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/ Past Monthly Featured Review

The Accidental World

Rating:
☆☆☆☆☆ 5/5
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Title: The Accidental World

Author: K.A. Griffin

Publication Date: March 28, 2021

Genre: Young Adult; Action/Adventure, Time Travel; Science-Fiction

Cover:

When I look at the cover of The Accidental World, I forget that I’m looking at a book. Instead, I find myself lost in the superb, commissioned artwork of Eugene Ivanov, an extraordinarily talented artist from the Czech Republic. After being given just a few key elements of the story, it was as if Eugene crawled inside Keith’s head to bring his thoughts to life.

Premise

When fourteen-year-old Ethan Scott’s grandfather suddenly vanishes, Ethan sets out to find him. After all, Pops is the only family he has. But things take a sudden turn when Ethan finds himself in a different place and time. He must learn to survive in a world unlike any other he has known. And when Ethan finds himself the center of attention as a Conquest prodigy, a game he’s played since childhood, he soon discovers that competing in a tournament has far higher stakes than he ever imagined.

Why I chose this book:

This year has been one of the most challenging years in my life. Our family has faced several surgeries and battled cancer. We’ve kept a very sick horse alive to live another day. I stepped into two new roles within the company I work for and started a little thing called The Redhead Notes. When November rolled around, I found myself completely drained and struggling to stay afloat amidst a series of demanding life events. In these moments of chaos, I always go back to what I know, and I ground myself in the people, places, and things that are most familiar to me. It only makes sense that I would return to the book I know better than any other…The Accidental World by K.A. Griffin, my husband.

First Impression:

I cannot share my first impression with you without sharing my very first impression from 2017 when this mysterious book ended up on my Kindle one day. I knew Keith had been working on a writing project, but as he rarely talks about his works in progress, I assumed it was a political thriller, which he had written in the past. Imagine my surprise when I began to read a captivating young adult adventure complete with time travel and science-fiction elements! As I read through that first untouched draft, complete with typos and all, I realized that he had spent the last 30 days of his life lost in another world, NHHMM (pronounced “Nim”), telling the story of Ethan Scott. I quite literally could not put the book down and found myself bringing my own life to a screeching halt until I had read every last word.

What I loved:

My favorite books are the ones in which I connect with the characters, and I can’t help but reminisce about what a few of the characters of The Accidental World have taught me over the last few years.

• Ethan Scott: Not all battles are fought and won with physical strength.
• Ashlyn Primrose: True love endures through time and space.
• Archibald Bingham: Loyalty, even to the point of self-sacrifice, is a rare quality that should be treasured.
• Star Chastain: Being quiet allows more time to observe, and with observation, one better understands how to defeat her opponent.
• Jack Flynn: To save the people we love, we solve the problems that at first seem impossible.
• Johnathan Vanderschmidt: With extraordinary intelligence and creativity comes the weight of responsibility. The very things we create to do good in the world can easily be used for evil.

There may be a young boy on the cover, but I can assure you that some of my favorite characters are the females of NHHMM. I was quite pleased to find that Keith included strong, intelligent, and strategic girls and women of all ages in this series. In fact, one female is the deadliest character in the book.

I would be remiss in my review if I did not include at least a few lines on Keith’s ability to build a world that is both similar to and yet quite different from ours. NHHMM is a world in which logic and science are valued above all else. The arts are entirely non-existent, as is religion. Crystal technology is at the core of society’s advanced technology and is used in everything from weapons to “breathers,” or devices worn on the face that filter the air. But just like in our world, greed and the desire to hoard power poison everything resulting in a classic good versus evil plot.

Additional Thoughts:

I am by far Keith’s harshest critic. Trust me on this one! At times, the behind-the-scenes conversations in our home have been fiery! So, what I am about to tell you is something he has been told for quite some time! He needs to add a map along with several illustrations. For visual learners, like myself, these pieces help to breathe more life into a book.

Quotable Quotes:

• “Always pay attention to the eyes,” he said, turning to the boy with a smile on his face. “The eyes tell more than the cut or wear of any clothing.”
• It was a plan as brilliant as it was evil.
• “Politics. That all-consuming quest for power and influence that infects the human race.”
• A leader who would take advantage of a tragedy for personal gain is no better than one who would create a crisis for personal gain.
• “My parents have always taught me that everyone has a part to play and that the key to life is understanding how to play your part well.”
• “Feed the ego and make them feel like they are indispensable. Works every time…”

Who might enjoy this book:

The Accidental World is ideal for readers of any age who enjoy time travel adventures with endearing characters.

Overall Impression:

Five stars. If you are looking for a well-written, fast-paced story with the right balance of world-building and clever dialogue, then look no further. The Accidental World is nearly bursting with endearing and memorable characters who usher the reader through an intriguing tale full of twists and turns and gut-wrenching emotion. Don’t worry! The story doesn’t end with this book. Book 2, The Invisible City, is out now, and the adventure continues!

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