Customer Reviews

T'Aragam

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Jack Regan captured me from the get go with his young adult fantasy T'Aragam, which is aimed at the tween age group (9-13). What was it that captured me and made me want to keep turning the pages? A cheese obsessed medgekin, named Gramkin Truly. I am a cheese lover, and couldn't resist phrases such as: "I have a high cheese requirement." and "In the name of Gouda."

T'Aragam opens with the medgekin, Gramkin, running through the woods toward Ransome Hall on an important mission to obtain cheese to supply for the annual medgekin games. It is the first time he has been in charge of supplying the cheese, and because of the aforementioned cheese requirement, Gramkin had eaten the medgekin supply. He was hoping to acquire some cheese from Ransome Hall as the medgekin games had been played for a millennium with no lack of cheese and he would be disgraced should he fail to provide. While he is running through the woods, and being laughed at by chucklebugs when he falls, he becomes alarmed as it appears that someone is following him. On the verge of panicking, Gramkin runs in to Zohar, a great wizard, who is also on the way to Ransome Hall to deliver news of disaster which approaches T'Aragam.

T'Aragam takes the reader on a fast paced adventure beginning with Ransome Hall being attacked by phantors. During the attack, thirteen-year-old Max Ransome, watches his father, Lord Ransome, die because Max disobeyed his father's instructions to stay in the armory. Orphaned and a pawn in a game whose stakes he did not fully understand, Max has to save T'Aragam from destruction. Assisted by the wizard, Zohar, and the medgekin, Gramkin, Max travels beyond the confines of Ransome Hall for the first time in his life. He finds himself in battle against Zohar's evil wizard brother, Zadok, who was behind the phantor attack on Ransome Hall. Zadok is determined not to stop until the kingdom and all it contains is his.

Regan pens an adventuresome tale sure to capture a reader's imagination. I laughed out loud through much of the book, as the action is interspersed with humor. What tween could resist such names as Lord Stench from Dankwater, or the pirate Captain Baggywrinkle? Or how about monsters named Gloom and Doom? We also meet the viscious equuraptor named, Dresden, and the sea monster named, Bob. In fact, the humor in the piece is taken to such a degree that I would classify this book as a fantasy parody or spoof. A prime example of this is the following, which takes place at the Luscious Lemur:

Leading the way inside, Zohar shut the door behind them and bolted it. A hat rack stood left of the door and the wizard leaned his staff against it. To Max's surprise, he then removed his beard and also hung it on the hat rack.
"I don't really have a flowing, white beard," he explained, seeing their curious faces, "but it seems most people expect wizards to have them and without it people refuse to take me seriously. So I put it on whenever there's a chance I may need to perform wizardly deeds."

Regan's main goal is to Get Kids Hooked On Reading by making books exciting and attractive. He believes that a "fluency in reading" is vital to a young person's development and success, while "a love of books is one of the most valuable gifts anyone could give a child." With T'Aragam, the first book in the Max Ransome Chronicles series, Jack W. Regan achieves his goal. A delightful, fast paced read, with enough humor to entice the most reluctant of readers, T'Aragam hits the mark.

Reviewed for the LL Book Review

Normally most of the books I read are for the Young Adult set and older, but when Jack W. Regan contacted me about reading and reviewing his book I couldn't pass it up since I enjoy fantasy so much. And let me tell you, this book was great fun, and I wish it had been around when I was the target audience/age for it.

As you can see from the synopsis, there are some great characters with funny names, but even more importantly, T'aragam is a well-written story that grabs you from the beginning. Regan has done an excellent job weaving an adventurous tale infused with quirky humor that had me laughing out loud many times. Young Max Ransome is thrown into danger early on, escaping an attack on the Ransome Castle only to land in greater danger as he flees. After learning plans that the evil wizard Zadok has, he returns home to do what he can to disrupt Zadok's schemes. Just when you think the story is winding down, Regan throws in a twist to keep you on your toes.

T'aragam is the first book in the Max Ransome Chronicles, and while it's certainly an easy read for me, I am will be likely pick up the next book (when it is available) so I can see how the story continues. Any young reader will likely enjoy this book, and it wouldn't surprise me if this story causes some readers to become hooked on fantasy books in general. It would certainly be a great introduction into the world of fantasy for the younger readers.

Young Max Ransom's father was murdered by marauding phantors who swept through T'Aragam spreading death, destruction, and terror. Under the command of the evil wizard Zadok and narrowly escaping with his life, thirteen-year-old Max is propelled into an adventure wrought with danger, memorable characters, unexpected plot twists, and a riveting action/adventure fantasy of the first order. In "T'Aragam", author Jack W. Regan demonstrates the skills and imaginative originality of a true master storyteller. Highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library fantasy collections for young readers.

A well written fantasy Novel! This book is certain to peak the interest of teens from all over! There is a lot excitement and thrills! A Must Read! A great book to kick back relax and let the adventures begin! Highly Recommended!!

I was teased with the beginning of this book before it was published. Then I had to wait to read young Max out of the trouble I had read him in to. As soon as I started reading, it happened again. Me and Max in and out of one thing after another. I couldn't stop and I enjoyed every minute of it too.

T'Aragam: The Max Ransome Chronicles by Jack W. Regan is a great new Juvenile/Fantasy novel. It is a story of medieval meets magic and is packed with adventure. The characters will have you laughing, cheering, and some you will just love to hate.

Max Ransome is thrust into a dangerous adult world at the young age of 13 after he witnessed his father's death and then is forced to fight to save his own. As the story progresses he realizes that it is not just his own life that is at risk, but all of the lives in T'Aragam. His father, Lord Ransome was a great and powerful ruler, but with him gone there is no stopping the evil Zodak and his army of Phantors from taking over the land and imprisoning the people. Is a boy of 13 any match for an evil empire? To find out he must learn who to trust and, most importantly, he has to learn to trust himself.

Max is befriended by some interested characters along the way. A pair of monster brothers, named Doom and Gloom, who are reduced to tears at every new obstacle. A clumsy medgekin, named Gramkin, who is motivated by his addiction to cheese, and a loyal wizard, named Zohar, who just happens to be the brother of the evil Zodak. Then you add the dark assortment of enemies like the beautiful Ariaal, whose magic and looks prove to be a treacherous combination and, of course Bob, the sea ever hungry sea serpent.

I will recommend T'Aragam. It has everything to captivate the imagination; danger, excitement, humor, and endless adventure.

This was a well written fantasy fiction. It had an interesting collection of characters and a good story line with lots of humor throughout. I enjoyed this book very much and am looking forward to reading other books by this author.

T' Aragam by Jack Regan is fantasy fiction through and through. The
story build up slowly lets the arch of tension build. The characters
may act happy but you can feel the underling tensions. Something is a
foot and it coming from the dark wood.

Regan's main character is Max Randome son of lord Ransome. He escapes
an attack on Ransome Castle and flees with Gramkin, he is one of the
Medgein a strange breed that can read the mind of the willing and are
obsessive about their cheese.

This is a fine adventure story that's well written and fast paced. I
enjoyed it and look forward to see what else Jack Regan will bring next.