LEGO Bionicle: Escape From The Underworld

Coming in at 128 pages, this chapter book is the 3rd in the LEGO Bionicle series—tacking lore and backstory onto the existing toys and webisodes.

The action runs high, and the pacing is fairly steady throughout. The island ambiance is almost a character unto itself. Points of view are rotated, giving readers a chance to feel out the individual personalities of each of the Toa: Tahu, Gali, Lewa, and Onua.

It’s recommended for ages 7-10, but I would recommend 8+, as it sometimes waffled in its ability to hold my son’s interest. Part of this is likely due to the depth of the world building—both a strength and drawback to this series. (The names, places, and concepts all came across as unfamiliar and a bit cumbersome to his reading flow.)

This book is likely to be enjoyed best by those who have already read the first two books, and are looking to round out their experience. It can, however, stand alone. (I’m just not certain how much more we might have appreciated it if we’d had the chance to already feel an attachment to the characters before starting this story.)