Adventure on The Techno Scholar Chronicles

Book Review: Island of Legends (The Unwanteds #4)

Sat, 11 Jul 2026 11:05:00 -0500

Alex feels the weight of responsibility for everyone in Artimé on his shoulders as its mage. As we learned in the previous book, Sky’s mother is alive but enslaved by pirates on the Island of Fire. Alex has committed to rescuing her, but he wants to do it the right way, through careful planning and with the right people. Although several storylines unfold throughout the book, the rescue operation drives the main story. At the same time, Alex’s burden of leadership takes a personal toll, particularly on his relationship with Sky.

Book Review: Island of Fire (The Unwanteds #3)

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 21:00:00 -0500

Island of Fire improves on the first two books in the Unwanteds series. In the earlier books, the story sometimes felt slow, and I did not always have a clear sense of where everything was going. We learned about Artimé and Quill, and there were battles and struggles to survive, but I never quite felt that there were heroes yet. That changed for me in Island of Fire. In this book, Alex and the other Artiméans have lost much, and they have had to step up and be brave. I see them becoming heroes and leaders. They are not just a people; they are family and friends to each other. And that is the biggest difference between Artimé and Quill. As we learn in this book, it is also the difference between Artimé and Warbler, also known as the Island of Silence.

Book Review: Island of Silence (The Unwanteds #2)

Mon, 18 May 2026 05:15:00 -0500

Island of Silence is the second book in The Unwanteds series, and it largely deals with the aftermath of the battle between Artimé and Quill from the first book. Artimé has survived and is now able to come out into the open, as well as allow travel between Artimé and Quill. As such, many of the Necessaries in Quill choose to leave behind their jobs and move to Artimé to start a new life. Since the Necessaries were the ones doing much of the essential work, Quill begins to struggle.

Book Review: The Wild Robot Protects (Volume 3)

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 10:00:00 -0600

The Wild Robot Protects is the third book in the series. The first book focuses on survival on the island where Roz, a robot, finds herself. The second book follows Roz as she escapes from the mainland and returns home to the island. The third book centers on protecting the island from a poison tide that is killing life in the ocean and threatening the island itself. Throughout all three books, the common themes are family, home, and helping others.

Book Review: The Wild Robot Escapes (Volume 2)

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 20:00:00 -0600

The Wild Robot Escapes continues the story of Roz, the wild robot, in this middle-grade science fiction story. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but as the title suggests, Roz must escape. The story follows her adventure as she breaks free from human civilization and attempts to return to the wilderness island where she spent the first year of her life. That island is truly her home, where her animal family and friends live—especially her goose son, Brightbill. Her life is there.

Book Review: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 10:49:00 -0500

The Return of the King is another great book in the Lord of the Rings series and the final volume in the epic quest to destroy the One Great Ring of Sauron. I read this book years ago and watched the movie version, but I remembered that there were a number of parts I did not fully understand, such as the Paths of the Dead. This time around, I made sure to pay close attention to the details, re-reading as necessary to fully grasp what was happening and the significance of certain aspects of the story.

Book Review: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 14:52:00 -0500

The Two Towers is the second book in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. After more than 15 years since I last read it, I found it amazing to pick up on more details and themes—and to appreciate just how well-written this series truly is.

The narrative splits into three interwoven storylines: (1) Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli; (2) Merry and Pippin; and (3) Frodo and Sam. We encounter reunions and meetings where characters recount their adventures. For the parts we already know as readers, Tolkien simply summarizes. He only expands on what is new to the reader’s perspective, which keeps the storyline relevant and purposeful.

Book Review: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Sat, 15 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0600

It has been over a decade since I last read The Lord of the Rings, so I decided to pick it up again. It is amazing how many details stand out upon rereading, even though I am already very familiar with the story. I chose to revisit this book as a way to relax—what could be better than a great novel? This story is filled with adventure, loyalty, fellowship, enemies, and bravery.

Book Review: Murtagh: The World of Eragon (The Inheritance Cycle)

Sun, 07 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0500

I really enjoyed reading Murtagh as a follow-up story in the Inheritance Cycle. It is essentially a standalone story narrated from the perspective of Murtagh and Thorn, his dragon. We really get into their characters and experience what they both are going through. Murtagh had a difficult life growing up in Galbatorix’s court, and we learn about his backstory in this book. In this story, Murtagh and Thorn uncover a dark plot to undermine the kingdom. Along the way, the characters run into all kinds of problems. I get to feeling sorry for them! Along the way, the characters face several obstacles. Although there was a section in the book that was hard to read through (I don’t want to give any spoilers), it does get much better after that! I loved the ending! This book exemplifies an unsung heroism.