R.W. Ridley has assembled a highly enjoyable cast of characters for us to follow in The Takers. Young Oz Griffin is the hero of this work but his supporting cast - a newborn baby he has to learn to care for; Lou, a young girl first thought to be mute; Wes, a middle-aged mechanic with a love for knives; a gang of bumbling would-be highwaymen led by a stubborn and sarcastic teenage girl; and most fun of all, a Silverback gorilla named Ajax with a 1,500 word vocabulary in American sign language and a penchant for peaches - supply much of the fun for the reader.
We meet Oz Griffin as he awakens from a feverish sleep to find himself hidden in his parents' walk-in closet and all alone. His parents gone, Oz takes his dog and begins a search that will lead him into battle with the Takers, mysterious and frightening beings Oz discovers were conjured into existence in the mind of a mentally retarded boy he’d tormented - a boy who had recently committed suicide.
Our guilt-ridden hero finds a comic book drawn by little Stevie Dayton, the mentally handicapped kid, and is shocked to discover its secrets. It shows everything that has happened and will happen! The only problem is if you try to read it, the Takers show up, and they’re decidedly unpleasant company.
Brave and determined, Oz grows up as he takes the responsibility of leadership upon himself. With the capable assistance of Lou, Wes, gentle giant Ajax, and a few allies picked up along the way, he becomes a strong and independent young man.
Oz and the gang share many adventures along the road to the final showdown with the Takers. I enjoyed reading it, even if I am a bit older than the target audience.
Full of twists and turns, The Takers is a spirited and inventive book which should leave the reader anxious for Book Two. R.L. Stine has competition for the hearts of young thrill seekers in R.W. Ridley.
Article comments
1 - Natalie Bennett
This article has been selected for syndication to Advance.net, which is affiliated with newspapers around the United States. Nice work!
2 - Donnie Marler
Thank you, Natalie.
3 - Katie McNeill
This sounds like a good read. I'll have to add it to my list. Thanks for the review, I enjoyed it!