Erec Rex: The Monsters of Otherness (Erec Rex) (Erec Rex) [Hardcover]

Kaza Kingsley (Author), John Paine (Editor), Melvyn Grant (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 18, 2007 | Age Range: 9 and up | Series: Erec Rex (Book 2)

Chaos reigns in Alypium. The baby dragons have disappeared. King Piter has lost the trust of his people. Balor and Damon Stain will become the new rulers unless Erec Rex agrees to return and challenge them. Erec can't allow the evil twins to take over. But he knows if he becomes king, the power of the royal scepter could destroy him completely. As Erec performs the deadly quests he learns more about himself and his past. He discovers that the right path brings many risks and few rewards. When he delves into the very Substance that holds our world together, he must summon all of his strengths just to stay alive. Until Aoquesth, the dragon, gives him the biggest gift of all. The adventure continues in Kaza Kingsley's riveting sequel to the best-selling The Dragon's Eye. Follow Erec as he faces delicious villains, a harrowing battle, a secret admirer, missing memory shops, angry mobs, reincarnated ancestors, and ultimate sacrifice. The story is a wild ride of danger and thrills, where we , along with Erec, find out who the real monsters are.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Kaza Kingsley won't let down fans of Erec Rex with this lively, imaginative sequel to The Dragon's Eye. It's a rollicking good read, with many layers that unfold into a captivating ending. The engaging characters, suspense, humor and vivid descriptions make it a great book for all ages. -- Maria Schneider, Editor-in-Chief, Writers Digest

Monsters of Otherness is an awesome adventure, full of twists and turns, cool characters, mystery, and a lot of fun. Erec follows his heart when it's not an easy thing to do, and goes against the odds to do what's right. This is a wildly exciting book with pedal to the metal attitude! -- Devon Werkheiser, "Ned," Star of Nickelodeon's "Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide"

The Monsters of Otherness is a truly captivating story. Every time you turn the page, you find yourself wondering what Erec Rex is going to do next. All the elements of a great story are included, from adventure to fantasy, with just the right amount of friendship. This is a new favorite for me! -- Allen Alvarado, star of Discovery Kids' "Flight 29 Down"

The story is a worthy addition to the fantasy genre; the hero is compelling and the quests require bravery, intelligence and agility from Erec and his friends. The characters elicit strong responses from the readers: kinship for Erec as he struggles to adapt to a new world, admiration for Bethany's intelligence and loyalty, disgust at Baskania's body bulging with stolen eyes. Young readers will be intrigued by a world filled with magic, friendship and thought-provoking adventures. -- Children's Literature

[Erec Rex is] buoyed up by unusually clever details - paper mail delivered by snails, for instance, and a magic toilet dubbed Al's Well into which Erec has to reach to receive his [quests.] That, along with a notably quirky supporting cast and plenty of heroic behavior, combines to carry readers through. -- Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Kaza Kingsley is a writer, artist and singer who loves travel and adventure, especially in dangerous and mystical realms. Kaza is also a movie buff and loves to read on those rare occasions that she has the time. When she is not off exploring, she can be found in Cincinnati with her loving family. . .although she may be dreaming of the stars.

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Product Details

• Age Range: 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 349 pages
• Publisher: Firelight Press, Inc.; 1 edition (September 18, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0978655575
• ISBN-13: 978-0978655570
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #577,796 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The amazing Erec Rex strikes again!!! September 26, 2007

By S. Baskin

Format:Hardcover

Erec Rex and the Monsters of Otherness is AMAZING!!! Absolutely stupendous! The plot thickens with every turn. I don't want to ruin the book for you but I will say that with every page read, and every dilemma solved another even more interesting mystery is created in its place. This causes the reader to be sucked into the world of Apium. A world where clouds like snacks are a regular dish, everyone has a magical ability, and a cloud of mystery awaits our hero Erec at every turn. This book will have you glued to your seat until the inevitable end, which will leave you anxiously awaiting the third installment in the series.
This book will be compared to Harry Potter, The Lightning Thief, The Nightmare Academy and so many other outstanding books it becomes so much more. Kara Kingsley creates a brand new world, different than anything ever seen before. Colorful imagery, enchanting descriptions, and lovable characters will lead this book to great success.
My advice is to get it as soon as it comes out!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, too many unsolved mysteries December 11, 2007

By Leora

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Erec Rex is filled with action right from the start, just like its predecessor. It has some new and interesting characters, the most notable among them being Rosco Croc, Oscar's tutor. Rosco had a great beginning; but what happened to him in the end was extremely predictable. My biggest problem with the book was that, just like its predecessor, it had many unanswered questions. All that this book did was open up more questions without answers. The book's ending improved greatly over The Dragon's Eye, it didn't fell rushed at all. Overall, this book was an improvement, although it still kept many questions unanswered.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Erec Rex, Monsters of Otherness November 28, 2007

By M. Fried

Format:Hardcover

Another home run from Kingsley. This is another great book in the Erec Rex series. Perfect for holiday gifts.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Exciting Book Number 2! November 27, 2007

By A. Kraus

Format:Hardcover

Monsters of Otherness is most defiantly a pager turner and a must read for anyone who loves a great adventure.As Erec performs the deadly quests to be king, he discovers that the right path brings many risks and few rewards. Follow Erec in The Monsters of Otherness as he faces delicious villains, a harrowing battle, a secret admirer, missing memory shops, angry mobs, reincarnated ancestors, and ultimate sacrifice.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Erec Rex As Good As Ever February 26, 2011

By Ax20

Format:Paperback

Erec Rex's journey/battle to become king isn't over yet. He's got to complete the twelve tasks first. Which are bad enough as it is, because they can be life threatening and not as simple as they sound. But worse is that the Stain Brothers and Rock Rayson are allowed to partake as well, along with a barrage of attacks from Baskania. Erec quickly learns that not everything is as it seems and not everyone is who they claim to be. Who can Erec trust and how can he protect the ones he loves? And worse, what if he does become king? He will get a scepter with powers so great that it will ultimately destroy him.

I've realized that one of the things I'm really enjoying about this series is the "competition" element. Life is competition, whether at work, school, in a game, we are always trying to be the best in whatever group we're in. But when the stakes are high, people will often take extreme action and go to extreme lengths to win. (This is why reality competition shows are so fascinating. Think about the lies and betrayals that people have pulled off in shows like Survivor. How many people would do those things in real life? Like the guy who lied about his grandmother dying to garner sympathy...) Here, the competition is about power and the question is, how much should you sacrifice to win? How much do you resort to the tactics of the other side? Erec must answer these questions and more as he seeks to complete each of his tasks.

Erec expected his tasks to be difficult, but he did not expect to discover the city of Alypium against him-they believe he cheated, has enchanted King Piter, and is trying to steal the throne-and the people he cares about most lying to him. Each clue seems straight forward, but as Erec (often with Bethany's help) learns, they are not so simple.... Each task is meant to demonstrate the qualities that a king requires to rule so while Task One may be open the dragon eggs, the test is not simply whether of not to open them but what to do next. And when Task Two is to stop the monsters, who are the monsters that need to be stopped and how do you stop them?

There is no end to the surprise and mystery in this series. I have some theories about Erec's background, but I'm equally sure that Kingsley will have some more surprises in store. Read more ›

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Monsters of Otherness January 18, 2010

By Imelda A, Yoon

Format:Kindle Edition

I think the Monsters of otherness is amazing. I am in 4th grade and I love it. It is a very exciting book. It made me want to curl up in bed and read the entire day away.It is defintely the best book I ever read.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Erec Rex is at it again! September 23, 2009

By Samantha Clanton

Format:Paperback

When I started the second book in the Erec Rex series, I wasn't really sure what to expect. There were all kinds of things I already knew should happen, things I wanted to see happen, but there were some things I really didn't see coming.

It's been a month since the contests ended and Erec has spent that month in "Upper Earth" recuperating with his family, at least until he receives a letter from his friend, Bethany, that says he must return to Alyphium and begin the quests - or he will forfeit his rights to be king. And with the Stain brothers and Rock Rayson gunning for becoming the next kings, Erec cannot have that happen.

Erec returns unaware of what how public opinion views him, King Piter, and the events that happened the month before. The public believes that Erec is an imposter, that he tricked the Lia Fail, and that the three other boys are the rightful winners of the contests. Erec also returns with the internal debate of whether he can handle the scepter or if the power of the scepter will destroy him.

There are many twists and adventures that Erec encounters, some planned, some not. The quests are deadly and terrifying, but as Erec continues them he learns more and more about himself and about the magical world he has entered. There's also the matter of all the baby dragons have gone missing and finding them in time to save them and finding out who has taken them.

Erec also has to delve into The Substance, the very thing that holds their world together, the very magic that encompasses their entire lives. There is something about this world that Erec is drawn into that just seems to encapsulate the reader's attention.... The creatures, the people, the places all seem like something straight out of the imagination of someone that's read too many fairy tales, but that's because they basically are. And it's a good thing!

This book could possibly stand on its own, because Ms. Kingsley does seem to go back and do a bit of a recap about things, which I see as a good thing especially for someone that doesn't go into reading the book directly after the first one.

Along with the adventures, there is still plenty of humor and the characters are taken deeper with this book. I have now officially found myself involved in another series that is going to keep me waiting for the next book. It's easy to become involved with the story and care about the characters, I even found myself beginning to tear up at a few parts.

There is something for everyone within this book, whether it's adventure, family, friendship, amusement, or just a story you can get lost in. Most of the time, the second book in a series lacks from the first, and while this one does a little, it doesn't disappoint and still left me wanting more. I found myself with more questions than I started with and most of them were different questions!

So while I did get some questions answered, there were a lot that I was left with. There are six more books slated for the series, so there is plenty of time to get my questions answered! And I can't wait to find these answers. There is so much good about this series so far, that I already know I will spend the next few years involved in these characters - and I can't wait! Read more ›