Not very well written and a bit all over the place. The plot isn't built up very well, a lot of it is simply explained which is quite boring, it would have been better to discover alongside Max a bit more. ( )

A book that my 12 year old grand daughter liked that can keep grandma up late to finish deserves 5 stars. What foo you write for your school assignment on what you did during your summer vacation when you can't tell anyone what you did and they wouldn't believe you if you did? ( )

A sweeping enchanting story set in a world where the forces of good and evil battle for sway. No, this is not a "read it before", predictable tale, it is a vivid, beautifully woven saga of magic, mayhem and mystery. Adventure abounds, wicked plots and evil questing beasts frighten and entertain. Rarely, if ever, am I faced with a book I'm actually nervous to write a review for, this was one; I was afraid I would not be able to do it justice, it is simply too excellent.

Max, pays a reluctant visit to his grandfather for his summer vacation, he is immediately marked and tracked by the creatures of darkness. Max soon discovers, not only that he admires his grandfather, but that the old man is a seasoned traveler to far flung fantasy worlds, courtesy of an intriguing time machine. He befriends Cindy, a beautiful, tomboy, and makes instant enemies with the group of town bullies, who are far more dangerous than first thought.

Max and Cindy are charming characters, full of warmth and fun. Their halting, first blush infatuation is a delight to read, both refreshing in its innocence and evocative in its promise.

Suspense, and danger force Max and Cindy into a vortex of "other worlds" for which they need to learn enthralling magical arts to survive. From believable, truly scary monsters, to shimmering fairies and stealthy night shades, this book has it all. The ambit and sheer breadth of the authors imagination is staggering and ever awe inspiring. The target market here is probably pre-teen, but for anyone who fears that wonder is merely a glimmer of vaguely remembered majesty on a fading horizon, this book will fix it totally, a fit read for both child, and the child in you. A must do fiction, more heart-stoppingly amazing than anything I've picked up in years: which kid(or adult), after all, does not want to be the hero with hard-won superpowers who is touted to save the world. ( )

Mr. Cochrane’s debut novel is quite excellent. It struck me as the type of novel that children, more likely boys than girls (but hey, it would have been something I would have loved when I was younger), would absolutely adore. The story captures the imagination. The ability to travel to different worlds and the use of magic definitely are wonderfully done. The characters are well written, the villains disreputable and the good guys loveable. The plot is absorbing and exciting. Everything about this book is great for children because it is easy to follow. If you read it to your children, you’ll probably love it too! ( )

Max Rigdon is not happy that he has to spend the summer with his grandfather – he’d much rather stay home and play baseball with his friends. His spirits pick up a bit when he quickly makes friends with next door neighbor Cindy, but he is uneasy. A mysterious stranger threatened him during his bus ride to his grandfather’s house and there are a lot of strange people hanging around his grandfather’s house. The other kids in town also seem a bit odd. Before long Max’s grandfather tells him what is going on and soon Max finds himself traveling to different worlds, learning magic, meeting magical creatures, and in a battle to save his family and friends as well as his own life.

“Max and the Gatekeeper” gets off to a fast start with Max being threatened by a stranger and never slows down. Author James Todd Cochrane does a wonderful job of blending the real world with the fantasy worlds in the novel and all are believable. Max is a good creation, a young boy who reluctantly leaves his mother and friends to visit the grandfather he barely knows and wondering how his father died. Cindy is also well done as a young girl who doesn’t fit into her town but isn’t quite sure why. The fantasy characters like Yelka and Marko are well done and Ell in particular is a character that readers will remember long after they have finished reading the book. The different worlds that Max and Cindy visit are well written and I could picture them almost as if I was watching a movie. There are plenty of exciting moments in the book particularly towards the end. While there is a nifty twist in the book, for the most part the characters are either purely good or purely evil and at least in this first book in the series Cochrane doesn’t take any real chances and good easily (perhaps too easily at times) triumphs over evil.

“Max and the Gatekeeper” is a good fantasy novel for young (and old) adults. ( )