I won the book as a give away on goodreads.
September 10, 2010
I got the book: The Test (Nebador,#1) as a giveaway on GoodReads.
This book is set in the medieval times when slaves were brought and sold at street corners. In walks Ilika from a land far away, Nebador to be precise. He is a captain of a ship which needs a worthy crew, a crew which is smart, ethical and trustworthy - not necessarily strong in the physical sense. Do the noblemen qualify to be his crew? Or the high priests? The answer his no.
Ilika's search leads him to the slaves and after having subjected a group of them to various tests he selects nine. Oh yes, the inn-keepers daughter is the tenth member - after having qualified in the same tests. Of these ten, five will qualify for his crew, the rest will be richly rewarded so that they can start their lives comfortably.
I loved this book.Even as it is set in an entirely different setting and not a business setting, it brought across the basic concepts of ethics, leadership – more importunately situational leadership and the importance of trust within a team.
It is also a book where the value of freedom echoes strongly. The nine slaves selected by Ilika are no longer slaves. There are many poignant moments in this book, such as when their bonds are first cut to their getting their “freedom document”.
The quaint description of the streets in this era, which brought out the stark difference in lifestyle between the rich and the poor, the power of the church made of interesting reading. It also made me think: Has that much really changed?
Aren’t we slaves to our lifestyle today? Or to our jobs? Are holy men above foul deeds? Isn’t politics influenced by religion? You only have to look up newspapers, including Indian newspapers to realize, not much has changed.
Coming back to the book, it is a lovely, interesting read and I hope to read Book 2, someday soon
This book is set in the medieval times when slaves were brought and sold at street corners. In walks Ilika from a land far away, Nebador to be precise. He is a captain of a ship which needs a worthy crew, a crew which is smart, ethical and trustworthy - not necessarily strong in the physical sense. Do the noblemen qualify to be his crew? Or the high priests? The answer his no.
Ilika's search leads him to the slaves and after having subjected a group of them to various tests he selects nine. Oh yes, the inn-keepers daughter is the tenth member - after having qualified in the same tests. Of these ten, five will qualify for his crew, the rest will be richly rewarded so that they can start their lives comfortably.
I loved this book.Even as it is set in an entirely different setting and not a business setting, it brought across the basic concepts of ethics, leadership – more importunately situational leadership and the importance of trust within a team.
It is also a book where the value of freedom echoes strongly. The nine slaves selected by Ilika are no longer slaves. There are many poignant moments in this book, such as when their bonds are first cut to their getting their “freedom document”.
The quaint description of the streets in this era, which brought out the stark difference in lifestyle between the rich and the poor, the power of the church made of interesting reading. It also made me think: Has that much really changed?
Aren’t we slaves to our lifestyle today? Or to our jobs? Are holy men above foul deeds? Isn’t politics influenced by religion? You only have to look up newspapers, including Indian newspapers to realize, not much has changed.
Coming back to the book, it is a lovely, interesting read and I hope to read Book 2, someday soon
May 14, 2018
Got from one of the giveaways.
The book has a rather amateurish presentation that didn't give me high hopes. The cover, especially the back, is busy with too many colors and fonts. The drawings inside are incredibly crude, and it doesn't seem like there's an excuse in the text for why they're so horrible.
The text is all right, but I think part of it was that the book is aimed at much younger children then I would consider "young adult." I'm torn at how to review it, since I truly like young adult literature, but this is a better book than many of the abysmal examples of pre-young-adult literature out there.
The relationships between the characters seemed poorly fleshed out especially in the beginning. For example, Ilika is romantically interested in a girl after seeing her once even though he hasn't seemed like an especially romantic or sexual character before this point. It's somewhat pointless. The payoff with a donkey's point of view doesn't come in this book, in fact, very little comes of Ilika's ability to talk to animals. The book is long enough that it could have been trimmed to make these exchanges more sensible instead of feeling random. Kids might tolerate this, and a lot of the moral and educational lectures in the book better as well since that genre is more prone to such things.
It was okay. I'd think it'd be better marketed as "for children" rather than a young adult epic. It doesn't make me want to read any more of the series.
The book has a rather amateurish presentation that didn't give me high hopes. The cover, especially the back, is busy with too many colors and fonts. The drawings inside are incredibly crude, and it doesn't seem like there's an excuse in the text for why they're so horrible.
The text is all right, but I think part of it was that the book is aimed at much younger children then I would consider "young adult." I'm torn at how to review it, since I truly like young adult literature, but this is a better book than many of the abysmal examples of pre-young-adult literature out there.
The relationships between the characters seemed poorly fleshed out especially in the beginning. For example, Ilika is romantically interested in a girl after seeing her once even though he hasn't seemed like an especially romantic or sexual character before this point. It's somewhat pointless. The payoff with a donkey's point of view doesn't come in this book, in fact, very little comes of Ilika's ability to talk to animals. The book is long enough that it could have been trimmed to make these exchanges more sensible instead of feeling random. Kids might tolerate this, and a lot of the moral and educational lectures in the book better as well since that genre is more prone to such things.
It was okay. I'd think it'd be better marketed as "for children" rather than a young adult epic. It doesn't make me want to read any more of the series.
October 21, 2010
As a teacher of middle school students I am constantly reading books (an average of 2 to 3 books a week) aimed at the Young Adult market. I am especially focused on finding books for reluctant readers. When I recieved the news that I was awarded one of the available copies of "The Test" by J.Z. Colby through GoodReads, I was psyched because I hoped that my first impressions would be validated as I read it. Good Science Fiction that is also acceptable to put on my shelves at school is kind of hard to come by so I really hoped that this book would fit the parameters. I felt the book started well and hooked the reader quickly with the air of mystery that surrounds Ilika, the central character. As the story unfolded and he began learning about the society he was interacting with and then started to choose his students I was sold. This book combined so many wonderful elements that reluctant readers like such as action, adventure, a little mystery and likeable but sometimes troubled characters their own age. I also appreciated the educational tidbits that were entwined in the story and the life lessons that were taught subltly throughout the novel. After finishing this book I found I would really like to read the next books in the series to find out what happens to these characters. I would recommend this book to most young adult AND adult readers, even if they think they don't like science fiction, because after reading "The Test" they just might change their minds.
November 14, 2010
Ok, the book had me a little confused at first so I had to read and reread it. Although to be fair I was reading other books at the time two. I think this series as it progresses has the potential to change the way people see things. It is science fiction but it has so may other elements to it that just makes it feel like it has the potential to be great. In this series kids do not have the luxury of being kids which given the fact that they are required to do adult jobs and take on the responsibites of adults, will appeal to older age groups. As in most series the first book sets the stage and can be a little slow going and usely picks up by the end and leaves you wanting to read the next. This one did just that and I am going to have my eleven yearold sit down and read it and tell me how she feels about the book and then I will probly reread it because she may have other insites as to how she felt about it and a different prespective than I did while reading it. It will also let me know if this is a book that a kid in fourth grade and up would enjoy or if it would be over there head. I read books for the librian at my kids school and let her know if they would be something that would be age apporiate or appeal to kid at this age for her library. I do think this book spans many age groups but I am going to have my daughter take a look at it before I suggest it.
December 4, 2010
Received from the Goodreads Firstreads Program.
‘And someday, perhaps a story will be written about our adventures, and students will pay two great silver pieces to purchase a copy to learn to read.’ (p. 263)
A young man arrives in a medieval city seeking for crew to hire for his ship. Ilika from Satamia in the region of Nebador as captain of the ship finally found ten young boys and girls suitable for his purposes.
‘I have been training to be a ship’s captain … Now I have my own small ship, and for my final test, I have to find and train my own crew.’ (p. 82)
The narrative proceeds slowly as the growth of a tree, but Colby keeps high the mysterious plot and the reader never puts down the book until the end.
Nebador falls under the genre of young adult books, maybe the old fashioned word Bildungsroman (Formation Novel) could explain what this books are about: usually they tell of psychological growth from youth to adulthood, and teenager are their target.
I recommend Nebador for young adult readers, but I’d like to advise a complementary reading: The Glass Bead Game by Hermann Hesse.
P.S. A brief guide:
Girls: Kibi (16 years old), Buna (14), Mati (13), Neti (15), Sata (11);
Boys: Rini (13), Kodi (12), Toli (19), Miko (16), Boro (14).
November 8, 2012
Reviewed by Theresa L. Stowell for TeensReadToo.com
Science fiction fans of all ages will enjoy THE TEST, the first in a six-book series, NEBADOR, by J.Z. Colby.
In this book, readers are introduced to Ilika, a young man who has trained for almost half of his life to take a test that will allow him to advance in his chosen career. The first part of his test requires him to choose five companions, and he must seek them in a place unlike anywhere he has been before.
He encounters prejudice, fear, poverty, and friendship in his quest and must learn to accept, overcome, and learn through his experiences. He will teach his companions to challenge the world they know and open themselves to new worlds beyond their imaginations.
Ilika's test challenges the ways that both the characters and readers consider moral, social, and psychological issues. Colby skillfully combines story with critical thinking puzzles and deeper questions about not only Ilika's fictional world but the real world that surrounds his readers.
In a supplement to the novels, Colby has also created a volume of "Deep Learning Notes" to go along with the books. The set would be a useful addition to any advanced middle school or high school classroom's science fiction unit.
Science fiction fans of all ages will enjoy THE TEST, the first in a six-book series, NEBADOR, by J.Z. Colby.
In this book, readers are introduced to Ilika, a young man who has trained for almost half of his life to take a test that will allow him to advance in his chosen career. The first part of his test requires him to choose five companions, and he must seek them in a place unlike anywhere he has been before.
He encounters prejudice, fear, poverty, and friendship in his quest and must learn to accept, overcome, and learn through his experiences. He will teach his companions to challenge the world they know and open themselves to new worlds beyond their imaginations.
Ilika's test challenges the ways that both the characters and readers consider moral, social, and psychological issues. Colby skillfully combines story with critical thinking puzzles and deeper questions about not only Ilika's fictional world but the real world that surrounds his readers.
In a supplement to the novels, Colby has also created a volume of "Deep Learning Notes" to go along with the books. The set would be a useful addition to any advanced middle school or high school classroom's science fiction unit.
February 3, 2012
I'm one of those people who start and finish a book in the same day, especially if it's a good one. This is the rare occasion that I actually put everything else aside to see what was going to happen next. I read the book briefly last year but this time I really took the time to immerse myself into the book; the characters, the setting and the plot. It was worth the 4 and a half hours it took me to read!
Colby has the rare ability to transport his readers into an imaginary world that is very realistic. The novel is set in a medieval time which is what much of my country's history is based on. I live just 20 minutes from one of the oldest villages in the whole of England. The realistic setting; market place, inn, streets and so forth were very valid.
I loved the characters unusual names, connections and personal charm. Colby developed each one with enough information yet some mystery to leave us guessing.
What I loved most about this novel were the life lessons Colby conveyed to his readers. I will leave you all to read it to understand what they are.
I would definitely recommend this book and I will be ordering the next one immediately.
Colby has the rare ability to transport his readers into an imaginary world that is very realistic. The novel is set in a medieval time which is what much of my country's history is based on. I live just 20 minutes from one of the oldest villages in the whole of England. The realistic setting; market place, inn, streets and so forth were very valid.
I loved the characters unusual names, connections and personal charm. Colby developed each one with enough information yet some mystery to leave us guessing.
What I loved most about this novel were the life lessons Colby conveyed to his readers. I will leave you all to read it to understand what they are.
I would definitely recommend this book and I will be ordering the next one immediately.
August 27, 2010
One of the most brilliant books of its time, J.Z. Colby really brings his characters to life. From page one I was hooked, and am still hooked as I eagerly await the release of his next books in the series, along with the long awaited audiobooks! Nebador has everything you could want from a science-fiction novel. Science (amazing, right?), growing and developing relationships, romance, hardships, intelligence, so on and so forth. J.Z. Colby makes the characters easy to relate to, to the point that I've gotten so attached I'm devastated when something isn't going right for them! Not only is it overall a good read that keeps you entertained throughout every sentence, but it also teaches you worldly lessons. Everything from math and science, to moral issues. It keeps you entertained with the relationships and romance, but Nebador always has a twist and turn coming up after you think you've figurd it out. An absolute must read! I was so impressed by the website. www.nebador.com, one of the best science-fiction novels of its time!!
February 12, 2025
I received this book through the first reads program.
This was an enjoyable and easy read. The book starts out with Ilika landing in a strange place looking for a crew for his ship. The story follows him as he works out in a strange culture firstly how to fit in and then how to find the people he needs. In this book he finds, selects 10 possibilities and sets about training them.
Colby proposed some interesting well-rounded characters and it will be interesting to see how they develop over the course of the series. I like the way Colby dealt with some issues (slavery, cooperation, the concept of leadership), although sometimes it was a little bit simplistic, for the target audience it will probably promote some good thinking around these topics. I'll be giving it to my 11 y.o. daughter next to see what she thinks of it.
This was an enjoyable and easy read. The book starts out with Ilika landing in a strange place looking for a crew for his ship. The story follows him as he works out in a strange culture firstly how to fit in and then how to find the people he needs. In this book he finds, selects 10 possibilities and sets about training them.
Colby proposed some interesting well-rounded characters and it will be interesting to see how they develop over the course of the series. I like the way Colby dealt with some issues (slavery, cooperation, the concept of leadership), although sometimes it was a little bit simplistic, for the target audience it will probably promote some good thinking around these topics. I'll be giving it to my 11 y.o. daughter next to see what she thinks of it.
October 24, 2010
Over all, this first book reminded me of a dungeons and dragons pull it together introduction to a larger story waiting to be told. There wasn't a lot of sci-fi type aspects to 'The Test', and I did enjoy the medieval setting. For me this was a light read and by the end of the book I wanted more.
With as many characters in the storyline I did get to the point of... "Wow..again?..how many slave stories are we going to see in the first book?!" I do like to read backgrounds of characters, but do hope that there is something for reminiscing in book two. I liked the maps and diagrams that were in the book; That gave me a idea of how large an area the characters moved about in and what was being shown to the prospective crew.
I hope the next book will come out soon, as I'd like to continue reading of the captain and his crew.
With as many characters in the storyline I did get to the point of... "Wow..again?..how many slave stories are we going to see in the first book?!" I do like to read backgrounds of characters, but do hope that there is something for reminiscing in book two. I liked the maps and diagrams that were in the book; That gave me a idea of how large an area the characters moved about in and what was being shown to the prospective crew.
I hope the next book will come out soon, as I'd like to continue reading of the captain and his crew.
January 8, 2011
I received the first three books as a gift and I will honestly say that it was a true treasure. Watching the progression of the children to major roles of an on-going tale is something I am looking forward to.
The Test starts this journey and I found myself wishing to take the test myself to see how well I would have done. It was an intriguing way of twisting education into a SiFi book. The narrow-mindedness of the culture is striking familiar with our own history and the parallels remind us that being open to new and wondrous ideas is paramount to growth of the human race.
This author has spent the time developing the character and flushing out intricacies that is rare in most books today. Even with the information we did received, we still have many unknowns about Ilika.
The travel has just begun and I am awaiting the continuing of the tale.
The Test starts this journey and I found myself wishing to take the test myself to see how well I would have done. It was an intriguing way of twisting education into a SiFi book. The narrow-mindedness of the culture is striking familiar with our own history and the parallels remind us that being open to new and wondrous ideas is paramount to growth of the human race.
This author has spent the time developing the character and flushing out intricacies that is rare in most books today. Even with the information we did received, we still have many unknowns about Ilika.
The travel has just begun and I am awaiting the continuing of the tale.
April 29, 2013
My daughter and I began reading the "Nebador" series as manuscripts. She was 10 at the time, and neither of us could wait to get the next book into our hands. We have read all 7 available manuscripts, and the complete set of published books. We LOVE the series, and have shared "Nebador" with several people. To date, of the readers with whom we've shared "Nebador," from the youngest (10 years old) to the oldest (80 years old), no one who has read it has told us they did not enjoy it. Quite the contrary, in fact. Most comments we've heard are similar to, "I've never read anything like it." "It's sci-fi, but not the usual 'put human problems into outer space and adjust the vocabulary' style."
Check it out! If you don't like it, you'll only be out a few hours of your time. But we're very sure you WILL like it.
Check it out! If you don't like it, you'll only be out a few hours of your time. But we're very sure you WILL like it.
Read
October 21, 2010I just won this in firstreads, and I'm exited for it to come (mostly because I'm done with my library books, but don't know when I'm going to get there again)
It looks like it MIGHT be pretty good, but I'm wondering a bit because the author himself seems to have stacked the Goodreads reviews with duplicate 5 star ratings that just list the editions published. There were a lot of copies given away on Goodreads ( I think I saw 3 or 4 separate give away listings with multiple copies on each).
He seems like he really wants to get things going, and you can get an electronic copy pretty cheap on kindle.
Once it gets here, I'm definitely rating and reviewing just so everybody else will have some feedback that doesn't come from Mr Colby himself!
It looks like it MIGHT be pretty good, but I'm wondering a bit because the author himself seems to have stacked the Goodreads reviews with duplicate 5 star ratings that just list the editions published. There were a lot of copies given away on Goodreads ( I think I saw 3 or 4 separate give away listings with multiple copies on each).
He seems like he really wants to get things going, and you can get an electronic copy pretty cheap on kindle.
Once it gets here, I'm definitely rating and reviewing just so everybody else will have some feedback that doesn't come from Mr Colby himself!
Read
November 5, 2016This edition is no longer available from Amazon.
This story is available in these editions:
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GLOBAL paperback, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
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DRAMATIC AUDIOBOOK, download or MP3 CD
The companion study guide is available in one edition:
DEEP LEARNING NOTES, paperback, 12-point type, 5" x 8"
This story, along with its Deep Learning Notes, is included in:
TRILOGY ONE, hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
TRILOGY ONE, Young Star-Seekers Edition, paperback, 12-point type, 7" x 10"
This story is available in these editions:
PDF document
EBOOK for the Kindle, Mobipocket
EPUB for the iPad, Sony, Nook, etc.
MEDIUM PRINT paperback, 12-point type, 6" x 9"
LARGE PRINT paperback, 18-point type, 8" x 10"
GLOBAL paperback, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
GLOBAL/LIBRARY hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
DRAMATIC AUDIOBOOK, download or MP3 CD
The companion study guide is available in one edition:
DEEP LEARNING NOTES, paperback, 12-point type, 5" x 8"
This story, along with its Deep Learning Notes, is included in:
TRILOGY ONE, hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
TRILOGY ONE, Young Star-Seekers Edition, paperback, 12-point type, 7" x 10"
Read
November 5, 2016This story is available in these editions:
PDF document
EBOOK for the Kindle, Mobipocket
EPUB for the iPad, Sony, Nook, etc.
MEDIUM PRINT paperback, 12-point type, 6" x 9"
LARGE PRINT paperback, 18-point type, 8" x 10"
GLOBAL paperback, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
GLOBAL/LIBRARY hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
DRAMATIC AUDIOBOOK, download or MP3 CD
The companion study guide is available in one edition:
DEEP LEARNING NOTES, paperback, 12-point type, 5" x 8"
This story, along with its Deep Learning Notes, is included in:
TRILOGY ONE, hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
TRILOGY ONE, Young Star-Seekers Edition, paperback, 12-point type, 7" x 10"
PDF document
EBOOK for the Kindle, Mobipocket
EPUB for the iPad, Sony, Nook, etc.
MEDIUM PRINT paperback, 12-point type, 6" x 9"
LARGE PRINT paperback, 18-point type, 8" x 10"
GLOBAL paperback, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
GLOBAL/LIBRARY hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
DRAMATIC AUDIOBOOK, download or MP3 CD
The companion study guide is available in one edition:
DEEP LEARNING NOTES, paperback, 12-point type, 5" x 8"
This story, along with its Deep Learning Notes, is included in:
TRILOGY ONE, hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
TRILOGY ONE, Young Star-Seekers Edition, paperback, 12-point type, 7" x 10"
Read
November 5, 2016This edition is out of print.
This story is available in these editions:
PDF document
EBOOK for the Kindle, Mobipocket
EPUB for the iPad, Sony, Nook, etc.
MEDIUM PRINT paperback, 12-point type, 6" x 9"
LARGE PRINT paperback, 18-point type, 8" x 10"
GLOBAL paperback, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
GLOBAL/LIBRARY hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
DRAMATIC AUDIOBOOK, download or MP3 CD
The companion study guide is available in one edition:
DEEP LEARNING NOTES, paperback, 12-point type, 5" x 8"
This story, along with its Deep Learning Notes, is included in:
TRILOGY ONE, hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
TRILOGY ONE, Young Star-Seekers Edition, paperback, 12-point type, 7" x 10"
This story is available in these editions:
PDF document
EBOOK for the Kindle, Mobipocket
EPUB for the iPad, Sony, Nook, etc.
MEDIUM PRINT paperback, 12-point type, 6" x 9"
LARGE PRINT paperback, 18-point type, 8" x 10"
GLOBAL paperback, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
GLOBAL/LIBRARY hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
DRAMATIC AUDIOBOOK, download or MP3 CD
The companion study guide is available in one edition:
DEEP LEARNING NOTES, paperback, 12-point type, 5" x 8"
This story, along with its Deep Learning Notes, is included in:
TRILOGY ONE, hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
TRILOGY ONE, Young Star-Seekers Edition, paperback, 12-point type, 7" x 10"
Read
November 5, 2016This story is available in these editions:
PDF document
EBOOK for the Kindle, Mobipocket
EPUB for the iPad, Sony, Nook, etc.
MEDIUM PRINT paperback, 12-point type, 6" x 9"
LARGE PRINT paperback, 18-point type, 8" x 10"
GLOBAL paperback, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
GLOBAL/LIBRARY hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
DRAMATIC AUDIOBOOK, download or MP3 CD
The companion study guide is available in one edition:
DEEP LEARNING NOTES, paperback, 12-point type, 5" x 8"
This story, along with its Deep Learning Notes, is included in:
TRILOGY ONE, hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
TRILOGY ONE, Young Star-Seekers Edition, paperback, 12-point type, 7" x 10"
PDF document
EBOOK for the Kindle, Mobipocket
EPUB for the iPad, Sony, Nook, etc.
MEDIUM PRINT paperback, 12-point type, 6" x 9"
LARGE PRINT paperback, 18-point type, 8" x 10"
GLOBAL paperback, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
GLOBAL/LIBRARY hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
DRAMATIC AUDIOBOOK, download or MP3 CD
The companion study guide is available in one edition:
DEEP LEARNING NOTES, paperback, 12-point type, 5" x 8"
This story, along with its Deep Learning Notes, is included in:
TRILOGY ONE, hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
TRILOGY ONE, Young Star-Seekers Edition, paperback, 12-point type, 7" x 10"
Read
November 5, 2016This story is available in these editions:
PDF document
EBOOK for the Kindle, Mobipocket
EPUB for the iPad, Sony, Nook, etc.
MEDIUM PRINT paperback, 12-point type, 6" x 9"
LARGE PRINT paperback, 18-point type, 8" x 10"
GLOBAL paperback, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
GLOBAL/LIBRARY hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
DRAMATIC AUDIOBOOK, download or MP3 CD
The companion study guide is available in one edition:
DEEP LEARNING NOTES, paperback, 12-point type, 5" x 8"
This story, along with its Deep Learning Notes, is included in:
TRILOGY ONE, hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
TRILOGY ONE, Young Star-Seekers Edition, paperback, 12-point type, 7" x 10"
PDF document
EBOOK for the Kindle, Mobipocket
EPUB for the iPad, Sony, Nook, etc.
MEDIUM PRINT paperback, 12-point type, 6" x 9"
LARGE PRINT paperback, 18-point type, 8" x 10"
GLOBAL paperback, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
GLOBAL/LIBRARY hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
DRAMATIC AUDIOBOOK, download or MP3 CD
The companion study guide is available in one edition:
DEEP LEARNING NOTES, paperback, 12-point type, 5" x 8"
This story, along with its Deep Learning Notes, is included in:
TRILOGY ONE, hardcover, 10-point type, 6" x 9"
TRILOGY ONE, Young Star-Seekers Edition, paperback, 12-point type, 7" x 10"
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews