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The Rover
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Plot Summary of The Rover
"

Tor, Jul 2001, 25.95, 416 pp.
ISBN: 0312878826

    In spite of being a lowly Dweller, over-achiever Edgewick “Wick” Lamplighter serves as the Third-Level Librarian in the Vault of All-Known Knowledge. Even more incredible is that this is a member of a race that is considered beneath the purebreds (Dwarves, Elves, and Humans) plans to one day becomes a Second-Level Librarian. Wick's only weakness is his love of adventure books, which sometimes gets in the way of his work.

    Wick is assigned to deliver a package to the Customs House. However, instead of a quiet stroll, Wick soon fights evil attackers, but loses when someone knocks him out from behind. Sent off to sea without a choice, Wick is going to have one adventure after another as each deadly scenario leads to the next. He no longer lives his life in a book; instead Wick struggles just to survive.

    THE ROVER is a fun to read fantasy thriller that never slows down for a moment as the half-pint sized hero fights several deadly foes. The story line never takes itself too seriously and the characters are likable so that the audience enjoys the toboggan speed of the adventures. The Potter crowd and discerning adult fantasy afficionados will gain much pleasure from Mel Odom's opus.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar

"Mel Odom has definetly created a world filled with wonderfull creations that will rival the great story tellers of Elves, Dwarves and the rest of the accepted magical creatures that have been written about over the years. A great read and the last 4 or 5 chapters kept me up all night reading. "
William Rawls, Resident Scholar

Review Analysis of The Rover
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 20%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 10%




Tone of book - very upbeat
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - fantasy world/fantasy past
Coming of age Yes
Youngster becomes - an adult (general)
Spying & Investigations Yes
What is main char. doing? - rescue mission/escape from confinement
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - scholar - librarian
Age: - 20's-30's - long lived adults
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters - Very much smarter than other characters
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male - an entire race
Age: - 20's-30's - long-lived adults
Profession/status: - mastermind
Has magical powers? Yes
Magical/mental powers of main antagonist: - super strength - can cast all sorts of spells
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a little/some - a moderate amount
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Setting
Terrain - Water - Mountains
Earth setting: - during "Tolkien" (fairytime) times
Takes place on Earth? Yes
Planet outside solar system? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment - explicit references to deaths
scientific jargon? (SF only) - none/very little science jargon needed
How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog - significantly more descript than dialog
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Mel Odom Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
Melinda Martinez  

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