Common Sense Media Review
Intelligent, intense, edge-of-your-seat adventure.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 11+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In 1920, having escaped from pirates in the South China Seas at the end of Operation Red Jericho, Becca and Doug, along with their uncle and his crew, sail into a typhoon and are shipwrecked on an island in the Sulphur Archipelago east of Borneo. While the crew makes repairs, they prepare for battle with the Kalaxx, vicious mercenaries hired by Pembleton-Crozier to guard his base on a nearby island. While there, they discover the monstrous device that Pembleton-Crozier is building, as well as more information about their missing parents and the history of the secret Honorable Guild of Specialists to which they belonged. But they, in turn, are discovered by the Kalaxx, and Pembleton-Crozier is determined that they'll never leave the island alive....
Is It Any Good?
There are many action/adventure series available for middle schoolers, but none can hold a candle to this one. It's got depth, complexity, loving attention to detail, literary quality, respect for the audience's intelligence, and sheer excitement. Imagine Indiana Jones written by Jules Verne, with equally competent boy and girl siblings as the heroes, and you begin to get the picture.
As in the first book, this is filled with fascinating photos, diagrams, maps, and lots more to support the rich plot. The author presents a mix of science and science fiction in great detail, and readers will enjoy taking a break from the action to pore over them. For young lovers of action who are looking for something with a little more intellectual heft, this treat shouldn't be missed.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the book being part of a series. If you've read the first book -- or third one -- of the series, which do you like better? What is appealing about reading a series? What might be rewarding about writing one? Why might a publisher be interested in printing one?
What did you think of the violence here? Is reading about violence different than seeing in a movie or experiencing it in a video game? Is there a difference if it is in an adventure book like this one, versus in a realistic novel?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Adventure
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Candlewick Press
- Publication date : November 26, 2006
- Number of pages : 277
- Last updated : June 19, 2019
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate