first read THE MYSTERY OF NIDA VALLEY as a manuscript and then again recently in its final form, It is truly a story that has everything, In it we find time travel, dinosaurs, mythical creatures, Mega fauna from Australias past, magic, ghosts, good guys and villains, all wrapped up in a fastpaced actionadventure story with a dash of romance to boot!
What young reader isnt going to find something to love here
But its one
thing to fill a story with many amazing things and creatures.
The real trick is to draw the reader in and make it all believable, engaging and exciting, Elaine has done just that,
The story is set in the lush rainforests of Queensland where the magical and hidden valley of Nida and its strange wildlife have been protected for generation upon generation by a secret group who called themselves The Guardians.
It is a world that we want to explore and in which imaginations can run wild, The secret valley with its exotic fauna and flora has a character all of its own,
One truly unique feature of THE MYSTERY OF NIDA VALLEY is the inclusion of Australias ancient Mega Fauna, I dont know of any story that has incorporated these amazing creatures before, Its wonderful to think that while being thrilled and entertained by a story, young readers will also be finding out about the unique animals that once roamed our continent.
Animals such as giant echidnas and giant wombats, Carnivorous kangaroos and marsupial lions to name but a few,
Into this amazing world is thrust a group of ordinary teenagers led by the likeable and feisty Meg Sealy, They discover to their surprise and delight that they are the next generation of Guardians and that their destiny is to protect the wonders of Nida Valley from those who would exploit and destroy it for their own greed.
And so, the battle lines are drawn for a series of intriguing and gripping adventures,
As well as the main character of Meg, Elaine has created a varied bunch of appealing and believable companions who must not only struggle with the everyday challenges of normal teenagers such as growing up, relationships and working out what is right and wrong, but also with the extra challenges of their new found roles and responsibilities.
Things like: how to ride a pterosaurodon, how to avoid getting eaten or crushed to death by mega fauna, how to handle their own newly acquired magical powers and talents and how to live up to their important positions as protectors of a fragile and precious valley and the wondrous treasures it holds.
The Mystery of Nida Valley is a cleverly written adventure fantasy tale that Im sure will entertain, inform and delight younger readers and leave them eager and impatient for the next instalment.
Michael Gerard Bauer author of: The Running Man Don't Call Me Ishmael! Ishmael amp the Return of the Dugongs Dinosaur Knights You Turkeys! Just A Dog Ishmael amp the Hoops of Steel coming soon in
sitelink facebook. com/pages/Michael
This actually a three and a half star review for some reason, I couldn't make the cooperate!
The Mystery of Nida Valley is one of those books that evokes a time and place usually reserved for conversations with grandparents and baby boomers and not just the story itself, but in the way the narrative shifts the reader, through dialogue and descriptions, to a time once thought to belong exclusively between the pages of an Enid Blyton book.
This tale that begins with a missing girl, Amanda, and her friend, Meg, and quickly links us to a group of new and old friends, plunging us into a valley that time has forgotten.
Led there in a roundabout way by a young ghost, in this magical place, the young heroes not only learn that they possess powers they must fast learn to wield, but that in this lush, preserved valley, creatures once thought extinct roam.
Threatened by some ghastly villains, the children turn to their adult mentors, especially KP, and each other in order to discover how to not only protect this place, but save it from exploitation and, ultimately, destruction.
But the kids have to overcome their own differences and test loyalties before they can help those who need them, Will there be time Can they live up to others' high expectations
Magic, environmentalism and nostaglia combine to make this a book that young readers will both enjoy and remember long after the final page.
If you enjoy Famous Five and Blyton's Adventure series, give this one a try, Wish I could soar around on my own ptero, . . This first instalment of the Mystery of Nida Valley series has all the hallmarks of an exciting urban fantasy gutsy teen heroes, intriguing setting, worthwhile cause and sinster, rarely seen foe who must be found and defeated by the newly appointed saviour.
I felt like I was reading an old Trixie Beldon mystery novel much of the time, Not a bad thing. Younger readers will no doubt appreciate a similar connection with the likeable characters and progressive story line, I look forward to revisiting the Valley in book two, This book draws you in from the first sentence and the pace keeps going from there, Meg Sealy is just an ordinary school girl, or so she believes, Her best friend Amanda is missing so she goes to help in the search, She meets up with a ghostly house guest at Millson Manor, before she and her cousin Jaiden find a secret passage, and end up getting lost themselves.
Nida Valley is a magical place where hidden prehistoric animals roam, The research Elaine has taken to bring to life the fossils of Australian ancient animals is a wonderful layer to the story, The valley is more than a setting, it is more than a backdrop, it is the destiny of Meg and her friends to be part of the Guardians and protect the existence of the creatures within.
Elaine cleverly puts a hook at the end of each chapter that begs the reader to continue,
The cover of the book has banner at the bottom Read the Books Play the Game Win Prizes Collect Cards, It is really well targeted at the YA market and delivers an adventure, battle against evil, along with a journey of self discovery and teenage romance.
I loved this book and look forward to reading more from this talented Australian writer,
Merged review:
This book draws you in from the first sentence and the pace keeps going from there.
Meg Sealy is just an ordinary school girl, or so she believes, Her best friend Amanda is missing so she goes to help in the search, She meets up with a ghostly house guest at Millson Manor, before she and her cousin Jaiden find a secret passage, and end up getting lost themselves.
Nida Valley is a magical place where hidden prehistoric animals roam, The research Elaine has taken to bring to life the fossils of Australian ancient animals is a wonderful layer to the story, The valley is more than a setting, it is more than a backdrop, it is the destiny of Meg and her friends to be part of the Guardians and protect the existence of the creatures within.
Elaine cleverly puts a hook at the end of each chapter that begs the reader to continue,
The cover of the book has banner at the bottom Read the Books Play the Game Win Prizes Collect Cards, It is really well targeted at the YA market and delivers an adventure, battle against evil, along with a journey of self discovery and teenage romance.
I loved this book and look forward to reading more from this talented Australian writer, When Meg Sealy woke that fateful morning, she had no idea that by day's end the life that she had known would be gone forever.
. .
While saving her best friend Amanda, fourteenyearold Meg Sealy and her older cousin Jaiden, stumble upon a secret valley where time stands still.
The three friends are thrust into a dangerous world of magic, time travel, and creatures they believed extinct, Here they learn that it is their destiny to use their new magic skills to join the fight to save the valley from an evil breakaway order, bent on exploitation.
Follow their journey as undercover villains threaten Megs life, and they fight to save the animals from extinction,
Available from online book stores, bookworm. com. au/Book/TheM
fishpond. co. nz/Books/Myste
redhen. com. au.
Acquire The Mystery Of Nida Valley #1 Conveyed By Elaine Ouston Shown In Edition
Elaine Ouston