The <em>Firebird Chronicles </em>is a children's/young adult fantasy series following two young Apprentice Adventurers, Scoop and Fletcher.

The first book, <em>Rise of the Shadow Stealers</em>, follows the confused youngsters as they make sense of their surroundings. Neither has any memories of who they are or where they come from, and with the help of their mentor, the Yarnbard, they slowly piece together the story of their past.

Throughout the book, Scoop and Fletcher are held back by Grizelda, an evil old woman who's determined to take control of the land. They are set monumental tasks by the mysterious Storyteller - the creator and controller of the world they live in. Grizelda desperately tries to prevent them from succeeding at every turn.

My immediate reaction to this book was that I was too old for it. I always emphasise the fact that children's books can still be <em>good </em>books, enjoyed by any reader. This was, in all honesty, not fantastic. The plot wasn't bad, and it wasn't exactly hard to read, but the writing wasn't particularly outstanding and there were tons of grammatical errors. One recurring mistake I noticed was the misuse of "passed" and "past". Little things like that really affect how professional a book feels, or how immature the writing comes across.

2.5 stars for this book. The plot was okay, but the characters and speech were overly childish and didn't feel authentic.

Rise of the Shadow Stealers by Daniel Ingram-Brown.
Fletcher and Scoop are Apprentice Adventurers from the ancient establishment of Blotting's Academy on Fullstop Island, the place where all story characters are trained. The trouble is, they can't remember how they got there.
It's the first day of term, but the two apprentices soon realise something is wrong. Things are going missing, including their own memories, and Scoop has the unsettling feeling that something is creeping in the shadows.
As the children search for answers, they become entangled with the life of the Storyteller, the island's creator and king. They journey to his wedding banquet and find themselves uncovering a hidden past. What is their connection to this mysterious man? And is there more to him than meets the eye?
This was a very good read with likeable characters. 4*.

When I first saw the cover for this book, I was hooked. I like the drama of it and the fantastical elements. But for the most part, the book confused me way too much.

The worldbuilding was very confusing and there were tons of rules to the magic system that never felt like it was properly explained. It made it even more confusing to have both main characters have amnesia and not remember anything about the world, because of course they were suspicious and kept it secret. It made sense from a character’s point of view, but as a reader it meant that NO OTHER character really thought to explain things properly to Scoop and Fletcher. They ended up stumbling along and making the best of it but I needed more clear worldbuilding and magic rules.

What I did see of the world was extremely fascinating, even if it was confusing. The mention of a place where story characters train and such was what made me want to read the book after reading the synopsis. But it was very little about that. I found the Fullstop Island to be an interesting place with roo for many many stories, naturally as it is a home to many story characters.

For the characters, I was perfectly creeped out by the evil characters, whose motovations seem very elusive but they didn’t mind taking dozens of other characters out of the way to get to our main characters and I believe that Grizelda will properly terrify and thrill young readers. I wasn’t a fan of Scoop and Fletcher though, particularly not the latter who is so bent on solving the memory loss to care a tiny bit about Scoop or anyone else. I never really warmed up to him through the book.

In the end, the book left me feeling quite “Meh”. There were parts of it that had a lot of potential bit didn’t quote come through and then there were parts I really enjoyed. I think readers of a younger age (probably middle grade age range) will find the book great through, and get swept right of off their feet and into the world of Fullstop Island. But for me, the world was confusing and the story a underwhelming.

Rise of the Shadow Stealers was a book for me that had a lot of potential that it just didn't live up to. The plot and characters fell a little flat and just didn't mesh well together overall.

A Potteresque fantasy with an ensemble cast, RISE OF THE SHADOW STEALERS is an imaginative novel with an interesting premise—the students at school are learning to be characters in stories (hero, adventurer, underdog, snob, etc.). There's a nod to homeschoolers with the concept that the academy "can’t be confined to bricks and mortar.” (pg.70)

The story is focused on Scoop (female) and Fletcher (male) two apprentice Adventurers. While there are teachers and adults, it is really up to the children to solve the puzzles to save the world.

This book conveys a strong positive message without coming off as heavy-handed or formulaic.

This book has some of the richest world-building I have read!

I'd recommend this book for upper middle grade/younger YA. There is some darker content that may not be appropriate for younger readers.

I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

Fletcher and Scoop, the story's main characters, wake up and can't seem to remember anything about their past. Working together they discover who they are and become part of what life changing events, which are magical, scary and beautiful. I thought this was a charming story for younger children s the language was a little simple but easy to read and understand. It had all the elements of a good fantasy story and I look forward to reading more about Fletcher and Scoop and their future adventures together.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I think those who enjoy the Harry Potter or Percy Jackson books will greatly enjoy this magical adventure. Fletcher and Scoop are loveable heroes you can't help but root for!