Book of War (Diadem Series) [Paperback]

John Peel (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Series: Diadem Series

Score, Pixel, and two unicorn friends accompany Helaine to Ordin - a medieval planet of high-brow nobles, oppressed peasants, and endless battles over land. Upon finding her home, Castle Votrin, under siege by the Border Lords, Helaine vows to make it up to her father. With help from Jenna - a pretty, spell-working healer with a crush on Pixel - they struggle against angry villagers, giant insects, and pillaging soldiers to find a way to save Helaine's home and her family honour

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John Peel was born in 1954 in Nottingham, England. He attended Nottingham University and began his writing career as the editorial assistant for England's Apparel Production and Marketing. He later worked as a comic-strip writer for Marvel Comics in London, and was until recently the overseas television critic for England's Starburst magazine. Since immigrating to the U.S.A. in 1981, John Peel has worked as a contributing writer and editor for numerous media-based magazines. He now writes novels full-time from his home on Long Island, where he resides with his wife, Nan, their wirehair fox terrier, Dashiell, their orange, spotted tabby, Amika, and their miniature pinschers, Loki (aptly named after the Norse god of mischief and destruction), Bartleby, Shadow, Reggie, Tievel, Rocky, Anubis Princess and Lady Penelope.

He has just sold his first film script, Haunting Adrian, which is expected to commence shooting in the near future.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: Llewellyn Publications; First Thus edition (May 8, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738706116
• ISBN-13: 978-0738706115
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #936,875 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Waited a long time, and glad of it., June 26, 2005

By 

Alicca (MA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Book of War (Diadem Series) (Paperback)

Honestly? I adored this book. I read it when I was what, 9? Now I'm 17 and it still had me grinning from ear to ear, including on the very last page. Peel doesn't write in that annoying Dick and Jane style, and so even though it's a kids book it's enjoyable for everyone.

The three voyage to Helaine's home, where her father is under attack. Even though the welcome is not warm, the trio decide to help. Pixel goes on a quest with the peasent girl Jenna they discover, who was almost stoned as a witch and appears quite as powerful as the others. Score and Helaine head in another direction as Helaine strives to please her father.

There was also romance in a completely non-cheesy way that I loved. Pixel and Jenna immediately hit in off, and there were plenty of Score/Helaine moments, which kept me grinning. It zipped by, and I cannot wait for the Book of Oceans to be out. Read this. If the style changed a bit, it's because the author changed, and as most of the original readers are probably about my age, I bet you'll still love it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Really Fun, May 14, 2007

By 

Karl Shook (Chicago Illinois) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Book of War (Diadem Series) (Paperback)

Helaine wants to travel back to her home world of Ordin. Score, Pixel, and their unicorn friends, Flame and Smoke decide to go with her. Ordin is a medieval world and they arrive to find her father's castle surrounded by armies preparing to lay siege to it. When they arrive Smoke saves a young magic user named Jenna from being stoned for being a witch. He brings her to the group. There is instant friction between Helaine and Jenna, because Helaine is a nobel and Jenna is a peasent. The story has great excitement and tension as the team tries to save Helaine's family, but they have to figure out why they should.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Clunky and overly simplistic, January 12, 2007

By 

Long Van Vu - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Book of War (Diadem Series) (Paperback)

The book reads like a rough draft that the author meant to fix but never did. The other six book had a sense of newness and wonder in them that this one didn't have. Stuff were dumbed down (i.e. unicorn horn only negates magic up to a point) and events happening in the last half seemed rushed and underdeveloped. The ending is particularly offensive in its simpleminded resolution.

Worst of all are the three characters: they just didn't GROW at all in this book. John Peel basically took their main character traits and he magnified them to the EXTREME: Pixel is now a lovesick teen, Heleine is uber Xena Princess and every word that comes out of Score's mouth is a wisecrack (I swear that half the book is just him making lame jokes, I don't remember the character being this annoying).

The whole thing just didn't flow right, including the writing style, which is inconsistent. Medieval characters started out speaking in old style speech one moment and suddenly saying "okay" in another, which is distracting.

It's a shame, cause the idea behind the book had so much potential. I'll be checking out the rest of the book in the series just to see what happens, but this one is a huge disappointment.