Jack Wrimo and the Ori of Flames by Brad Shreffler

Good vs. Evil

Jack Wrimo and the Ori of Flames is a book written for middle school students who enjoy reading adventures about someone their own age. Jack Wrimo is a fifteen year old teenager who is like most middle school students - just average.

Brad Shreffler is well aware in order to excite teenagers to read his book, he has to create situations so Jack would not be just average anymore. That’s exactly what he does when Jack goes to “Flea Market Saturday” with his parents and two sisters.

On this particular Saturday Jack wants to buy a pair of bookends. As he shops on his own - for the first time - he buys a pocketknife which he is not allowed to own. When his mother finds out about this, quite by accident, the consequence is being grounded for three weeks.

What about the bookends? Does Jack end up finding a pair for his room? Oh yes, he sure does. And it’s these bookends that bring the story to life! They take Jack on quite an adventure and it changes his and his family’s lives forever.

Jack has to step up from being just average and handle a lot of different challenges. He shares the good with Pharia, the Ori of Flame, in the good vs. evil. Bucan is the evil ‘being’ that is hard to figure out why he is so evil. There is a very dark and evil part in the book that is unpredictable. I won’t say any more about it so I don’t spoil it for readers.

Jack Wrimo and the Ori of Flames is science fiction and Brad Shreffler includes all the genre’s story elements which are favorites of young teenagers. Jack’s challenges will keep teenagers engaged in the story as they route for him to fight evil.

Although the book is short, I think it lags a bit after the middle of the story. I think a chapter or two could be condensed and still be a good read. As a former middle school teacher, I know we don’t want teenagers to have any reason to stop reading!