Ranvan a Worthy Opponent (Hardcover)

by Diana Wieler (Author) "O' valiant warrior, we've long awaited your arrival!..." (more)
Key Phrases: Gemini Planet, Snak Mart, Thunder Bay (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 7-10?With a blend of idealism and realism, superhero and knight RanVan begins his unplanned quest to defend good and defeat evil and unfairness. In "real life," high-school freshman Rhan plays video games, helps his grandmother manage an apartment complex, and attends school. After noting inequities such as the popular kids hazing freshmen and not allowing anyone else to sit at the cafeteria tables, as well as meeting Thalie, who has problems with her mother's boyfriend, Rhan stands up to defend the underdogs and becomes RanVan: The Defender. In doing so, he discovers that his real life often parallels the fantasy world of his video game, with unexpected twists and turns and, often, near destruction. In Worthy Opponent, the teen and his grandmother move across Canada. With a new video game to purchase and conquer, he needs money so he finds a job?and a girlfriend. The game, which involves a good and an evil twin, again begins to parallel his real life as he tries to defend himself against "The Iceman." Canadian author Wieler has created an intriguing character who shows both strength and vulnerability. Rhan's ability to keep fighting despite his numerous setbacks and wrong decisions makes him a character with whom readers will empathize. Well-constructed parallel plots both within and between the books stretch the bounds of realism and provide readers with a strong story and a sympathetic hero.?Janet Hilbun, Sam Houston Middle School, Garland, TX
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description
As winter closes in and he settles into his new life in Thunder Bay, Rhan Van's victories in Vancouver seem a million miles away. Rhan, now 16, and his grandmother have moved in with cousin Zoe, a strange, abrasive woman who runs a shabby motel. How, wonders Rhan, is a young knight supposed to finish his training in an uninspired environment like this?.

Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Hardcover: 184 pages
• Publisher: Groundwood Books (October 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0888992718
• ISBN-13: 978-0888992710
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 4.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #5,104,137 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Just had to write something., October 5, 2008

By	Julian Minsk - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ranvan: A Worthy Opponent (Stella) (Paperback)

I just had to write something considering the two other reviews on this book right now. This book is excellent for what it is. Young Adult fiction. First a brief synopsis: RanVan is a normal kid more or less who moves with his grandmother (both his parents are dead) to Thunder Bay, Canada and this book is about his adventures in this new town.

The book immediately starts off with a characterization of the town which almost any kid will identify with if they live in a mill town or a similar blue collar town where jobs are done more with your hands and feet than your brains. The main thrust of the story is about Ran's relationship with his new girlfriend in town and "Iceman" his worth opponent at the arcade but if this sounds very simple and hackneyed, it isn't if you actually bother to read the book.

The characters are relatable and the story very engaging for a child 13-16 years old high school age or just about (Ranvan's age in the book). There are many qualities in this book that make excellent reading for someone of that age. I'm 23 myself and actually will buy this book a boy 15 years old and I am confident he will not only like it but learn some life lessons from the book. If you never grew up in a mill town or come from a traditional family unit of mother/father 2.5 children (which is less and less likely now at days anyway) this book might not hit the same notes as it would someone who knows a little about loss at a younger age and lives in a place where meth lab busts and football season are a much bigger part of everyone's lives than studying for the SAT IIs and being on the equestrian team. Regardless however, if the child reading this book as any aptitude they will gain something from this book.

The book is the 2nd in a series and the 3rd is even better in my opinion. Ironically I never read the first in the series until reading the 2nd and 3rd book but Bad Boy was not as good as either this one or Magic Nation. The characters have depth and believability and much of the external things you see on the cover with the video game angle is nothing but a hook (a good one for most boys) and there are lessons being taught about life that makes it perfect for that kid that is a little rough around the edges but has a good heart.

I hope the handful of people that read this review will pick it up. The one star review most likely still on this page as you read this is an obvious rant by a kid but even more likely by a kid who did not read the book at all was probably require by a teacher perhaps to put up a review? There is no other reason I can think of for such a long negative rant by a kid who is either just beginning high school or still in middle school proof positive is the fact that everything written in the review about the actual book itself can be read from the back of the book makes it clear the review was probably done as a sloppy assignment. This book is probably not for every kid but the fervor of the rant only suggests a kid forced to read it for whatever reason and didn't want to. No one likes being forced to read something but if you have someone in mind who will give it a chance the only thing you might be forced to do is buy the 3rd book.

5.0 out of 5 stars An enjoyable book, December 24, 2005

By	Katherine (Pennsylvania, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ranvan: A Worthy Opponent (Stella) (Paperback)

I really liked this book. The characters just seemed to come alive in my head, and they seemed so different from any characters I had ever read. However, this book is not for everybody. Some will find the character stupid and unrealistic. I did not.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The reasons why this book is dereving to be called "Garbage", February 24, 2004

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Ranvan: A Worthy Opponent (Stella) (Paperback)

Ran van isn't like other kids. He is a video gamer with powers. He is the best video gamer until Iceman he meets iceman. He now has a worthy opponent. Ran Van a worthy opponent started bad and just kept on getting worse and worse. Diana Wiele needs to create a more complete plot. I have not read any of her other books but she puts in tiny morsels of detail in this book. It may be just because she is not good at writing sci-fi. This was a book that was enjoyable to read. Most readers out there will probably not enjoy themselves while reading this poor piece of writing.

In this book a kid who goes to high school loves video games. He plays a lot. At the beginning of this book he had just moved into a new down and was living with his grandmother since his mom and dad are dead. At the new town he goes to the arcade and meets Iceman. Iceman is another video gamer who challenges Ran Van, who is the main character, to beat him in the high scores. Ran Van accepts his challenge and the fight begins. Ran Van then starts to notice that he has super powers. Ran Van then starts to try and help people but usually just makes the situations worse. A few weeks after Ran Can moved in Iceman starts to try and beat him up. Ran is surprised to see the Iceman also has super powers. They then become rivals with one another.

Diana Wiele should create a more complex plot. This book had a horrible plot about a kid who plays video games and meets a kid named iceman who keeps on trying to beat him up. The readers will not at all attached to the characters in this book and will not care if one of them died, since. They will know that these are imaginary characters and never get the feeling that they might be out there somewhere . I thought that this book was badly written and it seemed that nobody who likes reading would like this book. It may just be my opinion but there was not enough detail. My personal taste usually has large quantities of detail but this book was lacking in that category. This book had no excitement; even the battle scenes were dull. The author failed to catch the attention of the reader at any point in time in this book. There was a bit too much emotion at parts, and when the characters were sad I did not feel for them at all. There were not very many plot twists and the ones that were in the book did not seem interesting to me. I never had to think while reading this book. Usually when I read a book even I do not like it, there seems to be one aspect of it that is fairly good. This book had nothing good about it. This seemed like the type of book that a person who hates to read would be able to read but would not enjoy. The only good thing about this book was that it was short.

This book was a big disappointment. I was not expecting much, but found out that this turned out to be way below my already low expectations. I could feel the plot being rushed while reading this book. It may just be me but I think that there was nothing good about this poorly written book. I do not recommend this to any one who wants to have a good time reading. It was difficult for the readers to get a perfect picture of the town and all of the characters because there was not that much detail. It was also difficult to completely understand many of the characters personalities. This book seemed to be geared towards middle school kids. This was a bad idea since the writing seems to be better for kids in grade school. Whoever is reading this should not pick up Ran Van a Worthy Opponent.