The Wizard of Ooze

By David Farland

When the evil wormlord Sebaceous ooze uses his magical song to enslave mice to dig a volcano that will help him and his slobber goblin armies take over the world, it’s up to Amber, a mouse with magical powers, to stop him. With her devoted friends by her side- Ben, a mouse who used to be a human boy; Thorn, a genius mouse; and Bushmaster, the wise vole- Amber might stand a chance of thwarting the giant worm’s sinister plan. But with a human army on their tails and betrayal in their path, these rodents are on a quest far more dangerous than any of them anticipated. A thrilling and exciting adventure for the young and young at heart.

So, this sequel to "Of Mice and Magic" was lacking for me. The premise was much the same as the first book; there's an evil sorcerer that Ben and Amber have to vanquish, and Amber fails many times to turn Ben back into a human boy. Thorn was quite entertaining. This sequel seemed to drop a few grade levels for me, and the concept was boring. I'm going to try and read the next one, but I'm not promising anything. I'm kinda bored with this series. Not really my cuppa tea.

Of Mice and Magic

By David Farland

More than anything, Benjamin Ravenspell wants a pet. But when he buys a mouse named Amber, he gets more than he bargained for. No sooner does Ben take her home, than Amber turns him into a mouse too. You see, Amber has magical abilities, and it so happens that Ben is a familiar-a creature that stores magical energy. Together they each form half of a powerful wizard. Alone, they’re just vermin. Soon Ben and Amber will find themselves pitted in an epic battle against a magical enemy who is as crazed as he is evil, and the fate of the world will depend on them learning to work together.

I met David Farland at a booksigning a couple of years ago and he seemed like a really nice guy. It's taken me this long to read one of his books. This children's fiction book is really cute. I'd say it's geared towards 4-7 grades. Ben Ravenspell is 10 years old and has two unconventional parents- one who has a hygiene problem and the other who is a champion couch potato. Ben is a kind kid who just wants a pet of his own. He doesn't realize that the mouse he bought from the pet store is a wizardess until she turns him into a mouse too. This book is all about Ben's adventures with Amber the wizard mouse. Cute and fun for younger kids.