#Bookreview of THE RUBY OF HELIOS (Scepter Book 3) by Scott L. Collins
BLURB:
In their quest to overthrow the reign of the evil King Argyle so they can free their parents and the rest of his slaves, a small clan of youngsters has banded together to reunite the jewels of the Scepter of Harmony.
Having stolen the Emerald of Phaunos and reuniting it with the scepter, they must once again test their skills and resolve as they face the challenge of grabbing the Ruby of Helios from a ruthless band of raiders.
With the diegylis still hot on their heels, the band of rebels navigate the waters of the Great Lake, as well as the scorching desert of the Land of Sands, before facing a tribe of reptilian beasts who would rather die than relinquish the power of the ruby.
Though unexpected help comes from two powerful sources, will it be enough to save one of them from certain death, and the others from overwhelming odds?
Failure is not an option, for if they don’t succeed, Argyle will destroy the scepter, and the kingdom will collapse into ruin.
MY REVIEW:
Each of these books, so far, have started right where the previous one left off. With the Emerald of Phaunos fitted back into the Scepter of Harmony, the young crusaders manage to elude the clutches of the ruthless diegylis by escaping on a raft. Enjoying their leisurely cruise down the river, they suddenly find themselves in trouble once they hit the Great Lake. Now, they find themselves in a life-and-death situation, along with two females Aidan had rescued before. Who will save them and their two new friends?
In this third installment, we finally get to read more about the two brothers that were left behind at Alustria. Haleim has changed his mind and wants to help defeat Argyle and restore the kingdom. With no fighting skills, Shon convinces Haleim and Atreyu to undergo the intensive training the young Centaurians must pass to become warriors. Some of the Centaurians resent Humans living among them, and show their displeasure during the brother’s training. I really enjoyed this part of the story, and how Haleim and Atreyu overcame the obstacle course. I’m looking forward to when, or if, they meet back up with Daniel, Aidan, Olivia, Lily, and Zack.
With the book being split between the two groups, I felt like some of the battles that Daniel’s group encountered during their trip to Plhegthon were somewhat glossed over. There was so much anticipation, dread, and fear over the denizens that lived under the sand, that when they finally confronted one, it was more of a fizzle and not an explosion. I was hoping it would be an epic battle like with the man-eating toad, or the creature that lived in the lake under the mountain. Unfortunately, it wasn’t, so I was left disappointed.
In the meantime, Aryle is preparing a massive fleet to defeat Queen Kyrei and her mer-folk once and for all. What secret weapon does he have stashed in the vats he’s assigned to each of his vessels? Hmmm. We still haven’t found out what is motivating him though. What happened in his past to make him so hateful and vile? I really want to know what makes him tick.
There are other unanswered questions. Like what happened to Zack? Aidan being impulsive and judgmental, saw Zack’s abandonment of Lilly as a showing of his true colors. But I’m sure there was more to that scene that we’ve been made privy to. Book 4 hasn’t been written yet, but I think Collins is working on it. I can’t wait to continue this journey with these brave youngsters.
This is an entertaining, well-written, fast-paced, young adult adventure, and I recommend it for children and adults alike. I give it 4 feathers.
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