Far World: Water Keep, the first in a five book series by J. Scott Savage introduces us to protagonists Marcus and Kyja. Both are aliens in the worlds in which they've grown up, and both are disabled. Water Keep begins the journey for these two, which I'm supposing will end with them helping each other—Marcus has strengths Kyja lacks and vice versa—to save both their worlds.

The book starts off on a creepy note, made all the creepier for the fact that Mr. Savage knows how to paint a world so you see, hear, and smell the place. I was going to quote a couple of paragraphs from the book to show you some of the realistic creepiness, but I only have an ARC, and I'm not supposed to quote from it. No problem. Go read the first two chapters of the book (available here) and you'll see that Mr. Savage paints great descriptions that suck you right into his story world.

There is plenty to love about this book. The two kids are real and likeable.

Marcus is strong and brave despite his disability. He has a sad history--an orphan who can't remember his parents, severly disabled, and the book opens with his being attacked by bullies. When he makes himself invisible (to get away from the bullies) by repeating a sad little rhyme about how invisible he is, he tugs at my heart. I'd like to live in a world where no kid ever has to make himself invisible. At the same time I am intrigued. Who is this kid who can walk by people unnoticed? What kind of power is this he has?

So, yes, Mr. Savage hooked me early on. He gave me the orphan protagonist that is my favorite of all heroes, and he gave me mystery and conflict and action.

Kyja, who shares the spotlight in this book, was a delight. I enjoyed seeing Earth through Kyja's eyes as she viewed it for the first time. Her discovery of cars and her desire to drive was hysterical. But there were the serious times, too, which tested Kyja and showed us what she was made of. Kyja, who had much to fear, also had the kind of compassion that has given courage to women in this world for centuries. And walking with her as she viewed our world through her unjaded eyes was a great experience. The drug addicted mother living in her car looked to Kyja more like she should look to the rest of us, I think.

I admired and loved both of the children, and was rooting for them from the start.

The supporting cast was great, too from the smart-mouthed Riph Raph to the wise wizard to the farm animals who cracked jokes. All of them made me long to visit Farworld. The whole world felt fresh and new and real and inviting. (Except for the gross, evil, snake people who killed everything in their path, of course--they weren't inviting!)

Conflict and danger felt real. (See comment on gross, evil, snake people, above.) There was a whole load of danger for the kids. Schoolyard bullies, desert heat, capture by creatures that want to suck your life from you, and more.

I think the book was longer than it should have been. We spent a long time getting from point A to point B and while there was pletny of danger, the book could have used more conflict. The two are not the same. I would have liked some plot complications. In this first book the children's goal is to talk the Water Elementals into helping them. That's a fine goal. But I would have liked to have learned a bit more about the kids along the way. We didn't know much about Marcus' background, and we knew nothing of Kyja's, at the end of 400 pages. I think dropping some hints about their histories, particularly Kyja's, would have really sucked us in and added some depth to the plot.

Still, I'm quite excited about this series and I will certainly buy book two as soon as it comes out. The characters and the world are real and fresh and that will keep me happily reading for another volume.

I suspect Shadow Mountain is going to have another hit on their hands with the Far World series. I think middle grade fantasy lovers are going to eat this one up. If you have such an animal in your house, I recommend you buy him this book.

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Copyright © 2008 Sally Apokedak