Crystal Doors, Book III: Sky Realm
by Rebecca Moesta and Kevin J. Anderson
Published by Little, Brown and Company Books for Young Readers
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Reviewed by Julina K. Mills
The sky realm is being threatened by winged creatures who want to overtake the palace, and only the children of the prophecy can save their friends and the cities of Irrakesh and Elantya. In their third adventure of the series, Vic and Gwen team up with three friends to become the Ring of Might and discover the secret powers that each one holds. Whether holding up their crystal daggers while they stand in a circle or fighting a battle on flying carpets, the friends learn that their bond of friendship and love can create a force that is stronger than any evil which exists.
Authors Moesta and Anderson skillfully combine their writing styles and creativity to build an exciting adventure story filled with imaginative creatures, and characters with distinct personalities. From mystical viziers to sea-dwelling merlons and winged man-like aeglors, the authors create remarkable worlds that can only be accessed through the elusive crystal doors that pass from one world to the next.
As the third book in the series, Sky Realm draws heavily on the information that is provided in Book I and 2. This was the first book in the series which I have read, and I found it difficult to understand some of the references to early adventures which were not explained clearly in this story. I also had to read several chapters into the book to be able to understand which characters were native to the worlds which were in the midst of the battle, and to figure out that Vic and Gwen traveled there from Earth. Vic’s repetitive references to modern-day television shows was slightly distracting and has a tendency to make his character less-believable since not all readers will be familiar with the shows he is quoting from.
Armchair Interviews says: A good book that would be better for the reader if you had read Book 1 and 2 before.