Review: Taken by Brock Eastman

The Quest for Truth. Those four words double as Brock Eastman's intergalactic science-fiction adventure novel series and something we as humans all are on. What is the Truth; what is the thing that eludes our grasp but is more immensely valuable than any gold, rubies, or dollars could offer? It's a truth that causes a secret order composed of renegade forces to kidnap two renowned archeologists. WHAT IS THIS TRUTH? Well, you have to read Brock Eastman's new book series to find out.

Josh is falling for the Quest for Truth. Haha, kneeslapper.

I had first heard about Taken, the first book in the series, from Brock's blog, but didn't really give it much thought. During the trip to Dallas, we stopped in at Mardel's Bookstore in Irving to go to a Q&A with the actors/Paul McCusker and Get in the Show Audition. We arrived a hour early and walked around while we waited. I was looking through the Odyssey albums and made my way down to Taken  when someone tapped me on the shoulder and said, "Hey, that's a really good book." I turned around and immediately bought Taken and Risk.  I then made my way to the man who had recommended the book to me and asked, "Hey, Brock, can you sign my books?" OH YEAHHH. Folks, Brock's just as cool in person as he is on the podcast (watch the new one!) and Social Shoutouts. 

When reading Taken, I could feel Brock's love for this world that he's created. That love shines through in his writing and makes you feel his devotion to his craft. His writing is descriptive, yet distinct. You feel immersed inside this world, and the Visual Glossary in the back keeps things easy to remember if you forget something. The characters are vivid and the action is exciting, but to me, the real star of the story was the world. The devices, technology, and species of the Taken world captivated me the most through Eastman's compelling writing. 

The interesting thing is that the four Wikk kids have different conflicts that make up the book. Oliver deals with his leadership abilities, Tiffany holds a secret unsure if she should tell, and the twins (Austin and Mason) are having trouble with authority. Tiffany's conflict carries the least weight, which makes me wonder, will Tiffany hold bigger conflicts in future installments? Will the Blauwe Mensen reappear? So far, Oliver and Tiffany are my favorite Wikks, although I'm curious to find out if the twins will spill about the blue people to their siblings. 

I think my only quibble would be with dialogue in the beginning of the story (up till Jahr des Eises). Sometimes, the characters would say things that I didn't feel suited their character (i.e. Austin, a 10 year old, says "I was awoken from a deep sleep, and rather rudely I might add."). The most interesting dialogue is when the words being said have another layer to them, called subtext. It'll be intriguing to see if the characters have more complex emotions and feelings as the series and stakes progresses and that comes out in the dialogue. 

The book starts off slow; it's a story about four kids in a spaceship going to rescue their parents (happens all the time to me!), but when the Wikks land on Jahr de Eises, it's full speed ahead. And that's when the book really took off. The conflicts between the twins and the teenagers were very interesting, and the subplots with Mr. O'Farrell and the Blauwe Mensen added another dimension to the story.  

Overall, Taken is a delicious pot of stew with an important message that starts off warm and heats up until the boiling action adventure has taken you firmly into an exciting Quest for Truth that will keep your eyes glued to the page, and your mind glued into Brock's delightful world. I give this book 91/100, or an 

A-

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Visit Brock's website here!
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Read Ben Warren's review over at The Changing Times here.