Today's read... Hammer, Vol 3: The Jungle Kingdom by Jey Odin

I'm in the mood for some action packed adventure with tons of humor thrown in, and this book seemed to fit that bill. It's a graphic novel and the third in the series (nope, I haven't read the first two), and promises to be ridiculous fun with pounding? Maybe, remind of video game action? Lots of hammering scenes? Yep, this one could go several directions. So, I'm just going to dive on in.

HAMMER, VOLUME 3

THE JUNGLE KINGDOM

by Jey Odin

Rockport Publishers

Upper Middle Grade Adventure / Graphic Novel

224 pages

ages 10 and up

COMING...

MARCH 7th!!!

Soon after Stud arrived in the Jungle Kingdom, he was discovered and reported to the king as an intruder with Kingdom Maps, the most important treasure King Elephante had been looking for. Now with a target on his back, Stud continues searching for a way back home with an ally, Brymm, who has a strange request: she needs help saving her kingdom in the future. She continuously asks Stud, who can’t help because he’s trying to get back home.

However, once Stud’s bag is stolen from him while he’s having a vivid dream about his parents, he’s fearful of losing it forever and tries to retrieve it. Stud quickly realizes he can’t get it back by himself and enlists the help of Brymm, who still has an urgent request of her own.

Will he be able to retrieve it before it’s given to King Elephante, or will he be able to retrieve it before then? Will Brymm find the help she needs to save her kingdom? Learn the answers to these questions and more in this action-packed volume!

Hammer is rated Y for Youth, recommended for ages 10 and up.

GOODREADS:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61398979-hammer-volume-3

AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BSV8VDBS

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hammer-volume-3-jey-odin/1141735486

MY TIDBITS

With tons of action and battle scenes, this tale holds quick momentum and a wide range of characters.

I have not read the first two books in the series, which is a mistake. This continues where the adventure left off, and not knowing the backstory did leave gigantic holes in the plot. But the general flow isn't really too hard to figure out, since we aren't talking about a plot which, at this point, is horribly complex. Still, start this one off from book one.

Thanks to the map, Stud has arrived in the Jungle Kingdom...not that he really wants to be there. He's left his friends behind and needs to find his way back home if he ever wants to see them again. And that before his father returns, too. Unfortunately, he needs to put his plans on hold. The ruler of the Jungle Kingdom has discovered Stud's entry and will do anything to get Stud's map. Stud finds himself battling creatures, right away, and almost losses but is saved by Brymm. She has one request; Stud should help her save her kingdom in two years time. Obviously, Stud can't agree, since he's pretty sure his father would notice his absence by then, and he'd be in quite a bit of trouble. But when the Jungle Kingdom ruler snatches Stud's pack along with the map, all of his worries now hang on getting it back.

This is a pretty straight forward tale...and that's wonderful. Stud only wants to get home, a goal which is more than understandable. He is strong, but still has some growing to do. While he does battle, his intentions are never negative, and he does need help, since he can't do everything on his own. There's a bit of inner-conflict as he would like to help Brymm (and feels he needs to) but also can't prioritize that above his father and friends. 

The graphics are well done in that they keep lines simple enough to allow the battle scenes to come across with power, and yet, not overload on the visual end. The scenes aren't confusing and paced so that the reader can sink into the moments. It's definitely for fight-scene fans. Plus, the imagination with the characters comes across nicely, too.

It's easy to get caught up in Stud's adventure and makes a great read for just enjoying.