Landon Snow and the Island of Arcanum (Landon Snow, Book 3) [Hardcover]

R. K. Mortenson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2006 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Landon Snow finds himself on a wild adventure at sea. When a huge, ark-like vessel emerges, Landon-and his sisters-join a quest to find the Island of Arcanum, where the animals of Wonderwood are imprisoned. With the help of his old friends-a horse named Melech, elfish valley folk, a girl named Ditty, and the poet/prophet Vates-Landon seeks to unlock the islands dark secrets and escape with the animals. But he must battle storms and the villainous Arcans-pirates who hoard animals as treasure. Will Landon ever make it back to Wonderwood alive?

Editorial Reviews

Book Description

Landon Snow finds himself on a wild adventure at sea. When a huge, ark-like vessel emerges, Landonand his sistersjoin a quest to find the Island of Arcanum, where the animals of Wonderwood are imprisoned. With the help of his old friendsa horse named Melech, elfish valley folk, a girl named Ditty, and the poet/prophet VatesLandon seeks to unlock the islands dark secrets and escape with the animals. But he must battle storms and the villainous Arcanspirates who hoard animals as treasure. Will Landon ever make it back to Wonderwood alive?

About the Author

R. K. Mortenson, an ordained minister in the Church of the Lutheran Brethren, has been writing poems and stories since he was a kid. Landon Snow and the Volucer Dragon is his fourth novel. A former Navy chaplain, Mortenson is a pastor in North Dakota. He serves a church in Mayville, where he lives with his wife, daughter, and two sons.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Barbour Books (October 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1597893587
• ISBN-13: 978-1597893589
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,394,059 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Thanks for visiting! Writing Landon Snow's adventures was a blast. I hope you enjoyed them. Or, if you haven't yet checked them out, I hope that you do. I'm a pastor and live with my wife and three children in North Dakota. I'm currently working on a contemporary fantasy/thriller for young adults.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great fantasy for young adults, October 26, 2006

By 

Barbara Warren - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Landon Snow and the Island of Arcanum (Landon Snow, Book 3) (Hardcover)

This is book three of the Landon Snow series, and is a great alternative to Harry Potter or other stories about witches and witchcraft.

Landon Snow and his sisters, Holly, and Bridget, are visiting Grandma and Grandpa Snow in Button Up when they decide to visit the public library. To their surprise while the library is open, no one seems to be there. They hear water dripping, as if the roof is leaking and there's a puddle on the floor, but since they have just come in from outside, they know it isn't raining. Bridget is holding Landon's Bible when the pages start to rise and fall, stopping at the story of Noah and the Ark. Suddenly the waters begin to rise and Landon, Holly, and Bridget are off on a new adventure.

Suspend your belief in reality, and come along on a trip to the Island of Arcanum. You'll meet Wagglewhip, Battleroot, and a talking horse named Melech. Dangers abound, and sometimes it seems like Landon, Holly and Bridget will fail in their mission. Kids will love the Landon Snow series, and so will adults. Think Christmas gift, for the young fantasy lovers on your list.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun Fantasy for Children, October 30, 2006

By 

K. Paris - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Landon Snow and the Island of Arcanum (Landon Snow, Book 3) (Hardcover)

Written for the upper elementary school age child, Landon Snow And the Island of Arcanum is book three in Reverend Mortenson's series. Landon Snow and his sisters, Holly and Bridget, are drawn into another world when they visit the Button Up Library. Characters from the first two books in the series reappear in this current installation when the three siblings are transported to what appears to be another time period, that of Noah's Ark.

All the animals from a place called Wonderwood have been sent to the island of Arcanum where they are held captive by the evil presence of Malus Quidam. Landon and his sisters learn of the animals' disappearance when they are confronted by the arrival of a vessel on their lonely ocean that seems to be Noah's Ark and is manned by friends Landon has encountered before, Vates, Epops, Trumplestump, Wagglewhip, Melech, Hardy, Ditty and Ludo to name a few.

The mission Landon and his compatriots must complete is an important one to the world of Wonderwood and carries much danger with it. Can Landon and his troupe save the animals of Wonderwood and return them home again? Or will Malus Quidam succeed in destroying the whole group and drawing them into his evil world?

Children will find Landon Snow And the Island of Arcanum entertaining, especially if they read the first two books in the series, Landon Snow and the Auctor's Riddle and Landon Snow and the Shadows of Malus Quidam, prior to reading this third installment in the series.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I thought it was best of series, May 6, 2010

By 

Deborah "Books, Movies and Chinese Food" (Fairfax, VA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Landon Snow and the Island of Arcanum (Landon Snow, Book 3) (Hardcover)

When I first read these books, they had been touted as the Christian version of Harry Potter. I disagreed because there's no magic and frankly the storyline was not as good. Still though I thought they were good reads for middle grade readers. I liked this book a lot better than the second book in the series, and maybe even a little bit more than the first. I really liked how both of Landon's sisters are involved and the plot here is more direct and straightforward than the other two. The adventures they have are thrilling and there is some humor as well. Kids will love the talking animals and the fantasy characters. There are a few bit dark scenes but nothing too traumatic.

The one qualm I had is that I feel these books tend to be on the preachy side and heavily incorporate use of the Bible and other Christian lingo. While Christian kids might not mind this, if you are uncomfortable with reading about that in books, this might not be the best read for you. Still though, if you have been looking for a good fantasy book for a reluctant reader, this book is good for that. There's lots of adventure, teamwork and morals thrown in that make for a good read. Also there's a lot of respect for the US Navy as well. It's a fast read but one that kids will enjoy reading.

I would highly recommend reading the first two Landon Snow books before you read this one as there are many references to past adventures. Also doing that will give you good insight into Landon's character as well as the fantasy world and the Button Up library.