Kidzworld reviews Corydon and the Island of Monsters by Tobias Druitt.
Title: Corydon and the Island of Monsters
Author: Tobias Druitt
Ages: 10+
Rating:
What do you get when you take classical Greek mythology and change a few details to make the monsters into the good guys and the gods into the bad dudes? Find out with this review of Corydon and the Island of Monsters!
A Myth With a Twist
Young Corydon has been an outcast for as long as he can remember. Born with the leg of a goat, he was thrown out of his village by his own mother and has been living a lonely life in the mountains with his flock of sheep. One day, a band of pirates captures Corydon and puts him into a freak show with other monsters including the snaky-haired Medusa, the bull-headed Minotaur, the riddle-lovin' Sphinx and the screeching Harpy. Much to his surprise, Corydon doesn't fear them but becomes friends with them and helps everyone escape.
Good vs. Gods
When Zeus learns of the great escape, he sends his son, Perseus, and an army of heroes to destroy the monsters once and for all. At one time, Corydon loved the gods but he soon sides with the monsters, who have become his family. When they reveal that he is the secret son of Pan, the goat-legged god of wild nature, and that he must lead the monsters to victory, Corydon finds himself in the middle of a huge battle that he doesn't know how to win.
The Bottom Line
Tobias Druitt is the pen-name of the mother-and-son team, Diane Purkiss and Michael Dowling. This is the first book of an exciting trilogy and it's a definite must-read, so stay tuned for the second book, Corydon and the Fall of Atlantis. It's due out in July 2006!
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