Seven Wonders Book 1: The Colossus Rises

Uninteresting tale for pre-teens. Boy is kidnapped, taken to mysterious island where he is told he has special powers and then joins 3 other kids in an adventure to recover old artifacts connected to the 7 Wonders. Unremarkable, poorly written novel.

This book had me hooked in the first chapter. I started recommending this to everyone at the start of chapter two. I read until dawn because there wasn't a good spot to pause and sleep, trust me I tried but I kept turning the lamp on. Its a must read for Harry Potter and Children of the Lamp fans. The writting style and over all feel of this book translated perfectly into a movie in my head. I recomend starting this book in the afternoon and never letting a child start it on a school night. I would have read by flash light under the covers way past bed time if I was still a child. It would be a great summer read for kids.

This book was well written, exciting, and incorporated ancient civilizations/mythology into a story that takes place in the present day. Fans of Percy Jackson and the Heros of Olympus series will love reading this book and following this series over the next six books.

When my son told me about this book, we thought that it would be incredible because of all the amazing things he had heard about it from his friends. We were severely disappointed. The book is poorly written and extremely predictable at the end of every chapter. The author builds a phony suspense and then you already know what's going to happen at the beginning of the next chapter. Too much time in this book is spent writing about details of things that you don't care about and do not bring the story forward. This author has written so many incredible books in the end this was just a huge disappointment.

It was okay. I stopped reading it because it was a little boring. I feel a little guilty, but I just don't like it. But if you like exciting books than you should check this book out. Oh, and don't feel like me if you purchased it and you don't like it; everybody likes different books.

i thought this book was really good but little did i know that it was going to be bad the reason for that was again because of the language in it do not recommend this one for kids at all and it should be listed under another genre

The Colossus Rises is an ok start to what will probably end up being a seven book series. In the Ancient Mediterranean World there were Seven Wonders

The Great Pyramid of Giza
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
The Statue of Zeus at Olympia
The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
The Colossus of Rhodes - book 1
The Lighthouse of Alexandria

Picking up this book, make sure you know that only 4 books are currently out, with a 5th due in early 2016 at the time of this review. The story revolves around the fall of Atlantis and how some of its descendants have powers that allow them to do extraordinary things. Like other books aimed primarily at the YA market, this is a coming of age story that focuses mostly on 12yo Jack McKinley who is brought to an island where he will learn much about his powers and the history of the mystery island. The book itself is very quick paced and decent enough for a quick read.

As for what the story is about? Jack and his group of fellow Atlantean descendants must find the seven orbs of Ancient Atlantis.But another organization is also looking for the orbs. An evil organization. Will Jack and his group find the orbs? Or will the secret organization? Read the book to find out.

The book is just ok. It does not have the irreverence or humor of the Percy Jackson books. Perhaps it will get better in the second book. Still, because it is a fast and easy read, if you want something diverting, go for it.

The Colossus Rises provides an even dose of humor and mythology as the four teenage select haphazardly try to discover who and what they are. In some ways, the situations the teenagers get themselves into some situations that are so ridiculous that you really appreciate the realness of the teenage situation.

I enjoyed the characters throughout the book--both young and old. Lerangis was able to portray a variety of different people and personalities without coming across as overly cliche. The writing was entertaining and kept me intrigued and guessing what would happen next. The book was also very clean and should leave parents without worry for their younger readers.

I highly recommend this book to lovers of Rick Riordan or other fantasy/mythology writers!

This was the first book in the Seven Wonders series and I have had it to read for awhile. My son (8 years old) and I ended up reading it together. It was a very fun and well done middle grade adventure fantasy. My 8 year old son and I enjoyed it a ton. There are, ironically, five books in the Seven Wonders series. The final book in the series, The Legend of the Rift, will release in March of 2016.

Jack McKinley is an ordinary kid with a desperate problem….he’s going to die any day now. Then he wakes up at the Karai Institute where he finds out he possesses a special gene that gives him superhuman powers...if he doesn’t die from it first. Jack, along with the other kids with this strange gene, need to find the seven loculi if they are going to cure their condition once and for all. The loculi just happen to be hidden in the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Thus starts a crazy adventure full of danger and magic.

My whole family really enjoyed this book. It’s written in a snappy and witty style that moves fast, has some humor in it, and is exciting. The book features four main characters: Jack, Marco, Aly, and Cass. All of them have different abilities and strengths.

I really enjoyed that the kids have to search out the Seven Wonders and deal with some interesting magical characters. We get to learn some of the history behind the Seven Wonders as well. Parts of the book have a tomb raider type of feel to them as well which I enjoyed.

The book ends at a good spot and wraps up nicely.

Overall this was an entertaining and fun adventure fantasy read. Fans of Rick Riordan and Brandon Mull will enjoy this series as well. I enjoyed the snappy dialogue and history and that the book moved at a fast pace The characters are easy to relate to and the story is engaging and interesting. My son and I will definitely continue with the series. This is a series that both middle grade readers and adults can enjoy together!

Original review on: acrossthebookiverse.blogspot.com

I had some high hopes for this book regardless of it being a Middle grade read. I try not to let things like that define how it makes the book feel. For example, Percy Jackson is a Middle grade book as well, but it doesn't read like that, it actually has an interesting story with humour and violence and it could appeal to almost anyone. The Colossus Rises is a Middle grade book and reads like one as well.

I knew right from the beginning that I wasn't going to fall in love with this book. The characters lack a certain something that makes them easy to connect to. Jack McKinley is the main character, he has a knack for coming up with complicated solutions to seemingly easy problems and he's dying. Not that he knows this as first, he doesn't find out until he's taken to an institution that helps people just like him...all three of the others. Each of the other major characters, Aly, Marco, and Cass, are all given odd little quirks as well. Aly is a computer genius that can hack like a professional, Marco is an athletic star, and Cass is a mental genius with the ability to remember seemingly everything.

This book had such great potential, but even for a fantasy book it felt stretched a little thin. It throws odd scenarios with oddball names into a multitude of unlikely events that made my mind swirl a few times. While still maintaining a highly unique idea, it didn't seem like it really focused on the fact that these kids are all dying which for some reason doesn't phase any of them. That seems like a big deal to me, but clearly I've missed something more important than impending doom.

SUMMARY: Jack McKinley thinks his life is ordinary until they day he collapses, is taken to the hospital, ends up kidnapped on an island and is told he is soon to die due to a genetic trait that is ancient. This gene, however, also gives powers. The scientists on the island claim they can keep him (and three other teenagers there) alive a little longer through treatments. But in order to find a cure, the four must search for seven missing pieces of power that were originally stored in Atlantis, but are now hidden around the world in the seven ancient wonders. But soon the questions become: Is Jack working for the good guys or the bad guys? and Is he really going to die?

THE GOOD: This book was riveting and the adventure kept you moving along. I kept wanting to know what was coming up next and the little plot twists kept things interesting. The history was a bit much for me, but will be loved by those who enjoy ancient history and all of its little details. I liked the quirky characters including Torquin the henchman who never makes sense.
THE NOT AS GOOD: The plot is a bit predictable, but this did not matter since there was often something else that came up that I didn't expect. There is quite a bit of violence along the way leaving death and destruction. Also, I listened to this book in its CD version and I felt the reader went overboard with his dramatic teenager interpretation. I felt like I was watching a Nickelodeon cartoon (this gets better on the CD version of the second book).

AGE RECOMMENDATION: Grades 5-9 due to maturity of content and violence

This book (and series) has so much potential. It's a very fresh concept but with familiar elements. A small group of kids each with special abilities, "powers", if you will, while the main character feels like he is "normal" and can't figure out his special ability.

Some reviewers point to the initial kidnapping as worthy of a poor rating. I don't follow that pattern for reviewing. By that logic, any book where a seemingly "good" character does something bad is a terrible book. However, yes, it is weird, and yes, Bhegad is very strange and dysfunctional while the author tries to paint him as caring and grandfatherly (as another reviewer points out).

Where the book really falls short are the character development, rationality, and convenient but unlikely story-serving functions used. The characters are rather two dimensional and aren't given much licence to learn, grow, or make rational decisions. We hardly get to know Jack except that he is introduced as an inventor. He builds contraptions. Bhegad calls him "tailor" which isn't the same as "inventor" at all, and how did Bhegad come up with a name for the special power before he really knew Jack at all? Ally is a completely cliched teen hacker with purple hair. That's pretty much all we know about her. Cass is a human GPS (except when that power would be inconvenient to the story) who speaks backwards a lot and seems like a bit of wimp. And Marco is a big-brother type jock. A 13 year old with Olympic athlete characteristics. Marco is frequently prone to channeling his inner Percy Jackson with saying dumb but funny stuff. No detailed descriptions, very few glimpses into inner motives; at least that feel genuine and believable. A very strange inability to contact their families because they will "come get us and then we'll die". Just nonsensical decision-making all around to serve the storyline. Torquin, the red-bearded giant is great, and his one-liners are laugh-out-loud hilarious.

The narration is excellent for the most part, with a few exceptions. The voices for the kids is on point, and Torquin's voice is spectacular. Bhegad's voice is quite annoying and difficult to listen to, but most of the rest are fine. The other issue with the narration is the voice inflection. What ought to be a simple response, retort, or simple expression of an opposing viewpoint is very often rendered as a loud, obnoxious, angry shout. It makes it sound like the characters are frequently getting mad and snapping at each other, when the context does not support this.

Despite plenty of issues, the book is fun, entertaining, and fresh. The characters are likable, if flat. If you enjoy young adult adventure like Percy Jackson and are looking for something else to read, this is worth at least considering. Keep in mind that although the target audience is probably young teens, and the overall tone is lighthearted, there is some gore and violence that is fairly disturbing and graphic.

The story was just OK. A fun read,, but the characters were rather flat. I never really felt any empathy towards any of them and thus didn't care if they succeeded or not. In all fairness, this could have been partly from listening to the audiobook. The audiobook narrator was, by far, the worst I have ever heard. I almost could not finish the story due to the terrible voices - from Yoda with asthma Professor Bhegad, to Frankenstein caveman Torquin, and the stereotypical surfer dude Marcus and his whiny friends. I see that subsequent books in the series use the same narrator. No thanks, I'll pass on the audiobooks.

For the first middle grade novel to be reviewed on my blog, this was a fantastic choice! It clearly had promise, and on that it absolutely delivered. I was definitely pleasantly surprised by this one.

This is a wonderfully written novel. With middle grade, I think it's very important to have a narrative voice that a younger reader can connect to. This was absolutely present with the main character and narrator, Jack. His narrative voice is so friendly and easy to follow, especially at the beginning, and I think it is perfect for younger readers. At the same time though, it did not feel juvenile at all. As an older teenager reading an MG novel, I did not feel spoken down to, or like it was too young for me. That can be a hard balance for MG authors to find, but I think Peter Lerangis has done an excellent job writing in a voice that can appeal to people of any age.

If I had to describe this novel in two words, I'd say action-packed. There is always something happening. This is the perfect book for a reader who gets bored quickly because there is no time to get bored. It jumps from some wild event to a daring escape to an unbelievable rescue, and so on. This was done extremely well because while it is definitely exciting and always moving, the transition is still there. It moves at a fast pace but not at the expense of important information. This is another area in which I feel Lerangis' experience in this field really comes through. You cannot dispute that he knows how to write for his audience.

While the plot was certainly the highlight of the novel, you can't forget the characters. The main character, Jack, is smart, entertaining, and, what I especially enjoyed: skeptical. When he is told a bunch of wild, unimaginable things about himself, he doesn't just accept them; he thinks the man who told him is absolutely nuts and tries to run away. He thinks logically, which in a story with such wild happenings, helps make a lot of things more understandable. As for the friends he makes, Cass, Marco, and Aly; they're all a little strange and they each have their quirks that sometimes make you want to grab them by the shoulders and shake them, but these things make them feel like real 13 year olds. What real 13 year old doesn't have some annoying quirk or habit? You really grow to enjoy them despite the occasionally irritating behaviour, because really, it's normal.

Overall this was a fun, exciting novel for my first foray into middle grade fiction on the blog and I loved the mythology/history aspect! Can't wait to see which wonder they tackle next! I will absolutely be keeping my eye out for the next novel in the series.
4 stars!

*I received an advance review copy of the novel from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review*

When I first picked up this book at my local library, I had no idea what I was getting in to. The title sounded cool, the cover was neat, and Rick Riordan was saying some good things about it. That's as far as my knowledge went. Turns out, like the description says, this really is a great marriage of Indiana Jones and Percy Jackson-esque adventures.

The story follows a young teen named Jack, who wakes one morning to find a mysterious symbol on the back of his head. But he isn't the only one with it. He's one of very few others that have the symbol called the Select, who are decedents of Atlantean Royalty. The Select's heritage gives them access to advanced human skills, such as complete memorization of anything or extreme durability and strength. It is their duty to find the keys to Atlantis, hidden within the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. This leads to super-powered action sequences, mysteries both old and new, intense drama, and a convincing sense of suspense every time danger approaches.

However, everything has its flaws. No matter how good it is. There were some elements that kept me from giving this a five stars. Although the main sequences are great, the segments between them could get dull at points. Some of the dialogue also seemed a bit wooden and basic at times. Really, this would only bring my score down to 4.5. But unfortunately that isn't an option here.

In conclusion, this book is a great option if you're into mythology and mystery. I personally enjoyed it and can't wait to continue their adventure in the next installments.

I wasn't crazy about this book. It was pretty good, but there were a lot of things that were annoying to me. I think the writing was competent and there were some moments that I found amusing, but the book wasn't magical. One problem I had was with the characters. I found the kids to be a little bit snotty and irritating. I got really sick of Marco's outlandish behavior and Cass' backwards talking after awhile. I also didn't really understand the story. It's possible that, because of my disinterest, I wasn't paying as much attention as I should and I missed something important, but I don't think there was enough explanation given for certain aspects of the story. Another difficulty I had was the lack of build-up to the action. There was no time for the characters to be developed or for them to build any thing more than shallow relationships with each other before they were thrown into the action sequences. In the end, this book seemed a bit shallow and rushed to me. The characters had quirky traits and those traits seemed to be the depths of their personalities. Anyone who has read Percy Jackson, as I have, can't help but compare them. This book was not as good as the The Lightning Thief. By the end of The Lightening Thief I loved the characters and the story. I didn't experience that with this book. I was left feeling lukewarm about the whole thing.

The Colossus Rises: The Start of an Amazing Adventure!

The Colossus Rises by Peter Lerangis has a very interesting plot. The main premise of the story is about a gene called G7W. People with this gene have superhuman powers in one category, but they also die by fourteen years of age. The main character, Jack McKinley, has the gene and is transported to a place called the Kahari Institute to help him survive as long as possible. While at the Kahari Institute, he meets a man named professor Bhegad who can give him treatments to keep him alive. He also meets three other people with the gene whose names are Cass Williams, Aly Black, and Marco Ramsay. Professor Bhegad tells all four of them that there are seven orbs called Loculus, which if collected could save their lives. Each orb is hidden in one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The four friends set off on an adventure to find the first orb hidden in the Colossus of Rhodes.

The majority of the story takes place at the Kahari Institute, which is located on an island that cannot be found using any type of technology. The children with the G7W gene are kidnapped and taken there for treatment. The institute is made up of many large brick buildings used to determine the category in which the child has extraordinary abilities. At the institute, there is also a lab where scientists like Professor Bhegad try to preserve the lives of people with the G7W gene. Jack and his friends are at the institute for a week before heading out on their adventures.

The conflict and resolution in The Colossus Rises will keep you on the edge of your seat. The conflict is that whoever posses the gene G7W will die by age fourteen, if not before then. The resolution is that if those with the gene find the seven Loculus scattered around the world, then they can live a full life. The Seven Wonders series is about a boy and his three friends who possess this gene and are trying to find the Loculus to keep themselves alive. The Colossus Rises, the first book in the series, is amazing and I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for an action-packed adventure.

Seven Wonders Book 1: The Colossus Rises by Peter Lerangis
HarperCollins, 2013
Science Fiction/Fantasy
368 pages
Recommended for grades 5+
(the store recommends ages 8+...I don't think a second/third grader would fare well with this story!)

I listened to the audio version of this book, and it is one you can't miss! If you like and have the time for an audio book, this one is read wonderfully. Performer Johnathan McClain brings life and personality to all the characters.
The premise of the book is that Jack, along with some other 13 year olds, are taken to a remote and mysterious island, snatched right out of their lives and families. On the island Jack meets professor Bhegad, who is planning to use the chosen children to help him find Atlantis.
As much as I loved the reader, the story wasn't one that I was overly in love with. If you loved the Percy Jackson series...go read that again.

Fans of Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson & the Olympians" series of books will likely be drawn with good reason to Peter Lerangis's "7 Wonders" series & with good reason. The opener "The Colossus Rises" introduces us to Jack McKinley an ordinary teenager who one day faints on the street & awakens to find himself at Karai Institute under the tutelage of Professor Bhegad. It is there he understands why there is a lambda on the back of his skull & meets 3 other kids his own age with different abilities related to problem solving all of this due to a special part of their brain & a specific gene. Lerangis takes his time getting into the story which actually hurts things as our heroes learn exactly who they are & what they are tied into with regards to the 7 wonders of the ancient world. This leads to a somewhat rushed climax & finale that probably could've been extended a bit just to avoid feeling hurried & would still keep the attention of the middle school aged children this series is geared for. Nonetheless, though, a very promising start to what I believe could be an enjoyable series for kids of all ages (& we adults too).

In six months, 13 year old Jack is going to die. Jack finds himself in a hospital with armed guards after collapsing on a busy street. No parents or phones, other kids, bizarre creatures, and no escape.

Professor Bhegad at the island academy knows what's killing him, a genetic trait inherited from the prince of the lost city of ATLANTIS that sank when seven magic Loculi were stolen and hidden around the world.

Jack and his friends Marco, Ally & Cass must find the Loculi or never be cured. The lost world is rising, oceans will be displaced, and life as Jack knows will end. It's destroying Jack by making him too strong - too fast to save the world! So very glad I tried it, will get the rest as gift if the kids ask me. Book 1 in a seven book adventure. 360 pages.

I will be honest. I was extremely excited about the idea of Peter Lerangis' SEVEN WONDERS series. It looked like it was going to be a fun mythological fantasy romp with hints of world-trotting treasure-seeking. And while it did deliver in some aspects -- there are definitely likeable characters here who are fun to run around ancient islands and ruins with, there was something else that was decidedly lacking. And I believe the answer lies in the lack of a clear antagonist.

Jack McKinley is a young boy who has a mysterious mark on the back of his head. And there are people who want to take him away and help him discover the meaning of this mark. However, Jack soon finds himself lost in a swirling mess of mysteries. There are ancient tales to be told, old treasures to find, and the question on everyone's mind: will Jack and his new friends be dead before they can figure out what is happening to them?

Jack is a great character, he's fun and quirky, but he's also fallen into the trope that so many of these middle grade fantasies have as well: Jack is the key to everything -- he's special in some way, but we are just not sure what that way is yet, and he's unsure as well. But setting aside the Percy Jackson comparisons, Jack is still fun to follow around. As are the other characters introduced here from Marco, the athletic one, to Cass, who has a crazy habit of speaking backwards, and Aly, the one who's smart as they come.

Even some of the mystery here is pretty fun to dive into. I found myself constantly wondering what the answers were to the whole story, and I was intrigued enough to keep reading. However, the biggest problem I had with THE COLOSSUS RISES was the fact that there really is no clear antagonist. Everything is rather muddy, and even the people you think might be villains may not exactly be villains. This was the same problem I had with John Grisham's THEODORE BOONE: KID LAWYER novel: due to the lack of a very clear antagonist, nothing really happens that seems too dire. Even the sections focused on hunting through ruins are met with not much apparent danger. The only moments where it seemed there was possible danger was from creatures that surfaced that they had to fight against.

I'm still curious enough about the storyline to try the second book, and I think I will read it, but I just can't say I absolutely loved this first entry in the series. But I like Lerangis as an author, and I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt that next time, things will amp up a bit. Here's to hoping.

The Colossus Rises is a fast paced adventure that follows a group of kids with extraordinary talents who tackle an amazing problem. This is the first of a series that will follow the heroes exploring all of the seven Ancient Wonders.

The action was quick and unrelenting--think Dan Brown for children--and as is the case in most novels of this type, character development and descriptions suffered. The result for the Colossus Rises was a book that is somewhat trite and stereotypical, with frenzied (yet, often predictable) action. Reading fantasy requires the suspension of belief up to a point, naturally, but Lerangis requires more than normal from his readers due to the plot revolving around superpowers, unexplained "abnormalities", and kids acting/thinking like adults.

According to the the store page, the Colossus Roses is directed at "ages 8 and up", and as such I think it is poorly labeled; it would be more fitting for teens as the language and explanations wouldn't be appropriate for the level of understanding of preteen readers.

As an adult reader, I was unmoved and was also perplexed at the comparison of this book to the Percy Jones and Charlie Bone series (both of which I have read and found to be excellent). I expect that young teen readers, not as experienced in this genre, will find the book exciting and enjoyable, though not memorable or note-worthy due to lack of faceted characters and believable plot lines.

The Colossus Rises is the first of, presumably, seven books following the adventures of Jack McKinley and other "special" teenagers. How are these kids special? Well, apparently they have a hidden gene that unlocks special amazing and magical abilities inside them but also acts as a ticking time bomb to their own death in their mid-teens. This gene has been passed on through generations and links them to the highly advanced and magical inhabitants of the ancient city of Atlantis. The book series "Seven Wonders" refers to the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World with the "wonder" from the first book being the Colossus of Rhodes.

From a high level summary the premise is reminiscent of Riordan's Percy Jackson or Kane Chronicles series or even similar to the Harry Potter storyline. Just as Percy Jackson or the Kane family are related to the mythical gods and goddesses from ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt, the Seven Wonders series involves kids who are descended from the mythical Atlanteans. This book has a feel that is definitely similar in some ways to the tone and feeling of the Percy Jackson series but it is also definitely distinct and stands on its own.

With The Colossus Rises, we are introduced to Jack on a normal but problematic school day. Within hours, he finds himself passed out and being attended to by the school nurse but quickly a new set of doctors arrive on the scene and he blacks out only to awaken in a strange facility called Karai Institute on an island in the middle of nowhere. Jack rightly assumes that he's been kidnapped and he is highly skeptical of the facility director Professor Bhegad. A group of other kids similarly 'kidnapped' try to help convince Jack of the reality of their genetic "disease" though as time goes on it's clear that the other kids aren't entirely happy with being kept in the dark by Bhegad and his cronies.

Each of the kids have their own super talents and abilities as a result of their genetic disorder. Aly is the only girl in the group and she is highly technical and super in touch with technology or anything electrical. Marco is the super athlete who is graced with amazing physical prowess...not "superhuman" per se (he can't fly), but he is definitely stronger and has greater endurance than even your average super athlete. Cass is blessed with an instant photographic memory and high intelligence which make him a super navigator and great problem solver. Jack spends large chunks of the book trying to determine his own talent. Having him as the narrator and central character in the book serves well to help relate to children and teenagers who are reading this book and perhaps trying to figure out their own place in the world. Jack is smart and quirky but he's never quite sure of himself or what he should do next. As the book progresses, it's clear that his talent is that of helping glue the group together and act as a sort of leader or innovator. He also alternates between being a bit reckless and headstrong and being a little scared and overly cautious. This also feels realistic since it grounds him and keeps him from always rushing thoughtlessly ahead and not always pulling the group back.

The plot focuses on trying to help "cure" the genetic oddity that each of the kids posses. Professor Bhegad has a treatment which slows the fatal effects but cannot fully stop the progress towards death. He theorizes that if the kids can find the seven magical "Loculi" scattered around the world, he may be able to cure them. Even as the Kurai Institute hunts for the Loculi, another group is seeking out these magical items with their own agenda...to use their power and take over the world. Thus begins a race against time as the kids try to find the Loculi before they each die but also to stop the global disaster that will occur if they don't find them.

The writing is whimsical and fun. It felt like a younger read than the early Percy Jackson or Harry Potter novels, but that may just be me projecting the darker and heavier novels later in each of those series. The language and tone should definitely be accessible to a middle grader, maybe even down as young as 7 or 8 depending on their reading level. There is a lot of very casual, conversational language as Jack describes some of the crazy characters and ridiculous situations. The lighthearted narrative should help keep kids interested even during the lengthier descriptions of the science and history leading up to the plot.

The simple writing is quick and accessible and makes for an easy, page-turning read. To a degree it felt like some of the plot went a little too quickly for me. There were short stretches of exposition or description and then suddenly the plot would jump ahead by leaps and bounds very quickly. I think this breakneck pace is great especially for keeping kids interested and involved, but I worry that perhaps it loses some depth of plot or information as a result. I didn't feel confused or anything like that. I was just left wanting a little meat to the story.

Overall this is a fun, kid-friendly adventure and a promising start to a new fantastic series. The quick pace and fun writing should appeal to younger readers and up through middle graders and teens. Adults may find some of the storytelling a bit light but it's definitely an enjoyable read and a good way to share reading time with your kids. I look forward to learning more about the Loculi and finding out how Jack and his friends find the other Wonders of the World.

****
3.5 out of 5 stars

****
After hitting his head and passing out, Jack wakes up on an island where members of the secret Karai Institute, led by strange Professor Beghad are devoted to finding and restoring seven hidden organic cavities, the locules to reestablish the power of Atlantis and cure the genetic illness that affects Jack and his kin Aly, Cass and Marco. They are all descendants of the ruling princes of the ancient island, all possess the infected gene, but possess some special ability.

Between intermittent remedies application of intended to avert the handicaps of their inherited defect, they train in order to take part in the search, guarding and rescuing each other from death approaching adventures, to survive or elude the suspect help of Torquin. Although there are some suspense at certain moments, and in spite of the characters own codes and clues, to solve.

I enjoyed this book and was engaged to find where the story goes. As the first book of the series, it sets up the story well for further growth of the characters and the lore that feeds the story. There isn't enough on to the history of the Colossus, which would have enhanced the imagination of young readers, sparking a desire to search the Seven Wonders and learn more about them, thus learning more about the world wonders described in the book.

In terms of the writing, I found the story pace variable, while the characters not fully developed yet finally within the introductory book I. There is a lot of potential there from what this first book offers, and it would be interesting, if the author takes full inertia of this introductory episode into his next book. There are some violent events within the story, and younger readers who might be bothered should be warned.

Now this a new series that has quite a large potential because involving the Seven Wonders is really an exciting and interesting idea.

I first heard about this book when I saw Rick Riordan comment about it and I am quite familiar with Peter Lerangis because of his works on the 39 clues series. So I said to myself, interesting idea, and endorsement from Rick Riordan and I know the author, I gave it a try.

Now after I finished reading it, I am a little bit out of place with my feelings about the book.

The pacing is somewhat horrible. I know the book is just the beginning of the series and we need to establish some details and the world of this story but I feel like it was not done properly. When you needed some more details there were none, when you need some less details, there were far too many.

Going through the characters, honestly the main protagonist is really boring. His personality is something to be further developed in the succeeding books. His partners in crime on the other hand are good for me.

But enough with the negatives, I think looking for the loculi and what it does is excellent. The "action" is good and reminiscent of Riordan's style. :D

The ending too is perfect, a twist, and definitely you can see where the story is going and continuing.

I just hope the problems will be fixed on the next book which will be released this October.

I give this an average of 3 whales.

I teach 5th grade and got a sample of this book for free. I sometimes get bored with kids' books but not this one! It's very action packed, which is great for kids because slow spots in books are no good for them, and they often quit. This book is for the more fluent reader; the vocabulary is a little advanced for a reader who struggles.

Peter Larangis has another best selling series on his hands with The Collossus Rises. First in the series titled Seven Wonders the book is about 13 year old Jack McKinley who is an ordinary young man who finds out that he has a severe genetic disorder that will kill him if left untreated.

In the tradition of many kids books nowadays (Percy Jackson, Harry Potter) Jack lands up mysteriously on a secret island where he is told that he and the other children there all have an Atlantean gene. The gene gives them superpowers but, unless the children find seven ancient artifacts, they will die within six months.

So Jack, Aly, Cass and Marco join forces to figure out where the artifacts are. However, there are others interested in the same artifacts and the story turns into a race against time and against their enemies.

What I especially enjoyed about the book is it's tight well paced writing. The vocabulary is not as simplistic as much of the books aimed at the 8-12 age group which I think is a good thing. If the story holds the interest, my kids will look up or ask about the words they do not know. Larangis is also famous for his 39 Clues series and you can see why in this book as well. The action moves along swiftly and holds the readers interest.

However, this book does what many other books for this age range do - it is basically an incomplete story that gives absolutely no closure and leaves you hanging. It is a good hook to keep the kids coming back for the sequels but, frankly, I am getting a little tired of it. Since it is only the first in the planned series, the author does take a while setting the scene before he plunges into the action. He does not delve too deeply into the history of the seven wonders which seems a shame. However, the book motivated my kids to look up the seven wonders in different sources so that was a good thing too.

Still, four stars because the series factor did not bother my kids very much although I was told that this was 'the absolutely worst cliff hanger' my son had ever read. It must have worked though, since he is waiting impatiently for the next in the series.

As a kid I wanted to get right into the meat of any book I read, time spent outside of the character I was associating myself with seemed boring and long descriptions seemed tedious.

In one way "Seven Wonders Book 1" starts off quickly right into the life of our main character Jack as he's rushing about his early teen life of school and never-ending worries. However the book also gets stuck as we are taken with Jack to a mysterious island, told mysterious unbelievable things, and dragged along as Jack and his new cohorts try to exercise a little control over their lives.

Jack himself seems rather average as a fictional character these days -- one parent dead, another disinterested, and the early teen years just filled with an overflow of angst. Given his normalness I really wanted to start engaging with the semi-mythical world the book's cover promises but instead I was pulled into secret society and scientific bog mire that lasted far too many chapters until we get to the real mythical promise of the book: the seven ancient wonders that hold a secret.

For readers the same age as our main characters perhaps this will be more engaging but the world is not as complex as other teen and pre-teen fantasies I've read before.

I started this book because I really like the author when he wrote some of the 39 clues books. IT has a fun idea with the loculi that has powers. I liked Marco but then he lost my trust but I really like Jack, Aly and Cass as a team they work well together.

Each chapter of Seven Wonders: The Colossus Rises seems to end with drama, a secret revealed, or incredible events. It was a huge hit with our homeschool book club. Most kids could not put it down or stop talking about it!

My third grader LOVED this book. She finished in two days, refusing to part with it until she read it all. At the end of the first chapter, she asked if there was a sequel. And then begged for me to reserve it at our local library ;)

The ending was truly shocking. My daughter and our homeschool book club readers COULD NOT believe it!!!! Everyone is clamoring to get Book Two.

One of my favorite parts of this series is the mix of mythology, real history, and original fiction! There are so many jumping off points with this book...the historical seven ancient wonders of the world, the Colossus of Rhodes, Greek mythology, medical ethics, loyalty v. betrayal, honesty v. secrecy.

I first became aware of Peter Lerangis during the Columbia Publishing Course's Book Workshop. He's written more than a hundred books for children and young adults, including entries in the popular series The 39 Clues. His new series, Seven Wonders, is obviously aimed at the Percy Jackson demographic of his fellow 39 Clues author Rick Riordan.

THE COLOSSUS RISES begins with Jack McKinley getting sick, collapsing in the street, and briefly waking up in the hospital before coming to at a strange Academy. He and the other kids there have special abilities, but the price is that they'll die within the year. What comes next is a fast-paced adventure with plenty of puzzles to solve. Lerangis does a good job setting up the world and search for the McGuffins, so I hope future Seven Wonders books will develop the four kids more.

My main complaint would be that Aly is the only girl. There are three boys - Jack, Marco, and Cass - why not two boys and two girls? There's no indication as to the kids' race. All four are thirteen, but I think this book will appeal most to slightly younger readers.

Jack Mckinley has less than one year to live. But there is a cure if he can find loculi, magic relics from Atlantis. Jack is not the only one. There are three other kids in the same institution. Because of their heritage, they need to have these seven artifacts together to survive.

At first they all are dubious and try to escape several time. But then they get serious about their training to get the artifacts. But they have to be quick, they are not the only ones after that artifacts.

I really liked this series. It is geared to younger boys, but it is still a good read. I liked the idea but will admit that I was wondering when it would involve the seven wonders of the world like you are lead to believe. The first part of the book was a bit tedious with them getting sick, showing up at the institution, escaping, returning, escaping, etc.

Beyond that, it is a good read. Similar to Percy Jackson with the gods, but with it's own twist. I will definitely be looking for the rest of the books in this series.

Shawn Kovacich
Author and Creator of numerous books and DVD's.

If you love Rick Riordan and the Heroes of Olympus and Percy Jackson as series you will definitely love this book series. No wonder Rick Riordan gave such high praises to this book it's AWSOME, and I for one trust Rick Riordan's judgments, also get this book on Overdrive it's free that way.

The Colossus Rises is a very fun book. Lerangis grabs the reader right away with a compelling story. Jack McKinley is going to die. You can't get more compelling that that. Jack is a deeply likable character. He is the kind of character that you want to root for through a whole series. To save himself, he has to save the world by locating 7 ancient loculi hidden in the wonders of the world. It is a basic but very well done hero on a quest story.

I was wondering if the premise would be a little sad and upsetting. But my daughter loved it. She devoured the book in two nights (after bed time- ahem). She was very invested in Jack and his friends. She likened the story to The Odyssey which is one of her favorite stories. She is also a huge Percy Jackson fan and says The Colossus Rises is just as good.

We will definitely be purchasing the rest of this series.

If you're looking for a YA fantasy title that really makes you think, look elsewhere. But if you're looking for 300+ pages of nonstop action that promise a number of sequels, then this new series from the prolific Lerangis might be just the ticket.

At the book's beginning, Jack McKinley seems to be an ordinary kid facing the same home and school challenges as many other boys his age. Soon, however, odd dreams, strange physical changes and fainting spells lead Jack to realize something is very wrong. Quickly he finds himself on the lost island of Atlantis, preparing for a journey in which he will need to visit the Seven Wonders mentioned in the series title.

The pacing is breakneck - I read this in a single sitting, and there aren't more than a few slow spots. There's not a great deal of intellectual stimulation, but there's at least discussion of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and Lerangis uses a vocabulary that should at least challenge his younger readers. I don't think this has the depth or appeal of the Percy Jackson series, but it's a nice alternative option.

Reading "The Colossus Rises," the first of "Seven Wonders," a new series of books by Peter Lerangis, this reviewer could not be struck by the similarities to the "Percy Jackson" series. While not in the league of the "Harry Potter" books or even the "Percy Jackson" series, "Colossus Rises" is an exciting story that should hold young readers' attentions while increasing their reading abilities. While not a great book, "Colossus Rises" is a good one which is aided by its often quick-moving plot and some funny scenes. Young readers looking for a fantasy action-adventure will probably enjoy this book though older readers may find this tale a little too familiar and opt for better alternatives--be it Harry Potter or Percy Jackson. As a member of the store's Vine program, this reviewer received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Jack is a smart and gifted boy with less than a year to live. Despite the misleading synopsis, he's not the only one. Jack joins three other teens, each with their own gifts and specialties. And all of them must work together to hunt the loculi in order to save their lives. Captured by a dark and mysterious organization, the kids mistrust their captors-turned-helpers.

This is the first of seven novels in a new fantasy series for middle readers. A roller coaster ride of danger, suspense, humor, and thrilling adventure - fans of Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series should enjoy this exciting series debut. Fast-paced, with a fascinating mythology and non-stop action - The Colossus Rises is a charming and engaging read for all ages. A cliffhanger ending with a surprise twist will leave readers impatiently waiting for the next in this unique series.

Review previously posted at SciFiChick.

The premise of this story is that the lineage of the royalty of the lost continent of Atlantis continues, and rewards its members with latent powers that show up at their 13th birthday, before killing them by their 14th. Fortunately, an ancient society of researchers is intent on recovering and restoring ancient devices of power that will heal these royal descendants.

Each of these devices is associated with one of the ancient wonders of the world, leading to a seven-adventure series for the protagonists.

Overall, the story is reasonably cohesive and fast paced with a lot of action involving chase and battle sequences. You follow this intrepid band of adventurers in escapes from captivity, down the mouths of volcanoes, into the ocean, and over to Rhodes. The writing is tongue in cheek at times leading to a very light and friendly storytelling style. The jaunty first person perspective is also endearing.

All in all a fun adventure with a unique twist.

Upon completion of this book, my daughter asked if I would buy the next one in the series. That right there, tells me she liked it. I did have to push her a bit to continue reading it because she said it was sort of boring at first, but thanks to me she soon found it to be super interesting and fun.

Like most kids, she loved the adventure and scary stuff the most. It's not like Harry Potter (which she consumed voraciously and loved....me too!), but it was a great read nonetheless. I try hard to find her other books than the HP series to read to continue to stimulate her imagination and to let her understand that HP is not the only adventure, magical, scary, mysterious kids stories out there.

I will most likely be buying the entire series of books, one at a time since once hooked on a good story, she begs me for more of them. Great for late elementary to middle school aged readers.

Lerangis' new series doesn't stray very far from the model established by J.K. Rowling and Rick Riordan for young adult magic/mythology-based fiction. We've got a young male focal character (Jack McKinley, age 13) surrounded by a cadre of friends with various talents (two boys, Marco and Cass, and a girl, Aly) whisked out of the world they're familiar with (current-day USA) to discover they've got previously-unknown abilities (as super-powered descendants of Atlantis) and a destiny (reunite the Loculi that once powered Atlantis) with a deadline (don't reunite the Loculi fast enough and their powers will kill them). Oh, and the adults around them (Professor Bheghed, Torquin) may or may not be working in the kids' best interests. Pretty straightforward stuff as far as it goes, enjoyable but not earth-shatteringly different from various series that have come before.

This first installment does what it needs to do: it establishes the main characters, sets up the main conceit, and eventually introduces what I assume will be the main adversary. The story is told capably, although the first person narration from Jack's POV seems a bit more limited than it feels in Rick Riordan's books (perhaps it's just that Percy Jackson, Carter Kane and Sadie Kane are more descriptive than Jack is).

But even clocking in at over three hundred pages, portions of this seemed rushed, key information glossed over. For instance, the life Jack is leaving behind is established in a brief two chapters (one for his messy home life and one for encountering the school bully) and while this does establish who Jack is (creative, a defender of the less fortunate) it doesn't really give us enough to care about that life not matter how much Jack later wishes he could go back to it. We're repeatedly told how much Jack wants to let his father know he's still alive and yet when the opportunity finally does present itself, it's a different character who takes the chance. It felt to me like the author recognized that he'd left this sub-plot hanging for too long and needed to at least vaguely address the issue of the parents who have been left behind thinking their kids are kidnapped/dead, and so he added a scene that largely takes place off-camera. Maybe it was meant to build suspense, but to this reader it felt like a missed opportunity.

As the title implies, Jack and his friends are successful in figuring out that the seven Loculi of ancient Atlantis are hidden in the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, even though six of those no longer exist, and their first mission takes them to the island of Rhodes to find out whatever happened to the Colossus. I won't spoil, in this review, how that mission turns out, except to say that it took at least one twist I wasn't expecting, and that was a pleasant surprise. (Although the fact that this is a seven book series implies that Jack, at least, survives the first mission.) All of the action scenes throughout the book are well-written, and the idea of incorporating the clues the kids find as actual graphics (rather than just written descriptions) is a nice touch.

At first I was a bit hesitant to read this book since I am well above the age range. I know YA is usually read by adults nowadays, but I am not such a heavy reader anymore. But this book was praised by Rick Riordan, an author my teenage friend worships besides the likes of Sarah J. Maas, Jasinda Wilder, and Jennifer Armandtrout. So I figured that it had to have something going for it.

At first, I did not like the main character, Jack, too much. He didn't seem to have anything that made him stand out. Then we get introduced to some other characters that make me a bit annoyed. Jack seemed a lot more tolerable after that. Plus this is the first book in a series with a teenage main character. Frankly, if the character was incredibly mature, I think I would find it completely unbelievable. One irk I felt was that the other children fit character types like the macho guy or the computer girl.

Now the situations that happen in the story and how the children escape from them, it was a bit predictable. There was maybe one surprise in the book. There is nothing wrong with that, as long as the content is a page turner. I can definitely see my teenage friend liking the series, she is a fan of series that heavily follow genre tropes and conventions. It definitely was not a bad written book and I can see it as exciting for younger readers.

Plus, the future books in the series might become more interesting. Harry Potter had more mature action in the later books. I might come back to this series if my friend recommends it.

I love great children's books but only write reviews when I think a book is either great or terrible. I found this book so disappointing as to be almost offensive. It's writtten with all formula and no skill. The first half builds plausibly and engagingly, however a bit violently. In a world of orphan stories, this story feels both heartless and indifferent. It is not an orphan story per se, but it sure feels like it. As the story progresses I waited for some emotional bonds to emerge. Some positive and negative characters, but none did. I have the feeling this author doesn't no have must in the way of emotion, aside from suspense After the first half of the book plot development fails, and whatever plausible coherence there was is squandered. In the spirit of Indiana Jones and Harry Potter this series seems to borrow only one goal: to minimize the author's time, and maximize his profit. The book jacket says Peter Lerangis has written over 160 books. At first I was astounded. After reading this hastily tossed off volume I am no longer impressed.

I usually love a great middle-grade fantasy, but this novel just didn't grip me. There were some good moments, and decently sketched kid characters, but I had to make myself finish the book.

There's a lot of action, but I felt a lot of it was filler, and I kept waiting to get invested in the outcome. I thought the climax with The Colossus was a little shaky. The adults were almost uniformly incompetent and barely likeable, and the kids do some remarkably poorly considered things as well. A lot of the plot hinges on easy coincidence.

Some of the humor was pleasant. I'm trying to come up with more good things to say. It's not a bad story.

This book might be suffering in my mind to comparisons with Percy Jackson, and the Harry Potter books. The world-building here was flat. Things felt rushed. While the code-breaking clues/images were interesting, I didn't feel like any of the revelations were earned.

I think I simply expected more, expected better. There are six more books to come in this series, and things might step up as we learn more about the various archeological factions.

We didn't buy this book off the store, we got a digital copy on Google play, but he loved it! My son and spent many nights reading all of these books. I was just as enthralled by them as he was! We hope to one day see these made into a movie series and hope they play out just as exciting as they did in our heads!!

Seven Wonders Book 1: The Colossus Rises is, obviously, the first book of a series. In fact, I suspect that there will be seven books in all. It's a nice sort of comic-book fantasy about four kids who find out that they have a genetic marker that shows their descent from the royal family of Atlantis. If they can find the secret loculi that hold the power of old Atlantis, they alone can wield it. Of course, they'll be hidden in the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It all fits together rather neatly, and it might inspire some young people to find out about the real history of the Seven Wonders and to learn more about mythology and folklore. Meanwhile, it's always lovely to daydream about royal lineage and super powers, isn't it?

I read this book aloud to my kids (boy-11, girl-9). They both liked it and said I should give it four stars, otherwise, I would have given it three. It's just too long. And not interesting. And it takes too long to get going. Plus, there are things that make no sense to me, like a kid taking two minutes to teach three other kids hot to climb a rocky cliff. He sends one inexperienced kid up first to be the lead climber who inserts cams along the way. This type of climbing requires a experience and technical knowledge to be done safely. Craziness.

I didn't really care about the characters all that much, to the point that I could have put the book down and never came back to it. My kids didn't ask me to keep reading it, either, like they have with other books. But my kids liked the character who said things backwards, though that isn't as fun to discover when the book is read aloud. And I don't think they would have caught on if I wasn't stopping to say, "He said dancing backwards."

Overall, I'm just not interested enough to read on. I just couldn't get engaged with the characters or the plot.

The Good: I had no idea what to expect when I opened The Colossus Rises. I was a happy to find a middle grade adventure story with supernatural elements. Or rather, mostly science fiction/superhero elements, rather than paranormal. Jack is a realistic protagonist, asking the important questions and not taking explanations at face value. The series seems poised to teach readers about the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World, which I think is awesome as even I, an adult with all my schooling and extracurricular reading, know next to nothing about them.

The Bad: This series is destined to be compared to Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series. I caught myself doing it multiple times while reading The Colossus Rises. There are just as many similar elements as there are themes unique to each series - but, Percy Jackson offers up quite a bit more that would be considered "educational."

This is a well done, action-packed adventure/fantasy novel that's a good match for kids who are fans of the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan. It's aimed at middle grade readers, 9-14, and uses the seven wonders of the ancient world as a framework, one that will allow the author to write seven books in the series (assuming they all sell well, that is...) Like Percy Jackson, this book is suitable for both boys and girls; although a boy is the main character, there is also a very strong female character. This is a great book for summer reading for fantasy lovers.

This book was a fun and exciting story. I recommend it for people who like mystery, fantasy, and adventure. It was very interesting, although sometimes it was confusing and didn’t make sense. Overall, Peter Lerangis has great story ahead of you!
- Ethan B.

This book was very Percy Jackson and the other books by Rick Riordan. This isn't a bad thing, because those series' are pretty good and I admire anything that can make me feel like I'm that type of world again, but it has knocked a star off for the lack of originality. I don't want to ruin anything for you, but I can tell you that if you were a fan of anything Percy Jackson, then you will most definitely like this. Hope you enjoy this book as much as I have.

The Rube Goldberg first chapter is hilarious and just a taste of what's to follow. There's lots of hilarity before it centers on the adventure. The humor doesn't let up though. It's a long book for a children's novel, but any good reader will tackle the 360 pages with glee. Highly recommended.

My Review: The Colossus Rises, is the first installment in the epic seven-book adventure series Seven Wonders. If you're a fan of Rick Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson series you will enjoy reading Seven Wonders. This book is full of action and adventure.

Disclaimer: As per FTC guidelines, I received a copy of this book from HarperCollins Publishers in exchange for my honest review. I received no monetary compensation. All opinions expressed here are mine and mine alone.

My son is a voracious reader and he really enjoyed this book was it not for the fact that we had a busy week I suspect it would have been finished in one sitting. Admittedly it will feel a bit familiar if you're a fan of the Percy Jackson type series you will enjoy. The comparison is not to say it is not good- I mean once you go that route there bound to be similar tales, and this one is still unique .
It pulls you in from the first sentence which speaks of his immediate impending demise...you can't help but wonder how he got there and so you read on. This tale is great at surprising its reader, with plenty of twist and turns drama and of course action. I think this is a great starter book if you want to get the little one into reading, and will be enjoyed by seasoned readers as well.

My friend reccokended this to me and bein who I am, I decided to read it. Without spoiling things, Jack, Aly, Marco and Cass must find the seven Loculi hidden around the worl befre time runs out. Read it. I will tell you no more.

This is a great start in what I'm sure will be a wonderful series. The plot is interesting and fun. Linking the past to the present like never before and perhaps better than Percy Jackson did. The characters are really well developed.

Amazing debut for what I can tell will be an amazing series. I love the comedy and mythos of the book, plus the characters each have something unique about themselves. Plenty of action and magic mixed into this great tale.

I work as a children's librarian, part time, in a small christian academy. We do not have a large budget for buying books, so I am very choosey with what I add to our shelves. I recently finished The Colossus Rises and immediately ordered two copies for our collection! The students will love this series! It is action packed, full of suspense and full of amazing descriptions and fantasy. What an amazing start to a new series. This series is a great alternative for Percy Jackson and Harry Potter fans, but also great for kids who just want an engrossing read. I'd recommend this book for third graders and up. I'm sure my students are going to eat this series up.

The writing style and depth of expression is surprising for the narrating character's age - 13 - but having a nanny and being 13 and the overdeveloped writing makes this a hard sell to an immature reader with a penchant for comic books. It's very hard to find novels for someone like that. This book felt like it was written by an adult who was not in the skin of his teenage main character and that was distracting.

Even though I hated the book, I kept it because the writer is established and successful but everytime I tried to learn to enjoy it, I actually imagined how I would rewrite this sentence or that entire paragraph. I actually hate the book the longer I try to like it. The characterization is twee and the writing is awkward. I don't understand at all how this person could be so successful if all his books are written this way.

The Nanny didn't quit because the main character was too special - she quit because he was tediously overarching about what a prodigy he is.

We found this book at a library book sale and my kids are hooked. 11-year-old read it first and LOVED it. He's been trying to get all his friends to read it. 9-year-old finally took his suggestion and couldn't put it down. If your kids have liked Harry Potter, Rick Riordan, Lord of the Rings, and/or Septimus Heap like mine, they'll be hooked. Only bad thing is how long they have to wait for the next one.

Peter Lerangis is the third best author of the world this book was awesome but it was too unreal because.c Can a thirteen year old boy survive falling into a volcanoe?I enjoyed the book,but Peter needs to be a little more realistic.

1) Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

2) Genre: YA Fantasy

3) Synopsis: Jack has something in his head that will kill him. Kill him if it isn't treated. It is only a temporary fix unless he finds the lost powers of Atlantis.

4) Feelings: I am usually big on anything that has to do with Atlantis but this book feel short for me. I am not certain why it did though. I think part of it may be because it might be targeted at the younger portion of the YA audience. For some reason every young YA or middle age book I have read I didn't like. Maybe I am more mature than I thought.

5) Final recommendation: It wasn't horrible but wasn't great. Probably good for a younger reader. Although it is certainly setting up the series. Not a big fan of that either.

Ryan James Burt
Husband, Father, and Writer
[...]

In The Colossus Rises, Jack is in a dream during the destruction of Atlantis. He suffers a head injury in an accident, causing another extreme dream. Jack must complete a quest to find the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World so that he can get a cure for his disease--a disease that will give him super powers and also death. So, Jack and his friends, Marco, Aly, and Cass, set out on a quest for his cure. You will find suspense and adventure galore in The Colossus Rises.

This was an okay book but not one to inspire the pins and needles anticipation of the next in the series nor is it one that can't be put down and walked away from for awhile. It is akin to the Percy Jackson series but the characters in this book are not nearly as engaging and the plot seems rather shallow. Still it is a worthy enough read for avid fantasy readers who are hard pressed to find books to read.

I chose to start reading this series because I'm honestly waiting for Rick Riordan and P.C. Cast to hurry up with their next release so I needed a new series to obsess over. This book is definitely a page turner and is a whole new world of its own. It's different because Lerangis uses the 7 Wonders of the World and twists it into an adventure that you'll want to keep reading about. Also it gets to the point and I like that about a book. There's no dragging on. Highly recommend it to young readers and adult readers who enjoy a bit of fantasy every now and again. Looking forward to the next book!

What a great beginning to a new adventure series. We open with Jack who seems like your somewhat average kid and then an accident which lands him on a mysterious island conducting an impossible journey to the seven wonders with four newfound friends. We read this first book aloud and the kids were excited to continue each day's session. Now to wait for the next installment

I found this book very interesting and paced just right. The plot keeps you entertained and wondering what will happen next. Lots of twists and turns keeps your attention.

It doesn't come close to the intrigue and complexity of Harry Potter--but I found it more interesting than the Percy Jackson books.

The protagonist starts his day with a very interesting alarm clock and ends up kidnapped by strangers and transported to what is left of Atlantis. No matter how the story unfolds, I would not recommend it as the premise that it is OK for scientists to kidnap 13-year-olds "for their own protection" was very disturbing to me. Also, these 13-year-olds have some kind of genetic marker than means they will do extraordinary things (described as "superpowers"), but they will die before their 14th birthday. I don't want a child of mine to have to deal with either of those concepts in what is supposed to be entertainment. Dialog is unbelievable, and the "Percy Jackson" types of asides are contrived. Not recommended.

The beginning of this book was pretty interesting, but then it kind of petered out. Also, I didn't finish it because when the guy was near the water his body parts came flying back into his body an it was really disturbing.

I truly wanted to like this book. On the whole, I love YA fantasy, and after reading so many reviews comparing this book to the Percy Jackson series, I looked forward to a wonderful read. Then there's Peter Lerangis' pedigree as an author: having published so many books, and received so much acclaim, I felt confident an evening with this book would be well spent.

How wrong I was.

There is no character development here. Rather, we're introduced to Jack in the first character. He's a 13-year-old kid whose mother died (how, we never learn) and whose father has come up with excuses to travel ever since (and we're left to assume that it's too painful for him to be in the house now that his wife is dead). A series of au pairs have supervised Jack since his mother's death, and again we're not told why they keep quitting. In fact, his most recent au pair quits on the day the action in the book begins... and we have NO idea why.

Not a chapter later, Jack suddenly finds himself in a hospital after losing consciousness in the school parking lot. A doctor is treating him, and at no point does he seem to wonder why his dad isn't there. In fact, when he's kidnapped from that hospital, at no point does he seem to think about his dad -- or even miss him -- at all.

Eventually (and I don't want to give away much of the plot in case someone actually feels like spending an evening with this book), Jack winds up with a group of other kids his age. They, too, are one-dimensional characters, each of which Lerangis seems to have assigned an "odd trait" just to flesh them out a bit. There's Cass, a cowardly sort who likes to pronounce words backwards but whose physical appearance -- or ANY OTHER TRAIT -- most readers would be hard-pressed to describe. There's Aly, who has pink hair (though how she managed to dye it at the remote island institute is beyond my understanding), likes movies and is good with cyber stuff. Tall? Short? Fat? Thin? Who knows. Lerangis seems to think this is all we need to know about her. Oh, and there's Marco, some kind of super athlete who likes to call everyone 'brother' but whether he's white, African-American, Latino, whatever, we have no idea. Tall? Beefy? Short? Stringy? We don't know!

These kids, all aged thirteen, get thrust through an unlikely and unbelievable set of plot points. Now, as someone who adores YA fantasy, I'm willing to suspend disbelief any time an author creates an enchanting milieu or, failing that, introduces me to such well-conceived characters that I am dying to know what happens to them. Here, the untraceable island is hardly described beyond being in an ocean with a volcanic mountain in the middle of it. The rest of the island's description is essentially a regurgitation of concepts from the TV show LOST: it's undetectable due to some magnetic abnormality; there was an ancient civilization there; strange hybrid creatures exist on the island; oh, and watch out for the electrified perimeter. So, as with the one-dimensional characters, this was again truly lazy writing.

Even when the kids make their way to Turkey, are we treated to the sights, the sounds, the smells of this exotic locale? No, no we are not. We briefly encounter a taxi driver named Taki who is clearly a walk-on character. So why is he as equally memorable as the main characters? Hard to say. Even the so-called bad guys in the book seem to merely walk in to the plot solely to check off one more plot point, then disappear. There's no tension, no buildup, no real climatic encounter.

Oh, and don't get me started on the cliff-hanger ending. Listen, the only reason cliff-hangers work is because the book -- the characters, the description or the plot (and preferably at least two of the three) are so compelling that the reader can't wait to pick up with the next events. Here? Lerangis introduced the one and ONLY plot twist through the entire story... and it came so late, after such a disappointing read, but I could not possibly care less what might happen next.