Customer Reviews

Island of Fog (Book 1)

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4 star:		(1)
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I've been meaning to review Island of Fog for some time, since reading it a few months ago. I've also been lucky enough to get a sneak preview of the sequel, Labyrinth of Fire, which is also a brilliant read. Keith Robinson creates a very believable, witty, action-packed world on the 'Island of Fog', where Hal and his friends have grown up without seeing sunlight and where they seem to be isolated from the outside world. When Hal and his friend Robbie find a hole in the forest the fog is apparently coming out of, the mystery starts. But not only do they have to deal with the idea of the fog and whether their parents have been lying to them all this time, they and their classmates also seem to be physically changing into different creatures...

The link between the changes, the fog and why the children and their parents are effectively marooned on the small island all becomes clear as the story hurtles on at breakneck pace. This is a superb book for children, with plenty of action, mystery and humour as well as great characterisation of Hal and his friends, and a very detailed plot that will keep any reader involved with the story. Hal is one of the most likeable characters I have met in children's fiction, and the reader will feel involved with him right to the end.

The best thing about Island of Fog is that it's only the first of a series. Hal and his friends solve the mystery in this book, but that only leads to more questions, and more action in the sequel Labyrinth of Fire. Both are truly excellent books for young people in the best tradition of children's fiction - I'll be buying anything else Keith Robinson writes.

i purchased this book for myself 1st to make sure it was a alright for my 12 year old son to read.. i loved it! couldn't put it down.. im happy to say my son sat and spent ALL of his free time reading it, then came and asked, or should i say begged for the other books in the set.. i believe getting a 12 year old to give up all his free time willingly is all i need to say.. so im just about to buy the other 3 books in this set..

I read a lot of young adult fantasy. I've been through all of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson and numerous others. I worked in the children's department of a Barnes and Noble, so I'm familiar with several that I haven't even read. The entire Island of Fog series deserves a place on those shelves. I have a special spot for them on mine, now. They are fantastic books with great characters and a gripping plot that is both mysterious and exciting. If you're a fan of the genre, than these books are a must read.

I love young adult fiction and make no excuses for it. I eagerly awaited the arrival of my copy of Island of Fog but when it arrived I was suddenly nervous because I really wanted to like it. I tentatively stepped into the prologue, let out the breath I was holding and launched into the first chapter. Now my book has a distinct bend in the middle from being stuck under my arm while I tended to my life of the last 3 days. What a great adventure Keith Robinson took me on. In keeping with the tradition of young adult fiction, Island of Fog brings together a group of young people who have to solve a mystery in order to save themselves and those they love.

Twelve year old Hal and Robbie are best friends and live in a small community on a green lush island. The outside world is not known to them, their parents exiled themselves when the world was ravaged by a deadly virus. Despite being marooned, their island life, up till now, has been ideal but now in their teens they start to question their surroundings. They crave things they have only heard about, they crave adventure and something new, they crave the sun and the moon. The sun and moon are never seen on their island because the island is covered in a thick impenetrable fog. Hal, Robbie and the other teenagers on the island are getting restless. They are adolescents and like all adolescents are going through physical and mental changes. They are becoming adults, getting taller, stronger, and forming crushes. They are growing hair in strange places but is it normal to grow it on your fingers, is it normal to be itching all day, is it normal to have a green scaly rash or sharp fangs. Should they show their parents? Can they trust their parents, whose explanations don't seem convincing anymore? Can they trust the strange outsider who arrives, unaffected by the virus and conveniently, at the same time as their physical changes? They know they aren't being told the truth and set out to find it.

Island of Fog travels along at an enjoyable pace and the suspense has you hungry for each page turn. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and love that young adult fiction can take you off on a great adventure without you being muddied up by `adult themes'. Island of Fog ends but the story is certainly not wrapped up and I searched the last few blank pages with hope of finding an excerpt of the next book. So, Keith Robinson, thank you for Island of Fog and as I can feel a series coming on, I sit, eagerly awaiting book two.

Keith Robinson's novel, Island of Fog, is one of those miraculous rarities. Like Elizabeth George Speare's The Witch of Blackbird Pond and Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time, the book appeals both to juvenile and adult readers. Younger readers will enjoy the work's abundant action and eccentric humor, while adults will be captivated by Island of Fog's explorations of such mature themes as trust, paranoia, and self-reliance in a world gone tragically awry.

The plot centers around Hal Franklin, a boy on the cusp of adolescence. In many ways, Hal is a typical boy, frustrated by bullying, wisecracking classmates, numbing school assignments, and growing responsibilities at home. However, Hal lives in an extraordinary setting. He, along with his parents, a small number of peers, and their parents as well, reside on a small, drab island that is at all times engulfed by an impenetrable fog. They are refugees, supposedly the only survivors of a modern world destroyed by some mysterious ecological catastrophe. These survivors- without electricity and other conveniences- eke out a living managing small farms.

The weirdness doesn't end there. Hal and his best friend, Robbie, go out wandering through the woods, bored, restless youths eager for excitement. They find it. To their astonishment, they find that the fog comes from a mysterious hole in the ground. Should they cover up the hole and see the sunshine for the first time in their lives? Before they decide what to do, they are run off by a bizarre sphinx-like creature called a manticore. Hal and Robbie are understandably terrified, but their restlessness continues unabated. For them, getting away from the island becomes a bleak obsession. They concoct a crude raft, hoping to reach the mainland, but up comes a massive sea serpent from the dark depths of the ocean. They expect to die, but the protective monster merely nudges them back to shore. Again, they are shaken up, but their curiosity and restlessness continue to grow.

To make matters seemingly worse, a beautiful stranger arrives. The jittery parents instruct the children to obey her at all costs. She takes an intense interest in the children although it's apparent that she doesn't really care for kids all that much. She asks them if unusual things are happening to their bodies- which they are. With a mixture of fascination and dread, Hal, Robbie, precocious Abigail, timid Dewey, and the other kids are slowly, rather imperceptibly, transforming into monsters. The stranger- Miss Simone- also hints that, in return for their cooperation, she'll whisk them all away to a fantastic, sunny new world. Should they trust the aloof Simone? Is she their friend, or does the probing woman want to lock them away in a laboratory? Such questions lead to intelligent, but entertaining, meditations on fear, civil disobedience, and rebellion.

It's an odd, unorthodox narrative, but it is deeply satisfying. Robinson's enthusiasm for his work can be found on every page, and his crisp, simple writing style makes reading the book fun and easy to read. Robinson does deal with some weighty issues, but his droll sense of humor keeps the mood light.

At times, the book seems rather cluttered. It brims with subplots and is full of dragons, mermaids, centaurs, goblins, and other legendary creatures. Fantasy readers will love such details, but general ones might find it all to be a bit confusing. In addition, Robinson uses too much dialogue at times. He should be more mindful of the literary rule of "show, don't tell." Still, it's an enjoyable, quick, engaging book, and it comes highly recommended.


---Jonathan Maxwell, the author of Murderous Intellectuals: German Elites and the Nazi SS

ISLAND OF FOG by Keith Robinson is a wonderfully constructed, well-paced fantasy, with just enough realism to make it all believable.

The two main characters, Hal and Robbie, are likeable twelve year olds, and are perfectly depicted as they interact with each other, their friends, the school bully, and their parents.

Their situation is unusual, and they know it. The island is forever shrouded in fog, yet stories of life before moving there tell of sunshine and blue skies. Longing to experience this firsthand, the two friends set out to block the `fog-hole' - the cave that seems to be the source of the fog. Their first attempt is what starts this story in motion.

Things are changing for the eight children on the island, which is becoming noticeable to them. Well, most of them. Enter Abigail. The slightly annoying girl has a secret she wants to share with Hal, and him alone. This takes effort, but she finally gets him alone, his attention undivided. Even when faced with proof, Hal doesn't believe what he sees, or at least that he is destined for the same fate.

Soon, however, especially after an attack in Black Woods, Hal accepts what is happening, and uses his and his friends' unique circumstances to get to the bottom of the mysteries of the island once and for all. Have their parents been lying to them? Have their parents been lied to by the mysterious stranger who suddenly shows up? What really happened to the people Out There, on the mainland?

All questions are answered in this amazing action-packed tale, leaving you both satisfied and thirsty for more.

Everything is described in vivid detail, giving the reader a clear vision of locations and characters, and the dialog is spot-on, bringing the people to life. You come to care about them as if they were your children, your friends, or your neighbors. You are drawn in from the start, wanting to know what is happening, rooting for them as dangerous situations present themselves. I shared their concerns, their suspicions, and most importantly, their desire to learn the truth.

This novel is sure to capture your attention, whether you are nine years old or ninety-nine, or any age in between. I highly recommend ISLAND OF FOG, and am personally looking forward to the postman delivering the sequel, LABYRINTH OF FIRE.

Bought both Island of Fog and Labyrinth of Fire and must say I was impressed. Quite an interesting read and even though it says for children (much like the Harry Potter books) it is a good read for adults as well. Quite good work from an up and coming author. Look forward to more.

The Island of fog book is wonderful, and I know the next 3 books in the series will not disappoint! I am a huge fan of fantasy, and have spend 30+ years with a book in my hand most of those years. Keith is the kind of author that either makes you glad you found out about his series while more books in the series have already been written, or makes you angry that you have to wait for them to write another one. Thankfully Keith puts them out very quickly so I can enjoy almost non stop reading from him.

I am sure you will not be disappointed in his style of writing or his books!

This is asolutely a great read. The story is very well written an the characters come to life right from the start. I felt like I was on the island with the kids. This author has written a story that captures the imagination. This story kept me on the edge of seat.

Interesting characters, compelling story, and a unique setting all add up to a very positive reader experience with "Island of Fog". Technically "written for kids", as an adult aficionado of YA/middle-grade literature, I found this book to be perfectly satisfying -- in the same way I've enjoyed the Harry Potter books or similarly targeted works by Neil Gaiman. In short, it's a perfect pass-along sf/f read for your kid after you're finished with it. I'll be downloading the next two books in this series very soon.