Title: Zephyr Spheres and the Sword of Wonders
Author: Myles B. Hibbett
Publisher: Westwood Books
ISBN: 978-1648031250
Pages: 192
Genre: Children’s/Young Adult Fantasy
Reviewed by: Candace L. Barr
Pacific Book Review
Zephyr Spheres and the Sword of Wonders introduces us to the title character, an orphaned outcast living with a set of foster parents who are neglectful at the best of times. She’s a “Cinderella” who does chores all day while her foster mother lazes about. Oh, and she can talk to animals. Zephyr’s peers and teachers shun her for being poor and weird, but the obscenely rich Trinda Temple goes out of her way to taunt Zephyr. A schoolroom lesson on the Salem Witch Trials and more antagonism from Trinda lead to Zephyr unleashing power the latter never knew she had. The next thing Zephyr knows, she’s about to be sent away, and at this new low in her life, a pair of dwarves come to take her to another world where everyone has magic and, wonder of wonders, she is a lost princess. Of course, life in this new land won’t be easy with her father missing and the kingdom’s chancellor rooting for her to fail in her new role, so Zephyr takes on the mission of finding out just what happened to her father and getting him back on his throne.
One thing Hibbett excels at is vivid description. Both characters and settings are brought to life with excellent detail. At times that detail falls into caricature territory. For example, Trinda is comically shallow and rides around in a stretch limousine to show off her riches to the town’s poorer residents though she attends what appears to be a public school. Still, I can appreciate the world-building and characterization that enhance the story and really drive home that Zephyr lives in a terrible limbo and has trouble belonging wherever she goes. The book feels as if it was written for children and yet is challenged to really cross into YA territory.
Zephyr is almost 14 years old, but it’s easy to forget that while reading, and I can’t imagine many middle or high schoolers getting invested the story, though the 6th grade and under crowd might enjoy it. While Zephyr’s seeming immaturity can be explained away as a result of her upbringing, something seems to be missing in her dialog with other characters and in the narration itself, which has many elements to make this a truly epic adventure.
Children who love fantasy and outcast stories will find this an enjoyable, colorful read. If the novel is to become a series, I hope that Zephyr is a little more confident and sophisticated—after all, she is a princess who has been on a dangerous adventure and confronted great evil.
