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A review by karen_perkins
Ashalon by Rob Ussery
4.0
Bobby Lee is a normal 12 year old boy – until his mother dies. As the eldest sibling, he takes the brunt of the chores, as well as helping his brother and sister through their grief. His father is an undemonstrative man, struggling with his own grief, but does appreciate his eldest son and rewards him with a much coveted Macbook on Bobby Lee's 12th birthday.
Bobby Lee begins to suffer a series of extreme headaches, and he starts to change. He is stronger, animals avoid him, and his eyes glow a light blue – until he drinks water and returns to normal. But it keeps happening, and each time he has more and more new qualities. His schoolwork is suddenly easy, he can levitate, send out pulses of energy and even teleport himself.
He uses his new abilities to transport himself to Greece (via the Pacific Ocean, for some reason) and barely makes it. Once there he explores the ancient ruins that have fascinated him for years, then travels across the Aegean. He disappears in a flash of light along the way and reappears in an enormous cavern which the reader knows to be near the centre of the earth, and learns who he really is – Ashalon, the descendent of a being not of this earth, and the last of his species. He has a mission – to learn the details of his heritage and to pass his knowledge on the human race to help them in their exploration of space. But that isn't enough for Bobby Lee/Ashalon, and he gives himself another mandate – to use his abilities to save as many lives as possible from natural disasters.
His activities don't go unnoticed, however. There are many species out there, and Ashalon's ancestor broke their laws by interfering in Earth's development. Unknowingly, Bobby Lee may have instigated an interstellar war.
'Ashalon' has a touching and bittersweet start with likeable characters and a good portrait of Bobby Lee's family life. I especially liked the father – he gets some things right and some wrong, his character is well-rounded and somehow very real.
Fans of Superman will love 'Ashalon'. Imaginative and creative, Rob Ussery tells a gripping story that builds suspense as Bobby Lee is hunted. His action scenes are exciting and well written, and he casts a spell on his readers making the novel hard to put down.
Bobby Lee begins to suffer a series of extreme headaches, and he starts to change. He is stronger, animals avoid him, and his eyes glow a light blue – until he drinks water and returns to normal. But it keeps happening, and each time he has more and more new qualities. His schoolwork is suddenly easy, he can levitate, send out pulses of energy and even teleport himself.
He uses his new abilities to transport himself to Greece (via the Pacific Ocean, for some reason) and barely makes it. Once there he explores the ancient ruins that have fascinated him for years, then travels across the Aegean. He disappears in a flash of light along the way and reappears in an enormous cavern which the reader knows to be near the centre of the earth, and learns who he really is – Ashalon, the descendent of a being not of this earth, and the last of his species. He has a mission – to learn the details of his heritage and to pass his knowledge on the human race to help them in their exploration of space. But that isn't enough for Bobby Lee/Ashalon, and he gives himself another mandate – to use his abilities to save as many lives as possible from natural disasters.
His activities don't go unnoticed, however. There are many species out there, and Ashalon's ancestor broke their laws by interfering in Earth's development. Unknowingly, Bobby Lee may have instigated an interstellar war.
'Ashalon' has a touching and bittersweet start with likeable characters and a good portrait of Bobby Lee's family life. I especially liked the father – he gets some things right and some wrong, his character is well-rounded and somehow very real.
Fans of Superman will love 'Ashalon'. Imaginative and creative, Rob Ussery tells a gripping story that builds suspense as Bobby Lee is hunted. His action scenes are exciting and well written, and he casts a spell on his readers making the novel hard to put down.