Feels Like The Next Big Middle Grade Fantasy
Ring of Solomon by Aden Polydoros has all the markings of being the next big middle grade fantasy book everyone is going to know the name of.
We open with Zach and Naomi, two siblings looking for a birthday present for their mom. They come across a ring that would be perfect for her, but Zach soon realizes there's more to this ring than meets the eye when he begins being able to speak to animals.
I'm very interested in seeing what all this ring does and what sort of adventure Zach is going to have to go on. While we know about the talking animals in this First Look, there's also a bit at the end where Zach accidentally summons the King of Demons. I'm also very interested in seeing who exactly this King of Demons is, as he's described as being "a boy". How does someone so young become the King of Demons and what does he want with our main character now that he's been summoned.
I'm also interested in seeing what the lore of this book is going to be. The ring Zach and Naomi finds is described as being "Jewish", with a Star of David and Hebrew letters engraved on it. I don't know too much about Jewish myths and magical creatures, but I'd love to explore what can pop up throughout this book and learn more about them!
The writing in this book also seemed very humorous from these first few pages, which I'm sure many readers will really like. It was a very casual humor style, just a sprinkle of unexpected anecdote in the middle of a few descriptions, but it made for a more relaxed writing style I think many people would really enjoy in this book.
The cover feels a little too old-school for me, however. Like it's an 80s fantasy, maybe? I feel like I could expect to find this book in a secondhand bookstore amongst other well-loved copies of old books. If I was still in the target audience for this book, I wouldn't want to pick it up just for cover aesthetics alone, but I was also a picky kid.
25-year-old me is definitely interested in seeing what happens in the future for Zach and what sort of adventures he will have to go on, though!
We open with Zach and Naomi, two siblings looking for a birthday present for their mom. They come across a ring that would be perfect for her, but Zach soon realizes there's more to this ring than meets the eye when he begins being able to speak to animals.
I'm very interested in seeing what all this ring does and what sort of adventure Zach is going to have to go on. While we know about the talking animals in this First Look, there's also a bit at the end where Zach accidentally summons the King of Demons. I'm also very interested in seeing who exactly this King of Demons is, as he's described as being "a boy". How does someone so young become the King of Demons and what does he want with our main character now that he's been summoned.
I'm also interested in seeing what the lore of this book is going to be. The ring Zach and Naomi finds is described as being "Jewish", with a Star of David and Hebrew letters engraved on it. I don't know too much about Jewish myths and magical creatures, but I'd love to explore what can pop up throughout this book and learn more about them!
The writing in this book also seemed very humorous from these first few pages, which I'm sure many readers will really like. It was a very casual humor style, just a sprinkle of unexpected anecdote in the middle of a few descriptions, but it made for a more relaxed writing style I think many people would really enjoy in this book.
The cover feels a little too old-school for me, however. Like it's an 80s fantasy, maybe? I feel like I could expect to find this book in a secondhand bookstore amongst other well-loved copies of old books. If I was still in the target audience for this book, I wouldn't want to pick it up just for cover aesthetics alone, but I was also a picky kid.
25-year-old me is definitely interested in seeing what happens in the future for Zach and what sort of adventures he will have to go on, though!