Of course, I had to read this book after all the excitement I had experienced while reading the author´s Animox (Simon Thorn) series. My expectations were high and maybe too high. I am disappointed and rate this book as an average novel. The story is foreseeable, and despite all the action, not as thrilling as the original series has been. Sad.
Die Erben Der Animox: Die Beute Des Fuchses*
by Aimée Carter Die Erben Der Animox Series #1
Original Title Kindred-The Fox´s Prey
Publisher Oetinger on January 9, 2021
Genre Fantasy, Children 10+
Pages 283
Format Hardcover
Source Library
Goodreads
✶✶✶
A year after the final battle for the Gryphon, Simon Thorn still suffers from memories of the fight and hesitates to use his skills for fear of harming someone. Suddenly, however, heirs are kidnapped in Europe – descendants of the royal family of the Animox, who once had the ability to transform themselves into all kinds of animals. And Simon must act … (personal translation by ©Vi at Inkvotary).
Story
Simon is still struggling with his memory and the fact that the fight he fought about a year ago cost so many of his friends their life. His new powers are something he would rather hide than use. But when a girl gets hijacked in Europe and her sister is asking him for his help, he can´t deny her his help.
Style
The only good thing about this novel is the fact, that the author hasn´t changed her writing style or how she is describing things. But I missed the special something I had seen while reading her original Animox series. Here, the story is too foreseeable. It is supposed to be the first volume of a new series, but when you read it, it sounds pretty much like her other series. Only the continent has changed. But other than that?
Characters
Simon is like always. Wanting to protect all his friends from harm, he begins to fight the enemy on his own, only to find himself in a situation where he needs the help of his friends. Now in this story, he adds a new thing to that image. He doesn´t dare to use his strength to the fullest. But instead of talking to his mother or Malcolm about his fears and worries, he doesn´t say a word and tries to get on with his life as normally as possible. Well, thirteen-year-old boys rarely talk about things like girls do, but here it seems strange rather than helpful to the story.
Conclusion
I´m disappointed. Either my expectations were way too high or this volume just couldn´t fulfill the big promise that the back text made. Sad, but sometimes it just doesn´t work to drag out an actually ended series only because someone asks you to. No recommendation from my side.
Happy reading
*This book was, at the time this review was published, only available in the German language.
Deutsche Rezension
Stil
Das einzige Gute an diesem Roman ist die Tatsache, dass die Autorin weder ihren Schreibstil noch ihre Beschreibung geändert hat. Aber ich vermisste das Besondere, das ich beim Lesen ihrer ursprünglichen Animox-Serie gesehen hatte. Diese Geschichte ist zu vorhersehbar. Es soll der erste Band einer neuen Serie sein, aber wenn man es liest, klingt es ziemlich nach ihrer anderen Serie. Nur der Kontinent hat sich geändert. Aber sonst?
Charaktere
Simon ist wie immer. Er will alle seine Freunde vor Verletzungen schützen und beginnt, den Feind allein zu bekämpfen, nur um sich in einer Situation wiederzufinden, in der er die Hilfe seiner Freunde braucht. In dieser Geschichte fügt er diesem Bild nun eine neue Sache hinzu. Er wagt es nicht, seine Kraft in vollen Zügen zu nutzen. Aber anstatt mit seiner Mutter oder Malcom über seine Ängste und Sorgen zu sprechen, sagt er kein Wort und versucht, sein Leben so normal wie möglich fortzusetzen. Gut dreizehnjährige Jungen sprechen selten über Dinge, wie Mädchen es tun, aber hier scheint es eher seltsam, anstatt für die Geschichte hilfreich zu sein.
Resultat
Ich bin enttäuscht. Entweder waren meine Erwartungen viel zu hoch oder dieser Band konnte das große Versprechen, dass der Backtext machte, einfach nicht erfüllen. Traurig, aber manchmal funktioniert es einfach nicht, eine tatsächlich beendete Serie in die Länge zu ziehen, nur weil dich jemand darum bittet. Keine Empfehlung von meiner Seite.
Aimée Carter
Aimée Carter is the author of Simon Thorn along with two YA series The Blackcoat Rebellion and The Goddess Test, of which The Goddess Inheritance was a 2013 Cybils nominee. She started writing fanfiction at eleven, began her first original story four years later, and hasn´t stopped writing since. Besides writing and reading, she enjoys seeing movies, playing with her puppies, and wrestling with the puzzles in the paper each morning. She lives in Novi, Michigan.
Follow
