Skip to main content

The Lost Kingdom

I didn't know much about The Lost Kingdom before starting it. I never read the synopsis. I knew Matthew Kirby wrote it, and as I quite liked Icefall (my review) that was all I needed. I wish I went into more books this way. Not having any idea what the story even is, I'm always pleasantly surprised with what I get. This one is a great read from start to finish.

Synopsis:
In this extraordinary adventure story, Billy Bartram, his father, and a secret society of philosophers and scientists venture into the American wilderness in search of the lost people of the Welsh Prince Madoc, seeking aid in the coming war against the French. Traveling in a flying airship, the members of the expedition find their lives frequently endangered in the untamed American West by terrifying creatures, a party of French soldiers hot on their trail, and the constant threat of traitors and spies. Billy will face hazards greater than he can ever imagine as, together with his father, he gets caught up in the fight for the biggest prize of all: America.

Set just before the beginning of the French and Indian War, The Lost Kingdom is historical fantasy that combines real life historical figures, science fiction, and fantasy. Kirby deftly wove these three strands together. There was a moment at the end where I thought maybe a little too much was thrown in there, but this is a minor glitch and Kirby makes it work. Benjamin Franklin has a cameo in the story, as does a young George Washington commanding his fort on the frontier. I was impressed with Kirby's interpretation of Franklin especially. He did a fantastic job of maintaining the historical integrity of his characters and setting while building the fantasy elements into it. This is not an easy task. Oh so many authors fail at it. Interestingly, the main character and his father are both based on actual historical figures as well. The world was never explained or detailed too much. Kirby let his story build the world for him. It was easy to picture the ship, the places Billy was seeing, and the adventures encountered. 

What really shines in this story is the characters, particularly Billy and his father. As much as this is a tale of adventure and magic in the the wilds of unexplored America, it is more the tale of a relationship between a boy and his father. Through the narrative of a fast action adventure story, Kirby gives the reader an extraordinary view of humanity. The interactions between Billy and his father are at the center of this. Billy is a young man coming into his own. He is figuring out what it is he believes and wants out of life, and is disheartened to realize it isn't everything his father is. This is a story of that moment when a child sees his father for the man he is. What I truly appreciated about this is that John isn't a bad man. He is a human one. He does so much good, and yet he has some nasty issues and is a racist, refusing to believe any Indian could be a good person. Watching Billy struggle with seeing this in his father, and his father struggle with seeing himself through Billy's eyes is something I think any reader can identify with on some level. The other scientists on the expedition are not quite as fleshed out, but their personalities do all shine when needed and each has a distinctive characterization. Jane is my one complaint regarding characterization in the story. I'm not really sure why she was there. Was she included to attract girl readers? Because she really has no function in the story except to be ridiculously headstrong, wander off, and cause a skirmish at one point. Even as a potential crush for Billy she falls way short. Honestly, I would have preferred if she were left out and this was a book with no female characters in the main team. It would make sense for the time period and is better than including one and getting it wrong.   This is the one thing about the book that kept me from loving it with 100% of my heart.

It is a story full of action and suspense. There are spies and accusations of treason, a lost civilization to find, a bear-wolf chasing them, an enemy army to avoid, and each other to contend with. It's such a fun story and exactly the sort of adventure that kids (and me!) love to read.

I read an e-galley received from the publisher, Scholastic, via NetGalley. The Lost Kingdom is available for purchase August 27.

Comments

Sarah Prineas said…
I am REALLY looking forward to this one, and so are my kids.
Brandy said…
I was highly impressed. I liked it even more than I liked Icefall.
Brenda said…
Sounds like a great action/adventure story. I've been wanting to read more historical books so maybe historical fantasy is a good start.
Brandy said…
It really is fun. And I wouldn't hesitate to give it to a kid studying the time period.

(I often use historical fantasy for my "historical" reading.)
Charlotte said…
Oh good! I shall continue to look forward to it in a trusting spirit.
Brandy said…
It's quite different from Icefall, but I loved it.

Popular posts from this blog

Favorite Kissing Scenes

When thinking of a favorite things post I could do for February I decided it would have to be kissing. I've already done couples and I was feeling in the mood to do something fluffy and Valentine's related. So kisses it is. I read more MG than YA, and the YA I read tends to not focus on romance so this was actually harder than I expected it to be though a few jumped into my head right away. (And one of my choices does actually come from a MG book. One is adult. Gasp!) The actual scene from the book is quoted followed by my thoughts. The king lifted a hand to her cheek and kissed her. It was not a kiss between strangers, not even a kiss between a bride and a groom. It was a kiss between a man and his wife, and when it was over, the king closed his eyes and rested his forehead against the hollow of the queen's shoulder, like a man seeking respite, like a man reaching home at the end of the day . - The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner Turner doesn't write the

TTT: Most Recent Additions to My TBR List

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly themed blog hop created by  The Broke and the Bookish  and now hosted at  That Artsy Reader Girl . This Week's Topic: Most Recent Additions to My TBR List From Most Recent to Least: What books have recently caught your eye?

This Side of Home

What attracted me to This Side of Home by Renee Watson was the cover. The story hooked my interest. The characters made me fall in love. Maya has lived her entire life in the same neighborhood in Portland hanging out with the same group of friends: her twin sister Nikki, their best friend Essence, and Ronnie, Malachi, and Devin-three boys her father mentors. They have plans for the future that involve each other: prom, college, life. But things in their neighborhood are changing. People are moving in and starting new businesses. Property values are going up as a result. In addition to change, this is also causing trouble. Essence has to move out of her  house when the owner decides he can make more money selling it than renting it. The racial demographics of the school, which has been mostly African American, is shifting. This presents new challenges and choices for Maya and her friends. It brings new people into their lives at the same time. Maya has to figure out how-and if-she wa

Serafina and the Black Cloak

Serafina and the Black Cloak  by Robert Beatty is a thrilling tale of mystery and adventure set at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC in 1899. Having lived in Asheville and visited the house several times, there was no way I was going to pass up a chance to read this. (Also it's MG fantasy, always a bonus for me.) Serafina lives in secret in the basement of the Vanderbilt's spacious vacation home. She has lived there most of her life. Her father worked on the house as it was being built and is the mechanic who runs the massive generator and keeps the electricity going. Serafina is the chief rat catcher, slipping through the halls of her massive home secretly and quietly. She is light on her feet, sees well in the dark, and is quick enough to catch the vermin and keep them out. Serafina knows she if different and strange. Her father insists she stay hidden. But all that changes when one night Serafina witnesses a horrible crime. A little girl, a guest in the house, is fleein

Shorter Musings MG Fantasy

Here are some shorter musings on recent MG fantasy reads. Anya and the Dragon   by Sofiya Pasternack This book is fun. It is a book full of adventure, an obvious bad guy, some more complicated morally gray area characters, and a strong, brave heroine. It is also a book about friendships, community, and fighting for what is right. All things that usually work for me really well. While I enjoyed this, I did feel it was a little overlong and there were certain plot points at the end I didn't love. However, there were things I thought were done really well, such as Anya's Jewish faith and the idea that power needs to be challenged. In the end it was a middle of the road read for me, but it is one I will certainly be recommending to dragon and fantasy adventure lovers I know! R is for Rebel   by J. Anderson Coats This is tough because I usually really like Coats's books. I had such a hard time with this one though on so many levels. It's difficult to get into because t