BOOK REVIEW: Flight And Fight

TITLE: Flight And Fight: Part 2 of The Fraser Chronicles
AUTHOR: Linda Jones
PUBLISHED BY: Linda Jones Bavoom Publishing

Book 2 of The Fraser Chronicles takes off where Book 1 finished; another gripping adventure about a boy who is different.  The lump, which started on thirteen year old Jo’s neck and carried on down his back, has developed into a huge pair of wings which he tries hard to hide beneath loose fitting clothing until bedtime when he can gently release them whilst asleep.

Apart from this strange occurrence, life has never been better for him.  Due to not having any family, Jo is living with his best friend Dan and for the first time in his life he's got really good friends. He wants to stop running and live a normal life but the man responsible for everything bad in Jo's life, Steiner, wants Jo back and he won’t give up without a fight. 

The thrust of the story revolves around how Jo and his friends have to stay out of Steiner's clutches. Day-to-day Jo is juggling school life and the bullies he has to stand up to and defeat there, whilst at the same time, he is desperately learning how to fly. Not a normal situation! He aspires to fly like an eagle but it takes a lot of flapping and falling like an eagle chick for a while before he masters it. This is far from normal life.

This second book is written in the same fantasy vein as its predecessor. There are elements which feed into the fantastical but at the same time it has an edginess about it which young readers will appreciate and enjoy. It’s a follow-up adventure story which will capture the imagination of the younger age group and keep them enthralled.

With a good descriptive storyline and well thought-out characters this second book will give the cynical teenage reader a further taste of magic which they may come to believe in. At the same time it is a must-read for adult bookworms who will admire the well-written adventures in a brilliantly modern, imaginative fantasy story whilst perhaps relaxing on the beach or doing the train commute. The author herself describes the demographic for her book as being for readers from 9 to 99 years of age and I can only agree.

It is a contemporary, gripping tale that I just couldn't put down. It was imaginative, magical and made me very inquisitive; I found myself racing through the chapters to find out what happened next. The author cleverly structures each sentence in a way to lure readers in. 

The characters are strong and likable, so much so that readers will determinedly want them to survive their perils and come through unscathed.  Readers in the 9-12 year old age group, both boys and girls, will enjoy the excitement and unexpected twists; it will definitely leave them wondering. It is magical for all ages. 

It is a real page turner with a unique story that leaves readers wanting more; I cannot wait for the next book in the trilogy.

Reviewer - Anne Pritchard