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Bemis, John Claude
6 Reviews
(4)
4-6
Out of Abaton series.
Before they can begin ruling Abaton, Pinocchio and Lazuli (The Wooden Prince) must undertake a quest to learn why monsters that have been asleep for centuries are suddenly attacking--and why Pinocchio is turning back into wood. Despite a large, confusing cast of undeveloped supporting characters, the protagonists' emotional journeys are compelling and the details of their magical world inventive. Glos.
Reviewer: Amy Bennett-Zendzian
(3)
4-6
Out of Abaton series.
Pinocchio was a mindless wooden "automa," but ever since a mysterious prisoner fiddled with his gears, he's started transforming into a human boy. He joins Princess Lazuli, a fairy, on a quest across the Venetian Empire, into the air, and beneath the sea. The plot rockets along in this steampunk alternate-history retelling, entrancingly packed with Italian Renaissance details and alchemical magic.
Reviewer: Amy Bennett-Zendzian
(3)
4-6
Humans have left Earth, but the animals that remain keep their memory alive through myth--as Old Devils, Skinless Ones, Companions. A crashed spaceship leaves one young human survivor; three loners (bear Casseomae, rat Dumpster, and dog P) help guide him toward safety that may not exist. A gracefully executed combination of sci-fi and animal fantasy, told through sympathetic but believably wild protagonists.
Reviewer: Bec Schaffner
(3)
4-6
Clockwork Dark series.
In this installment, set at the Chicago World's Fair, the characters seek to destroy the Magog and his evil machine. As each person overcomes his or her own "black clockworks," they build the strength and resolve to defeat the villain together. Bemis continues to unite Southern folklore and steampunk fantasy as readers are carried along on a journey of suspense and intrigue.
Reviewer: Ashleigh Finn
(3)
4-6
Clockwork Dark series.
This sequel to The Nine Pound Hammer continues the story of Ray, a Rambler; his sister Sally, a seer; and siren Jolie. They're searching for the Wolf Tree--source of the human spirit and key to destroying the Darkness overtaking the American Great Plains. Interweaving American tall tale, Native American folklore, and elements of steampunk, Bemis presents another engaging story of spirituality and intrigue.
Reviewer: Ashleigh Finn
(3)
4-6
Clockwork Dark series.
Ray, an orphan, winds up on a train peopled with traveling medicine show performers. He quickly learns the show is just cover; they're all determined to destroy the evil Gog. What distinguishes this fast-paced adventure is the nineteenth-century rural American setting, where both characters and circumstances are deeply influenced by regional folklore and the "hoodoo" traditions of the Deep South.
Reviewer: Betty Carter
6 reviews
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