Gary Paulsen

While backpacking in the desert, thirteen-year-old Mark falls into a tube of blue light and is transported into a more primitive world, where he must use his knowledge and skills to survive.

The Transall saga

Monicap

I Liked this book. I really did. The concept was intriguing, the writing wasn't bad, the characters were fairly realistic. 

But there were these little thing that ticked me off.

1) Mark's use of expression. In this book, we meet people who speak a language other than English. And Mark learns this language, but he likes to use English expressions of speech. For instance: MArk is training with one these people, named Sarbo. Sarbo tells him to come back first thing tommorow morning. Mark says "Wild horses couldn't keep me away." --now, there are not horses in this world, so there obviosly aren't horses in these people's langauge. But they do have horse-like beasts, which I assume IS in their language. At this point, I assumed Mark was using their word for the horse-like beasts, and the author was just saying horse to simplify for the reader. But no.-- "Wild horses?" Sarbo asks, confused. "It's an expression, Sarbo. It means nothing will stop me from being here." Mark answers.
Not, my first problem. WHY WOULD USE AN EXPRESSION OF SPEECH??? These people are so Primitive, no offense to them, I love them, but expressions of speech are evolved. WHY??? My second problem, if you MUST use an expression of speech, why don't you use their word for their horse-like beasts? Why? Why, Mark?

2) The Merkon. It's not really that I'm ANNOYED, but I hope the author didn't expect me to be surprised by this plot twist.

3) Megaan. So I'm sort of predisposed to dislike people name Megan, and I was pronouncing Megaan Megan while reading this. Also, she was given NO character development other tan: she's the daughter of the village chief. she's hot. And she doesn't like Mark (except she does). That's all I know about her. And yet as soon as we met her I could sorta tell that she and Mark would be a thing, and thus the character Leeta was, for the most part, wasted. ARG.

Even though none of the 'plot twists' in this book surprised me and I found the language to be misused by the main character, the concept and setting of this book were phenomenal and I recommend it to fans of SF/Fantasy or dyst0opia. It's a different perspective on these genres, and was thoroughly enjoyable.

The Transall saga

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