To understand what happened in Solanida you have to go back five hundred and thirteen years to when Thorkel, brother of Godfred the Fairy King, stole the sun orb. The orb was the source of all power in Solandia and without it the castle and all around it would return to what it was originally - an oak tree - and the fairies would wither and die. Despite being the brother of the king the only concession allowed to Thorkel is that instead of being put to death he was condemned to life imprisonment and buried in the desert sands. Now fairies live for a long time and five hundred years later it was assumed that he was dead but no one really knew.

Freed from the problem of Thorkel the king and Magenta, his queen, were happier and five hundred years later after the theft of the sun orb they had a child. The happines was not to continue - shortly after his birth Victor was cursed and his parents were told that on his thirteeth birthday he would become human and mortal. He would have to leave Solandia and the king and queen.

This is a cracking story that pulls you in on page one and doesn't release you until you've turned the last page. Let's start with the characters. We first meet Prince Victor when he's eight years old - just at the stage when he's beginning to turn into a real personality - and we see his initial cockiness mature into strength of mind and determination as he grows up. He's got good parents though - Godfred is a human turned into a fairy and Magenta is the descendant of the fairy royal family. She's indomitable, but there's a real love of her family to balance her obligations to the fairy people. There's not a character in the book which doesn't come off the page - right down to Bogle the talking bird.

The plot is good and there's a great deal packed into relatively few pages. There are no concessions to the age of the target group and even an adult decades away from the people who are likely to read the book I was pulled in and wanted to know what was going to happen next. There are no obvious plot holes and it's a well constructed story.

The book is written in American English rather than the British version but this shouldn't be a problem in the UK as most tweens will now be able to accept that the USA and the UK don't have an entirely common language. Amy Nielsen was raised in the Philippines and now lives in Denmark with her husband. English (of any version) is not her native language and whilst her mastery of it is commendable.

TheBookbag, UK

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 "Victor and the Sun Orb" is a brilliant fantasy book about sun fairies by Amy Nielsen. Much of the story takes place in the fairy kingdom of Solandia, where there are mythical creatures such as croogs and talking animals, and the people have magical powers. All their magic and powers are based on one item - the Sun Orb, a ball that is bright yellow and looks like the sun. Although they can see the human world below them, they are not allowed to interfere or interact with it. The main character in the book is Victor, the newborn fairy prince. His mother and father, King Godfred and Queen Magenta, are the rulers of the magic kingdom of Solandia. The book revolves around Victor's quest in the human world to retrieve the Sun Orb from two evil people, Thorkel and Narcissa, so the sun fairies can survive.

The book starts when the news is spread around that Victor, the fairy prince, has been born. King Godfred and Queen Magenta throw a large Baptismal Ceremony. While the King and Queen are opening Victor's presents the next day, they see a silver present with a black silken bowtie. A crystal ball inside it falls to the ground and smashes. It releases a string of words - a curse that said Victor will become a mortal at age thirteen. His parents are afraid of the curse and have Master Tyrus try to prepare him for the human world. He teaches him "geography, history, social studies, practical and advanced magic, self-defense, natural law, and human lifestyles." After Victor's thirteenth birthday, the Sun Orb is taken by Narcissa to Fallen Island, which is next to the human world. When Victor turns thirteen and turns mortal because of the curse he is sent to the human world. While he is there, he goes on a quest to retrieve the Sun Orb, which is his only chance of breaking the curse and going home to Solandia. Will Victor survive the human world and get the Sun Orb?

I would recommend this book for readers 9 to 12-years-old. I would compare it to "Quasar and the Eye of the Serpent" by T.K. Reed, except with a longer and more complex quest. Don't be discouraged if you think the book is slow when you start reading it. Amy Nielsen does a great job of building up the suspense more and more on every page as she describes Victor's quest. After the first few chapters you will not want to put it down. "Victor and the Sun Orb" by Amy Nielsen is a five-star, must read for fantasy lovers.  

Reader Views-USA (Amazon.com/5 stars) 

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This is an enchanting and extraordinary book, full of magic, mystery, machinations and more.

It captivated me until the end, wondering what will happen next, sometimes making my heart leap, or burst out in laughter. The sun orb, the source of all power to those who have it is mischievously stolen, retrieved, then stolen again, which sends the fairy prince of Solandia, with some aid from his friends on a quest, seeking the dark, hooded figure who cast a mortality spell on him, making him human when he turns 13, and seeking the sun orb, the only antidote to the spell, taken by the mysterious figure.

I must call Amy Nielsen a talented author. She has shown her talent in her book, impressing me and undoubtedly, you too.

A fascinating story with lots of twists and turns, you must read and find out what happen in this compelling quest.

 

AllBooks Review-Canada (Amazon.com/4 stars)

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Prince Victor's life is doomed from the start. He is born to become mortal on his 13th birthday. His parents, the King and Queen of the Sun Fairies, are horrified by the terrible evil that has descended upon their family. Who had they ever wronged? They were loved by all of the inhabitants of their Kingdom Solandia. There were only two suspects; an evil terrorist named Narcissa, or Victor's own Uncle Thorkel, who was banished from Solandia hundreds of years before he was born. The King and Queen look far and wide for the perpetrator with no luck. Meanwhile Victor grows ever closer to his 13th birthday.

Victor and the Sun Orb is a fantastical novel that follows the obstacles that the young prince of the Sun Fairies must face to overcome the terrible curse set upon him as a baby. In the beginning Victor is a typical young boy, only concerned with playing and having fun. As the story progresses, he begins to mature and appreciate the important things in life. Victor is forced to grow up quickly and to deal with several challenging events all on his own. He becomes a mortal on his 13th birthday and must leave the only world he's ever known to live in the world of the humans. After one of his human friends is kidnapped by an evil fairy, Victor must go on a quest to save her and become a fairy again.

Meanwhile in Solandia the Sun Orb, the source of magical power for the fairies, is stolen. Suddenly the fate of all the Sun Fairies lies in Victor's hands. Victor must find the Sun Orb, which is now in the hands of the King and Queen of Darkness, and retrieve it in order to keep all of Solandia from falling into darkness. Victor meets many creatures along the way, including a highly original talking strawberry bush named Strawberryhawk and the King of the Ants.

At first glance, Victor and the Sun Orb, with a very vibrant rainbow and sun on the cover, appears to be for much younger readers than the teen target audience. But this is a true case where you should not judge a book by its cover. It is a truly thrilling and heart warming adventure of a young prince and his family. It is a good choice for both pre-teens and young adults; both will be drawn into the mystifying world of Sun Fairies.

Amy Nielsen puts forth a story that will keep readers ripping through the pages. Her simple use of language makes for a fast paced, satisfying story. Nielsen's story is filled with underlying life lessons and issues; such as the importance of family and the always controversial issue of what happens after death. Although the ending is somewhat predictable, it is a worthwhile adventure to go on.

Quill says: Don't judge this book by the cover, it is an entertaining story for teen readers.

 

Feathered Quill Book Reviews-USA (Amazon.com/4 stars) 

 

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I must admit I am not into this kind of book for I thought it's only for children and young adults, I was just forced to read it due to special request from a friend. But reading the book made me finish up to the end, surprisingly, I didn't fall asleep.

The story is unique, a mixture of old and modern tale about fairies, full of actions, a pure magic and fantasy. Kids must read this, for sure they will enjoy it. I've been recommending this book to all my friends who have kids, and they said they also enjoy reading it with them.

 

Review by Rafael from Denmark (Source: Amazon.co.uk/5 stars)

 

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Victor and the Sun Orb is an action-packed adventure of sun fairies. It keeps me turning the pages, with a fast pacing plot and simple but effective dialogue, even the story is unique.

It is one of a kind fantasy/science-fiction novel, an extraordinary tale of magic and it depicts life in itself. This is the first time I read a story about sun fairies - it's pure magic. It will bring out the child-like within you.

The cover of the book is quite misleading though because there's more in this book than colorful rainbow and sunset. This is one book to read and I highly recommend it for children and young adults too.

 

Review by Marie R. (Source: Amazon.com/5 stars)