Review: A good fantasy for the younger age group
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 12 22, 2013
Ephraim's Curious Device is a light fantasy novel, geared more for the lower age group. The novel features Bright, a narfleet, meaning he is half-elf and half-human, who works as a magician's assistant serving an eccentric old wizard named Kadmeion. They are in the trade of selling clockwork homunculi and demon spells that people commission like regular business merchandise. When their weredog Furgo is taken hostage by the powerful Lord Hissalumieon, the lord orders them to find Ephraim's Curious Device (a legendary magical object), in exchange for the release of the weredog.And so, with four lumbering oafs from Lord Hissalumeion's stable of big-bodied goons for protection, Bright and the wizard set off from Mevil to a dying island called Harpy Isle to find the magical object. They do not know whether Ephraim is a myth or real. At a sacrifice-hungry pool, we are introduced to a riddle that unlocks the way to the mythical object. As Bright and Kadmeion try to solve the riddle, they are faced with mounting obstacles, encountering fairies, harpies, and other strange creatures along the way, ultimately venturing into a dragon's lair in Veldt Island.I like the foundation the author built for verisimilitude, the way every aspect of this imaginary world fit, so that readers buy in to the world. The narrative is light and lively, with vivid imagery that reminds me of animated films. One gets a taste of this in the opening chapter when curses emanating from the wizard Kadmeion's mouth fly by like a flock of agitated birds. It's cartoon-like take on narrative is unique and I applaud the author for exploring this type of storytelling.I would say this novel is for children age eight to preteen, but would be too light for young adults. For sure, it doesn't have the depth of character and conflict as novels like Narnia and Lord of the Rings. This is my one and only criticism about it. It is more like a Disney film with lots of cartoon-like characters/scenes that the younger age group would enjoy. I give it four well-deserved stars.