Far World

I’ve recently read a book that I would like to review. But before I do, I would like to go on a personal tangent, if that’s okay. What am I talking about? This is my blog I’m going to write all the personal tangents I want! Tee heee!

I normally don’t read books like this: Middle Grade Fantasy. I still like many YA {Young Adults} books, but Middle Grade is a bit young for me. Maybe its because, like my maturing taste in food {I hate box macaroni and hot dogs, but love my vegetables} my taste in books have matured...hmmm. That can’t be it! 

I think my reasons are two fold. 

One I HATE copy cats. Have you ever noticed that since the Twilight explosion, Vampires are everywhere? It’s as if authors and screen writers only care about tapping in to a money making market then writing their own creativity. They know that young adults are in to vamps, so they give them more vamps than they can handle. Sure, its a good “ka-ching, ka-ching” idea, but to me its uncreative and shallow. They try to steal what one woman has created, slap a different cover on it, and think they’ve done something amazing. Get an original thought, people! Admittedly, those might be hard to come by, {vampires were around long before Stephanie Meyer} but at least try! Now, don’t get me wrong. I love Twilight and Vampires as much as the next chick {Okay, I dream of Edward finding me, biting me and making me his undead wife–just kidding Brad, I love you the most.} But I refuse to watch or read anything about Vampires. I will only support those who are working hard on sharing their own creative ideas. 

The second reason hinges on the first. I’m just really sick and tired of the same old fantasy! Traditional fantasy has been around forever, {Hans Christen Anderson, The Grimm Brothers?} and it is one of the most popular genres. But it seems that everything has been done over and over again. Wizards, wands, magic, dragons, elves, fairies... When the world got “Harry Potterified” we found a book that took the same old fantasy to a new level and restored our interest. So every other fantasy author has tried to do the same thing. I have read A LOT of middle grade and YA fantasy. It feels kinda like I’m chewing the same piece of old gum. And every time I try a new piece, it tastes the same. Old, stale and hard. But I keep searching, looking for a fresh piece that will clear up my stagnant breath. And now, I’ve just given up. {okay off of the disgusting gum theory, but you get the idea.} 

So with all that in mind, coupled with the fact that, yes, maybe I have matured a little bit, I normally wouldn’t pick up a book like Far World. So, why did I? 

Well, Jeff Savage is a close, personal friend of mine. {LIAR! Okay. But why is it that when know someone who has done something remarkable, we feel remarkable?} I do know him, I took a few classes from him, and he spoke often of Far World, which he was writing at the time. 

So when I found the book in a book store, I felt compelled to pick it up. {Deep breath, if you’re still with me}

Normally when I review a book, I talk about my opinions as an adult reader; what I liked and disliked about it. But considering all the above mentions rants, I feel that wouldn’t be fair to a book that was not indented for me. So, I’d like to talk about his book as if I were recommending it to a reader from its intended audience: kids maybe 8-14 years old.

I loved the characters in Far World. Marcus, a 13 year old, wheelchair bound orphan, who lives on earth, and Kyjia, a 13 year old girl who can’t do any magic, though she lives in Far World, where magic is common place. What misfits, right? Kids love misfits, because all kids -heck even adults- feel like they don’t fit in at one point or another. It’s very relatable. 

Jeff Savage has a great sense of humor, and that really pulls the book along. He did a good job creating new creatures. Most were some that I’d never seen before, so that was a relief. I especially loved the way that he described water keep, as a city that appeared with the crashing of the waves. The back and forth between earth and Far World was entertaining, and I have to admit, I enjoyed the scenes that were on earth more than the Far World scenes. It was interesting to see for the first time, something I find completely normal.  I like how Marcus and Kyjia learned to use their ability to move back and forth to their advantage. 

The things that I didn’t like about the story was mostly shouted about above. It was more of the same. Young kids destined to save the world. A quest to find the answers and help. Evil powers that want to kill the heros and take over the world. (Don’t worry, I have more to say on that later) Does it sound familiar? 

But---Maybe that doesn’t bug you. And it probably doesn’t bother an elementary age kid who hasn’t read enough yet to know what been done before. 

So I think young kids would really like Far World, and the sequels that are coming out soon. And, Jeff is a local Author, so thats cool. If you or your child is looking for a fun new book to read, pick up Far World.