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metaphorosis's review against another edition
3.0
3 stars, Metaphorosis Reviews
Summary
Two boys from our world have entered an alternate universe, and set off around the world in search of a home. Having crossed the Atlantic and North America, they now find themselves abducted across the Pacific to a version of China.
Review
At last, the piece settles in a bit. While the boys move around, they at least stay in a single empire, giving Christopher and us a chance to explore it a bit. The result, and the fact that there's a resolution at the end of the boo, rather than simply a stopping point, are more satisfying than the previous volume.
At the same time, Christopher indulges in a bit of hocus pocus toward the end - a resolution that has fun elements, but doesn't really have much foundation in the story. It's an adequate ending, but no more. If you haven't read Christopher, don't start here. If you have, I still urge you to read his other, better books before coming to this trilogy.
Summary
Two boys from our world have entered an alternate universe, and set off around the world in search of a home. Having crossed the Atlantic and North America, they now find themselves abducted across the Pacific to a version of China.
Review
At last, the piece settles in a bit. While the boys move around, they at least stay in a single empire, giving Christopher and us a chance to explore it a bit. The result, and the fact that there's a resolution at the end of the boo, rather than simply a stopping point, are more satisfying than the previous volume.
At the same time, Christopher indulges in a bit of hocus pocus toward the end - a resolution that has fun elements, but doesn't really have much foundation in the story. It's an adequate ending, but no more. If you haven't read Christopher, don't start here. If you have, I still urge you to read his other, better books before coming to this trilogy.
spacenoirdetective's review against another edition
1.0
I read this book as a kid. From what I remember the series had a good start but then it went way downhill. Way, way downhill.
The entire series goes this way. Brad is perfect and does perfect things. Simon is always falling behind and the series is seen through his lens. He tries to always catch up with Brad, who is always showing him up. Eventually the two split and Brad somehow gives tank technology to this alternate universe and Simon helps another faction to invent the airplane. I just found this way too ludicrous to believe, that a couple of high school students were able to remember that level of technology and somehow reproduce it in another dimension. Most kids I knew in high school would not be able to piece together an airplane or a tank from scratch or from memory. And the whole thing just seemed pointless after a while. There seems to be nothing but enmity between the two boys because Brad is never really empathetic towards Simon and Simon feels constantly belittled. Even when I read this as a kid, it annoyed me that neither of them got past these feelings. It seemed painful to read even then.
The covers had good art, though. The 80s saw a proliferation of masterful illustration in children's lit, and these covers had a very Choose Your Own Adventure appeal to them. I can't really recommend the series as worthwhile even to diehard alternate world scifi fans. The only thing that stood out to me was the Aztec ball games in book 2 and how they helped the natives invent new ways of playing the game because of their knowledge of sports from our world. I also dug all the details of the Aztec world like feathers with powdered gold stuck on them. But honestly, the cool parts were far and few between. The third book was pretty boring.
The entire series goes this way. Brad is perfect and does perfect things. Simon is always falling behind and the series is seen through his lens. He tries to always catch up with Brad, who is always showing him up. Eventually the two split and Brad somehow gives tank technology to this alternate universe and Simon helps another faction to invent the airplane. I just found this way too ludicrous to believe, that a couple of high school students were able to remember that level of technology and somehow reproduce it in another dimension. Most kids I knew in high school would not be able to piece together an airplane or a tank from scratch or from memory. And the whole thing just seemed pointless after a while. There seems to be nothing but enmity between the two boys because Brad is never really empathetic towards Simon and Simon feels constantly belittled. Even when I read this as a kid, it annoyed me that neither of them got past these feelings. It seemed painful to read even then.
The covers had good art, though. The 80s saw a proliferation of masterful illustration in children's lit, and these covers had a very Choose Your Own Adventure appeal to them. I can't really recommend the series as worthwhile even to diehard alternate world scifi fans. The only thing that stood out to me was the Aztec ball games in book 2 and how they helped the natives invent new ways of playing the game because of their knowledge of sports from our world. I also dug all the details of the Aztec world like feathers with powdered gold stuck on them. But honestly, the cool parts were far and few between. The third book was pretty boring.
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