Customer Reviews

Throwing Smoke

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

 

 

"Did you like *Throwing Smoke*?" I asked my ten year old son.

"Yeah," he said.

"Were the characters convincing?" I asked.

"Yeah," he said.

"What about the dialogue?" I asked.

"It was great. But there was too much baseball. Or something."

The baseball, of course, was why I bought the book, and it seemed an odd statement coming from a child who wouldn't put down Will Weaver's baseball trilogy even to eat. Then I read the book.

The dialogue *is* funny; the book, well written, but the author places *Throwing Smoke* in a limbo of genre. When Whiz starts printing up baseball cards for fictional team players who mysteriously come to life, the book (*strongly* rooted in baseball and baseball terminology) turns towards the gothic. These players, all ace at what they do, are zombie like. Where do they go at night? What do they secretly talk about together? Why does nothing more interesting happen with them? Where the heck is this plot going?

*Thowing Smoke* raises more questions about its tepid supernatural effects than the baseball frame of the story can contain. I will avoid details, but when a story enters the world of the supernatural, rules must be followed, expectations must be met. In *Throwing Smoke*, they aren't. As for the baseball team-comraderie part of the book, well, that's not very compelling either -- the supernatural material is too distracting. *Throwing Smoke*, much as I wanted to like it, pulls in two direction and can't come up with a reconciliation between the two. The book needs a fast ball, but it just can't deliver.

Do you like books that are exciting and have to do a lot with sports? If so then the realistic fiction book,Throwing Smoke, by Bruce Brooks is a great read for you. Throwing Smoke is about young boys and girls on the Bredhurst Newts baseball team. The baseball team hasn't won a game in five years but they think they have a chance this coming up baseball season because everyone has been practicing super hard and they got a new pitcher from out of state and yes, he throws smoke. If you want to find out if the Bredhurst Newts will win their first game in five years I suggest you read this awesome, heart pumping, tear dropping, mind racing, extraordinary book by Bruce Brooks, it will be the best book you've ever read, trust me.

Vincent Cary (aka) Whiz is the primary, dynamic, and the antagonist character in the story. Whiz has many traits which include, he's very athletic, kind, caring, responsible, honest, respectful, dedicated, quiet, superb, captain and pitcher of his baseball team. Whiz is a good pitcher but he's let his team down and lead them to a lot of loses. The Bredhusrt Newts haven't won a game in five years. Whiz pitches are accurate but very slow. The hitters always crush the ball when they are up to bat. Whiz still pitches cause the Bredhurst Newts play for fun, they don't care if they lose. It's about team work.Things twist around in the story when Ace Jones transferred from out of state to the small town of Bredhusrt. Ace Jones has been playing baseball for along time and he also pitches. He throws smoke, i mean you can't even see his pitches there so fast. Some of the players on the Bredhust Newts see Ace practicing his pitches and ask him to pitch for the team. Whiz gets super jealous but thinks he will lead the team to there first win. Ace Jones has many traits which include, he's very athletic, smart, kind, caring, respectful, responsible, and dedicated. He puts his heart into baseball, and is the secondary character, static character, and the protagonist of the story. Will Whiz let Ace pitch? If Ace does pitch will the Bredhurst Newts win their first game? If you want to find out I suggest you read this amazing book.

Throwing Smoke by Bruce Brooks is a great fantasy book that every child should get a chance to read. On a scale from one to ten I would rate this book an eight. I really enjoyed how the theme was baseball because I play baseball and i have experience. I also enjoyed how I have a lot of connections with the characters in the story, for example me and Delancy Brunet both play 2nd base. If you are a reader that is interested in baseball and interested in action filled books I suggest you read this awesome book by Bruce Brooks. It's an awesome book for all ages.

I liked this book but it made no sense to me at times. I had to read sentences over and over to understand what was going on .The book was really good when I understood what was going on and the book was funny most of the time and always fast paced "that's why I kept reading". I thought the author used great detail and grammer. I thought I wouldn't like the book but I was wrong. I recommend this book for ages 9-15

Book Review January,23.2006
Throwing Smoke By: Bruce Brooks
Scholastic
(...)

Have you ever read a book with two primary and two dynamic characters in one book? If not then you might want to read Throwing Smoke by Bruce Brooks. This book is mostly about two boys named Ace Jones and Whiz. These boys care about their teammates and if they get hurt or not. The terrible part of this story is when Ace's team losses to the worst team ever. These boys love to play baseball with the Breadhurst Newts.


Ace jones is the static character, Secondary and the protagonist character because he tells most of the story. Whiz is the primary and a dynamic character because he's the main person and he tells most of the story just like Ace. Ace and Whiz are happy and friendly throughout the whole story.


i recommend this book to people who like to play baseball or who like to play with baseball cards because if in the summer or any season or any where your bored you can just the book out and start reading it and then maybe you might recommend it to some other people. This book is really interesting. The book was a meaningful story too because the entire Breadhurst Newts meant a lot to each other, and their emotions changed weather they were talking to the person or the coach. It's a really good book.

Throwing Smoke by Bruce Books was a book that had me in no way shape nor form confused. This book was a great story about a suffering baseball team called the Brudherst Newts, whose talent is yet to sumerge. Whiz, and E6 the leaders are trying to take this team from the bottom all the way to the top. Whiz is having a hard time convincing his friend E6 that the new kids in town are not supernatural, and there to help the team win. The author makes Whiz seem like the type of kid who would accept challenges and step up to be the best,therfore, that is why I like Whiz. This book kept me reading by constantly putting obstacles in front of the Newts and having them as a team overcome all tribulations that they came across. I recommed that anyone who is a young athelete take the time and read this book because it will ammuse them withought a dought.This book is also a great book for people who are looking for basically, just a good book that will keep them interested and occupied.

I think that Trowing Smoke is a good baseball book. it has alot of action in it. Throwing Smoke starts of whith the Breadhurst Newts starting off their season. In the beginning the Breadhurst Newts arent verry good at playing baseball. then a new player comes and joins tha team.they do a little better but they still lose most of their game. I enjoied Throwing Smoke and I hope you like it too.

I think that Trowing Smoke is a good baseball book. it has alot of action in it. Throwing Smoke starts of whith the Breadhurst Newts starting off their season. In the beginning the Breadhurst Newts arent verry good at playing baseball. then a new player comes and joins tha team.they do a little better but they still lose most of their game. I enjoied Throwing Smoke and I hope you like it too.

I loved this book. I read THROWING SMOKE in two days and I couldn't put it down I thought it was great. It has alot of baseball action,suspense,and is very clever and smart.The charcter's are discribed really well and the dialoge is well writen.Read this book I really recommend it.

whiz loves baseball untill the breadhurst Newts lose to the worst team on the leage.So then Ace the new guy turns this mess around by doing his best pitches.Then the team wins because of Ace and as well as whiz.So the breadhurst Newts go home happy.

Throwing Smoke focuses on baseball and uses a lot of technical words about baseball, but there is no heart in the story. Brooks includes a supernatural element of incredible players joining a less than average team the day after one of the players creates a baseball card for that player. The argument of the book is that it is better to have a team that plays poorly than to have a group of players who may win but are still not a team. The argument, though decent in and of itself is one of the most poorly executed I have run across to date.

It took me about an hour to read Throwing Smoke... It was a quick read, but not quick enough for me to say the book wasn't a waste of time to read. My advice to baseball fans is to read some books on baseball by Will Weaver.

Crazy James