Landon Snow and the Auctor's Riddle (Landon Snow, Book 1) [ILLUSTRATED] (Hardcover)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: Christ Jesus, New Testament

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Readers will be captivated by this compelling story as they follow Landon through a world where books speak, chess pieces come to life, and a golden coin rules the Odds. They'll cheer when a once-disillusioned boy emerges from this awesome adventure with his faith regained and hope restored.

From the Publisher

When a personable young everyman--Landon Snow--finds himself drawn into a land of riddling, half-familiar creatures the result is a quirky, charming tale. --Kathy Tyers, Author of Shivering World and the Firebird Trilogy

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Incorporated (October 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593108818
• ISBN-13: 978-1593108816
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 5.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #393,815 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Review of Landon Snow , October 5, 2005

By	Courtney - See all my reviews

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!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars COULD IT BE CHANCE, MERE CIRCUMSTANCE?, November 24, 2005

By	Heather Ivester (Georgia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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?

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars clever writing in a perfect package!, November 6, 2005

By	KidzBookBuzz.com (Wasilla, Alaska USA) - See all my reviews

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.