Beyonders by Brandon Mull

Title: Beyonders: A World Without Heroes (Beyonders #1)
Author: Brandon Mull
Reviewer: Karen
Genre: Mid-Grade Fantasy
Rating: Like
Alerts/Warnings: None
Premise: "Fourteen-year-old Jason Walker is transported to a strange world called Lyrian, where he joins Rachel, who was also drawn there from our world, and a few rebels, to piece together the Word that can destroy the malicious wizard emperor, Surroth" (King County Library Sytem).
Opinions: At first I really struggled to read this book--it has actually taken me several tries to get into it. There is a lot of world building that has to happen in order to setup the series and it took at least a third of the book before I felt the tug of being drawn into the actual plot. I have since carried the book in my car to read anytime I'm stuck in a drive through or waiting for kids. Only within the last month did I finally break half way through the book. That is when I started to get excited each time I had a moment to read it. Then yesterday I reached the two-thirds mark. Today I was forced to bring the book in the house after my errands because I couldn't stand to wait any longer to see what happened.

The premise is fascinating. The types of characters and creatures are incredibly imaginative and the story intriguing (at least to me it was after the basic world building was completed). I LOVE Rachel and I'm fascinated by Jason. I love the different ways they came to Lyrian and the things they learn about themselves along the way.  By the end of the book I was quite pleased and am looking forward to seeing where the tale turns in book two.