⋙ Read The Slayer and the Sphinx Book 1 Volume 1 Adam Bolander 9781477623176 Books

The Slayer and the Sphinx Book 1 Volume 1 Adam Bolander 9781477623176 Books

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The Slayer and the Sphinx Book 1 Volume 1 Adam Bolander 9781477623176 Books

I try to keep up with what my son is reading, but since he has much more time than I have, this has become an impossible task. Well, he ran out of books, so I downloaded The Slayer and the Sphinx on my Kindle for him - he read it in one night and the next morning he was saying that it was his favorite book, and that he hoped 'They' would make a movie out of it.
It took me a while to find the time to finish it, but when I read it I definitely understood why my son liked it so much. It is a very unique fantasy story set in modern times in our own world rather than in ancient times in a fantastic world. The story moves fast from the very first page and never really slows down. The battle scenes are described clearly, and it is never hard to picture what is happening. The characters are well-developed and themes about trust and honesty give the story more depth than it would have as just a simple adventure story. There is one particular 'white lie' that, I am sure, will have some interesting consequences for the heroes in future books.
This is definitely a great book for older kids and young teens. There is nothing offensive or smutty in it. There is some mild violence in the book, but nothing gross or graphic.
Lastly, I think it is quite impressive how Bolander manages to make an interesting story using such obscure creatures as Sphinxes, Banshees and Chimeras etc. He definitely challenged himself in choosing to write about such creatures instead of focusing on the more traditional goblins, dwarves and elves.


Tags : The Slayer and the Sphinx: Book 1 (Volume 1) [Adam Bolander] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. What if every magical creature you'd ever heard of was real, driven into hiding by an army of violent zealots? This is reality for Sarah Heisen and Porter Collins. Sarah is a sphinx living a life of luxury in her family's mansion. Hidden from all danger,Adam Bolander,The Slayer and the Sphinx: Book 1 (Volume 1),CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform,1477623175,FICTION Fantasy Urban

The Slayer and the Sphinx Book 1 Volume 1 Adam Bolander 9781477623176 Books Reviews

When I was approached by Adam Bolander to review his book, The Slayer and the Sphinx Book 1 I wasn’t sure what I was going to find. There are quite a wide range of books in print today by Indie Authors who write within the realms of Fantasy, Mythology, and Urban Fantasy. As well, there are wide ranging demographics of age, character development, and world building. When each requirement is met, and well developed, there can be a really great story – or something not so good.

Bolander has done a ‘fair-to-good’ job with his first in this new series. Definitely a book for a younger set, you shouldn’t hesitate to hand it over to your younger child who would enjoy a book with a good, solid quest theme. Porter belongs to a secret Order of Slayers, who track down and kill “Mythics,” mythological creatures with well developed cultures and mythologies of their own. Hated and persecuted by humans, especially the Order, the Mythics are races besieged by xenophobia.

When Porter, the teenaged slayer, attacks the home of the young sphinx Sarah, there is an accident, leaving Porter with no idea of what his mission was, why he was doing it, or even who he is. Forced to work together, they must overcome problems, and learn to trust and depend upon one another. This is, in my opinion, one of the better developments within the story line, as it encourages young readers to embrace the idea of personal growth.

There are drawbacks to the story. I felt that it was limited, in some ways, by the lack of world building that would have pulled me more into the story. There were also some bothersome contradictions in the storyline. For example, right at the beginning of Sarah’s story she is left at home by her parents when they go off to what is supposedly one of the safest spots for Mythics to be – and they travel by “transport beam” so it just didn’t make sense to me. Of course, if she wasn’t left alone at home with the Banshee housekeeper then there wouldn’t be a story – but the reasoning could have been handled better. Other issues of “Now why in the world would that person do that?” were a bit of an issue, but not something that the target audience should be bothered by.

All in all, I really liked that Bolander didn’t fall into the over utilized werewolf, vampire, elf, fairy habit. I have been looking around for more gargoyle, sphinx, barghest sort of creatures in stories based upon more Northern and African prototypes. This is quite a positive in my opinion.

I would have liked to give this a higher rating than three stars. Maybe by the next volume Bolander will be able to loosen up his writing, filling in more of the world building requirements, backstorying more carefully, and generally giving us a broader view of his characters and his world. If that happens, I will be more than happy to kick in another star. Oh, and of course, a better editor would be nice.

Fine for children, preteens and teens. There is some violence - Porter cuts the head off of a Kitsune in the first chapter of the book, which I personally found distasteful, but then I always root for the "Mythic" creatures! Possibly not of interest to readers who are not fans of high fantasy.
My 16-year-old just read this book as a homeschool assignment. He really liked it, but said it had too much detail and not enough action. However, that one flaw didn't stop him from wanting to read book 2, which he will be reading next.
The Slayer and the Sphinx is a great book for both middle readers, teens and adults. I'm an avid romance reader, and this type of book isn't normally on my shelf. But the author quickly grabs you and takes you into the world of Mythics and Slayers, and doesn't let you go. Even after the story is over, he leaves you wanting for more. Literature buffs may get angry at my analogy, but the book is Romeo and Juliet meets Lord of the Rings, and they all travel to Narnia. There is the sweet bond of friendships between unlikely characters, a nail biting journey filled with adventures and battles, and surprises with every turn of the page.

Homeschoolers might want to consider adding this book to their curriculum. There are great spiritual messages and multiple layers of symbolism for students to peel back. As a former youth leader, my head was reeling with all the lessons I could pull from the book. My kids are definitely reading it this summer, and many discussions will follow!
I actually picked this book up because I found the author on facebook, and I love to support independent artists, and I'm so glad I did! It was a great read, fun and energetic with new concepts about old stories. I'm so interested in the characters now, I can't wait to start the second book.
I think this is a great book for anyone who loves the fantasy genre and mythology.
I try to keep up with what my son is reading, but since he has much more time than I have, this has become an impossible task. Well, he ran out of books, so I downloaded The Slayer and the Sphinx on my for him - he read it in one night and the next morning he was saying that it was his favorite book, and that he hoped 'They' would make a movie out of it.
It took me a while to find the time to finish it, but when I read it I definitely understood why my son liked it so much. It is a very unique fantasy story set in modern times in our own world rather than in ancient times in a fantastic world. The story moves fast from the very first page and never really slows down. The battle scenes are described clearly, and it is never hard to picture what is happening. The characters are well-developed and themes about trust and honesty give the story more depth than it would have as just a simple adventure story. There is one particular 'white lie' that, I am sure, will have some interesting consequences for the heroes in future books.
This is definitely a great book for older kids and young teens. There is nothing offensive or smutty in it. There is some mild violence in the book, but nothing gross or graphic.
Lastly, I think it is quite impressive how Bolander manages to make an interesting story using such obscure creatures as Sphinxes, Banshees and Chimeras etc. He definitely challenged himself in choosing to write about such creatures instead of focusing on the more traditional goblins, dwarves and elves.