Another great adventure story from Seven the Series. Would be a good readalike for fans of Gary Paulsen, Gary Schmidt, and other outdoorsy-adventure-survival stories. ( )

This very well may be one of my favourite books that I’ve read this year. From the moment I picked it up, I knew I had my hands on something GOOD. A fast-paced book, Devil’s Pass gripped me from page 1 and didn’t let me go under after I read the last sentence in the book.

While a fast read, Devil’s Pass wasn’t an easy book on some levels – it deals with being homeless due to child abuse. The main character, Webb, has been abused by his step-father and this book looks at both survival and this particular character’s healing process. It’s gritty and emotional; it all felt so real, yet was hope-inspiring. This book shows how much our actions affect other people, and how that can change who they are – both for better and worse. I am so thoroughly impressed with how Brouwer handled the subject matter in such a mature and relatable way.

I love the concept of this series – seven authors wrote seven books about seven grandchildren who are all affected by the death of their grandfather and the tasks he’s outlined for them in his will. I am definitely looking forward to reading more of these books, but I love that I don’t have to read them in any particular order, or that I don’t even have to read all of them if I don’t want to. This is a brilliant concept, and in the instance of Devil’s Pass was executed perfectly. It left me craving more, but still gave me full closure with the one story I was focused on.

The Bottom Line
I highly recommend this book, and am looking forward to reading both more from this author and more in this series.

Review originally published: http://books.moonsoar.com/archives/2012/11/21/seven-the-series-devils-pass/ ( )

Seventeen year old Webb is living on the streets of Toronto, Canada, alone except for his beloved guitar and the $2,000 in pre-paid bank cards he had stuffed against his body in a money belt. He was about to embark on a cross-country journey to the Northwest Territory on a mission for his grandfather. Two weeks ago, his beloved grandfather passed away. At the funeral, the lawyer showed the family a video that grandfather had filmed when he knew he was dying. Each of his 7 grandsons were sent on a mission, fully funded, by grandfather. Webb's journey would take him to Devil's Pass in Alaska. It was a long trip and along the way, Webb had plenty of time to think about his life thus far, his relationship with his family and would learn more about his grandfather's past. He also learned that the most dangerous animal on earth isn't a grizzly bear...it's a man.

Devil's Pass is one of seven books written by seven different authors all of which were released simultaneously in Oct. 2012. Each book follows one of David McLean's teenaged grandsons as they embark on missions all over the world, sent by their grandfather. The authors are well-known, recognized children's or YA book authors. Devil's Pass, written by Sigmund Brouwer, is exciting, with plenty of danger and adventure experienced by the teenage protagonist. The books will appeal especially to boys in grades 5-8. ( )

I am not a good judge of young adult fiction, however I very much enjoyed this story. It is a simple enough plot and story, but Brouwer gives it a fast pace. I was hooked early and quite enjoyed this story. ( )

I requested this book hoping my son would want to read it, but after a minute or two he decided it wasn't for him. I read it and was pleasantly surprised. The story of Jim Webb completing a task for his deceased grandfather keeps you turning the page to find out what happens next. The parts about his seriously mean step-father were hard to read, it got the message across without being overly graphic, maybe that's why it was so hard, your imagination takes over. Good book and I would recommend to young readers. ( )