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rcon29's review against another edition
4.0
OMG this one took a turn I did not see coming!!! I wish that all of the books had been written like this. The series would have been SOO much better!
theloststreetmouse's review against another edition
2.0
I don'nt know but for some reason I feel like this series is too long. I got really bored with this book very fast, which stinks because I loved all of the others
kathydavie's review against another edition
4.0
Sixth in the Kingdom Keepers urban fantasy series for kids revolving around holograms, Disney World, and a close-knit group of kids.
My Take
We pick up where we left off in Shell Game, 5, while Finn and Willa are flying through the air just after they've jumped off the Disney Dream. And it's a mad race to survive!
This is the first time Pearson has concentrated on romance for Charlene and she's torn between two boys while Amanda is frustrated with Finn who is torn between Amanda and Storey. It's a mess. Then there's the hinted retirement from their DHI roles. It's not good.
That scene between Willa and Charlene where Charlie's questioning who makes the decisions just feels too fake. As though some readers whined that the boys had all the power, so Pearson felt a need to address the issue.
Hmm, Finn has a point about the balance of power and the part the DHIs have played in upping the stakes. And yet another hmmm when Luowski feels as though a "drain plug has been pulled". Keep an eye out for it and see if you come to same conclusion I did! Mattie has a point as well, one that she learned from Amanda and Jess, and I'm curious if it'll lead to a spin-off series or part of the KK adventures.
Clever use of hibernation---parents might find this an interesting angle to use with the kids to encourage them to learn---ya never know what school teaches that you might need in a dangerous situation…*grin*!
Whoa...it's kidnappings and the craziest chase scenes: under and over the water, through the AquaDuck, in caves---some are pretty disgusting, and over zip lines.
There are some minor loose threads in this: Dillard's fate, which I'm guessing that Pearson is saving for #7; who the other kid is that Clayton found up in the pipes; and, how Finn's mom got off the ship. And I must confess that I did not like the ending. For all its drama (and the accompanying relief), it felt disappointingly short and left me with a sense of loose ends. Besides the ones I've already whined about!
I dunno...it might be safer for the kids if they get retired…!
The Story
While the threat of replacement by the new beta version of the DHI 2.0 is hanging over the kids, they still have a mission to accomplish: prevent Maleficent, the Evil Queen, and Tia Dalma from carrying out their plans for Chernabog!
Only, Finn and Willa have jumped overboard from the Disney Dream to escape a pack of wild hyenas, and the ship is fast sailing away. If they don't reboard quickly, their holograms will fall into shadow, and they'll never awaken!
The Characters
Leadership seems to be splitting between the very intelligent Dill Philby's increasingly superior airs, who is lying, and keeping secrets, and Finn Whitman, who is questioning his role as the Kingdom Keepers' leader. He does have a secret weapon from Triton, the King of the Sea who makes a valuable ally. The physically fit---and hot---Charlene Turner, a cheerleader at school and a starter on the gymnastics team, has a wounded shoulder---and a secret pash for Finn and Terry. Isabella "Willa" Angelo has her own not-so-secret love. Terry "Donnie" Maybeck is a fifteen-year-old artist who helps his Aunt Jelly in her shop and thinks he's God's gift to girls.
There are three Fairlies (fairly human, but with unique powers) in this story: Amanda Lockhart is telekinetic, Jezebel "Jess" is clairvoyant, and Mattie Weaver has the power of touch. All three girls have been projected into the cruise by Wanda at the end to help. Amanda and Jess are still in fostercare with Mrs. Nash and trying to duck the government while Mattie is a friend of Amanda and Jess who's escaped a government facility in Baltimore. Dillard Cole is Finn's closest friend outside the Keepers and he keeps popping up on the cruise---also sent by Wanda Alcott, Wayne's daughter.
Finn's mom has been Overtaken, and they can no longer trust her while Gladis Philby, Philby's mom, is their chaperone on the trip.
Two of the six DHIs who have been created from Cast Members to augment the original Keepers have been placed onboard to help: Kenny Carlson and Bart.
Captain Cederberg is captain of the Disney Dream; Robert "Uncle Bob" Heinemann is the security officer Wayne told the kids to trust—oops; Clayton Freeman, a security wizard, has seen too much to brush the kids off without thought; Rafina is a fellow security officer; and, Storey Ming is a member of the crew helping the Keepers. Andy Meyers is a film director shooting a Disney Channel 365, and Jodi Bennett is a Disney Cruise Line executive who is managing the shoot.
Cast Members and characters of the Disney theme parks have begun to take sides. They think of Wayne Kresky, the head of the Imagineers, as the Elder. He's the one who pulled the DHIs into this troupe of fighters.
Maleficent, the nasty witch from Sleeping Beauty, the Evil Queen, and Tia Dalma are working together to bring Chernabog completely to life. Somehow Maleficent has spelled other middleschoolers to do their dirty work—recognizable by their green eyes. Greg "Lousy" Luowski is one of them! And he has embraced the mayhem. Although...they're starting to ask too much. Others who have been turned include Dixon, Victor, and Joe College.
The DHIs are Disney Host Interactives, a.k.a., Daylight Hologram Imaging, holograms which act as Park hosts for Disney. What most people don't know is that "their holograms had been engineered by Disney's Imagineers to do battle with...the Overtakers" (OTs), a dark force that includes the evil villains of Disney, eager to take over the world.
The Cover
The cover carries on from Shell Game when Finn and Willa jump from the Disney cruise ship to escape the hyenas with Finn diving right at us and Willa running in mid-air while Tia Dalma looms large over all.
The title is part of life as Maleficent intones, that Dark Passage when "one must face one's demons", but Maleficent doesn't understand that the kids have already faced one such passage, even as they must still endure the other.
My Take
We pick up where we left off in Shell Game, 5, while Finn and Willa are flying through the air just after they've jumped off the Disney Dream. And it's a mad race to survive!
This is the first time Pearson has concentrated on romance for Charlene and she's torn between two boys while Amanda is frustrated with Finn who is torn between Amanda and Storey. It's a mess. Then there's the hinted retirement from their DHI roles. It's not good.
That scene between Willa and Charlene where Charlie's questioning who makes the decisions just feels too fake. As though some readers whined that the boys had all the power, so Pearson felt a need to address the issue.
Hmm, Finn has a point about the balance of power and the part the DHIs have played in upping the stakes. And yet another hmmm when Luowski feels as though a "drain plug has been pulled". Keep an eye out for it and see if you come to same conclusion I did! Mattie has a point as well, one that she learned from Amanda and Jess, and I'm curious if it'll lead to a spin-off series or part of the KK adventures.
Clever use of hibernation---parents might find this an interesting angle to use with the kids to encourage them to learn---ya never know what school teaches that you might need in a dangerous situation…*grin*!
Whoa...it's kidnappings and the craziest chase scenes: under and over the water, through the AquaDuck, in caves---some are pretty disgusting, and over zip lines.
There are some minor loose threads in this: Dillard's fate, which I'm guessing that Pearson is saving for #7; who the other kid is that Clayton found up in the pipes; and, how Finn's mom got off the ship. And I must confess that I did not like the ending. For all its drama (and the accompanying relief), it felt disappointingly short and left me with a sense of loose ends. Besides the ones I've already whined about!
I dunno...it might be safer for the kids if they get retired…!
The Story
While the threat of replacement by the new beta version of the DHI 2.0 is hanging over the kids, they still have a mission to accomplish: prevent Maleficent, the Evil Queen, and Tia Dalma from carrying out their plans for Chernabog!
Only, Finn and Willa have jumped overboard from the Disney Dream to escape a pack of wild hyenas, and the ship is fast sailing away. If they don't reboard quickly, their holograms will fall into shadow, and they'll never awaken!
The Characters
Leadership seems to be splitting between the very intelligent Dill Philby's increasingly superior airs, who is lying, and keeping secrets, and Finn Whitman, who is questioning his role as the Kingdom Keepers' leader. He does have a secret weapon from Triton, the King of the Sea who makes a valuable ally. The physically fit---and hot---Charlene Turner, a cheerleader at school and a starter on the gymnastics team, has a wounded shoulder---and a secret pash for Finn and Terry. Isabella "Willa" Angelo has her own not-so-secret love. Terry "Donnie" Maybeck is a fifteen-year-old artist who helps his Aunt Jelly in her shop and thinks he's God's gift to girls.
There are three Fairlies (fairly human, but with unique powers) in this story: Amanda Lockhart is telekinetic, Jezebel "Jess" is clairvoyant, and Mattie Weaver has the power of touch. All three girls have been projected into the cruise by Wanda at the end to help. Amanda and Jess are still in fostercare with Mrs. Nash and trying to duck the government while Mattie is a friend of Amanda and Jess who's escaped a government facility in Baltimore. Dillard Cole is Finn's closest friend outside the Keepers and he keeps popping up on the cruise---also sent by Wanda Alcott, Wayne's daughter.
Finn's mom has been Overtaken, and they can no longer trust her while Gladis Philby, Philby's mom, is their chaperone on the trip.
Two of the six DHIs who have been created from Cast Members to augment the original Keepers have been placed onboard to help: Kenny Carlson and Bart.
Captain Cederberg is captain of the Disney Dream; Robert "Uncle Bob" Heinemann is the security officer Wayne told the kids to trust—oops; Clayton Freeman, a security wizard, has seen too much to brush the kids off without thought; Rafina is a fellow security officer; and, Storey Ming is a member of the crew helping the Keepers. Andy Meyers is a film director shooting a Disney Channel 365, and Jodi Bennett is a Disney Cruise Line executive who is managing the shoot.
Cast Members and characters of the Disney theme parks have begun to take sides. They think of Wayne Kresky, the head of the Imagineers, as the Elder. He's the one who pulled the DHIs into this troupe of fighters.
Maleficent, the nasty witch from Sleeping Beauty, the Evil Queen, and Tia Dalma are working together to bring Chernabog completely to life. Somehow Maleficent has spelled other middleschoolers to do their dirty work—recognizable by their green eyes. Greg "Lousy" Luowski is one of them! And he has embraced the mayhem. Although...they're starting to ask too much. Others who have been turned include Dixon, Victor, and Joe College.
The DHIs are Disney Host Interactives, a.k.a., Daylight Hologram Imaging, holograms which act as Park hosts for Disney. What most people don't know is that "their holograms had been engineered by Disney's Imagineers to do battle with...the Overtakers" (OTs), a dark force that includes the evil villains of Disney, eager to take over the world.
The Cover
The cover carries on from Shell Game when Finn and Willa jump from the Disney cruise ship to escape the hyenas with Finn diving right at us and Willa running in mid-air while Tia Dalma looms large over all.
The title is part of life as Maleficent intones, that Dark Passage when "one must face one's demons", but Maleficent doesn't understand that the kids have already faced one such passage, even as they must still endure the other.
olliepop01's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
mandajo's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.0
This is the best book in the series yet! I'm ready to read the final book to see how this all ends.
allisonleslie's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I love these books. The accuracy to the Disney Dream ship, cast member procedures and character integrity always impress me. Can’t wait to see where the next book’s adventure takes us.
postitsandpens's review against another edition
2.0
DISCLAIMER: Because this is the sixth book in the Kingdom Keepers series, this review does contain some references to occurrences in the previous books. Major plot points or spoilers, however, are avoided.
I am at a loss when it comes to my feelings about this series. It started out so incredibly strong, with awesome world-building and likable characters. I loved the inside look at the inner workings of Disney that most tourists and fans don't get to see, from the behind-the-scenes mechanics of rides and attractions, to the glimpse inside the areas of the parks that only Cast Members are allowed inside. The idea of five teenagers being turned into holograms - and then told that their "other" job (aside from marketing) is to fight the Overtakers, or Disney villains, who are trying to gain control of the Parks and turn them decidedly darker. But as the series has gone on, instead of the awesome action scenes and battles between good and evil, the books have devolved into Relationship Drama (and yes, it deserves capital letters) between the main characters. And that's just majorly disappointing to me.
I mentioned in my review of Shell Game that the editing of these books has become extremely lackluster. In that book, there were lines of dialogue that didn't match up to the speaker, misspellings galore, and gaping plot holes. I mentioned that I didn't like the fact that Mr. Pearson turned Tia Dalma into a villain, either, and considering her huge role in Dark Passage, my unhappiness with that move has grown exponentially. I'm sorry, but she's NOT evil. She very clearly was helpful in the Pirates films, and I don't like what he's done with her character at all. I can get behind the other villains - the Evil Queen from Snow White, and Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty, to name a few, because that's exactly how they were written in their original fairy tales. Their evilness, if you will, makes sense. Tia Dalma's? Not so much.
Considering that the main part of this book is supposed to be about the Kingdom Keepers' fight against the Overtakers, way too much of this book is taken up with teenage drama of various sorts. Not only do you have the typical love interest stuff - Willa likes Philby, Charlene likes Maybeck and Finn (but maybe Maybeck more?), Finn likes Amanda, but finds himself also crushing on new character Storey Ming (who is WAY too old for him and therefore should NOT be crushing back, ugh), Philby also likes Storey but probably Willa more, and, just, seriously, STOP. Chapter after chapter of this book is taken up with all this ~drama~ about who likes whom, and it's just ridiculous. I also am getting really tired of the increasing strain between Finn and Philby and who is the true "leader" of the Keepers. And while I used to like Wayne, I find him at fault for most of it, so my dislike of him has also grown in each installment. Philby is a massive jerk, who likes to prove he's the smartest and basically says things just to make Finn angry, and also revels in the fact that Wayne has told him some things he hasn't told Finn. The only character I really liked in this book was Maybeck, who at least isn't treating everyone terribly!
I also need to mention that the editing of this book was no better than Shell Game. It's overly long (see that paragraph above regarding all the drama) and there were typos throughout (and this was a hardback copy, not the e-book version). At one point Philby tells Willa that her idea is "brilliant" and then five lines later he tells her it's "too risky". What? Which is it? That's just one example, but there are moments of this throughout the book. Every time it happens it just really knocks the reader out of the story, which further lowers your enjoyment.
Dark Passage is the most disappointing installment in the series thus far. Considering that the books have gotten worse as they've gone along, I have little hope that the final installment will be any better. If we could just go back to the main plot of this series - the battle against the Overtakers - and stop with all the unnecessary romantic "intrigue" then I think you'd have a decent finale. Alas, I don't hold out much hope of that happening. Will I still read book seven? Yes, because I've devoted myself to the previous six, and I want to see how everything ends. Will I enjoy it? Unfortunately, that seems extremely unlikely.
***
To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!
I am at a loss when it comes to my feelings about this series. It started out so incredibly strong, with awesome world-building and likable characters. I loved the inside look at the inner workings of Disney that most tourists and fans don't get to see, from the behind-the-scenes mechanics of rides and attractions, to the glimpse inside the areas of the parks that only Cast Members are allowed inside. The idea of five teenagers being turned into holograms - and then told that their "other" job (aside from marketing) is to fight the Overtakers, or Disney villains, who are trying to gain control of the Parks and turn them decidedly darker. But as the series has gone on, instead of the awesome action scenes and battles between good and evil, the books have devolved into Relationship Drama (and yes, it deserves capital letters) between the main characters. And that's just majorly disappointing to me.
I mentioned in my review of Shell Game that the editing of these books has become extremely lackluster. In that book, there were lines of dialogue that didn't match up to the speaker, misspellings galore, and gaping plot holes. I mentioned that I didn't like the fact that Mr. Pearson turned Tia Dalma into a villain, either, and considering her huge role in Dark Passage, my unhappiness with that move has grown exponentially. I'm sorry, but she's NOT evil. She very clearly was helpful in the Pirates films, and I don't like what he's done with her character at all. I can get behind the other villains - the Evil Queen from Snow White, and Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty, to name a few, because that's exactly how they were written in their original fairy tales. Their evilness, if you will, makes sense. Tia Dalma's? Not so much.
Considering that the main part of this book is supposed to be about the Kingdom Keepers' fight against the Overtakers, way too much of this book is taken up with teenage drama of various sorts. Not only do you have the typical love interest stuff - Willa likes Philby, Charlene likes Maybeck and Finn (but maybe Maybeck more?), Finn likes Amanda, but finds himself also crushing on new character Storey Ming (who is WAY too old for him and therefore should NOT be crushing back, ugh), Philby also likes Storey but probably Willa more, and, just, seriously, STOP. Chapter after chapter of this book is taken up with all this ~drama~ about who likes whom, and it's just ridiculous. I also am getting really tired of the increasing strain between Finn and Philby and who is the true "leader" of the Keepers. And while I used to like Wayne, I find him at fault for most of it, so my dislike of him has also grown in each installment. Philby is a massive jerk, who likes to prove he's the smartest and basically says things just to make Finn angry, and also revels in the fact that Wayne has told him some things he hasn't told Finn. The only character I really liked in this book was Maybeck, who at least isn't treating everyone terribly!
I also need to mention that the editing of this book was no better than Shell Game. It's overly long (see that paragraph above regarding all the drama) and there were typos throughout (and this was a hardback copy, not the e-book version). At one point Philby tells Willa that her idea is "brilliant" and then five lines later he tells her it's "too risky". What? Which is it? That's just one example, but there are moments of this throughout the book. Every time it happens it just really knocks the reader out of the story, which further lowers your enjoyment.
Dark Passage is the most disappointing installment in the series thus far. Considering that the books have gotten worse as they've gone along, I have little hope that the final installment will be any better. If we could just go back to the main plot of this series - the battle against the Overtakers - and stop with all the unnecessary romantic "intrigue" then I think you'd have a decent finale. Alas, I don't hold out much hope of that happening. Will I still read book seven? Yes, because I've devoted myself to the previous six, and I want to see how everything ends. Will I enjoy it? Unfortunately, that seems extremely unlikely.
***
To see more of my reviews, please visit me @ Read and Reviewed!
rileyo627's review
3.0
i have mixed feelings about this one. i feel like this rewrite relied heavily on on the character dynamics which isolates itself from the others but i really liked that. there weren’t many solo chapters– everyone always had at least one partner. it stayed pretty true to the original, although it was much shorter and i felt like there wasn’t really a true reason for it. i really only have two main problems with the book, and honestly it’s because of missing details in the previous books.
the relationships between the characters are my favorite part, however it seems like finn and amanda are the only couple to actually have some sort of development. from the beginning, it’s clear that they like each other and it’s slowly been building up since. as for philby and willa, it’s been hinted but no real statements to indicate that they like each other. there have been comments and observations by other characters but that’s about it. there has been almost nothing that would have made me think maybeck and charlene liked each other, except for maybe a total of three lines in all six books. this means in the last chapter, when willa and charlene kiss the boys to wake them up, it seemingly comes out of nowhere. if i hadn’t read the original series, i probably would have been shocked and confused because there has been nothing in the previous books that led up to this.
my other problem was dillard. he has barely been in the series in general, and he’s supposed to be finn’s best friend. there’s supposed to be this tension because finn has other, “cooler” friends that dillard is jealous of, but there’s never any doubt that finn and dillard are incredibly close. this is what makes his death so impactful in the the original series. since him and finna have barely interacted in the rewrites, it’s hard to feel that sad about him dying in front of finn. i even feel like finn didn’t display a ton of emotion either.
that being said, i didn’t hate it, but i didn’t love it either. i was a little disappointed, but at this point i wasn’t expecting much. it only makes me want to reread the original copies more.
the relationships between the characters are my favorite part, however it seems like finn and amanda are the only couple to actually have some sort of development. from the beginning, it’s clear that they like each other and it’s slowly been building up since. as for philby and willa, it’s been hinted but no real statements to indicate that they like each other. there have been comments and observations by other characters but that’s about it. there has been almost nothing that would have made me think maybeck and charlene liked each other, except for maybe a total of three lines in all six books. this means in the last chapter, when willa and charlene kiss the boys to wake them up, it seemingly comes out of nowhere. if i hadn’t read the original series, i probably would have been shocked and confused because there has been nothing in the previous books that led up to this.
my other problem was dillard. he has barely been in the series in general, and he’s supposed to be finn’s best friend. there’s supposed to be this tension because finn has other, “cooler” friends that dillard is jealous of, but there’s never any doubt that finn and dillard are incredibly close. this is what makes his death so impactful in the the original series. since him and finna have barely interacted in the rewrites, it’s hard to feel that sad about him dying in front of finn. i even feel like finn didn’t display a ton of emotion either.
that being said, i didn’t hate it, but i didn’t love it either. i was a little disappointed, but at this point i wasn’t expecting much. it only makes me want to reread the original copies more.