Today, I'm reviewing a seriously funny, action-packed middlegrade book. Here's some details and below is my review.
Billy Lovecraft Saves the World, by Billy Lovecraft
Genre: middle-grade, action-adventure, paranormal, horror, science-fictionPublisher: Curiosity Quills PressDate of Release: November 13, 2014Cover Artist: Andy Garcia
Description:
The last thing Billy Lovecraft’s parents sent him before the crash was a photo of something on the wing of their plane.Now he’s stuck with a horrible and heart-breaking mystery: What was that awful creature, and why were his parents targeted?It’s up to Billy to gather a team of like-minded kids and lead them through a dark new reality where the monsters are real, not everyone is who they seem to be, and an ancient alien wants to devour the world.
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My Review:
I enjoyed Billy Lovecraft Saves the World and expect most
kids and a good number of adults will too.
Billy is, of course, still traumatized by his parents death,
as much because he doesn’t understand the message they sent him before their
deaths and what he’s supposed to do about it, as to the fact that he now lives
alone. Alone in a rather scary, museum-type fortress of a house dedicated to studying
dangers they’ve never explained to him.
Billy is a bit reactionary at this time in his life and ends
up on the wrong side of his principle. But that was probably going to happen
anyhow. Luckily Billy forces his way into a tight group of gamers who know more
about the things his parents fought than anyone else.
What a great group of diverse kids, each with their own
skills that come in handy as they fight an otherworldly monster determined
to destroy Earth. This book is filled
with non-stop action, all logically written, with a few fun creatures to
balance the nasty ones. The writing is solid, clearly a well-edited book. Okay,
I saw one typo. Quite forgivable in a book with so many strangely spelled
creatures! If there were others, I was reading too fast with great enjoyment to
catch them or care.
My only nits – and they’re truly nits: I’m not a fan of
present tense unless done extremely well, and I did notice it at times, a lack
of using contractions at times stood out, and the omniscient voice isn’t my
favorite choice from an emotional connection perspective. But going omniscient
is fun and allows some things to be explained easier, and often, is more
appropriate for middle grade. So I found myself both appreciating the humor and
as well as wishing we could have been closer to Billy. I’m also a big fan of
incomplete sentences for drama, but those in this book didn’t seem to have a
clear reason – except maybe to avoid a passive voice!
I highly recommend Billy Lovecraft Saves the World to most
kids. There is a bit of swearing and a few raised middle fingers, but all
situation appropriate as long as you don’t find that sort of thing offensive.
And really, when monsters are trying to destroy you, your friends, and the
world – I say swear away.
I give this book 4.5/5 stars which will round to 5 on most
systems. Worth the read.
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