Celtic Run is the tale of a New York boy's adventures while on a class trip to Ireland with his secret crush and her boyfriend, who also happens to be his nemesis. While there, Jake discovers a clue to ancient Spanish treasure. Hoping to solve the riddle so he can buy back the family boat and relive some of his most cherished memories with his father, Jake recruits their help along with the assistance of the girl whose family he's staying with in Ireland to try to solve the riddle. Trying to track down the goods would be difficult enough on its own ... now throw in some bad guys who are intent on taking the booty for themselves.
This book is a very fun read. The plot has plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing as to what would happen next. The characters are well fleshed out and I found myself rooting not only for Jake, but for his hometown enemy. I was impressed with the personal growth of the characters as well as the development of the relationships between them. There are some very pointed lessons in the book which I found very refreshing and instructive. The chapters are structured in such a way to make it readable for younger readers as well (my 8 year old is now tearing through the pages). The author's descriptive narrative of the Irish countryside was poetic without being too wordy. The plot developed at a great pace building to a wonderfully imaginative ending.
I recommend this book for the 8 to 14-year-old set, as well as for any adults looking to relive part of their childhood. Celtic Run took me back to the days when I was young and stayed up late, hidden under my covers with a flashlight, poring over the pages of books like Follow My Leader and The Indian in the Cupboard. All said, a fantastic read. Thank you to Mr. Vogel for the opportunity to read and review his work.
About the Author: Sean Vogel grew up in a small town in Michigan, and later joined the Army via an ROTC scholarship at Colorado State University. While in the Army, he traveled extensively in Europe and began writing to fill downtime during long deployments. Celtic Run is his first published novel and the first in a series. He now lives in Highlands Ranch with his wife, daughter, and their two dachsunds. Visit his website at www.seanvogel.com or follow him on Facebook.
