Ronan Boyle Into the Strangeplace: Ronan Boyle, Book 3
Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free.
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 suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Ronan Boyle Into the Strangeplace is the third book in Irish American actor/author Thomas Lennon's wacky series dealing with the adventures of an unlikely 15-year-old recruit to a secret branch of the Irish Gardai (police). The branch that deals, not always successfully, with the wicked doings of the wee folk who can't resist leaving the magical realm of Tir Na Nog and wreaking havoc in the human world. Geeky, confused, but resolved, our hero, fresh from the triumphs and disasters of Book 2, embarks on another quest involving whiskey, butts, farts, and disgusting bodily fluids from humans and magical beings alike. There are nonstop elements of slapstick humor. ("Seamus was twerking so fast that his bottom became almost invisible to the naked eye. He was twerking like a hummingbird -- a hummingbird of hell. And to make things worse, his buns were on a collision course for the MacDougals, who were old and sightless and never hurt a thing.") Also an undead Irish god. Ronan's determined to clear his parents (currently disappeared) of a crime they didn't commit, and bring the villain who's framing them to justice. All of which involves a trip to the magical realm, encounters with comical but often murderous beings, and very little going according to plan. Once again, it's a wild ride. Once again, it's good to remember that however out of your depth you may be in the moment, friendship, loyalty, and those weird bits of knowledge you forgot you had will serve you well.
Community Reviews
There aren't any reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
The quest that takes RONAN BOYLE INTO THE STRANGEPLACE picks up in the wake of Book 2, which leaves 15-year-old hero with a lot of unfinished business. Specifically, clearing his formerly imprisoned, naive, academic parents of stealing the head of an Irish god from a museum, a crime actually the work of the villain who's framing them. The process of clearing them is made far more difficult by the fact that his parents have escaped prison and disappeared. Then there's poor pathetic Pierre the far darrig (a type of magical being), left in a sad state in Book 2. Ronan's promised to rescue him, but has no idea how. But meanwhile, his superiors in the Gardai need him -- accompanied by Lily the Wolfhound, his idolized Captain de Valera, and others who prove helpful -- to deliver some leprechaun criminals back to Tir Na Nog to face justice from their own king. After which he'll be free to deliver the undead god's head (last seen in Book 2) back to the museum where it belongs and prove his parents' innocence once and for all. Sadly, none of this is going to be easy, what with the villain, a grotesquely over-the-top Irish (by way of Indiana) dancer, and two rival fairy kingdoms determined to damage each other as much as possible.
Is It Any Good?
Thomas Lennon’s geeky, confused, but dauntless teen hero faces further difficulties amid magical villains, ill-behaved fairy folk, and a whole lot of booze and bodily fluids in this wild quest. As his latest set of orders from the Gardai send Ronan Boyle Into the Strangeplace as part of a delegation to the fairy world of Tir Na Nog, there's no telling what will happen, except that it probably won't be what you expect, starting about from the point where our heroes get from Point A to Point B by being eaten by a whale and ejected through her blowhole. Before Ronan gets to the next way station on his multi-book quest, many things even stranger than this will occur, as the reader will soon discover.
"Above my head, a flock of flying musical notes was zooming around: quarter notes, whole notes, treble clefs, and the like. They were attacking each other like pterodactyls, and their screeches seemed to be reflected in the length of their shape (the screeches from the whole notes were the longest).
"Nearby was something I had never wanted to see -- a group of purple cacti doing a staged reading of a conversation I had with Captain Fearnley back in Galway one year ago.
"'Idris Elba, Idris Elba,' said a tree that was well cast as my mentor to a narrow tree with glasses that was obviously supposed to be me."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Irish mythology in Ronan Boyle Into the Strangeplace. Do you like author Thomas Lennon's wacky take on the traditional tales in the Ronan Boyle series? Or do you prefer a more serious, respectful treatment?
Have you ever seen a performance of Irish dancing? How did you like it? Do you think it's something you might want to try?
Had you ever heard of The Monkees before Ronan brought them up? Do you want to watch the TV series now to see what he was talking about?
Book Details
- Author: Thomas Lennon
- Illustrator: John Hendrix
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Adventures, Friendship
- Book type: Non-Fiction
- Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
- Publication date: November 23, 2021
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 8 - 12
- Number of pages: 336
- Available on: Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: November 30, 2021
Our Editors Recommend
-
Monstrous Devices
Toy robots come to life in fun, creepy European adventure.
-
Darkmouth: The Legends Begin: Darkmouth, Book 1
Reluctant monster hunter steps up in clever, funny fantasy.
-
Cold Cereal: The Cold Cereal Saga, Book 1
Humor spikes kids' surreal cereal factory romp.
For kids who love fantasy and funny stories
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