I was a little annoyed that the ending was so clearly NOT resolving many of the plot threads, demanding that you read the sequels if you want to know what happens. It's wonderful to watch Soren's transformation from a scared baby owl to an older owl ready to become a hero since the times call for one. Um, woah! Overall, though, it does have some humor and warmth mixed in and I thought the personalities of the owls were very well developed for such a short book.

Ack! The book was also more violent than I was expecting with a few owl deaths, orphaned owls and even an owl eating another owl. Parts of it reminded me of 'The Golden Compass' and parts even brought to mind '1984' (yeah-scary!) Yeah, there are some adorable owls in this book, but there are also a lot of creepy and evil ones and they want to take over the world by brainwashing young owls. Instead, I got something much more weighty and even philosophical at times. I was expecting something cute and fun and adventuresome. 'The Capture' was a real surprise for me. So, when I found out it was based on a book, it seemed only natural to transition from reading about bats to owls! -) My husband and I had just finished one of Kenneth Oppel's 'Silverwing' books when we saw the trailer for this adorable and very cool-looking owl movie. I blush to admit that I had not head of the Lasky's series until the movie brought it to my attention. And if I never have to read another story-derailing, non-scanning, doggerel 'battle chant' again, it will be too soon. Just how many times does one need to be reminded what 'plummels' are anyway?Ĥ. That would remove the (seeming) necessity to give up page space, better reserved for actual plot and character development, in favor of telling the reader what they already know. These books could benefit from a glossary of terms and slang in the back of each. The narcissistic belief of owl superiority over other birds, (the 'wet poopers') on the part of the owls, and the zealous reverence for owls on the part of their servile nest-maid snakes, became more and more creepy with each successive book.ģ. If, in this post-human world, stone castles are little more than tumbled ruins, how would any barn have survived well enough for barn owls to associate themselves with them? And why would they anyway? The inexplicable knowledge of the owls regarding human buildings is strange compared to their complete lack of knowledge of humans themselves.Ģ. The world building is inconsistent and poorly thought out. I trudged through three volumes before I told my daughter that we needed to find something else to read. I wanted to like these books, but I didn't.

The capture lasky