Tower of Parlen Min by Matt Xell
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Tower of Parlen Min by Matt XellPublisher: Xell, Matt
Publication Date: July 23, 2010
Pages: 345
Source: given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review
Buy It: AmazonVes Asirin wins a trip to the Tower of Parlen Min. There, with 19 other children, he competes in the Sword Challenge; a series of puzzles and tasks, for $12 million. As fantastic and glorious as the tower seems to be, Ves finds that it keeps a dark and secret history that he has been connected to for over 150 years, a secret that will define his destiny ... if he can escape 'The shadow'. --GoodreadsA group of orphans are sent to the Tower of Parlen Min, the home of a great inventor, Jacobius Trent. Each child is given the opportunity to explore the tower, as well as participate in the Sword Challenge. The Sword Challenge will test the endurance of each team and have them risk their lives for their next clue for a chance to win a lot of money. However, the Tower of Parlen Min may not be a safe and secure place for the children anymore. There is a serial killer on the loose, The Shadow, and no one knows where it may strike next. Ves, one of the children, discovers the mystery of The Shadow, but will he live to tell the tale?
I loved this book. Let me start off and say that Tower of Parlen Min envelopes its reader in a fantasy that is as unique as The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Matt Xell has created his own world, where this young boy, Ves resides. This masterpiece brings life to its pages. Not only that, but Xell’s writing places you right in the middle of the action. Though I wish I had a map, Xell’s world was unique and creative.
The plot, however creative, was a bit too complex. Some scenes were fantastic and I was hanging on to each word. Other scenes were boring and I could barely get through them. It seemed that there was a bit too much backstory. In every fantasy story, you need backstory to understand it. However, I felt that there may have been too much. Still, the overall plot as a whole was fantastic and wonderfully thought-out.
Ves is one of my favorite characters that I’ve read about all year. What makes him so unique is his forgetfulness, and his way of coping with forgetting. I’ve never read a character quite like him. He would always surprise me; I never knew what he was about to do next. The other children were all distinct in their own way. It was different to see all those personalities in one place. By halfway through the novel, I thought of the group as a whole, as a family. Xell created the characters to clash and collide with one another and it definitely worked. I was hooked, falling in love with each character.
There is no denying that I cried through most of the end. You have this wild rollercoaster ride of scenes. I didn’t know what to believe and then by the end, it was made clear. The ending was pure genius and I look forward to the next installment.
Overall, this book was great. Xell truly brought his vision to life. You’ll definitely want to read Tower of Parlen Min to experience his full vision and get caught up in a world that is unlike any others.
Rating:
Cover: 4
Characters: 5
Writing Style: 4
Plot: 3
Ending: 5
Overall: 4
Rated PG-13 for scary themes.
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