Fifteen-year-old Jackson worries about bullies, avoiding detention, and making his mom proud. Then a mysterious monster begins attacking people in the forest, and Jackson hears a voice that questions whether he may be the “Phoenix Knight.” During his class’s annual camping trip, the monster chases Jackson into a dark cavern where he meets a wise humanoid fox who tells him he’s the chosen one. Jackson is resistant to accepting his fate, which includes fighting an ancient evil; but soon the monster returns, and Jackson is forced to choose his destiny.
The young hero is an introspective boy whose daydreaming, love of reading, and fear of detention make him a relatable introvert. Scenes that center on his inner turmoil—especially when he contemplates what it would mean for his future and his family if he were to take the helm of the Phoenix Knight—reveal him to be a compassionate, thoughtful boy who yearns to do the right thing in spite of his fears. The book’s brevity—it is the length of a short story rather than the novel it could be—however, means there is little space to explore Jackson’s feelings deeply or to show the extent of his anguish over his new and sudden fate.
Striking descriptions of the book’s few minor characters depict their personalities succinctly. Jackson’s mother, for instance, is rendered sweet and loving when “she wouldn’t let him go until she gave him kiss number two hundred” before his week-long camping trip. Some overly dramatic descriptions distract with their lack of realism rather than bolster imagery, though, as when Jackson’s “blood ran freezing cold, his heart stopped beating for a second, and multiple chills went down his spine” upon seeing a picture of the monster for the first time.
The short book is fast-paced, with exciting action sequences that portray unique and exhilarating fights alongside more quiet, suspenseful scenes. It’s odd when Jackson knows how to fight with no explanation, takes a running leap to grab onto the school bus, confronts a bully without the context of their relationship, and battles a giant ancient monster with no prior training. These missing pieces limit the believability of Jackson’s easy successes, even when the fight scenes are conveyed with clear and eloquent language.
Kendrick Gatchuissi’s THE PHOENIX AWAKENS offers up a heroic teen character who is easy to root for, but the book’s brevity means that his tale lacks depth.
~Aimee Jodoin for IndieReader