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pause_theframe's review against another edition
4.0
This was a brilliant wee story. It is one of those books that approaches every day life challenges, such as getting through school, friends, family and other parts of growing up, but it does so in a way that is funny, light and very enjoyable.
I liked the characters in this book. There were a good variety of personalities, giving everyone someone they can connect to, like and dislike. The interaction between all of the different characters really helped to build this story. It round out the lives of the characters and really gave it that feel that you were dealing with daily life challenges, just with a little extra in the cast.
The pace of the book was excellent. It was fast, smart and had lots of snarky, witty comments, to really make it run. It didn't labour any points or try to drive home lessons, but instead got to the point of the lessons and how to deal with challenges, using the wit and hilarity needed to make it light and fun. The faster pace meant that it was easy to get hooked on the story and stay completely enthralled, until the final page.
This is a great read for young readers to enjoy, become a part of and really test their imaginations. It is books like this that will help the next generation of readers fall in love with books, just as I did.
Overall, a brilliant and exciting read. I highly recommend this to young readers and adults alike.
**I received this book for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
I liked the characters in this book. There were a good variety of personalities, giving everyone someone they can connect to, like and dislike. The interaction between all of the different characters really helped to build this story. It round out the lives of the characters and really gave it that feel that you were dealing with daily life challenges, just with a little extra in the cast.
The pace of the book was excellent. It was fast, smart and had lots of snarky, witty comments, to really make it run. It didn't labour any points or try to drive home lessons, but instead got to the point of the lessons and how to deal with challenges, using the wit and hilarity needed to make it light and fun. The faster pace meant that it was easy to get hooked on the story and stay completely enthralled, until the final page.
This is a great read for young readers to enjoy, become a part of and really test their imaginations. It is books like this that will help the next generation of readers fall in love with books, just as I did.
Overall, a brilliant and exciting read. I highly recommend this to young readers and adults alike.
**I received this book for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
the_horror_maven's review against another edition
4.0
Ryan Hill is an excellent author. He not only has an outstanding imagination, but he also knows how to intertwine humor into his writing in a way that doesn't come off as tacky, but ingenious.
Going into reading The Conch Shell of Doom I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about it. It is not the type of book that I usually read, but I thought that I would give it a shot. The book is described as a science fiction/fantasy novel, but reads more like a novel version of a comic book. The story is full of action, and even though the synopsis makes it sounds as though it is a childish action adventure, the writing far surpassed that younger age group. Hill's writing is professional and witty, and none of it sounded forced.
It was clear to me that Hill was writing his story for himself, and that in turn made his writing suitable for all ages. He didn't talk towards a specific audience, and this allowed me to enjoy the story more. I loved the concept of the oceanic army, and at no point during reading the novel was I bored.
Hill is clearly an author who I hope to see more work from. He has an original voice, and I didn't find his writing to be similar to another author's. I don't like reading books that sound as though they have been done before, and The Conch Shell of Doom is not one of them. It is must read for any science fiction or action fan.
Going into reading The Conch Shell of Doom I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about it. It is not the type of book that I usually read, but I thought that I would give it a shot. The book is described as a science fiction/fantasy novel, but reads more like a novel version of a comic book. The story is full of action, and even though the synopsis makes it sounds as though it is a childish action adventure, the writing far surpassed that younger age group. Hill's writing is professional and witty, and none of it sounded forced.
It was clear to me that Hill was writing his story for himself, and that in turn made his writing suitable for all ages. He didn't talk towards a specific audience, and this allowed me to enjoy the story more. I loved the concept of the oceanic army, and at no point during reading the novel was I bored.
Hill is clearly an author who I hope to see more work from. He has an original voice, and I didn't find his writing to be similar to another author's. I don't like reading books that sound as though they have been done before, and The Conch Shell of Doom is not one of them. It is must read for any science fiction or action fan.
quippy's review against another edition
3.0
I found this book during a random search for new material and bought it on a whim. I was impressed in the first chapters. It really grabbed me and pulled me in immediately with interesting characters, fun dialogue, and well-paced scenes. I'd rate the first half of the book four stars, but unfortunately during the second half it seemed to come apart a bit. I'd still recommend it for an amusing read with a good author's voice and style, just be prepared that it loses steam a bit (in my opinion anyway) halfway through.
ashleynestlermsw's review against another edition
4.0
Ryan Hill is an excellent author. He not only has an outstanding imagination, but he also knows how to intertwine humor into his writing in a way that doesn't come off as tacky, but ingenious.
Going into reading The Conch Shell of Doom I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about it. It is not the type of book that I usually read, but I thought that I would give it a shot. The book is described as a science fiction/fantasy novel, but reads more like a novel version of a comic book. The story is full of action, and even though the synopsis makes it sounds as though it is a childish action adventure, the writing far surpassed that younger age group. Hill's writing is professional and witty, and none of it sounded forced.
It was clear to me that Hill was writing his story for himself, and that in turn made his writing suitable for all ages. He didn't talk towards a specific audience, and this allowed me to enjoy the story more. I loved the concept of the oceanic army, and at no point during reading the novel was I bored.
Hill is clearly an author who I hope to see more work from. He has an original voice, and I didn't find his writing to be similar to another author's. I don't like reading books that sound as though they have been done before, and The Conch Shell of Doom is not one of them. It is must read for any science fiction or action fan.
Going into reading The Conch Shell of Doom I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about it. It is not the type of book that I usually read, but I thought that I would give it a shot. The book is described as a science fiction/fantasy novel, but reads more like a novel version of a comic book. The story is full of action, and even though the synopsis makes it sounds as though it is a childish action adventure, the writing far surpassed that younger age group. Hill's writing is professional and witty, and none of it sounded forced.
It was clear to me that Hill was writing his story for himself, and that in turn made his writing suitable for all ages. He didn't talk towards a specific audience, and this allowed me to enjoy the story more. I loved the concept of the oceanic army, and at no point during reading the novel was I bored.
Hill is clearly an author who I hope to see more work from. He has an original voice, and I didn't find his writing to be similar to another author's. I don't like reading books that sound as though they have been done before, and The Conch Shell of Doom is not one of them. It is must read for any science fiction or action fan.
peachykeenreviews's review against another edition
4.0
Ryan Hill is an excellent author. He not only has an outstanding imagination, but he also knows how to intertwine humor into his writing in a way that doesn't come off as tacky, but ingenious.
Going into reading The Conch Shell of Doom I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about it. It is not the type of book that I usually read, but I thought that I would give it a shot. The book is described as a science fiction/fantasy novel, but reads more like a novel version of a comic book. The story is full of action, and even though the synopsis makes it sounds as though it is a childish action adventure, the writing far surpassed that younger age group. Hill's writing is professional and witty, and none of it sounded forced.
It was clear to me that Hill was writing his story for himself, and that in turn made his writing suitable for all ages. He didn't talk towards a specific audience, and this allowed me to enjoy the story more. I loved the concept of the oceanic army, and at no point during reading the novel was I bored.
Hill is clearly an author who I hope to see more work from. He has an original voice, and I didn't find his writing to be similar to another author's. I don't like reading books that sound as though they have been done before, and The Conch Shell of Doom is not one of them. It is must read for any science fiction or action fan.
Going into reading The Conch Shell of Doom I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about it. It is not the type of book that I usually read, but I thought that I would give it a shot. The book is described as a science fiction/fantasy novel, but reads more like a novel version of a comic book. The story is full of action, and even though the synopsis makes it sounds as though it is a childish action adventure, the writing far surpassed that younger age group. Hill's writing is professional and witty, and none of it sounded forced.
It was clear to me that Hill was writing his story for himself, and that in turn made his writing suitable for all ages. He didn't talk towards a specific audience, and this allowed me to enjoy the story more. I loved the concept of the oceanic army, and at no point during reading the novel was I bored.
Hill is clearly an author who I hope to see more work from. He has an original voice, and I didn't find his writing to be similar to another author's. I don't like reading books that sound as though they have been done before, and The Conch Shell of Doom is not one of them. It is must read for any science fiction or action fan.
sagek's review against another edition
4.0
"Those who insist on remaining sheep will be eaten by wolves." -Page 170
This is an interesting tale about a teenaged boy, Bailey, who discovers his parents' part in a plot to unleash evil into the world. With his anxiety out of sorts and always messing things up for him, running away proves to be difficult, especially when a terrifying and deformed brute of a man can teleport. Convincing his friends he's not crazy proves to be even more difficult, until they too see the truth and help Bailey try to foil their parents' plans. Rushing head first into danger, Bailey and his friends follow shady characters, battle against stoners and immortals and Bailey's own parents, and join forces with Franklin to prevent Trenton's awakening.
This was a very enjoyable read, full of action and adventure! Death and violence was a huge part of this story, even when the tone was light. I loved every minute of it!
CHARACTERS
Bailey is a sixteen-year-old boy who struggles with anxiety. His medication doesn't always work, especially when the anxiety is really bad. This is one of the things that prevents him from expressing his feelings for Alexis, Tim's (one of his best buds) twin sister. He's sweet and compassionate, always trying to be a gentleman around his crush. He's also very awkward and insecure. No matter what though, he does what he believes is right, even if that means having to fight against his hypnotized parents while they try to kill him. He doesn't let his anxiety control him all the time, and that was made evident the more his character grew. I quite liked him!
Alexis is the only one who really came close to death. She literally had seconds before she was dead, but they thankfully kept her alive. She's brave, and after having already fought off leukemia, she's strong enough to fight off any other form of death that tries to take her. She's intelligent, strong, and she's a Fangirl. She fought with a wand made by Merlin because how cool is that?! She's wicked awesome with magic and got the hang of it pretty quickly. She never backed down from the fight, and I love her for it.
"Her limp head fell to the side, exposing her pale neck. Bailey was glad there weren't any vampires around. They'd probably take that as open invitation." -Page 149
Tim + Marshall are pretty similar, only Tim likes to think he's a ninja and has some pretty cool moves despite being the smallest of the group, while Marshall has muscle but tends to freeze up in uncertainty. They were entertaining and made jokes like no tomorrow, especially about Julie's boobs and how many there might be in her bar.
"It's a bar. All they do is drink alcohol. The boob stuff they probably do out back or something." -Page 213
Franklin is Trenton's bother. He's immortal, determined to make sure his brother doesn't get awakened for another few years or a century, and has seen a lot of death in his time. Two thousand years old and still fairly young looking, he's just beginning to forget strategic tactics and skills in old age. He kills, plucks out Trenton's followers, and lets himself get beat up a time or two if it means being able to stay on track to keep his brother from returning. He is strong, determined, and intelligent. He's also snarky and witty and can never keep his mouth shut, even if he tells him self it's best to shut up. He's tried to save the world from Trenton multiple times, but he isn't the only threat.
"What's even more messed up is how often people fail to save the world," -Page 249
Mr. Lovell is the deformed brute of a man who can teleport. He's deformed because many, many years ago he got caught on fire and well, burnt to a crisp pretty much. Immortality doesn't make you pretty. Shame. He has Trenton's head in his stomach to preserve him until his awakening, where he can finally have his whole body back and not just be a voice in Mr. Lovell's head. They're a scary duo, intimidating and killing people because they can. Their passion for this new world they could create made them the perfect pair to join forces. My only question is how Mr. Lovell got caught up in it all in the first place.
Deckland was scary as heck. He's not even fully immortal and he can jump off a 4-story balcony and land on his feet with no harm done! He's violent and practically ruthless and I loved him. He's probably my favourite character from this book.
Julie is a force to be reckoned with. Almost completely fearless, she stands tall even when facing something impossible. Which is how she got caught up in Franklin's life mission. I admired her. She could fight if needed be, she stood up for herself even if it meant pouring guns at scary ginormous dudes, and she's intelligent. She made a perfect partner in crime, if you will.
WRITING
The writing is light and humorous even when the actual events are dark, much like Rick Riordan's style. Only more geared towards adults for language and other descriptions. It kept me hooked and it was entertaining to boot! The best part? All the dialogue and action and everything in general felt natural, so it was easy to fall into the story and envision something similar actually happening.
"The longer you live, the more painful your death will be."
"Thanks, Mom." Bailey opened the door. "Good to know." -Page 200
PLOT
Very little was predictable. At certain points I would be confused, wondering why a character didn't use their secret weapon already. The author did this so it wouldn't be predictable, because I saw something coming that never happened. It happened when you least expected it, when you weren't thinking about it anymore. I applaud the author for this, because I was surprised a lot! It really kept the book going at a good pace, and I enjoyed every minute of it!
OVERALL
The Conch Shell of Doom is an adventure that will keep you engaged and entertained. With brilliant characters and an awesome adventure with lots of action, what more could you ask for?
*Review originally posted here
*A huge thanks to the author for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.:)
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