Customer Reviews

Archy The Flying Dolphin and The Vampire's Curse

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Life was one long, continuous bore for eleven year-old Thomas Parkinson, so he made a wish for some excitement. Soon he and his sister, Suzy, are whisked away to visit Uncle Fibber while their parents vacation in Hawaii.

When they arrive, their uncle scares them with a story about a curse placed by Victoria von Vampire, and soon they find themselves living that very curse. With the aid of Archy the Flying Dolphin, they go on a magical adventure in a desperate attempt to lift the curse and restore their world back to normal.

Thomas and Suzy finally come face to face with Victoria, and Thomas must make a decision that could land him and his sister in her famous Coffin Pot Stew.

Though some of the adventures are a bit scary, there isn't anything in this book that would cause nightmares for most kids. The action is fast and furious, and before the reader can blink, he'll find Thomas and Suzy in another precarious predicament.

Thomas and Suzy are often spectators, swept along by others in this adventure. It would have been more enjoyable to see them take a more active role in planning their escapes and making their next move.

If you're looking for lots of action and dramatic tension, you'll find this a good read. But this style leaves little room for character development, and you may find yourself wanting to know more about Thomas and his new best friend, Archy.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

Eleven-year-old Thomas Parkinson and his sister, Suzy, are dropped off by their parents to spend six weeks with Uncle Fibber. The kids do not want to be with Uncle Fibber though. They believe that the man is more than a bit crazy and their entire summer will be a boring waste.

Uncle Fibber is not as crazy as Thomas and Suzy first believed. Dangling from a support beam near the fireplace is a silver dolphin with a big red cape. Uncle Fibber tells them the tale of Victoria von Vampire who loved to boil kids in her Coffin Pot Stew. It is said that a vessel will someday rise from the deep to wreak vengeance. Anyone who dares set foot upon its deck shall invoke an evil curse. The dolphin, named Archy, acts as a guardian against all evil. Its cape is magic and will keep them safe.

Thomas and Suzy soon learn the story to be true and alight on a wondrous journey with Archy, the flying dolphin.

*** No need to worry about horrible nightmares if your kids read this chapter book. It has just enough spookiness to keep them riveted and is of-set with many amusing characters during Archy's journey. Hopefully this will turn out to be the first of a new series involving Archy. ***

Reviewed by Vanessa.

Archy The Flying Dragon & The Vampires' Curse is a children's fantasy/adventure... a roller-coaster ride of fun and excitement, where eleven year old Thomas Parkinson and his elder sister, Suzy, embark on a perilous voyage of discovery, where they confront the powerful forces of evil and where danger lurks around every mysterious corner.

My impression: It is a good read, and as expected, the forces of good and love win over the forces of evil (which help to bring out the universal love and are not thus really evil!). It being a fantasy, don't expect logic (I had to keep repeating to my grown up adult ego). I could not appreciate the parents flying off to Honolulu leaving the children in that isolated place with their Uncle, but then I am an Indian and my values are different.

Editing and printing: Good.

Recommendation: Good reading for children of ten years and above.

In this middle-reader (ages 10-14), Thomas and Suzy Parkinson are spending the summer visiting their Uncle Fibber in an isolated area near a beach. The kids are sure it will be a boring summer until Uncle Fibber tells them a scary story about a curse, a vampire, the never-ending darkness, and a magic dolphin. Wishing they could experience an adventure like the story, they run down to the beach to play and there find an old beached fishing trawler. Even though in Uncle Fibber's story, setting foot on an old fishing trawler is what starts the curse, they run to play on it-and suddenly find themselves living parts of the story. Are they really cursed or is this just some kind of weird dream?

I was disappointed in this story. The premise is good, and it has all the fun adventure aspects you would want to find in a good children's story. But somehow it just didn't grab my interest enough and engage me in the story. I never could relate to Thomas and Suzy and the transitions to each section of the story seem too abrupt. Even though the story is meant to be a fantasy, since I wasn't engaged, it seemed like too much and too unbelievable. The dolphin could have been a lot of fun but he just whisks into the picture and sweeps the kids off to the next section-there is no bonding or real interaction between the dolphin and the kids.

To be fair, I gave the book to my 10-year-old son but he also said it didn't hold his interest and he wouldn't finish reading it. I hate that. I really see good potential in this book. I hope the author will try again but smooth out the rough patches and do more in-depth character development so that the middle reader becomes involved with the characters.

Armchair Interviews says: When buying books for children, make sure they are age appropriate and will be enjoyed by your child