Victor and The Sun Orb

By: Amy Nielsen
Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. 
Publication Date: November 2008 
ISBN: 978-0595503070 
Reviewed by: Emily LaBelle 
Review Date: June 29, 2009 

Prince Victor's life is doomed from the start. He is born cursed to become mortal on his 13th birthday. His parents, the King and Queen of the Sun Fairies, are horrified by the terrible evil that has descended upon their family. Who had they ever wronged? They were loved by all of the inhabitants of their Kingdom, Solandia. There were only two suspects; an evil terrorist named Narcissa, or Victor's own Uncle Thorkel, who was banished from Solandia hundreds of years before he was born. The King and Queen look far and wide for the perpetrator with no luck. Meanwhile Victor grows ever closer to his 13th birthday.

Victor and the Sun Orb is a fantastical novel that follows the obstacles that the young prince of the Sun Fairies must face to overcome the terrible curse set upon him as a baby. In the beginning Victor is a typical young boy, only concerned with playing and having fun. As the story progresses, he begins to mature and appreciate the important things in life. Victor is forced to grow up quickly and to deal with several challenging events all on his own. He becomes a mortal on his 13th birthday and must leave the only world he's ever known to live in the world of the humans. After one of his human friends is kidnapped by an evil fairy, Victor must go on a quest to save her and become a fairy again.

Meanwhile in Solandia the Sun Orb, the source of magical power for the fairies, is stolen. Suddenly the fate of all the Sun Fairies lies in Victor's hands. Victor must find the Sun Orb, which is now in the hands of the King and Queen of Darkness, and retrieve it in order to keep all of Solandia from falling into darkness. Victor meets many creatures along the way, including a highly original talking strawberry bush named Strawberryhawk and the King of the Ants.

At first glance, Victor and the Sun Orb, with a very vibrant rainbow and sun on the cover, appears to be for much younger readers than the teen target audience. But this is a true case where you should not judge a book by its cover. It is a truly thrilling and heart warming adventure of a young prince and his family. It is a good choice for both pre-teens and young adults; both will be drawn into the mystifying world of Sun Fairies.

Amy Nielsen puts forth a story that will keep readers ripping through the pages. Her simple use of language makes for a fast paced, satisfying story. Nielsen's story is filled with underlying life lessons and issues; such as the importance of family and the always controversial issue of what happens after death. Although the ending is somewhat predictable, it is still a worthwhile adventure to go on.

Quill says: Don’t judge this book by the cover, it is an entertaining story for teen readers.

For more information on Victor and the Sun Orb, please visit the author's website at: