Fiction 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: Puffel Meets a Narwhal

Wed, 27 May 2026 18:25:00 -0500

Puffel Meets a Narwhal is the sequel to the earlier Puffel book, written by Sr. M. Gianna Casino, LIHM. In her children’s books, she is always teaching some kind of life value to kids. In this book, the lesson that I took away from it is that there is more to things than meets the eye.

The story begins with Puffel and his friends gathered around a campfire, where a frightening story about a narwhal leaves Puffel scared. Later, when Puffel has his own encounter with a narwhal, he discovers that the creature is actually friendly and caring. When Puffel tells Mama and Papa about his encounter, they help him through it and use it as a teaching moment. Mama tells him, “Other animals may look different from us on the outside. What matters is what’s on the inside.” Papa helps Puffel see how many things have more beneath the surface than meets the eye. For example, the tip of an iceberg has a much larger iceberg underneath the water.

Book Review: Puffel

Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Puffel is a beautifully illustrated children’s book. It has wonderful colors that really make it engaging and visually appealing. At its heart, it tells the story of Puffel, a puffin who sees penguins having fun and doing things that he cannot do. He longs to do the same things and says, “Oh, Mama, I want to be a penguin.”

Mama helps Puffel see that he is unique and beautiful, and that he himself can do things the penguins cannot do. Ultimately, what matters most is the love in one’s heart. Puffel learns from his mama and papa that his uniqueness is itself a gift, and we see that when Puffel celebrates his gifts, the penguins themselves are impressed as well.

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 Unwanteds (The Unwanteds #1)

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 22:00:00 -0500

The Unwanteds is a middle-grade fantasy novel set in a dystopian society called Quill, where citizens are divided into three groups: Wanteds, Necessaries, and Unwanteds. At the age of 13, children undergo a yearly judgment in which any sign of creativity is deemed undesirable. The only catch is that those labeled Unwanted are sent to the Death Farm to be killed. However, we soon discover that these children are secretly rescued by a mage named Mr. Today. This is where the story becomes more engaging and hopeful.

Book Review: Come Rack, Come Rope

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 22:00:00 -0500

Come Rack, Come Rope is set in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, a time when practicing Catholicism could bring danger or even death. This historical fiction novel weaves real historical details into a gripping fictional story, following Catholic characters, mainly Robin and Marjorie, in how they respond to persecution and remain faithful to their beliefs.

The book contains rich elements of steadfastness in faith and the temptation to yield to the demands of the state. It explores the tension between religious and civic duties and the secret practice of the faith. The story also highlights hiding places for priests, navigating dangerous circumstances, and the varied responses of Catholics, with some engaging in conspiratorial resistance and others showing principled fidelity.

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 Wild Robot (Volume 1)

Thu, 25 Dec 2025 19:30:00 -0600

The Wild Robot is a middle-grade science fiction book about a robot shipwrecked on an island and forced to survive among the island’s wildlife. Interestingly, it is about survival, community, and family. I first watched The Wild Robot movie and really enjoyed it. However, the movie ended on a cliffhanger, and I wanted to know what happened next. When I looked into it, I discovered that The Wild Robot is actually a trilogy, so I had to start reading the books!

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: At the Speed of Mind (Book #3 of the Astral Alliance series)

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 19:42:00 -0500

Megan says, “I’m always troubled when I hear about people dying.” This is one of the reasons I love this book—and the Astral Alliance series—so much. At the Speed of Mind takes on the evil of child trafficking with love, mercy, and resolve. Megan is determined to fight for the kids without compromising her moral compass. This third book brings fast-paced action, deep strategy, and a lot of heart.

Throughout the series, Megan and the other kids grow into a strong team. As captain, Megan earns loyalty through love and sacrifice. Her teammates follow her freely because she helped free them. Yet, she’s often reckless, doing what they call her “hero thing.” That begins to change in this book. Crystal has a hard conversation with her, insisting Megan needs someone to watch her back—“on her six.” Megan listens, and Crystal repeatedly saves her, helping her grow into a better leader.

Book Review: The First Starborn (Book #2 of the Astral Alliance series)

Sat, 19 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0500

This is another good book and a very enjoyable read! I must say, I’m perhaps even more hooked on this series now than when I first started it. The story is pretty action-packed. You know that saying about real-life events where all you can say is “You can’t make this stuff up!”? Well, that’s exactly how this series feels right now. These books are like a mystery that has to be unraveled and discovered piece by piece. The plot thickens in ways that really keep you engaged.

Book Review: Across Astral Realms (Book #1 of the Astral Alliance series)

Sun, 09 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0600

This story takes place in space and weaves an intriguing narrative around the main character, Megan, who is branded a pirate. She fights for survival and strives to do what is right, especially after learning about child trafficking and making it her mission to free the enslaved children. Although still a child herself, Megan was raised by her parents—both branded as pirates—and taught a sense of moral right and wrong, even if they didn’t always practice it. She dedicates herself to living by the principle that all life is sacred. This principle becomes her moral struggle as she fights oppression, rescues enslaved children, and faces numerous life-and-death situations in which she must defend herself and others. I’m reminded of the Bible quote where God says, “Vengeance is mine,” which suggests that we should not seek revenge, but leave justice to a higher power. Megan shows mercy several times, and we witness a sense of divine justice unfold.

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: Lord of the World: A Novel

Sat, 05 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Lord of the World was written by Robert Hugh Benson, a Catholic priest, and published in 1907. Benson himself was a convert to the Catholic faith. He wrote this novel about a dystopian society centered around an anti-Christ figure, Julian Felsenburgh. This is a very packed and well-written novel! It shows one way that the Book of Revelations in the Bible and the loss of Christian faith could happen. The central theme is a growing belief in Humanism while denying Christianity and belief in God.

Book Review: The Power and the Glory

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0500

This book was fascinating and mysterious, and it kept me wondering what would happen next. It is a fictional novel about a priest in Mexico during a time of anti-Catholicism when Catholicism was outlawed. This priest had been on the run for years, and the police had been unable to catch him. We start in the story by being introduced to different people, and it is unclear what is happening. However, as we progress through the pages, the story starts to focus on the priest, known as the whisky priest. We learn he has many moral struggles and is pulled between certain vices or sins and his higher calling.

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.