Review of "Draven's Defiance" by Paul McCusker

It's 1979, and Scott Graham and his friends decide to check out a railroad tunnel.  He hits his head and comes back out of the tunnel to find that everything has changed.  Odyssey is gone, and in it's place is a very strange land where time seems to have stopped.  Completely.

Scott (Elisha) meets Draven (Elijah) and quickly figures out that Draven is the mortal enemy of Supreme Commander Mobeck and his wife Skalaw (King Ahab & Queen Jezebel).  Mobeck & Skalaw, along with their advisers, come up with many reasons why time (literally) has stopped, but in reality only the Unseen One can make it start again.  He does, in a huge way, and afterwards Draven confronts Mobeck & Skalaw.  However, things don't go as he expected and he retreats, completely undone.

This one is different from the rest of the Passages books, in that Scott never returns to Odyssey.  His parents always knew that God had called him to something special.  Also, back in Odyssey, Whit & Jack are talking with James Curtis and he asks them if they believe...when they express that they aren't sure, his disappointment is evident and they don't speak again.  We learn in book 6 that James has "disappeared' from Hillingdale Haven.  Could he be permanently in Marus as he wished?

This retelling of the story of Elijah & Elisha was one of my favorites of this series - I really enjoy the author's take on Biblical stories through the lens of Odyssey. As with the other books, this was a wonderful way of depicting the truth while telling an interesting and poignant story. I highly recommend this series, both for children and adults.

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Review of "Seal of God" by Chad Williams

Chad Williams is an aimless kid - always on to the 'next' thing.  Successful one minute and making horrible decisions the next.  Going all out - and then burning out.  He has excelled in a number of pursuits, but always moves on to something else....so when he tells his parents he is going to be a Navy SEAL, you can imagine their reaction.  His dad finds someone to train him (US Navy SEAL Scott Helvenston), and Chad so respects their relationship that he takes the workouts very seriously and subsequently begins to change.

Just before Chad is scheduled to begin basic training he turns on the television (to begin his workout!) and sees a newsflash that his mentor and friend has been brutally murdered - ambushed - in Iraq.  Now more than ever, Chad is determined to become a SEAL and make Scott proud.

Chad details the super-crazy-extreme-hard-really hard-life changing things one must go through to become a SEAL.  He also shares his own complete life 180, committing to follow Christ which transforms him in so many other important ways.

I loved reading Chad's life story.  This is a world I don't have much experience in and I just found it fascinating, as well as inspirational.  Please read this book!

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Review of "Unplanned" by Abby Johnson

Wow, this was such an interesting book to me.  I really respect the transparency the author shows and appreciate that she decided -and had the courage!- to share her story.

Abby Johnson, an idealistic-about-certain-things college student, is recruited to volunteer at a Planned Parenthood Clinic in Texas.  Her goals, that she believes align with Planned Parenthood's, are to serve women in crisis, help prevent pregnancies, and therefore make abortions rare.  She graduates with her degree and begins working for Planned Parenthood, eventually becoming the Clinic Director.  She is an excellent employee, being named her affiliate's 2008 Employee of the Year.

Throughout the course of her tenure, she repeatedly interacts with a group called the Coalition for Life; those on the 'opposite side of the fence'.  Although she disagrees with them on many topics, she has a growing respect for how they treat others and watches them closely.  One day she is asked to assist with an ultrasound abortion, and the course of her life is forever changed.

No matter what you believe about this topic, her story is compelling.  I definitely recommend this book.

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Review of "Problems in Plymouth" by Marianne Hering and Marshal Younger

In book six of the Imagination Station series, Mr. Whittaker has a lead on when/where Hugh is, as well as an idea of how to get him back to 1450.

So cousins Beth & Patrick, armed with a mystery brown leather pouch and a beautiful golden hand mirror with an eagle carved on the back, arrive in Plymouth - it's 1621.  They find Hugh right away, but he tells them he doesn't want to go back, because he knows he will be thrown into the tower.  They meet Indians, and are kidnapped; already captive is John Billington Jr., a Pilgrim boy.  Some of the Pilgrim leaders come to the Indians to trade for the children, and the Indians are very impressed with the hand mirror!

Hugh starts a rumor that Squanto has been kidnapped, and then in the confusion steals a musket - all of which almost starts a battle.  Eventually his ruse is discovered and the Indians realize that the Pilgrims have honored the treaty.  They decide to hold a feast to celebrate - yep, it's the first Thanksgiving!
Since everyone is preoccupied with the feast, Beth & Patrick begin to be concerned that Hugh is up to something, and he is.  He lures them to the storehouse, and in the confrontation/confusion, Hugh thinks he has Mr. Whittaker's ring...but it's really Albert's, and he's sent straight back to 1450, where he is captured and yes, sent to the tower!  Finally!  (Hugh has been a troublemaker for six books now.)

I recommend these books for your early reader!

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Review of "Attack at the Arena" by Marianne Hering & Paul McCusker

In their second adventure, cousins Beth & Patrick must travel to ancient Rome to find a silver cup (chalice).  Upon their arrival, they are almost eaten by a tiger in the arena!  They are startled by the disregard for life in Rome.  Beth is essentially captured by an overzealous guard who thinks she is a runaway Roman slave for Emperor Honorius, who she finds to be very young and a little crazy.  Patrick meets monk Telemachus, and through a wild series of events, both Beth & Patrick end up at the arena again, where Beth is assisting the emperor with his birds and Patrick is being escorted into the arena to fight to the death!  The entire adventure allows them to assist Telemachus in helping to end the Roman games once and for all.

There were many such dramatic moments in this book, and again history and fantasy are combined to entertain as well as teach a lesson.

I think these are great books for an earlier reader.  I recommend this series!

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Review of "Voyage with the Vikings" by Marianne Hering & Paul McCusker

Beth & Patrick are cousins in Odyssey who, after meeting Mr. Whittaker and taking a peek at the Imagination Station, are surprised to find out that *they* can make it work - and travel in time!  

It is the year 1000, and their mission is to find a Viking sunstone.  When they arrive, they discover that Vikings are pretty fierce, and they don't shake hands.  They meet Erik the Red and his son, Leif, who is a Christian (his dad doesn't approve).  They also get to see the Northern Lights and teach the King about kindness and loving your enemies.

I think these are wonderful books for an earlier reader. The combination of history and fantasy (they are able to take their knowledge of historical events and make educated decisions on how to behave, etc.), really adds to the story.  I recommend this series!

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Review of "Strange Journey Back" by Paul McCusker

This four books in one compilation has us visiting Odyssey, this time with new kid in town Mark Prescott.  He is there because his mom & dad are separated - temporarily, he hopes, but in the meantime he just plain wants to be back at home in Washington DC.

He quickly learns there are lots of things to love about Odyssey, Mr. Whittaker, the Imagination Station, a local "gang" that only does good, a new friend-who-is-a-girl Patti (you can be friends with girls, who knew?) and lots of mystery as well as life changing lessons.

I really enjoyed this compilation of books about Mark & Odyssey.  I especially appreciated the author's choice to not always have things solved quickly and easily.  I think this is a great series/book compilation for kids and I can easily recommend it.

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