Book Review: The Phoenix Files Book 1: Arrival

"...When you know the human race is about to wiped off the face of the earth, quadratic equations suddenly seem a whole new level of pointless."

- Luke Hunter, teenage protagonist of "Arrival" (page 148).

That's just one of the delightful witty quips that this author throws out. He also throws out danger, action, friendship, turmoil, and conspiracy at about 100 miles an hour. I practically have whiplash from this book.

But let's begin at the beginning!

The Phoenix Files, Book 1, Arrival
Author: Chris Morphew
Publisher: Kane Miller
Age: 14+
Pages: 304
Link to the book on UBAM
Description: Luke Hunter soon realizes that the new town he’s now living in is no ordinary town. Then he and his new friends, Peter and Jordan, discover a plot to wipe out the rest of the human race – in only one hundred days. The clock is ticking.







For the purpose of this review, I'm splitting this book into two segments. Part The First consists of the first 100 pages. Part The Next is everything after that.

Part The First:

Okay I'm going to be real honest with you. The beginning of this book did not set my expectations very high. A simplistic plot, a lackluster hero, and a series of downright dull introductory scenes had me thinking ..... "What is everyone raving about?" I can't count how many times Luke Hunter thought to himself, "Gosh this place is really weird." He was constantly assuring the reader that things were, in fact, exceedingly strange. I get it, okay? You're weirded out.

Meeting the friends picked things up, but Peter seemed like a forced version of a know-it-all big man on campus, and Jordan just had a stick up her .... back. As their relationships evolved, I became marginally more invested in the story - but only just.

I thought about leaving the book to the 14 year olds. I thought, maybe I'm just too much of a snob to enjoy middle school literature. But no, I told myself, press on. Give it a chance. It's large print and not that many pages. Read it fast and move on to the next thing.

BUT THEN.

Part the Next:

Literally on page 100, Things Get Real. I am not kidding. If this book is a quiet outback bushland with birds chirping, page 100 is the crazy roaring lion that leaps out of the scraggly scrub and grabs you by the ankle and shakes you all around and ..... okay that metaphor is getting out of hand. But seriously, at this point, the book became readable. (OMG I just realized - 100 days to save the world - 100 pages to get to the good stuff - coincidence???)

Beginning with a scene at an abandoned airport, featuring a truly weird, "Alice In Wonderland" spouting deformed hobo (I kid you not), the author sets the action on it's way and it does not stop. From one circumstance to the next, one fraught conversation to another, the author peaks your interest and it never flags.

There's also some much-needed characterization. Luke, Peter and Jordan all start to show deeper, more nuanced character traits. Because of their flaws and their strengths, they become real. Jordan in particular, while a little impetuous in the face of danger, is a great female role model. Her sturdy foundation of bravery, morality and level-headedness is what drives the three teens to the grand conclusion of the book. She is, almost more so than Luke, the moving force behind their revelations and adventures.

And what revelations and adventures! I don't want to say much more about the plot, because the fun of the book is uncovering the town's secrets. But be assured - really very few actually get uncovered in this book. Plenty of good stuff is left for later books.

So, I'll admit. The whole adolescent-sets-out-to-save-the-world thing has been done. Maybe done better. The premise is a little, well - unimaginative. BUT the themes are universal and will resonate well with teenagers: friendship, questioning authority, perseverance, bravery, an inquisitive mind .... the list of attributes goes on. The action during the second half of the book more than makes up for the slow beginning. And I'll forgive the author that beginning, because I find that, after finishing, I am really invested in the characters and their world after all. Bring it on, book number 2!

(And yes I'm ordering it in my next book order. Because come on we have to save the world.)

And, as a thank you to you for getting through this hugely long post, I will leave you with this: a quadratic equation. You're welcome.

6x(squared) + 11x - 35 = 0