Louis Smith

Zarox

Chiara Vitale Zelaia

*I was sent an ebook copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review*

Granted that middle grade fantasy is not the kind of genre that I usually reach out for, I actually found myself enjoying this book more than I thought I would. 
Zarox is the name of the world our four protagonists, Parker, his little brother Callum and his friends, Lucy and Riley, are thrust into after events that I will not disclose because that would be a spoiler! Here, the four protagonists meet a variety of different creatures, some good and some bad, and are entrusted with magical crystals that grant them abilities that will be vital to their mission: saving the world of Zarox.
The book centers mostly around the protagonists learning how to master their new powers and their journey to finding the pages of the Book of Zarox, whose pages hold the secrets of the crystals.

The story itself was quite captivating also thanks to the writing, which is very simple and makes for a very fluent narration. I was very curious about the various characters that were introduced along the way and the abilities that the protagonists unlocked. The world of Zarox was vast, creative and very entertaining. Another element I really loved about this book was the importance of friendship and loyalty. Being this a middle grade book, I imagine this story going in the hands of children and I found that the representation of friendship in this book was quite inspring. Definitely a great read for young people.
However I wouldn't say I recommend this book to everyone. If you are used to MGs or if you are looking for a light read that is neither too long nor too complicated, then I really think you will appreciate this book. But, if you rather prefer YA or even Adult books, then proceed with caution. Personally, being a YA/Adult reader, what I found lacking in this book was a deeper introspection of the characters, a deeper analysis of their feelings and their relationship with their surroundings. The characters themselves were not too complex and at times I felt they were a little bit stereotypical: Callum is the little brother, so he is very exuberant. Riley is the strongest of the group, so he's not the brightest. Lucy is the only girl, she's competitive and not always very nice. Parker is the leader of the group, so he's the one delivering the inspiring speeches that everyone agrees with. However, I researched a little bit about the world of MGs and realized that this is actually correct for the genre so, once again, Zarox is a perfect representitive of its genre.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, even if it was out of my "comfort zone" and I'm curious to see where the story heads in the next book!

Lottie oliver

Hey guys!
     I have actually finished a book!! I think this is the longest it has taken me to read something this year. I want to apologise to Louis Smith, for the delay in getting this out there. But oh my word am I so happy to have read this book!! So here's a short summery for those who have not heard of Zarox.
     Summery: A marvellously magical adventure takes place when a group of four school children stumble across an alternate universe filled with heinous creatures, bedazzling powers, and unlocked secrets. Take a journey to the world of Zarox, where the impossible becomes realistic and danger becomes customary. 
     So just a little back story for you guys I believe this is his first book and what can I say. What a way to start off. If you want something that is fun as well as thrilling then take a look at this.     It has almost a Lemony Snicket feel to it as well as Spiderwick Chronicles. It's fun and on the odd occasion it feels like it should be scary but its not. It's like that childish thrill you get when somethings going to happen. Its such a nice book to sit and read as an adult or with a child.
     I know it is aimed at a younger audience but hey, who cares. If it is well written then its enjoyable for everyone whatever their age.
     I feel that the language that was used in some sections was very proper. Almost British. It reminded me of the classics... just because it was pronounced so well. I could almost hear Stephen Fry in my head reading it to me.
     I have that buzz you get when you finish a good book, you need to know what's going to happen next. I know that the next book in the series is going to be just as good if not better. And what a way to finish it off. If you like a book with a good cliff hanger then by all means.
     You have characters that are Trallops, Glothers and a Relitar. And as you know, every good book has to have a dragon in it. So my recommendation is that if you want a book that is relaxed, fun as well as a bit thrilling then take a look at Zarox as it does not disappoint.
     Thank you so much Louis for the brilliant book. 4 Stars!!!

Maria Elena Vitale Zelaia

I was sent an ebook copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review 

Zarox was a very fun and light read for me and I really enjoyed it. Fans of the Middle Grade genre are going to love this. I find it the perfect story for young readers and for aficionados of the genre. 

The story follows Parker, his younger brother Callum and their friends, Lucy and Riley. One faithful night--in a scene that gave me vague Stranger Things vibes (I loved it!)--they find themselves transported into the world of Zarox. Here, they meet creatures of all sorts, some that want to make a meal out of them, others that come to their rescue and help them on their journey. And what journey would that be? I am glad you asked. Parker and his friends have been chosen by Lupar, the last relitar, to wield the power of four crystals and with them attempt to save the world of Zarox from the evil Zaron. The four friends must journey to find the pages of the Book of Zarox in order to discover the crystals' hidden abilities and to learn how to control their newly gained magic or risk certain defeat. 

The story's greatest asset was the bonds of friendship both old and new that the friends share amongst themselves and the creatures that help them during their voyage, especially the trallop Rotlier Rum, who was one of my favorite characters. He was so fun to read! The kids did their best both in terms of power and bravery when it came to helping and protecting each other. The writing was also excellent in my opinion. Very fluent and easy to read.

A marvellously magical adventure takes place when a group of four schoolchildren stumble across an alternate universe filled with heinous creatures, bedazzling powers, and unlocked secrets. Take a journey to the world of Zarox, where the impossible becomes realistic and danger becomes customary.

Joleen

I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. 
All views are my own. 

I liked it overall, it took me a moment to get into it as I realized it was more for a younger generation than my old self. But I gave it a chance and I thought if I had come across this while I was younger I would have enjoyed it. I really liked meeting the characters and the creatures and seeing the world of Zarox. The creatures were very creative and I think I enjoyed them the most. I would gladly recommend this book to young fantasy readers as I think many would enjoy it.

Lisa van der Heijden 

Zarox was so kindly given to me by the author! This is a middle-grade fantasy story about four children: Parker, Callum, Lucy and Riley who accidentally travel to a secret fantasy world named Zarox. This magical world is in grave danger. The four children are charged with saving Zarox. 

This may not sound like the most original children story there is, but the writing style, the magical world, and its creatures make it an original adventure. I have heard someone comparing this book to Narnia. I think because in both the stories four children find a secret, magical world hidden behind an ordinary object. A wardrobe in Narnia and a school gate in Zarox Unfortunately I did not enjoy Narnia but I highly enjoyed this book. 

During the story Parker, his little brother Callum, and his two best friends Lucy and Riley go on an adventure in Zarox. They make friends with one of the local creatures – Roltier who is a trallop. The children are given powers by an old sorcerer figure who goes by the name of the Lupar. They have to safe Zarox with their powers from the evil Zaron. During the story, the four friends become more confident in themselves and each other. This book is focused on friendship. The pace of the story flows nicely. There are lots of action-packed events, which gave the story suspense, but were not too scary for children. 

The story revolves around Parker, Callum, Lucy, and Riley. Parker is the unofficial leader of the group. His is brave, he makes decisions and supports his friends when he needs to. His behaviour makes him appear older than he exactly is – more adult like. He is the rationale figure in the story on which children can rely and learn from. He has a special bond with his little brother Callum. Parker also knows the right things to say to get the best out of Callum. Callum is the youngest out of the four so he is more enthusiastic and impulsive than the others. Lucy is the most rational one. She is intelligent and ambitious. She always wants to prove that she is just as good as the boys. Sometimes her ambitious clouds her judgments but through the story, she starts to learn that some things are more important than being the best. I feel like he as the least confidence cause he is the least intelligent one and Lucy is always scolding him when he say something “stupid”. During the story he really grows into himself, grows confidence and he is more aware of his own strength. 

One of the greatest things about this book is the character development throughout the story. The children grow more confident and support each other more. I loved how supportive everyone was of one another. It is great to see that there are children’s books out there which support healthy, supportive friendships. Friendship seems to be the greatest theme in this book. The book is full of sentences like: “I knew you had this sort of power in you”, “We have two things on our side – our powers and our friendship” and “Power of the heart and power of togetherness are unbeatable” The whole message is friendship makes you stronger. 

Another awesome thing about this book is the world – Zarox. It is an original magical world filled with trallops, glothers, Lupar, Jollivites and others. There is no information dumping, information is giving as much as needed and there is enough space for the imagination for the children. The magic system is very interesting; it follows simple rules that children can easily understand and follow. The magic itself is really awesome. The way it is described really speaks to the imagination. Those scenes seemed to be like a film the way they played out in my head. Did I already tell you that there is a dragon in it! A DRAGON!! 

Lastly the writing style; this book is very easy to read. Each character has is his own way of speaking. For example, Roltier calls everyone Laddie. The names of the fictional places are beautiful and magical, my personal favourites: the dreaded lake of shattered dreams and the jolly tavern. 

Overall it was a really fun, magical read. This definitely would have been one of my favourite reads if I read it when I was a child. It is such a great children’s book. The ending leaves room for a sequel and hopefully, there will be one. I would love to read more about Parker and his friend and the magical world of Zarox.

Zarox

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