Children of the Volcano

A Young Adult Fantasy Adventure (Essence of Ohr Book 2)

Young Adult - Fantasy - Epic
320 Pages
Reviewed on 04/22/2021
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Author Biography

Parris lives in Mesa, Arizona with her husband and two golden retrievers. She discovered her love for reading when a middle school reading assignment led her to the fantasy section of the library. This passion sparked stories of her own imagination, yet she never put pen to paper until after college. When she's not consumed in her writing, she enjoys Olympic weightlifting, playing Dungeons and Dragons, and coaching color guard.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Jose Cornelio for Readers' Favorite

Children of the Volcano: A Young Adult Fantasy Adventure is the second book in the Essence of Ohr series by Parris Sheets, a compelling novel with memorable characters. Kole’s world is threatened by a powerful enemy and only the gods can restore what has been broken in it. Finding one in Russé, who doubles as his mentor, is more than sheer luck. But what is a Soul worth without his powers? They are on an adventure to the heart of the volcano, located in a land that is cursed, with dangerous beasts, inclement elements, and creatures of living stone filling the world they navigate. Meanwhile, Aterus has ordered his sorcerer, Savairo, to get the young boy. Tailed by the enemy and faced with ever-increasing odds, can Kole and his friends get to the god first and find the help they need to restore the balance of Ohr?

This novel is well-plotted and written in clear and beautiful prose. It is crisp and very descriptive, with images of a world that seems to abide by its unique magical rules and that features all kinds of creatures, including the gods, sorcerers, and beasts. Parris Sheets writes a plot that is labyrinthine and twisty, with surprises stacked along the rollicking adventure. The complexity in character development is one of the traits that kept my eyes focused on the pages. The dialogues are well-crafted and they constitute a powerful ingredient that moves the plot forward. Children of the Volcano is filled with mystery and a beguilingly rich magic system, a dark allure that keeps the narrative tense, and a masterly example of the elements of epic fantasy.

Ruffina Oserio

Children of the Volcano is the second book in the Essence of Ohr series by Parris Sheets, an endearing tale that will appeal to fans of young adult fantasy. This story follows the journey of a young boy, Kole, who has to unravel the mystery of the cryptic map in his head and locate the gods before his city is doomed forever. Russe, his mentor, is one of them. But the journey to the heart of the volcano in a forlorn and desolate land is not a joyride and it becomes even more complicated — even if one is accompanied by a God — when there are enemies on the same quest following close behind, beasts that are unforgiving, and toxic ash and other deadly elements of the land of the volcano. With the odds mounting against them, can they make it to Grayfall, a place where none ever returns from alive, talk less of finding answers and saving Kole’s people?

Coming-of-age in fantasyland can’t be executed any better. This story is well-imagined, cleverly plotted, and written to perfection. I was pulled in by the descriptive opening and from the moment I opened the book, I knew that this author has a unique gift for strong imagery and I was not wrong. Parris Sheets creates strong images in the reader’s mind, from the detailed elements of the setting to well-crafted scenes that are packed with action and enriched by exciting dialogues. The characters are well-developed and fully drawn, and readers will want to follow them through every one of their adventures and predicaments — Leo and his pet, Piper, Felix, Mikal, and others. Children of the Volcano is brimming with action and it is a tale with conflict that is deftly handled. It was hypnotic for me.

Rabia Tanveer

Children of the Volcano: A Young Adult Fantasy Adventure is the second book in the Essence of Ohr series by Parris Sheets. The story of Kole continues as he searches for more gods and sets them free so that the world order can get back to normal. Kole's city is in a lull of peace, but that is not enough. The world is crumbling, and now it is more important to find the gods as quickly as possible. He has Russe to help him, but that is not enough. With the enemy dogging their every step, Russe and Kole don’t have enough time, but they cannot stop. Not now. Even if they have to set foot on cursed lands, they would. Or else there will be no world to save. Can they get to the next god in time? Or are their enemies going to get to them first?

I love a good, fast-paced, action-driven plot. Parris Sheets starts Children of the Volcano with a bang, creates action from the first chapter, and hooks for more. The companionship and the partnership between Russe and Kole is the driving force of the story. The two of them work together; they support each other and respect each other. Kole looks up to Russe as a god and mentor, while Russe is exceptionally proud of Kole’s leadership and intelligence. The actual plot is brilliant. The chase to release gods, find them, unite them and save the world is a trope that we have read quite often, but not like this. There is a cinematic quality to the narrative and the way this story is written. It is perfect and incredibly entertaining. I cannot wait to read the next novel in the series.