A review by crtsjffrsn
The Elephant of Surprise by Brent Hartinger
5.0
The fourth installment in the Russel Middlebrook series is probably my favorite. The story isn't too far out from the previous three books, but there were a few things about it that I think pulled me in a bit more.
For one, I like the way the author is able to show that Russel is gaining a bit more maturity. It shows not only in the character's actions, but also in the voice of the narration. Secondly, the development of some of the side characters over the course of the series has helped to give more depth to Russel's world. And, finally, this is one where I actually didn't see one of the major twists coming until I was up to that particular scene (some of the previous books have been a bit more, well, predictable at times).
I'm not sure if there's a fifth book in store, but at this point I hope there is if the series is going to continue moving in this direction.
For one, I like the way the author is able to show that Russel is gaining a bit more maturity. It shows not only in the character's actions, but also in the voice of the narration. Secondly, the development of some of the side characters over the course of the series has helped to give more depth to Russel's world. And, finally, this is one where I actually didn't see one of the major twists coming until I was up to that particular scene (some of the previous books have been a bit more, well, predictable at times).
I'm not sure if there's a fifth book in store, but at this point I hope there is if the series is going to continue moving in this direction.