Book Review: The Five Ancestors: Out of Ashes
You may remember when I reviewed The Five Ancestors series. Well, the author wrote a spin-off series, and since they're short middle-grade readers, and I didn't hate The Five Ancestors, I decided to read the spin-off series.
I was actually quite surprised by it. As you may recall, I was kind of neutral but strangely unsatisfied about the Five Ancestors series, and spin-off series, though they can be good, tend to be merely a desperate attempt to make more money because the author is out of ideas. Occasionally, a spin-off series is just that the author loved the characters, and had another story to tell. But usually, the author just doesn't have any more ideas (cough Cassandra Clare cough Cough cough cough Kiera Cass cough cough cough cough.) I was sort of expecting this one to be of the latter variety. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this spin-off took some ideas from the first series, but actually created an entirely new story, conflict and concept with an entirely different theme and purpose.
Part of what took me off-guard is the complete setting change. The first one was set in 17th Century Imperial China. This one was set in modern-day United States. Phoenix Collins is a thirteen-year-old boy, raised by his Chinese grandfather, after his mother and father (his father was Caucasian) died in a car crash. He is also a mountain-biker to be reckoned with. But as he starts to gather attention from professional racing teams, he learns about deeper conspiracies within the racing world. At the same time, his grandfather's life may be in danger. He, and his friends Ryan, Jake and Hu Die (Iron Butterfly), must save his grandfather and protect others from the dangerous powers that are best kept hidden.
As I mentioned in my review of the earlier series, by the end of the first series, Jeff Stone started to hit his stride with characters and plots, so this spin-off series had the benefit of starting off with strong characters and defined plots. I also liked the subtle, but masterful, analysis of heritage and legacy in our families as Phoenix struggles to understand both of his cultures, and his friends learn to integrate opposite cultures into their mindsets (both Ryan and Jake learning to respect Eastern thoughts and heritages, and Hu Die learning to understand Western culture).
It also had some age-appropriate, but very good and insightful, analysis of consumerism in sports, money-driven living, and athletic integrity (cheating, doping, etc). Doping especially plays an important part in the story, and could offer a lot of opportunity for parents to talk to kids about doping (and it is not portrayed favorably at all). One thing I loved about this children's series is how well it teaches children without feeling preachy at all.
I was a little bit meh about the iffy medical science, but I suppose I can excuse it. My suspension of disbelief was a little stretched by the end though after character after character from the first series popped up woven into the plot. And I must say, Jeff Stone knows his bikes...period. And I would have thought that with all of the technical language and explanations I would end up going, "Dude. I don't care about the subtle differences between a BMX and a roadbike," but I was entranced by the explanations and almost wanted to go buy a bike and become a BMX racer (I didn't).
The journey was enthralling, and the themes were likable. I also was impressed by how much I felt for the different characters. I understood the characters, even those who weren't super likable, and I liked that.
Some violence in this one, but I feel it is not as strong as the first series (though maybe that's just a general impression).
Overall, I'd give the series a four star rating. Not a bad job, and a great read for Middle Grade boys.
I was actually quite surprised by it. As you may recall, I was kind of neutral but strangely unsatisfied about the Five Ancestors series, and spin-off series, though they can be good, tend to be merely a desperate attempt to make more money because the author is out of ideas. Occasionally, a spin-off series is just that the author loved the characters, and had another story to tell. But usually, the author just doesn't have any more ideas (cough Cassandra Clare cough Cough cough cough Kiera Cass cough cough cough cough.) I was sort of expecting this one to be of the latter variety. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this spin-off took some ideas from the first series, but actually created an entirely new story, conflict and concept with an entirely different theme and purpose.
Part of what took me off-guard is the complete setting change. The first one was set in 17th Century Imperial China. This one was set in modern-day United States. Phoenix Collins is a thirteen-year-old boy, raised by his Chinese grandfather, after his mother and father (his father was Caucasian) died in a car crash. He is also a mountain-biker to be reckoned with. But as he starts to gather attention from professional racing teams, he learns about deeper conspiracies within the racing world. At the same time, his grandfather's life may be in danger. He, and his friends Ryan, Jake and Hu Die (Iron Butterfly), must save his grandfather and protect others from the dangerous powers that are best kept hidden.
As I mentioned in my review of the earlier series, by the end of the first series, Jeff Stone started to hit his stride with characters and plots, so this spin-off series had the benefit of starting off with strong characters and defined plots. I also liked the subtle, but masterful, analysis of heritage and legacy in our families as Phoenix struggles to understand both of his cultures, and his friends learn to integrate opposite cultures into their mindsets (both Ryan and Jake learning to respect Eastern thoughts and heritages, and Hu Die learning to understand Western culture).
It also had some age-appropriate, but very good and insightful, analysis of consumerism in sports, money-driven living, and athletic integrity (cheating, doping, etc). Doping especially plays an important part in the story, and could offer a lot of opportunity for parents to talk to kids about doping (and it is not portrayed favorably at all). One thing I loved about this children's series is how well it teaches children without feeling preachy at all.
I was a little bit meh about the iffy medical science, but I suppose I can excuse it. My suspension of disbelief was a little stretched by the end though after character after character from the first series popped up woven into the plot. And I must say, Jeff Stone knows his bikes...period. And I would have thought that with all of the technical language and explanations I would end up going, "Dude. I don't care about the subtle differences between a BMX and a roadbike," but I was entranced by the explanations and almost wanted to go buy a bike and become a BMX racer (I didn't).
The journey was enthralling, and the themes were likable. I also was impressed by how much I felt for the different characters. I understood the characters, even those who weren't super likable, and I liked that.
Some violence in this one, but I feel it is not as strong as the first series (though maybe that's just a general impression).
Overall, I'd give the series a four star rating. Not a bad job, and a great read for Middle Grade boys.
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