Children - Fiction & Literature

Snake (The Five Ancestors Series #3)

Name: Snake (The Five Ancestors Series #3)
Author: Jeff Stone
ISBN: 9780375830761

by Jeff Stone

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Overview

Twelve-year-old Seh is a snake-style master and a keeper of secrets. Close-lipped and ever-watchful, he has used his highly attuned senses to collect information about his brothers, his temple, and even Grandmaster. Now, with the temple and Grandmaster gone, Seh sheds his orange robe like an old skin, joins a bandit gang, and meets a mysterious woman whose name means Cobra—all the while trying to stay one step ahead of vengeful Ying!

Synopsis

Twelve-year-old Seh is a snake-style master and a keeper of secrets. Close-lipped and ever-watchful, he has used his highly attuned senses to collect information about his brothers, his temple, and even Grandmaster. Now, with the temple and Grandmaster gone, Seh sheds his orange robe like an old skin, joins a bandit gang, and meets a mysterious woman whose name means Cobra all the while trying to stay one step ahead of vengeful Ying!

Publishers Weekly

Taking on a third orphan of the quintet who were living at Cangzhen Temple with their Grandmaster, Jeff Stone continues his ("riveting," in PW's words in a starred review) Five Ancestors series with Snake, focusing on 12-year-old Seh after the temple's destruction. Seh seeks answers and attempts to avoid terrifying Ying. Fans of the series' signature martial arts and mind games will find plenty more here. Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

About the Author, Jeff Stone

Jeff Stone practices the martial arts daily. He has worked as a photographer, an editor, a maintenance man, a technical writer, a ballroom dance instructor, a concert promoter, and a marketing director for companies that design schools, libraries, and skateboard parks. Like the heroes of The Five Ancestors series, Mr. Stone was adopted when he was an infant. He began searching for his birthmother when he was 18; he found her 15 years later. The author lives with his wife and two children in Carmel, IN.

From the Hardcover edition.

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Editorials

Publishers Weekly

Children's Literature

Without having read the other titles in "The Five Ancestors" series, this could easily be one of the worst books this reviewer has even read. Sorry, but this book is really not for everyone, or anyone, for that matter. Too many characters, too much action—it is difficult to keep track where in the story you are, or who anyone is. The graphic violence is relentless as well as disturbing. Where does Stone get these ideas and who does he think finds them interesting or engaging? Martial arts enthusiasts may pick up this book, but hopefully will soon put it down when they realize their teachings of respect and honor are challenged almost immediately. After reading the entire book (which thankfully is only 193 pages with short chapters), it is a stretch to focus on what this book is about; it is such a struggle to piece together the characters and plot. There are dragon scrolls. People fight and are killed. Some are pursued by bandits. Some are cannibals. There are strange characters andeven stranger animals—or are they really people? It is a whole other world that probably should not be delved into or presented in such a broad spectrum. 2006, Random House, and Ages 9 to 12.
—Elizabeth Young

Kirkus Reviews

The third volume of a projected seven in Stone's 17th-century kung-fu epic adds even more characters to an already-unwieldy cast but does move the plot forward an inch or so amid much journeying back and forth, continuing revelations about the parentage of the five young monks, violent encounters and astounding feats of martial arts. The focus here is on Seh, whose Snake style manifests itself in a secretive nature and great sensitivity to the "chi" of others. With fellow monks Fu and Malao, Seh witnesses the widespread destruction and other injustices sanctioned by the new Emperor, then travels to the city of Kaifeng where rebellion is brewing. Shot through with developing intrigues, sudden reversals and amusing, sometimes modern-sounding banter ("You think?"), this will go down as easily as a B-grade martial-arts flick-but despite frequent references to past events, it will be more comprehensible to readers of the preceding episodes. (Fantasy. 10-12)