Book Review: Thyme in a Flask by Glen Quarry

Thyme in a Flask
by Glen Quarry
Non-series

Eloquent Books
ISBN-10: 1-60860-707-0
ISBN-13: 978-1-60860-707-5
Publication Date: September, 2009
List Price: $29.95

Review: Do you like wizardry and magic, love and surprises? If you do keep reading because Thyme In A Flask is a title you’ll need to know! Thyme In A Flask was great book written by Glen Quarry. Unfortunately the sequel is still being worked on in Iowa. The main character is a boy aged 17 named John Chandler, a young blacksmith who has to leave the smithy to destroy a flask of woven thyme. Be sure to look for Thyme In A Flask if you’re looking for a good book.

Thyme In A Flask begins with John working with his grandpa Julian in the smithy Julian owns. Julian decides to give John a break and goes and talks to Othan, a cranky wizard that chooses to live in a shack, about the war with the witch’s army. That’s when Othan is told that John is Gabriel’s son. Only the son of Gabriel can destroy the flask! So Othan can finally destroy the flask! So now Othan finally has found someone who can destroy the flask! Othan knows they must destroy the flask, because if it falls into the wrong hands… the world would surely turn to ruin. Gabriel is Othan’s friend who was caught and captured trying to grab the flask and destroy it. So John must find and destroy the Flask with the help of Dorthea, his “sister”, and Samuel, his best giant buddy. They meet evil wizards and demons who test their strength, mentally and physically. They must journey into the parallel world and leave Samuel behind. Unfortunately, the demons are powerful, almost too powerful for John and his newly discovered wizard powers. Fortunately John is too clever for them and escapes death.

I liked this book and can’t wait for the sequel. But I think it could use a few suggestions. I think they need to change the point of view at more appropriate times. The point of view changes it nearly every paragraph and it’s a little confusing. Instead, the author should change it every chapter, not every paragraph. But nothing’s perfect. No big deal. This book is very original and exciting to read. The ending will blow your mind away entirely. If you have the choice of Thyme In A Flask or a different book, no matter what kind it is, the choice is Thyme In A Flask, don’t think, just pick up Thyme In A Flask. End of story. John is finely balanced and has the endurance of a soft rock. Dorthea is sweet but very feisty. Feisty so much that it made her one of my favorite characters. Samuel is a gentle giant with much more courage and power than he gives himself credit for. Othan is grumpy and mean but he does have a soft spot. A soft spot like a tar pit, once you’re in, you never get out. He is very interesting and fun to read about. I give Glen Quarry my applause and his book, Thyme In A Flask, 4 out of 5 stars.

Review written by Amanda (6th grade student).

We would like to thank Strategic Book Group for providing a copy of Thyme in a Flask for this review.

Have you read Thyme in a Flask? How would you rate it?