Customer Reviews

Landon Snow and the Auctor's Riddle (Landon Snow, Book 1)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Could it be chance, mere circumstance that I ended up reading Book One of the Landon Snow series? No, certainly not.This book found its way into my hands, and I fell into it. Yep -- I got swallowed in, just like I'd been warned by the back cover of the book: "Don't Fall In: This Book May Swallow." I started it, and I couldn't stop...page after page of pure adventure.

Why? The characters and the writing are absolutely delightful. Mortenson's prose dances across the page -- you hardly notice the words because they pull you into the story so completely. He's a master of metaphor -- and dialogue -- writing that makes the English teacher in me breathe a sigh of relief: "This is good."

Who is Landon Snow? He's an ordinary kid from Minneapolis, Minnesota, heading to his grandparents' house to celebrate his 11th birthday. He can't wait to taste his Grandma's lemon bars and to visit the huge library there.

I love the relationship Landon shares with his two sisters -- girl readers will definitely be charmed by Bridget and Holly. The action begins in a modern setting, with the three siblings jockeying for window seats to ride in his dad's sedan -- his mom's SUV is in the shop. How many parents can relate to that? Holly passes the time counting seventeen water towers and five Dairy Queens.

Here's how we're introduced to Landon's inner thoughts: Mortenson writes, "Landon liked to have reasons for everything. But he tried not to ask too many questions. Instead, he came up with reasons on his own. It felt good to explain things...If he knew the reason for something, he was happy."

Readers who enjoy mystery and suspense will love the plot centering around the Auctor's Riddle -- a rhyme that leads Landon on a journey into a brave new fantastic world. He receives a Dream-Stone as a gift for his birthday, which he grasps in his hand as he discovers a secret doorway behind a bookcase in his grandfather's study. Narnia fans won't be disappointed -- the world beyond the bookcase is enchanting indeed.

This is a book I'm thrilled to have for my family to read. I love the packaging -- with the brown font and incredible, top-quality illustrations. It's a long-lasting hardback, like a Lemony Snicket -- that can withstand the wear and tear of backpacks and many readers.

My family loves the fiction of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, and now we're thrilled to find a modern-day storyteller as gifted as Mortenson. The vocabulary is rich and stimulating, not dumbed down to bore intelligent readers. And since I know a little about the author's background as a navy chaplain, I trust that his Landon Snow series will help build up my children's faith in God.

We're swallowed in now...waiting for Book 2 to continue us on with the journey. Coming soon: LANDON SNOW AND THE SHADOWS OF MALUS QUIDAM!

P.S. Now the question is: How can this book get into the Accelerated Reader program so kids can read it and earn AR points?

At first glance I was a little skeptical about this book. I had heard it was to be an alternative for Lemony Snicket and other such stories and I feared it would lack orginanlity and freshness.

My assumption was completely wrong. The story is intriguing and keeps you wondering what's going to happen next. You feel for the characters and want to know how every one makes it out in the end.

The story starts with a frustrated young Landon plauged with doubts as to whether the world was created for a reason...or was it all "chance, mere circumstance?" Landon, on the night of his 11th birthday, finds a mysterious passage leading from his grandfather's study to the local library. Inside the library Landon discovers talking books and the Auctor's Riddle Part 1. After taking a plunge into "The Book of Meaning" Landon is transported to a completely different world. In this new world Landom finds living, breathing chess pieces, strange little men named Odds, and the Auctor himself.

An intrguinging and engaging book, filled with endearing characters, intriguing riddles, and beautiful illustrations. I had to look in the front of the book to discover that the illustrator was Cory Godbey. His lovely work only furthers the reader's enjoyment of the story.

I'm excitedly anticipating the next book in the series! Coming out next spring!

My son received this book as a birthday present last summer. I began reading it aloud to him but he jumped into it between times. I confess that I took it too my own room to finish the story after the first reading! I loved this book for it's great adventure and wonderful morals that are "magical" instead of "preachy". It sits right next to his Chronicles of Narnia. We now have the first three books in the series and are eagerly awaiting the fourth! :)

I am overjoyed that Christian publishers finally seem to be getting it. Christian children should have quality books to read. Quality in content and in packaging.

Landon Snow is quality. The artwork on this paper-over-board cover is fantastic. The weathered leather look, the funny, colorful pictures--excellent work. Inside, the book's thick, creamy pages give a "substantial" feel to the reading experience, while the brown print and pictures hint that herein lies a story rare and wonderful.

Congratulations to Barbour for realizing that reading is more than letters on a page. Just as paper is better than a monitor, so is thick, creamy paper preferable to pulp. Landon Snow looks and feels fantastic. This is a book you'll want to give as a gift and kids will want to get the whole set and display it proudly on their favorites' shelf. (There will be a whole set, won't there? Please tell me there are more of these delightful books coming.) And yet Barbour managed to keep the cost down. Perfect packaging decisions!

What about the writing? Does it live up to the packaging?

Mr. Mortenson is obviously an intelligent and witty guy. His characters are well rounded and interesting and the world that swallows Landon is well developed.

I have only one criticism of the book and that is that there were a couple of slow chapters early on. Landon was by himself and it's hard to get to know a character well when he is not interacting with other characters. The book really took off when Landon hooked up with his faithful companion, Melech. In the interaction between these two, their personalities were fully displayed. From that point on the book never stumbled.

The thought provoking riddle, the laughable odds, the color, the language, the rhythm and flow--all excellent. Mortenson proves to be a master at weaving wit and wisdom together with sympathetic characters and an exciting adventure to give us a truly satisfying read.

Over all, a wonderful book. I eagerly await future volumes.

Landon Snow, on a trip to visit his grandparents, finds himself transported into a magical world beyond the library. In it he discovers talking books, chess pieces that come to life, and trying to find out what is the meaning of the Book his grandfather keeps talking about. Strange clues and riddles keep him on his toes during his search. Will he find out the answer to what is the meaning of everything?

I read this book mainly because it was highly touted as a Christian alternative to Harry Potter. Since I am a huge Harry Potter fan, I was curious as to see whether or not this book could live up to the hype. Well, if I was just going to compare the two, I find myself slightly disappointed. This book is nothing like Harry Potter, if anything it's more Lemony Snicket where you learn things while you're reading. There is lots of imagery in this book, a lot which might go over the head of little kids. I must admit, I got confused quite a bit while reading this book, so I can only imagine how a 12 year old might react to it. I don't find it too preachy although it it obvious about the Christian elements in the story. I did enjoy the bit with the horse, the chess game did remind me of the scene in Harry Potter. I liked how he did indeed take the risk and jumped off the board. The scenes where Landon meets up with the books is enjoyable too. So my final verdict is, if you're looking for a good children's fantasy book I would highly recommend this. I just don't find it to be on par with Potter or even Lemony Snicket. If Just enjoy it for what it is. I got the children's librarian at our library to order the set, so hopefully the kiddies will enjoy it too.

This book is filled with wordplay, theology and fun. It has the orginality of "The Wizard of Oz" (The first truly American Fairy Tale) the playful nature of "The Phantom Tollbooth" and the heart of "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe." Mortenson has crafted a truly original tale in a fresh, exciting fantasy land. There are no cutesy fairies or stereotypical elves here. It would take too long to explain it all. Read the book and discover it for yourself. You won't be disappointed.

I enjoyed this book, as it is a promising start to a new fantasy series--so don't get me wrong when I point out the negatives in this book. I really did enjoy it.

Landon Snow starts off fast and doesn't slow down... much. The story itself is great, and the writing really flows, yet it seems as if R. K. Mortenson took a bit too much from Lemony Snicket in the way he starts off his chapters. After each Snicket-like chapter beginning, that influence fades away, making the feel of the book a bit inconsistent. However, I'm glad for this, because I did not get this book hoping for more Snicket, so just the fact that the majority of the book isn't under Snicket's influence is nice. (Btw, that's not a jab at Mr. Snicket, I love his series, but I wanted something new).

The Biblical message in "Landon Snow and the Auctor's Riddle" is strong, and carried out quite well for the most part. From about 1/4th of the way through the book until the end, the message of Faith is masterfully woven into the story, but a bit of the beginning of the book is a bit sloppy, unsubtle, and quite preachy. As a Christian, I appreciate a good and strong message in some books, but the portrayal of the Snow family makes the family seem utterly perfect, and the jab at evolution in the early chapters was tactless.

Now, onto the good stuff: Landon's interaction with Ditty was well-done, as was "young Landon's" relationship with Melech, a horse, was quite touching and was definitely one of the highlights of the book. Ludo seems to be a promising villain, and Vates a promising mentor, but there is little description about who these characters are, how they grew to oppose each other, and what the circumstances of their choices were. Perhaps the as-of-yet-unreleased books in the Landon Snow series will elaborate on these questions?

Perhaps the best part of this book was how closely the narrator followed Landon. Mortenson is a master at describing the way his character feels, humanizing the young boy and making him three dimensional, all the while sticking close to him. When Landon forgets someone's name, so does the narrator. When Landon is startled, the narrator might cry out in fear even if Landon does now. Well done, Mortenson, well done.

I do recommend this book, and the Christian message is strong, and whatever sour taste the preachy beginning chapters left me with faded by the end into a smile. Good book.

8/10

R. K. Mortenson fills these pages with the classic elements of this genre, but adds some Christian truths that cleverly connect the story to real life.

Landon Snow is an eleven-year-old boy with a lot of questions. His pursuit of truth gives him a love of books. When his family takes a trip to visit his grandparents, Landon looks forward to two things: eating his Grandma's lemon bars and visiting their town's gigantic library. However, when his Grandpa gets injured, Landon starts to think about the nature of accidents. He wonders if life itself is nothing more than chance.

The answer to this question comes in the form of a magical adventure. A door opens that leads him into the Book of Meanings. After being rescued by a chessboard knight, Landon finds himself riding a real horse that gallops into the next part of the journey. The fantasy world that he encounters is unique, refreshing, and a lot of fun! Every character contributes something to his quest, and every page takes him a little closer to the truth.

It's abundantly clear that the author knows both this genre and his audience. Imagination is the vehicle that takes readers on an expedition of excitement. The dialogue is filled with humor, puns, and some thought-provoking ideas coming from curious characters. As with any adventure, there is danger, enemies, and some paths that should be followed.

Yet, the most wonderful thing about this book is that Landon's fall into fantasy will help build up the faith of young readers. Landon Snow and the Auctor's Riddle is an excellent beginning to a new series that offers more than just entertainment. -- Joyce Handzo, Christian Book Previews.com

This was a wonderful book. My son was 11 when he read it and told me it was a quick read for him because he couldn't put it down. He love the fantasy & mystery of the book and said he would recommend it to all his friends (which he did!). Thanks for a great read, we're looking forward to the next adventures.

Landon Snow And The Auctor's Riddle is a great book. It has adventures of what happens to Landon Snow; and the setting is Landon Snow is at his grandma and grandpa's house; and then the bookcase suddenly opens; and that is just the start of his fantastic adventures. I liked it because it had a lot cool stuff and fantasy.