Nikolas & Company: YA Reading Must

I love reading books. My all-time favorite books are, wait for it.. young adult novels. Sure, they are written for teenagers, but I find them to be perfect. They aren't dumbed down in the least. They usually have lots of action, adventure, and even a little romance. What they don't have is blood, guts, sex, violence for the sake of violence, terror, etc. I think that's what I love most about them. I can go to bed and curl up with a YA novel and know I won't have nightmares all night for having read it. Plus there is a charm and innocence to YA novels that just isn't as present in adult novels. Perhaps this makes me immature, or childlike. I'll accept that. In so doing I can highly recommend these books.

I've spent the summer reading some of my favorite YA novels. This series is awesome and I highly recommend them. And it's not just because the author has the same last name as me, although that makes him appealing to me. The books are great and exciting, and engaging, and I can't wait for more from this author.

Kevin McGill says this series is geared toward young adult boys from 10 to 16, however, I feel girls would really appreciate these books too. Good for males and females, 10 to 100.

Always free in Kindle and print edition. This is a genius marketing ploy. Who doesn’t want a free book? But once you have read Episode #1, you will want to read the next three.

In Episode #1 in the near future, you learn about Nikolas, a fairly normal, curious boy with a twin brother, who is nothing like Nikolas. Nikolas has a number of friends who are orphans and whom he befriends; both boys and girls with various personalities and giftings. One of the girls is an expert cook and keeps the boys fat and happy. One of the girls is very beautiful but she doesn’t consider this a gift because it keeps attracting unwanted attentions from grown men. Nikolas and his brother are polar opposites. Where one is strong the other is weak; where one is confident the other is confused and unsure; where one is savvy and knowledgeable the other is not as well-read. I read a review from the author asking about the twins and who Nikolas was patterned after. The author says that Nikolas and his twin, Tim, are both patterned after himself. The author says they are two sides he sees in himself. This may make the author a little schizophrenic or genius, not sure which.

In the first Episode, you follow Nikolas and his friends as they discover the truth about the world, the moon, and themselves. Poor Nikolas begins to hear voices, they discover they are orphans, a terrible disease has been unleashed on the world, and robots are advertising for major companies instead of helping people. When Nikolas and Tim’s grandfather comes for them, there is an anxious escape, as wolf-like creatures chase them to another time and place. This is a fascinating fantasy, and creation not really too far out of the realm of possibility. Scary creatures, mermen, talking cities, hidden secrets, living boats, all in the future, or is it the past?

In Episode #2, the entire company of friends finds themselves in the past so fascinating that it totally makes sense. Myths we had been raised with, fairy stories all come to life on the moon forgotten. Nikolas has to grow up quickly because he finds himself as the steward of a city he didn’t know existed before, and they are faced with grave dangers. Nikolas has to face down a city council, who don’t trust him or believe in him. How is he going to show them (and himself) that he is worthy? Lots of things go against Nikolas in this episode but you get to know the charming company much more and fall in love with Nikolas’ best friend, Xanthos and the girls, especially, Helen.

In Episode #3, everything seems to be going wrong. Xanthos is infected and slowly turning to stone before everyone’s eyes, and there doesn’t seem to be anything Nikolas can do to stop it. The city council, the wicked Sheriff Silas Gorringe, the creepy orphanage workers, the blood-thirsty, terrorizing gorgons running the streets, all make this episode seem dark and hopeless. However, there is always hope. There are several parts that will charm the pants off of you. The way the beautiful Helen handles the advances of an unwanted suitor, the cooking parties and the helpful friends they make there in Huron seem to point to hope to come.

Episode #4 is soon to be coming and I can’t wait for the final version of this charming fantasy about Nikolas and company.

Did I mention the illustrator? Carlyle McCullough has created the most awesome illustrations for the covers of these books. You will find yourself staring for hours at the captivating covers. Carlyle is in process of creating a new version of the Tortoise and the Hare story.... in space. And Carlyle would be the one to do it, too.

I'd love to year your thoughts on your favorite books and reading genres. Share with me!