DownriverBy Erik Hare
ISBN-10: 1420887165
ISBN-13: 978-1420887167
Trade Paperback, 188 pages
October 10, 2005
AuthorHouse
Erik Hare writes of an Earth where humans (Giants) and gnomes (Hopnegs) coexist. While the Hopnegs are little more than legend to the Giants, the Giants are very real to the Hopnegs and pose a tremendous threat with their customs. Oblivious to the damage they inflict, Giants take ownership of land, forcing the Hopneg people to constantly move and rebuild further away from the Giant communities.
One young Hopneg called Popey finds himself in this position one morning, fleeing from a demolished home while the Giants' "Demon" roars by. He seeks solace in his sister's home, and after a time of reflection, decides that there must be some way to fight the Giants so his people don't need to flee from their village. Unfortunately, the leaders of the village have already made the decision to leave their homes behind and move on, following the ancient advice of "The Book."
Popey realizes the world is full of knowledge that he doesn't think he can learn from the limited confines of his fellow Hopnegs and The Book. He decides to set out on his own to discover a way to defeat the Giants so that his people are not forever running. Along the path, he meets a seasoned traveler, Shajee, who shows him the way of the open road and teaches him how to use the Giants to his advantage. The advice Shajee provides will carry Popey through important trials and allows Popey to see the world for what it really is.
Downriver is a tale full of metaphors and subtle admonishments for the reckless ways we choose to live our lives. It illustrates the power we allow possessions to hold over our existence and the shift in priorities from people to things. It is somewhat of a guidebook for young readers, showing what the world was, what the world is, and what it could be. It allows readers a glimpse of the reality that each of us only lives what we know, making the best of what we have, and that may not always be the right decision, but it is an individual experience for every being.
The story flows nicely and the colorful imagery makes for a magical fantasy tale on the most basic of levels. The wisdom between the lines pushes this book toward the Philosophy genre, despite its teen audience and fantasy dressings. This book would make excellent assigned reading material for a middle school audience with all it can offer and the various interpretations that can be made.
One young Hopneg called Popey finds himself in this position one morning, fleeing from a demolished home while the Giants' "Demon" roars by. He seeks solace in his sister's home, and after a time of reflection, decides that there must be some way to fight the Giants so his people don't need to flee from their village. Unfortunately, the leaders of the village have already made the decision to leave their homes behind and move on, following the ancient advice of "The Book."
Popey realizes the world is full of knowledge that he doesn't think he can learn from the limited confines of his fellow Hopnegs and The Book. He decides to set out on his own to discover a way to defeat the Giants so that his people are not forever running. Along the path, he meets a seasoned traveler, Shajee, who shows him the way of the open road and teaches him how to use the Giants to his advantage. The advice Shajee provides will carry Popey through important trials and allows Popey to see the world for what it really is.
Downriver is a tale full of metaphors and subtle admonishments for the reckless ways we choose to live our lives. It illustrates the power we allow possessions to hold over our existence and the shift in priorities from people to things. It is somewhat of a guidebook for young readers, showing what the world was, what the world is, and what it could be. It allows readers a glimpse of the reality that each of us only lives what we know, making the best of what we have, and that may not always be the right decision, but it is an individual experience for every being.
The story flows nicely and the colorful imagery makes for a magical fantasy tale on the most basic of levels. The wisdom between the lines pushes this book toward the Philosophy genre, despite its teen audience and fantasy dressings. This book would make excellent assigned reading material for a middle school audience with all it can offer and the various interpretations that can be made.
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