Book Review: The Blood Guard

"When something matters enough to you you'll reach a make-or-break point where heart comes in. That's what pushes you to do the impossible."

 I'm not completely caught up with my book reviewing, but I'm caught up enough that I can review this one that I just finished last night without too much worry.

Evelyn Ronan Truelove (don't ever call him Evelyn) is a normal kid.  Mostly.  Except for the fact that his mom makes him take a lot of really seemingly ridiculous extracurriculars. And she's kind of quirky in general.  But, he doesn't mind, because you don't really feel like an outsider when you're overscheduled.  Then, one day, his mother picks him up from school.  She seems a bit frazzled to Ronan, and when he gets in the car, she immediately stunt-drives away from the school, starting into this whole story about how his father is missing, and that she is a member of the Blood Guard--a secret society sworn to protect the 36 Pure who keep the world good.  The Pure die, and the world goes to pot.  He thinks she's crazy--until she starts blocking bullets with a sword.
 
To be honest, I wasn't really expecting much from this book.  I picked it up from the shelf of the library, expecting that it was going to be another half-baked middle school boy's adventure book that barely got published.  I was pleasantly proven wrong.  The story was engaging and the humor was out of this world--the kind of sarcastic, dry humor that has come to be associated with Rick Riordan and cohorts.  I keep mentioning Rick Riordan--but, People: mark my words, he has changed the way middle-school literature is written. And, I appreciated the inside-joke of a character named "Jack Dawkins," a pickpocket with a faintly British accent, introduced in a chapter called "You've Got to Pick a Pocket or Two." 
Sure, the characters could have done with some further development--such is the risk of plot-driven stories.  But, overall, pleasant surprise.  I am eagerly awaiting the next installment, which should be coming out later this year.

Five stars for The Blood Guard

Comments

p said…
Seems to need an update in basic physics and materials science. Bullets break swords, or tear swords from the grip.
February 24, 2015 at 12:05 PM
Hannah said…
She has advantages...
February 24, 2015 at 12:46 PM
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