Long ago, the land of Ida was mighty and revered. It was said the people of Ida were half human, half god, and it was their legendary powers that created the famous Ida jewels many longed for. Yes, it was true the kingdom of Ida was once a magical place, but it was all lost when warriors from a neighboring land invaded and stole it all. The natives of the kingdom were forced into slavery, unable to do anything but watch as their legacies were torn to the ground. As time went on, the Idans gave up on winning their freedom back- that is everyone except one little boy named Simba.
After having a dream of the gods, the elders know this can only mean one thing- Simba is to lead the people to liberation. And while some are unsure, Simba knows this is his destiny. After witnessing the loss of his mother, Simba gains a power none of his enslavers were prepared for, an ability that will win him the name fabled for generations to come: Simba the Fireboy.
My Thoughts
Simba the Fireboy: Rise of a Young Warrior by Derek Goneke is a short but sweet adventure that doesn't bore. Despite it only being 43 pages long, I wasn't disappointed with what I read. It feels like it could be a legend from an actual village, one passed down from generation to generation, perhaps told by someone's grandma or relative.
Simba, the book's namesake, is a brave ten-year-old boy standing up to his village's invaders and gaining a special superpower. He gets his power when pieces of the bomb that killed his mother react with his blood, allowing him to shoot fire when agitated. It's a very superhero backstory, one that hits all the points.
Almost every single superhero has three points: the loss, the power gain, and the villain. In this case, the loss is Simba's mother, the power gain is when his blood reacts, and the villain is the invaders. Together this makes an ancient legend with an interesting modern superhero twist.
My only problem with this book is the length. It's very short; it only took me about five minutes to read. Because it is so short, it tries to cram too much information in. This could be seen as a plus if you want a fast-paced story, but to me it was too much at a time. I think this could be helped if the author combined all the other books into one thicker novel, as no one would pick up such a small book at a bookstore. It would also be easier to digest as a reader.
Otherwise, Simba the Fireboy: Rise of a Young Warrior, is a refreshing take at what superhero and underdog stories can be. It's a promising first entry, and will have me reading the next books. The only visible problem is how small it is, which isn't a huge but annoying issue.
Thank you, Derek Goneke, for sending me your book! It is highly appreciated whenever an author sends their novel for me to review.
Also, I will be trying to upload a new review every Sunday from now on, as well as commentary discussions on annoying book stereotypes! Make sure to read 'em!
Keep Reading!
-Valkyrie
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