Review: The Lost City of Faar(Bobby Pendragon series Book 2) by D.J. MacHale

May 19th 2014

Pendragon: The Lost City of Faar

I recently read the first book in this series, and while there were many things I found problematic, I did enjoy it very much.

So I read this book about...4 weeks ago? And Im not going to give an excuse, but the turnout of the book didn't motivate me to write this review. I think as a Pendragon fan, I enjoyed it, but there were some things I didn't connect with that I connected with better with the original. Why dont I just highlight the pros and the cons.

What I liked:

I love the new character Vo Spader. Booby wasn't vague in describing that he looked Asian(or rather I think it'd be better to state East Asian)looking up the fan art confirmed how I saw him. Very handsome, East Asian, with a big, infectious smile. Im not sure if the author does this intentionally, but I like how Bobby meets characters of color, and it's not an issue, or a racial thing, or even a thing in general. So far, of the travelers he's met so far, one has been a white one, one black(and a girl) and one asian.

I like that this heritage isn't just shared amongst only the white folk, where we have to just sit back and be amazed by them. Im being completely sarcastic, but a part of that is true.

Vo was very gregarious, and he wasn't written to be or prove anything to the story, he just was.

I think I kind of liked the world, but I'll go into the issues with the world building in the cons section. I think I still like the idea that there isn't just one world out there, I connect with that aspect of it the most.

What I didn't connect with:

Oh the grammar. Still horrible as ever. I keep wondering why Bobby does all that telling. He's not 3, I think he's capable of structuring his sentences a lot better than the author allows him to. He goes through such adult situations(I cant think of many 14 year olds who saw over 200 bodies sitting dead in their own waste) so he should be written with a stronger narrative. I have a feeling all the books in the series will have this issue, but the lovable characters do make up for it.

The world building. I couldn't really picture the world. I kept trying to picture it underwater, because a few things they could use from the world functioned, or was exclusively built to function under the water, because there was no dry land in Cloral, aside from a mystery lost island named "Faar." But then some things were contradicted with the "habitats" people lived on suggesting they lived on boats. Sometimes I pictured them to be islands that could float and be steered, other times I pictured them as boats, but I was extremely lost and it didn't slow down to explain it to me.  

No Loor! While I will agree that this wasn't her world, and it wasn't about her, she's the whole reason I signed up! She made an appearance, and I savored every minute I got to see her, but I want more Loor!

The Villian. Saint Dane has the look of a villain , but he just comes off as rather silly to me at times. His ability to shape-shift is awesome. It makes it much easier to do things indirectly that way, his typical way of creating mischief. But he just doesnt strike fear in me the way a villain should. He always just seems like the type of villain who's goal is way too big. Destroying the universe? Does he have no other goal? One that might suit his own personal need, that just happens to affect people?

Overall, as a fan of the series, Im dedicated so Im still tuning in.

Since I've dreamcasted most of the returning characters, I'll add only the new main ones =)

Vo Spader was un-explicitly described as mixed race, most likely with Asian, so that's how I pictured him.

Ryan Potter would've been my first choice as Spader.

While Senior Aquaneer Commander Wu Yenza, was described as tough as nails, but hot in an older woman kind of way. I couldnt think of known other than Ming-Na, since she's flawless at any age.