The Colossus Rises: Book 1 (Seven Wonders)

I picked up this book after finishing the last Riordan book. I was a little hesitant at first, not having read anything but this author. First chapter was a little slow to start, but as I continued into the story I was hooked. I loved the use of Atlantean backdrop, as segue into the Seven Wonders of the World. I think the book is fast paced and well written, the story flowing easily and addictively. I would definitely read this book with my class and can't wait for the next in the series. Other reviewers complaining about the detail, is misleading. I do not feel that the details detracted from the readability but rather established a colorful imagery to the story. I especially liked that the protagonist is not the one with all the power/brains/brawn but rather the "thread" that ties all the characters together. I for one am now going to explore other works from this author! Great Adventure!

I read and listened to this book on my Kindle which may account for some of the comments I make below. This is the story of Jack McKinley and some others kids who find out that they the descendants of Atlantians and are all about to die, oh but they all get superpowers before they kill over. It may not sound like it, but I liked this book. It’s very middle grade and sometimes annoying, but overall quite entertaining. When I first heard of this new series it was compared to the Percy Jackson series, but I don’t think that is a good comparison. I think this story is something a little different. The only character I really fell in love with in this first book, I haven’t read the others yet, is Jack. Not that the other characters weren’t likable, but Jack was the only one who seemed to be in touch with reality. He seemed accessible to me beyond this world of mythology and magic in a way none of the other characters were. While this story is very clever and full of action, is lacks sophistication and with good reason. This is a story about kids battling against the world to save their lives. These are not hormonal teens, yet, caught up in adult activities, but kids just trying to get through the day. I like that there is a real sense of innocence to this story that many middle grade and YA story just don’t have. The mysteries, the history, and all the clues of this story were really cool. Some things were a discovery for me while quite a few were not. It didn’t take me long to figure out what was happening each time a new problem arose, but I will admit there were some turns I didn’t see coming. The descriptions in this story and the world building were pretty good, but sometimes I had trouble figuring out which literal direction things were happening in. On the plus side, I thought the illustration were a nice added touch. Throughout the book there is tons of humor to lighten a mood when needed. I’d recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mythology, history, and is willing to read middle grade fiction. The kids should really enjoy it.

Purchased for my Grandson who enjoys reading, he loved it so much he has read the whole series now. He is 9 years old.

I'd give this book more stars if I could. It's crazy good fun. Lerangis nails the pacing, so critical in an adventure novel, and anyone would like young Jack, the protagonist, who claims to have no talent--and clearly believes it. He's funny and he's clever when circumstances demand it, but he still manages to be the teenage every-guy he thinks he is. This is a highly polished work and a promising first-novel-in-a-series that made me keen to read the next.

The Seven Wonders series is action packed with great character development and world-wide travel. The old theme of finding Atlantis is interwoven with finding hidden artifacts that the characters' lives hinge on. Spot illustrations add interest and mystery. Lots of puzzles to unravel and clues to their solution.

This book is definitely for young teens. The top characters are all thirteen years old and young readers should easily identify with them. The action in the book is fast-paced and there is always something happening. Jack, the main character and narrator of the story, seems to be a well-balanced boy who is a little beyond his years in temperament. The Seven Wonders, of course, refers to the seven wonders of the ancient world. This first book of the series deals with the Colossus. Like many books for young teens, the teen-aged characters in this book are more able than normal, but still flawed. I gave this book four stars because of a scene near the end of the book was a little too fantastic for my tastes. Have fun.

its a very good tweens book of adventure! i'm an adult who also enjoyed it much more than i thought i would. had a nice flow to it, fun read, totally enjoyable...would recommend for all ages but especially tweens....nothing naughty in this book. looking forward to the rest of the series...i hope you enjoy it as much as i did.p.s. why does every younger read have to be compared to harry potter?? nothing wrong with being different, now is there?? wouldn't life be boring it it were!!

A pale attempt to be the Indiana Jones/PJ blend everyone claims the series to be. I picked this book immediately after finishing Rick Riordan's first book in the Trials of Apollo series - given that Rick himself solidly endorsed this series it seemed a no brainer. I've loved every permutation of the Percy Jackson books and obviously had high expectations. What I learned reading this? Rick Riordan stands alone. The characters are likable but on more than one occasion a line literally read like Lerangis was forcing his characters to speak through Percy and company's mouths. I liked the stories, but they lacked the increasing tension/seriousness that should have been mounting from one book to the next. I was shocked when I found out the fifth was final book - it didn't seem possible to wrap everything up in just one more. I was right. I feel like I went through the irritation of Lost all over again. The overall ending to the series was incredibly lame. To me, the way it ended, the series itself seemed pointless. If you're looking for a fun read, go for it - the series is definitely enjoyable. But don't read it based on hopes that it truly combines Indiana Jones and Percy. These are fun books, but they are not magical. The history aspect of the books was barely delved into and half the time I had to re-read bits to get what was happening in a scene. 3 stars for the series as a whole - but not even one for the final chapters of the final book. Read for pleasure, but curb your expectations.