The Secret Country

Eidolon #1

by Jane Johnson

Ben wants a Mongolian Fighting Fish more than anything. But when he goes to Mr. Dodds's Pet Emporium with his hard-earned savings, he buys a cat instead. He doesn't have a choice, really. The cat insists.

Iggy (as the tabby likes to be called) has been kidnapped from his home, a parallel world known as the Secret Country. And as the two soon discover, Iggy is not the only animal to fall victim to the pet-store owner's devious Mr. Dodds is stealing the Secret Country's magical creatures and selling them to England's rich and curious. Being away from their homeland causes the creatures with any connection to the Secret Country to be under immediate threat. What's more, it seems Ben's mother is their long-lost queen.

With his mother's life hanging in the balance, it's up to Ben to play his part in an ancient prophecy and prove he's worthy of the title of Prince of Eidolon.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Childrens, Cats, Fiction, Adventure, Young Adult

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[EM WATSON · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was first printed in 2005, my copy 2006. Ok, so my original review on this got lost in time and space. So from memory, I felt that this was a lovely, quick read at 247 pages. Well worth the money to buy cheap on Amazon or cheaper in a charity shop. Nice plot and some fun ideas for the characters as well as the situations. This book was, like so many I see, let down by too fast an ending. This was I guess this was supposed to create a lead into the next volume, but for me, it was far too abrupt and left me annoyed, robbed even. Still, if you get the sequel/sequels, I think you will not be half as upset. A good early middle-grade book, that will keep grade readers enthused. I should add that this does not compete with Harry Potter, nor does it seek to. I am not sure how the later books stack up in this regard, but I would not be buying them to compliment HP, rather as a pleasant diversion from the behemoth legacy of HP.

[Allie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 4.5 stars!

Full Review to Come!

[Poppy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I only only rated this book 1 star because it was a super boring book it was fantasy and I hate fantasy

[Aelvana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ben's plans to get himself a pair of Mongolian Fighting Fish only last as long as it takes him to save up the money. At the pet store, a cat insists on being taken home instead---and since Ben has never heard a talking cat, he gives in. Little did he suspect he had encountered the fringes of something much bigger. Another world exists alongside our own. A world of magic. A world in trouble. A world that needs Ben to help it . . .

This was a bit too young and straightforward for my tastes, but it was still a decent story. There's no complexity to the villains or the heroes: once you've met someone, you can easily tell which side that person is on. (Amusingly, the only exception is Ben's sister, but she's not a major part of the story.)

I did like the variety of mythological creatures. There are dragons, of course, but also selkies and dryads and Gabriel's Hounds. I particularly liked the twists in how the selkie was presented. That made much more sense than the whole sealskin thing.

I also liked that the whole destiny card doesn't give Ben a free pass. He's still himself, with his only real ability apparently being able to talk to magical creatures, which is something a lot of people share.

On the other hand, Ben doesn't do a whole lot either. Mostly he's enabling or directing others to do most of the work. I would hope a future book would involve more of his own deeds and not just the help of his friends.

All in all this sets up for a series, but the story wraps up well enough in the first book to have something that feels like an ending. I doubt I'll continue just because it feels a little younger than the stuff I enjoy, but it isn't a bad book. I rate this book Neutral.

See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....

[Allyson · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are a lot of things happening in this book, and a lot of inner dialog, which might account for the slow pacing. It takes a long time for things to happen, and sometimes what happens is not very interesting. There were some missed opportunities; for instance, when the Dodman imprisons Ben in his mother's room, I was waiting for him to discover something that would either help him escape or give him insight into his mother's childhood or their family history...anything! But instead he just fumbles through her belongings and waits to be rescued. There were two bright spots in the book: one, the way Ben is so kind to everyone he meets, even when he is in danger. Two, I really love the cat community and I wish that had been played up even more.

[Marsha Valance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having learned from a talking cat that he and his sister are half-Elfin royalty in a parallel world called Eidolon, 12-year-old Ben attempts to stop his evil uncle’s smuggling of magical creatures between the two worlds to sell on the black market.

[Esther · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not as fun as the other books I've read but it was ok I rate this a 1 it didn't get me into the book scenes kept on changing very quick

[Tristan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It will give you an eye for adventure

[Kassia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ben Has been saving up to get a fighting fish but one evening a pet cat clings onto bens jumper and begs him to be bought I found it very boring at the start then it got really good 😊

[Olivia Yoxall · Rating 3 out of 5]

The secret country . if I wanted a hard read I would not recommend reading this . It isn't great but it was still packed with fun and entertainment.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5
Unglaublich kurzweilig, zum Glück habe ich Band 2 und 3 schon hier. Eine Geschichte zum Abtauchen. Perfekt für einen Sonntag.

[Ivy · Rating 1 out of 5]

the book is boring and I couldn't finish it

[Charlotte (Bogrejser) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Virkelig fin, klassisk mellemtrins-fantasybog. Eventyrlig og sjov, men til tider var dialogen noget forceret 😅

[Ingrid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wahrscheinlich bin ich für dieses Buch ca 60 Jahr zu alt, aber für zwischendurch ist es eine spannende kleine Geschichte mit Bösewichten, Fabelwesen und natürlich Helden.

[wennausbuechernliebewird · Rating 4 out of 5]

Klappentext

"Es gibt ein verborgenes Königreich, das kein Menschenwesen kennt. Dieses Königreich liegt zwischen hier und dort, zwischen gestern, heute und morgen, zwischen Licht und Schatten. Es ist überall und nirgends und es heißt Eidolon.

Als Ben dem Drachen Xarkanaduschak in seine Heimat folgt, weiß er noch nicht, welchen unheimlichen Kreaturen er die Stirn bieten muss, um das verborgene Königreich zu retten."



Daten

Titel: Der Prinz von Eidolon
Autorin: Jane Johnson
Verlag: Ravensburger
ISBN: 4018791347101
Seitenanzahl: 334
Sterne: 4/5⭐️
Preis: 4,99€ Mängelexemplar


Über die Autorin

Die Autorin, Lektorin und leidenschaftliche Klettern Jane Johnson hat jahrelang die Redaktion der Tolkien-Edition verantwortet und ist nun bei HarperCollins UK für Science-Fiction und Fantasy-Literatur zuständig. Nach einigen Romanen für Erwachsene ist Der Prinz von Eidolon ihr erstes Kinderbuch. Jane Johnson pendelt zwischen Großbritannien und Marokko, teilt ihr Leben mit einer Katze namens Thorfinna Harry-Trousers und ist mit einem Berber verheiratet.


Meine Meinung

Das Buch ist ein schönes Kinderbuch, dass zum Träumen und zum Gedanken streifen anregt. Besonders gut gefallen mir neben der Story, dem Schreibstil auch die wunderschönen Illustrationen am Anfang eines jeden Kapitels und auf jeder Seite.
Die Autorin nimmt uns an der Hand mit auf eine wunderschöne Reise in eine andere Welt, in der es grau ist, aber wunderbare Geschöpfe leben.
Es ist so toll. Ich hatte am Anfang meine bedenken, da es erstens ein Kinderbuch ist und eher die Jugendbücher und Jugendromane, das New-Adult-Genre, dem Fantasy vorziehe. Dennoch wurde ich eines besseren belehrt. Es war kein Highfantasy, weshalb es mir glaube ich auch sehr gut gefallen hat.
Außerdem lese ich Fantasy am Liebsten im Sommer im Garten, in der Hängematte unter der Sonne. Doch dieses Buch lies sich auch ganz super im Winter eingekuschelt im Bett mit einer Tasse Tee lesen.
Habt ihr eigentlich auch so Jahreszeiten, in denen ihr ein bestimmtes Genre liest? Schreibt mir doch gerne mal dies in die Kommentare. Außerdem könnt ihr mir gerne mal kommentieren, was euer liebstes Genre ist.


Lieblingszitat

"Zwei Herzen schlagen wie eins
Zwei Welten werden vereint
Wahrer Mut offenbart sich
Wenn alles verloren scheint
Eins zu eins wird zwei
Und beider Liebe drei
Drei Kinder zweier Welten
Und Eidolon bleibt frei."



Meine Lieben

Passt auf Euch auf, denn ich tue es auch.

Chiara

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Carrie Spellman for TeensReadToo.com

All Ben Arnold wants in life are Mongolian Fighting Fish. The day he walks into Mr. Dodds's Pet Emporium with enough money to buy them should be the best day of his life. Except that he walks out with a cat. It's not really his fault. After all, the cat made him do it.

Ignatius Sorvo Coromandel, Iggy for short, also known as the Wanderer, has quite a story for Ben. He is from another world, a world called Eidolon. A world full of exotic, mythical, talking creatures. A world that is slowly dying and losing its magic. Someone is stealing creatures out of Eidolon and selling them in Ben's world. Each time a creature leaves, the magic is less. And each time one dies, which happens shortly after they enter our world, more magic disappears.

The most amazing part of all, aside from the talking cat thing, is that Iggy claims Ben's mother is the Queen of Eidolon! That's why Ben can understand Iggy, and the other strange creatures that are beginning to appear in random places. That means that Ben is a prince and his two sisters are princesses! And that's why Ben's mom is getting sick.

If Ben can go to Eidolon, he might be able to help save both the world and his mom. First, he'll have to escape Mr. Dodds and Awful Uncle Aliester, who are bad enough in the regular world and ten times worse in Eidolon. Not to mention Cousin Sylvia and her creepy hairless cat. Then he'll have to navigate a completely foreign land where he can't be sure who to trust.

Mythical creatures and huge battles are all well and fun in books, but living through them is a whole different story!

I love this book, in every way possible! The plot is interesting and moves along at a perfect pace, fast enough to keep you interested but not so much so that you get confused. It's written simply, but never in a way that makes you feel silly. The characters, even the creatures, are extremely interesting and realistic. The part I like best though, is that there is a great sense of humor throughout the story.

I love it. My six-year-old nephew loves it. My ten-year-old niece loves it. You can't ask for more than that.

[Anne Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

On a scale from awful to excellent, this book was a meh, I think. The writing/editing seems fine, but everything feels fairly retreaded. Part of the post-Harry Potter boom of books featuring someone who suddenly discovers "Hey! I'm special, after all!" and then must save the world, etc, etc. A fair amount of references to other fantasy classics throughout. I read it through, quite quickly, and I think it will be suitable to read aloud to my son if he ever asks, but, though the book tried hard to interest me in the next installment, I likely won't carry on, unless I come across it some place on the cheap and my son would like to read the set.

I was attracted to the description of the talking cat on the back cover copy; alas, the cat turned out to be a wiseacre, who was a bit more cranky at Ben then he ever deserved, which left me cold on the idea.

In terms of positives, though, I liked the pet trade angle; the export and illegal trade in exotic animals by the rich and stupid is a major problem in the world, and this book can open up discussion with kids about this.

I have a major bone to pick with the fishkeeping information in the book, though. It is a great thing that Ben didn't end up getting his "pair of Mongolian fighting fish" to take home and dump in a newly set up, uncycled tank - they would have been dead from ammonia poisoning within a fortnight. It makes no sense that this character, who seems rather compassionate and intelligent, and who has read books on fish care, would not bother to cycle a tank in the weeks it took him to save up for the fish. This is a minor detail to the plot, but it irked me, and seemed inconsistent for Ben. He later dumps these "fighting fish" (presumably tropical) in a goldfish tank (cold water fish)- another major error I couldn't see him making, and quite likely resulted in their deaths. Not so good, and I would encourage a bit of research if your kids get inspired by the book to buy some pet fish.

Otherwise, worth the read if you can find it on loan at a library or from a friend, but I would try the first volume before shelling out for the whole series.

[Sensitivemuse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m biased. The moment I read that there’s a talking cat, me being a cat lover, immediately picked this book up. Iggy also happens to be a wonderful character to read so that was an instant bonus.

This was a great fantasy read, and I enjoyed the adventure Ben went through. There was plenty of fantastical magic and action to keep the reader engaged, and the characters are well written and memorable. The pace is great and is steady and although the story might not be that original, and the plot itself may have been predictable, I think it’s still an enjoyable read. The action was exciting enough to by pass these thing to at least make the book a fun experience.

The ending of the book was pretty good, and it’s got me interested enough to go into the second of this series. It’s certainly worth a try and catered towards younger readers. Expect an action filled magical journey filled with fun and adventure. This is definitely worth looking into. I’m looking forward to reading more about Iggy and Ben!

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eigentlich wollte Ben Fische kaufen, doch dann bringt er einen Kater mit nach Hause. Von diesem Kater hört er Geschichten über Eidolon, eine magische Welt, die nur er retten kann, da er ihr Prinz ist.
.
Ich kannte das Buch schon, da ich es als Kind schon gelesen habe. Obwohl das schon mehr als 10 Jahre her ist und ich in dieser Zeit jede Menge sehr gute Fantasy-Bücher gelesen habe, konnte es mich genauso sehr begeistern wie beim ersten Mal. Die unterschiedlichen Charaktere und Wesen sind fabelhaft aufgeaut und es macht wahnsinnig viel Spaß, gemeinsam mit Ben Eidolon zu erkunden. Der Weltenbau ist unglaublich detailverliebt und alles passt perfekt zusammen. Man merkt beim Lesen, dass der Schreibstil an ein jüngeres Publikum angepasst ist, aber das macht es auf keinen Fall langweilig für Erwachsene. Die Handlung ist super spannend und macht große Lust auf den zweiten Teil. Wirklich toll fand ich die Kapitelzierden, die unterschiedliche Wesen aus Eidolon abbilden.
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Absolutes Kindheitshighlight

[Carissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

maybe i’m getting jaded from reading books in which the character is an everyday joe/jane who learns that he/she is, in fact, someone special. in this series, ben goes to a pet store to buy some “mongolian fighting fish” he’s been saving for and instead finds himself purchasing a talking cat. and that’s just the beginning. in short order, he also rescues a wood sprite and a selkie then they find the magical portal to eidolon–the secret country. i’ve heard so much about this series–keep reading about it in family magazines and such–and they’re fine, they’re well-written, i’m just not sure what is really original about them. the author apparently runs in high falutin’ editorial circles (she’s published tolkein, stephen king, clive barker, etc.) and i wonder if she’s used her connections to market her book…..

[Jono McDermott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book quite simply inspired me to become a writer.

This is the perfect tale for children and adults alike, with magic, comedy and ingenious creations.

Ben is an ordinary boy—and far more believably so than in many other popular fictions—who discovers an immense, magical secret, and a whole world of wonders. It's written with a careful style, so easy to read and yet poetic if you stop and take notice. Unlike the majority of magical otherworld novels, Johnson steers away from the brilliant-but-overused Greek/Biblical/Shakespearean themes, and invents her own, entirely unique, dimension, (although with many of the regular creatures like dragons and centaurs cropping up, of course!).

Absolutely recommend to anyone who wants a quick and thoroughly satisfying read. (WARNING: it's book 1 of a trilogy!)

[Mizzio Batista · Rating 3 out of 5]

A series with potential (that will, hopefully, be seen in upcoming books!)

The plot is relevant and interesting, the characters are well fleshed out, the world-building is great; this is a good story. There is a lot of ways this tale could go.

It also a deals with a topic that is close to me; Animal trafficking and abuse. All be it, not in great detail, but, for a kids book, it does it justice.

But, there is something about it that doesn't suck the reader in. The story is rushed at times, and the action sequences are badly described. I found it hard to concentrate on who was fighting who, and, more importantly, which world the characters were in, at the moment. Just Me?

All in all, a fair first book. I will be picking the rest of the series up. I'm a sucker for British children-fantasies.

[Ginnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the Secret country there is a boy who seams just the same as anyone else. He's not really, he is a prince in a magic world. His dieing mother is the queen and her home land is being destroyed by an evil dog-man. The dog-man and his helpers of goblins are taking magical and rare animals from one world to another and selling them. This is ripping the two worlds apart and if it doesn't end soon neater world will survive. The young prince is taken captive by the evil dog-man and must try to escape with the help of friends he has made. This is a great si-fi story that will keep you interested tell the end.

[Loralee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is very cute! I don't read as many MG novels anymore as YA, but this one had a good plot and characters, and painted a well-detailed, enjoyable picture both of an English town and the secret magical world it connects to. The boy Ben is a great character, both when he's saving to buy the Mongolian fighting fish, when a cat in the pet store starts speaking to him, when he has to explain why he showed up at home with no new fish pets, when he's dealing with his horrible relatives, and when he's rescuing magical creatures and fighting his way through a magical land. I'm into book 3 now, and grateful that the librarian recommended these when I was hunting for books for my daughter!

[Owl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Der Sprecher macht seine Sache wirklich gut, auch wenn ich im ersten Moment irritiert war, dass Dr. Wilson (House m.d.) mir ein Fantasybuch für junge Erwachsene vorliest :)
Die Geschichte ist schön; kein Überflieger, aber man kann ihr sehr gut folgen.
Meinem büchermuffeligem Freund hat es auch gefallen. Er hat sogar nachgefragt, wann wir weiterhören, weil er neugierig war :).
Ich denke, die beiden Fortsetzungen werde ich mir dann auch bei Gelegenheit gönnen.

(Aber einschlafen kann man dabei trotzdem ganz hervorragend. Kochen allerdings auch ^^)

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun book. I didn't think I could read it when I found that a talking cat took a major role in the story. However, I really wanted to find out what came next. It's for kids and it has several words like "minion", that are great for increasing a child's vocabulary. I read it to approve it for my 7 yr old who reads on a higher level than his grade and felt the content was intriguing and not too violent for him. He loved it and read the second book. I have a different opinon of that one...

[Far · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the story was engaging enough (albeit a little unoriginal), this lost stars mostly because the author appears to be showing off with her unnecessary use of vocabulary that would be difficult for the target audience of the book.

The characters had tongue-twister names too which made it annoying to read out aloud, which we did for our child. We ended up shortening everything and having to re-adjust vocab to suit.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good fantasy about a young boy, a talking cat, and a parallel world of magic. It's somewhat traditional (there are many other gateway fantasy books like it), but Johnson is a good "world-builder," and her story is exciting. I particularly liked the evil character portrayed as the Egyptian god of the dead, Anubis.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I know it had the whole boy finds he's royalty theme to it but it seemed to be very creative. The writing wasn't the world's greatest but it wasn't sucky. I did love the fact that it wasn't the sterotypical fantasy book and some of the themes you could tell took time to think out. I can't wait to read more of this series.

[Rebecca Stonehill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was about a talking cat with a nickname Iggy and a boy called Ben. He's the boy who helps Iggy get back into Eidolon, the other world. They have to go to a park then there's a tall stone with the word 'Eidolon' and they had to go round the side and jump into the hole. There's an evil person in it as well called Dodman! This was a good book.


(Review my Maya, age 8, Rebecca's daughter)