Imaginative | The Chronicles of the Virago: Book 1 The Novus

Courtesy of Teens Read Too | The Chronicles of the Virago: Book 1 The Novus | Michael K. Bialys

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	• The Chronicles of the Virago: Book 1 The Novus Michael K. Bialys PublishAmerica, 2006 - 115 pages average customer review:based on 6 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and now Michael Bialys!

I'm a fan of literature in general, but there is and ever shall be a special place in my heart for good fantasy fiction. Unfortunately, in a market muddled with stale repetition and unoriginality...good fantasy can be as rare as the proverbial Unicorn and just as difficult to find. But just when you might find yourself giving up hope, you stumble across a gemstone..and it comes in the form of "Chronicles of the Virago."

'Chronicles' follows the saga of Makenna Grace Gold...the Defender of Defenders, the Protector of Protectors, "The Virago." A typical twelve year old girl, Makenna finds herself thrust into a world of danger filled with Monsters, Villains, Faeries, and my favourite...talking worms! Alone, she must protect the future of civilisation using only her wits, courage and a magic skateboard.

To anyone searching for a uniquely rich and believable fantasy world, it can be found here between the pages of Michael Bialys's modern classic. 'Virago' is not a work that can easily be compared to any other in either it's style or components. It stands on it's own - Original, Imaginative, and a great deal of fun for children of all ages. While on the surface it may appear to be a stylish action adventure with a twelve year old protagonist, it is at it's heart a story about the power of one family's love...and that is the true strength and message of this book.

I highly recommend "The Chronicles of the Virago," and I eagerly await a sequel.

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Imaginative

Reviewed by Ian McCurley (Age 13) for Reader Views (03/07)

Mak is a 12-year-old girl who lives in Pasadena, California. Mak's mother is pregnant with twins. One night while she is sleeping, Mak is visited by three faeries who tell her that she is the "Virago", and that she must protect her yet-unborn siblings, a boy and a girl, from the forces of evil. The faeries give her the Armasword, a mystical weapon wielded by David of the Hebrews and King Arthur in the forms of David's Sling and Excalibur. The next morning, Mak's dad wakes her up early to go to the hospital where the twins are born. She instantly falls in love with the two babies. That afternoon after school as she arrives at the hospital to see them again, her dad is almost hit by a car. He would have been if she had not saved him with her Lowrider, a three-wheeled skateboard. Upon landing in the flowerbeds of the hospital after pushing her dad from harms way, an earthworm starts speaking to her. The earthworm, dubbed by Mak Fluffy, has a New York accent. He tells her that he was sent by the Faeries, whose names were Marigold, Bree and Dee, to help her on her quest. A week later when Mak's mother and the twins return from the hospital, a nanny with a fake English accent arrives at the door. The nanny, with her skin pulled too tightly over her face, is called Mrs. Revel, and Mak despises her immediately. The next day when Mrs. Revel takes the twins to the park, Mak tags along because she has been warned that Sir Seaton, the devil, will be searching for the twins to destroy their chance of growing up to defeat all evil. When she arrives at the park, she stays close to Mrs. Revel and the twins in their double stroller. All goes well until Mak is attacked by one of the hounds, giant ugly dogs from hell that can shoot heat beams out of their eyes. She discovers that the Lowrider is her version of the Armasword and has the ability to fly and become a shield. After the battle with the hound is over, Mak discovers that Mrs. Revel is actually Marigold in disguise, and that Fluffy is a traitor that tipped the hound off to their location. Mak must protect the babies from Sir Seaton and his two henchmen. While normally they are unnaturally beautiful women, they can transform into their true form, giant reptilian monsters called the Alghanii.

"The Chronicles of the Virago" is an original book, and Michael K. Bialys writes differently than most authors. This book is for ages 10 and up who enjoy reading about a normal person being thrust into a situation they never dreamed of.

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Courtesy of Teens Read Too

Makenna Gold is a normal, average twelve-year-old girl living in Southern California. So why on earth would fairies appear in her room in the middle of the night, with flaming swords no less? Well, it turns out that Makenna has been chosen as the Protector, the Defender, the Warrior of Warriors, the Virago. Her brand new twin brother and sister are a gift of pure Goodness to the world, and it is now Makenna's job to protect them from the pure Evil.

Unfortunately, no one can tell her exactly who or what it is that she should be looking out for. Pure Evil has friends everywhere, but so does Goodness, and none of them wear name tags or signs. Between helping with the babies, protecting them, trying to at least appear to be a normal kid, and figuring out who is an enemy and who is a friend, Makenna more than has her hands full.

While the flow of the book is somewhat stilted at times, it also has some pretty funny moments. Evil's minions are Miss Creante and Miss Chevious, for example. Parts of it were particularly fun for me because it takes place right by where I live. And, I can say with certainty that anyone who has ever driven around here wouldn't be remotely surprised at the location of the Highway to Hell.

It may be a little rough going to begin with, but once the story/author hits their stride, the book is off and running. It's a quick and entertaining read, and looks to be a fun series.

Reviewed by: Carrie Spellman

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Contemporary Fantasy at its finest.

The Chronicles of the Virago
By Michael K. Bialys

The stories main character is Makenna, who is your typical 12 year old girl. The setting is
Pasadena, California.

It all begins when Makenna is approached one evening by three fairies who tell her she is to protect her twin siblings from evil forces. The fairies arm her with an Armasword which is a powerful mystical weapon. Upon their visit they also tell her that she is the chosen one, the protector which they call the Virago. Her twin brother and sister are born with a gift of goodness and Makenna must protect them from evil, this is her quest and so the journey begins.

In this fantasy an earthworm reveals the evil force by name and that name is Sir Seaton. It is he who will be on his own quest to locate and destroy the twins preventing them from defeating pure evil in the future. Will Makenna discover Sir Seaton among the many disguises? Will she fail or prevail?

This is contemporary fantasy at its finest. A rich captivating story between good and evil with a picturesque ending where good prevails. It is both enchanting and a stimulating read for young readers, and offers vivid accounts and memorable characters. The story will excite your children and spark their imaginations, all while teaching family values. Your daughters will be cheering for Makenna, and your sons will be captivated and thrilled with the story filled within the pages.

This is a must for children, and highly recommended. It was a delightful pleasure reviewing this title and look forward to the next in the series.

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Very good! I really liked this book.

I just finished reading "The Chronicals of the Virago: The Novus" and I must say, I was impressed. The plot is really good and it's interesting to see the interactions between the characters. I am really looking forward to seeing how the final battle between the bad guy and Mak plays out, since he seems too powerful for her right now. I am excited to read the direction that Michael Bialys takes his next book. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy.

Makenna Grace Gold is just your average twelve-year-old girl, who just happens to have been recruited by three faeries to protect the future of the world. Makenna must now battle the forces of Evil who seek to destroy her baby twin brother and sister. The twins are a gift from above who will eventually lead our world into its next evolutionary age of hope and enlightenment. Evil will stop at nothing to destroy the babies. Makenna, along with three faeries and a wisecracking earthworm named Fluffy, are the only things that stand between the Earth’s future or its utter destruction. Can Makenna, who admittedly is not even that good in gym class, follow in the footsteps of her predecessors, King Arthur and David of the Hebrews? Can a twelve-year-old girl who’s never had a fight in her life succeed as the Defender of Defenders, the Protector of Protectors, “The Virago”?

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