Friday, July 8, 2011

The Malifex, By Steve Alton 2002

I've long been a passionate reader of anything related to King Arthur and especially Merlin. This book takes the Arthurian legend into the present with new heroes and wizards. The main character, Sam, a notable gamer, turns out to be the new Arthur. With his supporting wizard, Amergin.

The plot is engaging and the characters are relatively well developed. It helps a lot to have background knowledge about the Arthurian legends, the British countryside, and things magical. Students who have read The Hobbit, and watched or reading the Lord of the Rings trilogy will feel comfortable with the necessary background knowledge. There is a second book with the same characters available The Firehills.

I had picked this up as a book I might recommend to gamers. It is a possibility, but the video gaming plot threads are minimal. Gamers who like the magical themed games or LOTR game will find the book engaging.

The book is recommended primarily for grades 5-8 and I agree with that. The readability estimates by Perma-Bound are around mid-5th grade. The main character's age is not made explicit. However, he is old enough to have a romantic interest in his companion in adventure--Charly (Charlotte).

No comments: