daviddavidkatzman's review
3.0
As I mentioned in my review of The Elfin Ship, I picked up this charming series again because I had adored the first two as a child. And was delighted to discover Blaylock had written this third book in the series, The Stone Giant, which I had never heard of.
Well...I'm glad I completed the series, but it wasn't really worth it. The Stone Giant is the least charming of the three. I did not realize until I had gotten into it a ways that it was actually a prequel to the other two books. Unfortunately, a few things didn't quite hold up as a prequel. I think Blaylock dropped the ball on continuity in a few cases. For example Theosophile Escargot (the main character) was good friends with The Professor at the beginning of this tale. But in The Elfin Ship and Disappearing Dwarf, the Professor is extremely suspicious of Theosophile and doesn't trust him in the slightest. Also, there was no mention of him having lived in Twombly Town, as I recall, which is where he starts off in The Stone Giant.
Be that as it may, the bigger flaw is that Theosophile is kind of a jerk. He's just not as likable as the main characters from Books 1 and 2. He plays much better in a supporting role than as the lead, which he does here.
I also have to express one point that bugged me by the end of the series. Blaylock sets up Balumnia as this special exotic place that can only be traveled to via these spectacular secret doors, one of which is hidden at the bottom of the ocean. And they only open at certain times of the year. And yet, as we explore Balumnia...we find it's really not much different from the "other" world of the elves, humans and goblins. In fact, I'd go so far as to say, it's really just like another country, perhaps on another continent. There was nothing particularly unusual about it. This is the biggest letdown of the structure Blaylock creates.
That being said, I am glad that I re-read books 1 and 2. They were delightful.
Well...I'm glad I completed the series, but it wasn't really worth it. The Stone Giant is the least charming of the three. I did not realize until I had gotten into it a ways that it was actually a prequel to the other two books. Unfortunately, a few things didn't quite hold up as a prequel. I think Blaylock dropped the ball on continuity in a few cases. For example Theosophile Escargot (the main character) was good friends with The Professor at the beginning of this tale. But in The Elfin Ship and Disappearing Dwarf, the Professor is extremely suspicious of Theosophile and doesn't trust him in the slightest. Also, there was no mention of him having lived in Twombly Town, as I recall, which is where he starts off in The Stone Giant.
Be that as it may, the bigger flaw is that Theosophile is kind of a jerk. He's just not as likable as the main characters from Books 1 and 2. He plays much better in a supporting role than as the lead, which he does here.
I also have to express one point that bugged me by the end of the series. Blaylock sets up Balumnia as this special exotic place that can only be traveled to via these spectacular secret doors, one of which is hidden at the bottom of the ocean. And they only open at certain times of the year. And yet, as we explore Balumnia...we find it's really not much different from the "other" world of the elves, humans and goblins. In fact, I'd go so far as to say, it's really just like another country, perhaps on another continent. There was nothing particularly unusual about it. This is the biggest letdown of the structure Blaylock creates.
That being said, I am glad that I re-read books 1 and 2. They were delightful.
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