Friday, November 13, 2009

Book Review: The Pirate King



The book The Pirate King by R.A. Salvatore is yet another book about the heroic drow ranger Drizzit Do'Urden. This one takes place four years after my first book review The Orc King. In the book, Drizzit and his halfling friend Regis have set out to see their old barbarian friend Wolfgar. In their travels they come across the port town of Luskan, a dangerous city full of crime and betrayal the perfect setting for a Drizzit book. They soon find themselves caught in the middle of huge rebellion at war with the Arcane Brotherhood and their undead leader Greith. Through the chapters after that they mount an attack on the Hosttower of the Arcane which Greith explodes with a magic staff killing 3/4 of the population of Luskan but freeing it from his iron rule. Later Drizzit's friend Dodermont, one of the leaders of the rebellion, is elected governor of Luskan. Then everything goes down hill. The five ruling gang lords of Luskan all turn against each other causing a huge civil war. Will Luskan survive this time of turmoil or will it become the home of the new Pirate King?
I think that the theme of the book is mind your own business or bad things will happen. Here is an example I found in the book. In the beginning of the book a Waterdavian lord talked Dodermont into helping him in the rebellion against the government in Luskan. Not for any good reason but just for his own personal gain so he could look like a hero. The result of that was the death of the Waterdavian lord, Dodermont, and many of Luskan's population in the rebellion and the civil war. That is why I think that the theme of this book is mind your own business or bad things will happen.
I would defiantly recommend this book to other 7th grade readers for these reasons. One, it's a wonderful book and is a good long read. Two, the author has a great insight on life and because of that the book makes you think. Three, it's a Drizzit book so what's not to like. For these reasons and many more, I say you should defiantly read R.A. Salvatore's The Pirate King.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Michael, the Best Soccer Player There Ever Was.


When I grow up I think I'd make a great soccer player. I've always enjoyed soccer. One of my favorite things to do is pass a ball around with my family. I even have some experience at playing soccer. I'm really fast, I workout, and I practice, therefore, I will be the best soccer player that ever was!

Speed has always come naturally to me. There was that time when I beat every kid in my class in a race. I'm always running. Whenever I run, I feel alive. Being able to run is the first step along the path to becoming a soccer player.

Exercise is another thing I really enjoy. It's so exciting to do one more push up than your usual limit. When I'm working out I feel like nothing can stop me. I am to exercise, what a whale is to swimming. Being able to stay in shape for the rest of my life would be awesome!

Practicing takes a special talent. I gained a lot of experience at my house, kicking a soccer ball against a wall. I learned a lot about the game from my family. For example, you pass with the inside of your foot not the toes. The time I spent practicing is sure to give me an advantage when it comes to becoming a soccer player.

The three most important ingredients required in order to become a successful soccer player are speed, exercise, and practice, and I've got them all! It's like my coach always says, "Great job out there." I'm never so happy as when I'm in the midst of a soccer game. When I play, I focus, and that's why I'll be the best soccer player there ever was!

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Book Review: Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo.



The book Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo by Obert Skye is about a boy by the name of Leven who discovers thatis the only power that can save both the human world and the dream world of Foo. In this book Leven is an orphan in the care of his mean old aunt. Thanks to a lot of weird happenings and his new friend/servant Clover, an always over exited psycophant, he manages to escape. After a bit of traveling Leven and Clover run into Winter, a pale blonde haired girl from Foo with the amazing power to freeze anything she wants sent by the council to help Leven in his quest, and later Geth, the rightful heir to the Foo throne formally in the shape of a great oak living near Leven's house he is now a talking toothpick. Throughout the many pages after, Leven and company get chased by angry rock monsters, plagued by nightmare making shadows, drive across the Atlantic in a Maserati, and are smuggled across the German border. Now, with everything hanging in the balance, can Leven bring himself to do what he has to and destroy the gateway to Foo?



The main theme of this book is that anyone can be a hero if they just try. This was shown throughout the book but here are some examples that stuck out to me. In the book, when the evil Sabine's shadow minions enter Leven's dreams, they tell him that he's useless and should go home and never try again to be the hero of the world. Leven fights through it and continues on with his adventure. Again and again Leven's shadow infested dream, what the shadows said in it, comes back to haunt him. Time and again Leven tells himself that he just can't do it, but time and again he always dose because he perseveres through the hard times. For these reasons and many more in the book, I think what the author is trying to convey to us is that if you persevere, you will achieve your goals.



I would definity recommend this book to other 7th grade readers for these reasons. Number one, its a hilarious book full of jokes and comical characters particularly Clover. Number two, it has a wonderful plot full of twists that will keep you turning pages. It's a wonderfully made book full of great characters, magical lands, and a lot of craziness. That is why I recommend this book to other 7th grade readers.