4 stars
| This is quite an impressive book, especially for a first novel. I found this in the Little Free Library and was instantly pulled in by the amazing cover art. Once I started reading, I was also pleased to see the fantastic artwork continued throughout the book. They were all gorgeous to look at and really added to the aesthetic of the book. This story is such am amazing mash-up of steampunk, dragons, spies, and dinosaurs. Oh, yeah, and it all takes place on Mars. A very unique combination that works well. The story itself is a fairly standard one in terms of Indian Jones-style adventure stories, however the main character, Edward Sullivan, a twelve-year-old who loves such adventure and spy stories, adds a new twist in being thrown into a world that he has always dreamed of and finding it’s quite different in real life. Such a fantastic story of adventure, family, and growth. I loved the characters and the settings and really enjoyed watching the characters connect and mature as the novel progressed. This is the first book in the series. It wraps up nicely at the end and feels fully-contained, but also makes the reader want to continue the adventure. I am always slightly disappointed by books that end on such a cliff hanger that it seems like it isn’t even a full story. This one has a good balance and sets up the next book nicely. A spectacular read that I really enjoyed. I will definitely be reading the second book in this series. Goodreads |