J. E. Rogers

The Sword of Demelza by J.E. Rogers is a middle grade fantasy centered around some of Australia's endangered species. Devon, an orphaned red fox, is on a personal quest of revenge. Erik and Emma, two young marsupials, are on a quest to find the ingredients for a potion to cure their mother. Devon, Erik and Emma encounter each other, realizing that they need to work together to stop the devastation, and end the reign of the evil king, Cynric. This book is beautifully illustrated, and the story is enchanting. A must read for all ages.… (plus d'informations)

Animals of Australia, Rejoice! The Sword of Demelza is obviously written by an author who adores you, and she does a good job of presenting you to young readers. The illustrations of the animal characters in their armor are regal and inspiring. The beginning is exciting and frightening. The scenes are vividly described although sometimes repetitive (i.e. the sky and clouds were ‘angry’ quite a bit). The author does a great job building suspense and tension, and the overall story is very adventurous and interesting. I wasn’t always a fan of the dialogue and the comma is way overused, but neither takes much away from the story. Rogers teaches about the flora and fauna of Australia by showing not by telling, and she does so with vocabulary and plot that is just right for her target audience of middle-grade readers. She even includes web references and a glossary. I recommend this book for young readers who love animals, adventure, and fantasy.

Favorite words:

malevolent
emanating
projectiles
portcullis

Quotes (No page numbers as I was reading this on an old Kindle):

“Size and age is meaningless. It is the strength within your heart that matters.”

“A common purpose can be a driving force in bringing a diverse group like this together. Recognizing that we all must work as one to accomplish our common goal goal is key.”

“The sun had rushed from the heavens, as though it feared the events to come…”

In accordance with FTC guidelines, please note that I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.… (plus d'informations)