Reading Tai-Bo

This week I actually finished two books! Leven Thumps and the Wrath of Ezra and Leven Thumps and the Ruins of Alder. I have now completed the series and I must confess that I enjoyed the books immensely. There must be a little bit of gross Jr. High boy deep in my soul, for despite the occasional gag reflex over various villains and monsters and dangling eyeballs, these books were a great read. They are a bit over the top, what with the talking toothpicks raging at the world and traylor-trash villains floating through the air with the aid of a purple cloak, and bits of the main villain spelling out evil instructions in black tattoos on the top of this janitor’s head. But that just reinforces the appropriateness for the intended audience, boys. And I am after all, the proud mom and 3 boys.

So what did I learn from Leven this week. That easy victories are not satisfying. If you’re going to have an emotionally abused teenager save the universe, it better be difficult by golly. As our hero approached the end, I feared that it would be too easy. But no, the author did not disappoint. In fact, righting all wrongs was so painful that I was shouting at the book and demanding a good finish I was so tensed up. The climax was well done and the world was righted but I would have enjoyed a little more after the big battle about our hero and heroine and their future. But perhaps that is just the “girl” in me talking. Who knows.