The Floating Island begins the telling of the story of Ven Polypheme, son of a shipbuilder, and member of a race that typically dwells below groud, the Nain. Ven is not the typical Nain, even in his family. He doesn't want to build ships; he wants to sail them all over the world. When is chosen to Inspect the family's latest ship, he is ecstatic. His father's ships are the best, and he never imagines anything could go wrong. Ven never dreams that his ship will be attacked by the notorious Fire Pirates and destroyed...But that is exactly what happens.
This book most certainly kept my attention all the way through, and my mind occupied even after I read it, with speculations of what is to come in the next book about Ven. Elizabeth Haydon created a whole cast of brilliantly created characters. Every last one of them seemed to be well thought out and realistic. Ida and Char are especially interesting. Reading this book made me anxious for the next one in the series, to find out what happens next to Ven and his friends. It was certainly a good book compared to other fantasy books, and reminded me a little of the Septimus Heap books, by Angie Sage. While it is similar to a lot of other fantasy books, it certainly stood out from the rest, with its originality, fast-paced plot, intriguing characters, and great writing. Snippets from Ven's journal in the mainly third-person narrative made for a nice change of pace, and were definitely a good idea, as were the great illustrations by Brett Helquist.The Floating Island is a great book for all ages.
Rating (0 - 10 scale): 9
Reviewer Age: 15
Reviewer City, State and Country: Asheville, North Carolina USA
