J. C. Cervantes

The Storm Runner

J.C. Cervantes

A contemporary adventure based on Maya mythology from Rick Riordan Presents! Zane has always enjoyed exploring the dormant volcano near his home in New Mexico, even though hiking it is challenging. He'd much rather hang out there with his dog, Rosie, than go to middle school, where kids call him Sir Limps a Lot, McGimpster, or Uno--for his one good leg. What Zane doesn't know is that the volcano is a gateway to another world and he is at the center of a powerful prophecy. A new girl at school, Brooks, informs him that he's destined to release an evil god from the ancient Maya relic he is imprisoned in--unless she can find and remove it first. Together they return to the volcano, where all kinds of crazy happens. Brooks turns into a hawk, a demon attacks them in a cave, and Rosie gives her all while trying to protect Zane. When Zane decides to save his dog no matter the cost, he is thrust into an adventure full of surprising discoveries, dangerous secrets, and an all-out war between the gods, one of whom happens to be his father. To survive, Zane will have to become the Storm Runner. But how can he run when he can't even walk well without a cane?

Sarah Sammis

The Storm Runner by J.C. Cervantes is the first book in a middle grade fantasy series that builds on Mayan myths. Zane lives in New Mexico near a dormant volcano. He loves exploring it until one night when a supernatural being crash lands in the volcano and sets in motion a series of events that will lead to a roadtrip and quite possibly the end of the world.

As this book is published under the Rick Riordan Presents label, it's no surprise that Zane is a demi-god. His physical problems (namely a leg that is shorter and weaker than the other) are a result of that pairing.

33FF00- family utopia interstate

http://pussreboots.com/blog/2020/comm...

Nessa Luna

Ohh I really enjoyed this! Honestly, I am so happy with the Rick Riordan Presents books, because I was starting to get a bit tired by all the Greek/Roman/Norse Mythology retellings and because of this I can read about all those different mythologies and learn about them in a fun way (because sure I would learn more through a nonfiction book but they're usually very tedious). 

I highly recommend this book if you loved Percy Jackson, Magnus Chase, Heroes of Olympus. I recommend this if you want to learn a bit about Maya mythology.

Nicholle Urcuyo 

Storm Runner 
REVIEW 5/5 Stars

This book was SO GOOOOD!!!!! This book is based upon Mayan Mythology and is full of angry gods, magic, mythological creatures and a ton of action and adventure. Storm Runner is a fast paced, magical book following our characters as they fight demons and try to stop the world from ending. I loved following the quest of Zane Obispo, a disabled Latino boy. Zane Obispo has a disability, he has mismatched legs as one is shorter than the other. Zane was absolutely adorable and had such a great voice, and although there’s so much more to be explored I learned so much about Mayan mythology that I didn’t know before.I found the plot fast-paced, but still laying all of the information that is needed. I love all of the details to this book, and everything was described wonderfully.The characters are genuine and, at times, hilarious; the plot is engaging and unique; and the themes throughout the book are important and wonderful lessons to learn. The plot is delightfully fast-paced, nuanced, and surprising. The vivid details throughout call upon all your senses and really make you feel like you’re right there with Zane and the unique, memorable characters in his orbit, both friends and foes. I also enjoyed the humor and spark that was brought to it. Cervantes had some great lines in the story, and it was light and dark and fun all the same time. I definitely recommend this book, it definitely seems like a middle grade to me, but it can be enjoyable to anyone and everyone of all ages. 

"Are you understanding what I'm telling you, Storm Runner? You are the storm. And the storm is you."
~THE STORM RUNNER
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq02B5XHAxn/

This book definitely fit under the Rick Riordan Presents label because I was getting definite Latinx Percy Jackson vibes in this book. 

Zane's always had trouble with bullies because one of his legs is shorter than the other. He got his mom to agree to homeschool him for a year, but now she's enrolled him in a Catholic school and he's dreading facing a new group of bullies. Instead, he meets Brooks, who turns out to be a narwal intent on helping him deal with his destiny - which is apparently to set free the evil Mayan god of the dead who's been imprisoned for a couple hundred years. Brooks's entry into his life is the catalyst for a race to prevent war among the gods and the end of the world. 

This was a generally fun and snarky book that drew on Mayan mythology, which I was previously unfamiliar with. I enjoyed the way the gods and other supernatural figures were used throughout the book, though I obviously can't speak to their accuracy in any way. 

There's a lot of interalized ableism in this book that is never really addressed. While it's not surprising that Zane would have a degree of hatred for his short leg, because that's what we're often taught by society, the fact that there's no attempt for Zane to practice more positive self-talk or any growth in how he views his leg was disappointing.

There was also an unfortunate amount of misogyny in the book. There was one character who had apparently been persistently asking a woman out for over a decade and was prepared to do it for the rest of time if necessary and refused to accept no as answer and he was treated as cute and romantic rather than super creepy. The extreme amount of emotional and physical labor that Zane's mother had to perform for her pro wrestling obsessed brother was also super unfortunate. 

I initially quite liked this book, but the more I thought about it the more problems I had. I'm hoping that the sequel will improve on some of these points, but I'm not sure how quickly I'm going to be rushing out to read it.

Arden Kowalski

Hm. I was super excited to get a bunch of Riordan Presents books from the library but ended up being disappointed by the two I read. The Storm Runner is based on Mayan mythology and tells the story of a young boy who releases the god of death and goes on a quest to fix it. He is accompanied by his uncle and a shapeshifting girl called Brooks. Hijinks ensue.

PROS:
+ All the Mayan mythology influences were really interesting. I learned a ton about something that seemed completely separate from Roman or Greek mythologies, and it felt really different from the Riordan books. (Side note: why are all the interesting quests with gods based on death and the underworld?)
+ I loved a lot of the side characters. Even though Hondo, Zane's mother, Pacific, and Ixtab get marginal roles in the story, they were still incredibly interesting to read about.
+ The ending was well-done. Not the 'actual' ending, with the big fight and climax, but the one on gray pages at the end of the book.

CONS:
- Serious pacing problems. A lot of the book dragged on and on, without taking the time to keep readers interested in side quests or character bonding. In comparison, the finale felt as though it went way too quickly.
- Brooks. I think the shapeshifting dynamic is really overplayed and never used well, but she just wasn't an engaging character. She was extremely one dimensional and flat-out annoying. It's unfortunate that she was the only female main character.
- Blatant ableism. The entire narrative surrounding Zane's 'bum leg' is absolutely terrible. (view spoiler)[It is so played up as his big flaw that magical clothes erase his limp entirely, which I felt extremely uncomfortable with. I also think the idea of his disability being linked to being god born was interesting in theory but did not play out well at all. (hide spoiler)] I'll link some reviews that articulate this problem better than I can. This one articulates it well.
- Zane makes a lot of ridiculous decisions, especially in the beginning of the book, to propel the plot. This ties into my greater issue with his often immaturely childish narration, which had me staring at the page in disbelief and saying "come on! Kids are smarter than that!"

On the whole, I really didn't enjoy this book. I plan to read Race To The Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse next, and I hope it will be an improvement.

laura

*I got this book for review form the publisher*

I really enjoyed this read. I found the diversity to be such a fun read. I found this book to a super compelling read. I thought the end of the book was a tad rushed. I really loved the myths that this story used. I also loved how this story had a trio of characters. I really found his book to be such a fun read and I am really excited for the sequel as well!

Samantha Seeman

I honestly really liked this book quite a bit. As was Aru Shah, this book reads a lot like our familiar and well-liked Percy Jackson series, so it is no surprise that this fell under Riordan’s imprint. Cervantes does a really great job presenting unknown myths, and making them feel, well, known. I loved that she includes a glossary and PRONUNCIATION key. This was a NEEDED addition to the book and I was very thankful to have access to it while reading it. I just wish that more people were talking about this! PUT DOWN DOGMAN and try this out instead! We need to get kids (and their parents and teachers) reading important content again.

For more on my thoughts, check out my blog review here:
https://modernwitchsbookshelf.wordpre...

Alice

Karen Semaan

I loved every character to bits, Zane is just so inspiring with not letting his disability rule his life!
I need the sequel right now!!

Paige Green

Disclaimer: I received an earc from NetGalley. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Rating: 5/5

Publication Date: September 18, 2018

Genre: MG Fantasy

Recommended Age: 10+ (violence, slightly mature scenes)

Pages: 448

Author Website

Amazon Link

Synopsis: A contemporary adventure based on Maya mythology from Rick Riordan Presents! 
Zane Obispo spends every day exploring the sleeping volcano in his backyard. "The Beast," as he calls it, is the one place where he can escape other kids, who make fun of him because he has a limp and walks with a cane.
After a twin-engine plane crashes into The Beast, a mysterious girl named Brooks shows up at Zane's doorstep, insisting that they meet at the volcano, where she will reveal a terrible secret. Zane agrees, mostly because beautiful girls like her don't usually talk to him. Brooks tells him that the volcano is actually a centuries-old prison for the Maya god of death, whose destiny is directly tied to Zane's. No way, Zane thinks. He's just a thirteen-year old nobody, and destiny or no destiny, he wants nothing to do with any of it, especially some god of death. 
But Brooks opens his eyes to the truth: magic, monsters, and gods are real, and Zane is at the center of an ancient prophecy that could mean the destruction of the world.Suddenly finding himself entangled in a web of dangerous secrets, Zane embarks on a quest that will take him far from home and test him to the very core.
Feisty heroes, tricky gods, murderous demons, and spirited giants are just some of the pleasures that await in this fresh and funny take on Maya mythology, as rich and delicious as a mug of authentic hot chocolate.


I’ve only read the first book of the Rick Riordan series but damn I got so many Rick Riordan vibes while reading this book! It was truly amazing! I felt like the characters were vivid and developed, the plot was developed and intriguing, and the pacing was on point. The whole story made me learn and appreciate so much more about the Maya culture and now I want more!

However, I do feel it’s a bit longer than most middle grade books and a little more mature than the one’s I’ve read before, so just be sure your child can handle it or that you’re on hand to explain some of the more mature scenes.

Verdict: A book that is absolutely amazing.

Lisa Beasley

Overall I enjoyed this book, it was written well and I think kids who like Percy Jackson and that kind of story will really enjoy it. I really enjoyed the mayan gods aspect as it's not something I knew much about. I have to admit the pacing of this story was a little off, it felt very info-dumpy at the start but by a third in it picked up. I do think some of the side characters need more development but as this is the first in a series I will give it the benefit of the doubt. Fun, easy read I would say.

I'm gonna give this a 3.5 stars, I probably will read the sequel when it comes out as I would like to see if we get more character development.

Lauren James

Full review on my blog, Storied Adventures

I really enjoyed this! It was super cool to read about Mayan mythology! I liked that the main character had a disability, he had one leg shorter than the other. It was interesting to see him overcome certain obstacles! I liked the side characters as well! They were all well rounded, well thought out characters.
This book was just a clean, fun story! Definitely want to read the next one!

The Storm Runner

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