Review: A good adventure but not a great one
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 07 22, 2014
Not a bad adventure book.  The title is actually the perfect summary for what this book is about. It is a simple, fast paced read to enjoy.  while not a great book it is still something to  kick back, have a cool drink and enjoy on a summer afternoon.Chris and Michael are brothers, 14 and 12.  Their home is raided and there parents kidnapped.  The two brothers race against the clock to figure out where they've been taken, outwit the bad guys on their tails and cross the mountainside.  Plus they have some life lessons to learn along the way.  Lots of mishaps, action, adventure, danger, comedic moments and  a hint of romance awaits them!  It is short and fast and has a few moments that got me to chuckle even.Chris is a bit more standard teen boy, sometimes action older and other times younger than his age.  Micheal honestly seems to be the older brother half the time even though he is only 12.  It doesn't help that he can drive, and is a tech-genius.  Regardless though he seems to use his head to strategize a bit more than his older brother.  Yet neither of them felt real to me.  I just couldn't see to boys of their age acting the way the do through about half the book.  Now other times their characters seemed right on target for their ages.  So this left me very mixed on what to think of them.  One minute they act like 8-10 year olds, the next their age, and then they act like they are 15-17.  This was portrayed in how they acted and spoke.  So I felt like the characters did not have a good sense of self.The action and adventuring was fierce!  You name it, it happens in this book.  Kidnapping, shootouts, explosions, bears, boat chase, avalanche and more!It keeps you very fixed on the book wondering what will happen. It also has you wondering how these kids get through everything.  Yet while it is quite exciting there is so much, so fast and with how the boys handle everything I also had a hard time being worried for them after the first 1/3 of the book. Danger just became the norm.So final thoughts are that this is a fun read, but not a great read. I honestly do not sure what age group to consider this book.  The style reminds me of a 10-13 range yet situations within the book say that if that is the case have an adult (parent or teacher) set up book discussions on some of the topics.  Older teens and adults can also enjoy but might (like I did) have a harder time connecting and feel the book is too simple at times.  So middle grade-YA pending the individual and reading situation. Very geared toward young men especially but that is good.  So many books are geared toward females and I know more young men losing interest all the time for lack of something to read that was not ruled by romance.