Alosha

Publishers Weekly

Bestselling children's author Pike (The Cold One) delivers a somewhat muddled elvish fantasy, the first in a new series aimed at an adult as well as a YA audience. Passionate about saving trees, 13-year-old Alison Warner just happens to live in a California town that's been targeted by the lumber industry. Ali protests and rides her bike into the forbidding mountains where the work is about to begin. There Ali starts to realize that she's not who she thought she was, that she has an important job to fulfill, that in fact she's the Queen of the Fairies from another dimension who has hidden in a human body. Flat supporting characters with little motivation other than a kid's need for adventure, plus a protagonist who too often acts like a whiny five-year-old one moment and a cranky 30-year-old the next, make this one of Pike's lesser efforts. Agent, Ashley Grayson. (July 30) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

VOYA

This novel is supposed to be a crossover for Pike, but it really follows a similar plot that is found in his horror novels, just tweaked for a different audience. I do not fall into his intended audience and am not a fan of his work but will try to rate the book fairly. The big problem here, in this story about a girl who is supposed to be the Fairy Queen in a war against the Lord of the Elves, is that according to legend, all elves are of the Hill folk, of the fairies. Second gigunda problem is that the fairy folk and the elves are a peaceful folk. From the start the book lost my interest, but I still sloughed through. It is written decently, just not to my tastes. It should appeal to the average teenager with its action sequences-or at least to the average teenage Queen of the Fairies. VOYA CODES: 3Q 2P M J (Readable without serious defects; For the YA with a special interest in the subject; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2004, Tor, 304p., Ages 11 to 15.
—Shane Bell, Teen Reviewer

KLIATT

Thirteen-year-old Ali Warner thinks she is a typical teenager in small-town Breakwater. Her mother was killed on Ali's 12th birthday and her long-distance trucker father is seldom home. While protesting the logging of a nearby forest, she is attacked by what she thinks is Bigfoot: she and her friends set out to prove it. Ali soon learns that she is the "reincarnation" of the fairy queen Geea and must climb the 14,000 feet to the top of nearby Pete's Peak to claim the Yanti, a magic gate Lord Vak, king of the elves, and Lord Balar, king of the dwarves, plan to use to invade human Earth. Ali and her friends face many challenges on the way to the top: they befriend a troll named Farble and a leprechaun named Paddy. Ali must deal with Karl Tanner/Drugle, a traitorous former advisor posing as one of them, but actually in league with the queen of the dark fairies. Ali/Geea does reclaim the Yanti and prevent the dark elementals from crossing over at present. She also learns that her mother did not die in the crash, but is held captive by Drugle. Which all leads to the preview of the sequel, Shaktra, appended. This is not typical of Pike's teenage vampire stories and other thrillers, but it's an excellent start to a unique saga. While it is sometimes difficult to keep track of the plot twists and lesser characters, even Farble and Paddy are given their own personalities. Good escapist fare for YAs. KLIATT Codes: JS--Recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2004, Tor, 314p., Ages 12 to 18.
—Sherry Hoy

Children's Literature - Julie Schneggenburger

Ali loves trees and feels at peace around them. At thirteen, she is an environmentalist and tries to prevent logging in the nearby woods. Unfortunately, while in the woods, Ali is attacked by a Bigfoot. While recovering in a tree, a voice reveals to her that her true name is Alosha. She learns that the world is in turmoil because a bizarre realm of creatures has been released. They want to kill the human race for ruining the Earth. Ali's friends believe in her and agree to join her quest to reach the top of a mountain. Once there, Ali will need to use her special powers to close the doorway that is letting these creatures in. Of course, the door can only be closed on a full moon. These creatures will do anything to make sure Ali does not reach the mountaintop alive. The author develops the characters well and plots an intricate story. The book brings to mind creatures from The Lord of the Rings. Fans of Madeline L'Engle would enjoy the complex storylines and multiple levels of reality in this book. The book lends itself to writing and research activities. Part of the Alosha trilogy.

Library Journal

When 13-year-old Alison Warner meets the leprechaun and troll who soon become her loyal companions, she learns that she is the Queen of the Fairies. Along with her friends, Ali undergoes a series of tests designed to judge her worthiness-or kill her outright. The author of numerous horror stories for YAs as well as adults, Pike here turns to fantasy. This series opener is a good choice for large libraries. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

Gr 6-9-Alison, 13, heads to the hills to protest the loggers in their effort to clear the forest. She is an environmentalist in the making but finds her path taking an entirely different turn after she encounters a strange little man of odd proportion with sickly yellow-colored skin. This odd man becomes an ally in her quest to discover her true identity. While in the woods, Ali senses a presence around her and the feeling that something is chasing her. This experience escalates to creatures that want her dead and she finds refuge in a hole in the cliff until they depart. Once home safely, Ali recruits her friends to explore the mountains for evidence of the "Bigfoot." En route they discover the mythical and mystical enchantments that lie between dimensions and enter through a portal on top of the mountain. Ali must pass seven tests before she can assume her true role of Alosha, Queen of the Fairies, and she must face her fears and draw upon her inner courage to transform into who she once was. This story is a fast-paced combination of intrigue and fantasy. The main characters are all 13; the scary part is that one or more of them just may not be human. The writing is smooth and flows easily, and the author captures well the friends' dialogue and thought. Readers are sure to be captivated by the descriptive details and entertaining plot complete with dwarves, elves, fairies, and trolls.-Donna Marie Wagner, Harris County Public Library, Clear Lake, TX Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Will undoubtedly entertain. The backstory is compelling, the action is fast-paced, the danger is real. Sure to be a blockbuster."

The Bulletin for the Center for Children's Books

"Will undoubtedly entertain. The backstory is compelling, the action is fast-paced, the danger is real. Sure to be a blockbuster.

From the Publisher

Praise for Alosha:

"A fast-paced combination of intrigue and fantasy. Readers are sure to be captivated . . . [an] entertaining plot complete with dwarves, elves, fairies, and trolls."--School Library Journal

"Will undoubtedly entertain. The backstory is compelling, the action is fast-paced, the danger is real. Sure to be a blockbuster."--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Praise for the works of Christopher Pike:

"A fine tale that hooks the reader . . . [an] exhilarating story."
--Midwest Book Review on The Blind Mirror

"Sparkling characters . . . a compelling and intellectually satisfying read. Highly creative."
--Rapport on The Cold One

"Highly recommended."--Rocky Mountain News on The Cold One

"Like any good read, this is a hard book to put down. But more than that, it's hard to let this one come to an end. By the end...you can't stand the anticipation. That feeling in the pit of a reader's stomach must be one of the best compliments we can pay an author."
--The Greeley, Colorado Tribune on The Cold One