The Land of Elyon #3: Tenth City [Hardcover]

Patrick Carman (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: The Land of Elyon

The final thrilling installment of the NYT-bestselling Land of Elyon trilogy!

The Land of Elyon has begun to fail, poisoned by the evil that creeps across the Dark Hills and into Bridewell.
As she moves toward a thrilling conclusion, Alexa must find a way to overcome the Lonely Sea, rescue Yipes from the clutches of Victor Grindall, and unlock the mystery of the Tenth City.
But can she find the answers she needs in time to save The Land of Elyon?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-6–In this final volume in the series, the nasty overlord, Grindall, and his band of ogres have kidnapped Alexa's miniature friend, Yipes. Now Alexa is traveling over the seas with her motley crew of animal, giant, and human companions to save him. She makes some daring escapes, placates some wild creatures, and must defeat Grindall and his supernatural master, the fallen Abaddon. At the end, she and her companion get a glimpse of the heavenly Tenth City wherein lies the good creator, Elyon. The book draws more heavily on Christian imagery and religion than the previous titles and has some distinct similarities to C. S. Lewis's Narnia tales, especially at the end. Unlike the first two books, this one does not stand alone. Purchase where the series has proven popular.–Elizabeth Bird, New York Public Library
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About the Author

Patrick Carman makes his home in the wilderness of eastern Washington and insists that it is a rather ordinary home and is not, in fact, surrounded by stone walls. He divides his time between writing, public speaking, spending time with his wife and two daughters, reading, fly fishing, para-gliding, and snowboarding. Before writing his first novel, Carman helped to create board games, websites, a mentoring program, and a radio music show.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Orchard Books; 1St Edition edition (May 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439876907
• ISBN-13: 978-0439700955
• ASIN: 0439700957
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #363,791 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I have been a lifelong writer and storyteller. Salem, Oregon is where I spent my formative years and I graduated from Willamette University. After college, I spent a decade living in Portland, Oregon where I worked in advertising, game design, and technology.

I've written young adult and children's books for Scholastic, Little Brown Books For Young Readers and Katherine Tegen Books/ HarperCollins Publishers.

I've been fortunate enough to have had some bestselling series work: The Land of Elyon, Atherton, Elliot's Park, 39 Clues, and Skeleton Creek. Here's a fun note...the books have been translated into approximately two dozen languages. Currently I'm developing a few new-media projects. Check out DARK EDEN to experience this type of cross-platform project.

When I'm not writing or creating a story, I spend my free time supporting literacy campaigns and community organizations, fly fishing, playing basketball and tennis, doing crosswords, watching movies, dabbling in video games, reading (lots), and (more than anything else) spending time with my wife and two daughters.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I love amazon!, March 24, 2006

By 

Emily Writer - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Land of Elyon #3: Tenth City (Hardcover)

I love amazon for buying books...The tenth city wasn't suposed to be released until may 1st and I got it in march! I've read it and the book looks shorter than the previous ones but it has greater adventure than the first two books put together! I wish the series didn't have to end but this is a great book to end it with.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Carman completes the series with a bang, May 31, 2006

By 

A Customer (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Land of Elyon #3: Tenth City (Hardcover)

"No evil can resist the power of love forever."
- Wise words from Warvold

Alexa, now a gangly 13-year-old adventurer, gets ready to fight the battle of a lifetime as she and her friends sail across the Lonely Sea upon the ship, Warwick Beacon. While they know that they face many dangers, they have little understanding of what all this ultimately will mean to them. Hoping to rescue her dear little friend Yipes and set free Elyon from the fallen Seraph Abaddon and the evil Victor Grindall with his horrible ogres, they move ahead with both courage and fear. One major difference is that Alexa now carries the very last magical Jocasta stone. It is through the Jocasta stone that she is able to talk with her animal friends. And it is the Jocasta stone that can make all the difference in the outcome of the great battle of good and evil ahead.

Again in the company of Murphy, the highly nervous squirrel, her faithful wolf companion Odessa, the soaring hawk Squire, and the gentle giant Armon, they fight all manner of evil together as they are set upon by black swarms (bats) and stinking, robot-like ogres. There is the horror of a traitor among them and their greatest sacrifice yet as their beloved Warvold is thrown to his death by Grindall and the ogres. In a twisted yet brilliant plot, Alexa manages to fool and rid their world of the terrible forces of Abaddon and Grindall --- leading them to their deaths before they destroy Elyon or the Tenth City.

As the final chapters close on this strange but unforgettable little group, many truths are revealed. Alexa learns that the beauty of the mystical Tenth City will always be there for her. She also learns that Elyon is restored to its beauty once more and that she and her friends will have yet more adventures. But most important to this curious, brave young girl is a personal discovery that will help her determine where her love of adventure comes from.

This third and final book in The Land of Elyon trilogy is perhaps the best yet. Again Patrick Carman manages to pull in many important contemporary issues of environment, lust and power. His characters are diverse with both good and bad qualities. For the necessary flow and understanding, this is the kind of series that would be better read from the beginning.

--- Reviewed by Sally M. Tibbetts ([e-mail])

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Okay... if you really want to read a religious allegory, April 26, 2006

By 

Sterling Koch "Sterling" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Land of Elyon #3: Tenth City (Hardcover)

I have to admit I was disappointed with this one, though I generally enjoyed the previous two. The story was alright, though I didn't feel like it drew me in as much as the first two did (I still think that the first one was actually the best). What disappointed me most, though, was the over-the-top religious allegory employed throughout. I'm a Christian and enjoy the Chronicles of Narnia (which, as C.S. Lewis often pointed out, was not an allegory at all), etc, but when the story only seems to exist to explain the existence and nature of "Elyon" (God), it just gets lame. There's some little 'insights' about Elyon in this book that don't have anything to do the story and it just slows things down. It's like the author just sat there trying to think of ways to make the story fit whatever it was he wanted us to know about God/Elyon.
That being said, I like the characters and the Tenth City/Heaven thing was touching, and I do hope the author does another one about the further adventures, without the need for a Bible study in the middle of it.