Macleans College

132,977 pages read and 3,407 team points

Team members

Olivia Jayaweera

350 pts

(350 pages read)

Empires of Bronze: Son of Ishtar

By Gordon Doherty

4 stars

A great read for all the ancient history enthusiasts out there! The story takes place in 1315B.C. (during the Late Bronze Age). Tensions are building between the great powers of this time period. The birth of Prince Hattu (Prince Hattusili III) should be a time of celebration for the Hittite Empire, however King Mursili is visited in a dream by the Goddess Ishtar herself. She warns him that the boy's birth is not a blessing. He will be the spark that ignites a great calamity on his people and catalyse a great battle that will be remembered for thousands of years to come. Her prophecy is not to be taken lightly; "...The west will dim, with black boats' hulls, Trojan heroes, mere carrion for gulls, and the time will come as all times must, When the world will shake, and fall to dust..." The book follows Hattu's journey from boyhood to manhood and how he navigates his life surrounded by superstition, trying to make his father proud by forging his own path and trying to prove the prophecy wrong. Will he succeed? Read to find out!
The Graveyard Book

By Neil Gaiman

4 stars

A story about Nobody Owens aka "Bod" a strange boy who lives in a cemetery, and was raised and educated by the ghosts who live there. He is mentored by a being that is neither dead or alive and has many adventures in the cemetery. Unfortunately, Bod encounters a dangerous man in the land of the living; a man responsible for murdering Bod's family. Will he survive? Or will he have the same fate as his family?
The Wish List

By Eoin Colfer

4 stars

The story is about a girl named Meg Finn. She's a bit of a wanderer and a troublemaker; hangs out with the wrong crowd. She eventually ends up being involved and attempts to commit a serious crime and it all goes horribly wrong. She must then go on a journey to save her soul and try to redeem herself.
The Holy Grail: Its Origins, Secrets & Meaning Revealed

By Malcom Godwin

5 stars

This book is honestly quite an interesting read. It centres around the Holy Grail and what it could have possibly been: Christ's cup from the Last Supper, or legendary cauldron from Celtic myth or even an important treasure by the Cathars. It also explores Arthurian legends about the grail, it's association with Mary Magdalene and the Roman Catholic Church. A lot of myths and legends, ancient historical evidence and archaeological evidence are explored as part of this analysis. Not a light read!
Birthright

By T. K. Roxborough

5 stars

The 3rd and last book from A Crown of Blood and Honour trilogy. The story is set in 1055A.D. and the Scottish Kingdom is on the verge of collapse. King Fleance and his wife Rachel are awaiting the birth of their child as well as navigate the dangerous politics of their own court. To make matters worse, a rebellion sweeps across the nation along with a mysterious illness. Plagued by the quickly spreading rumours that the royal family carries a curse, Fleance must maintain peace along with the help of a few trusted friends. With danger at every corner, his first love marrying his closest friend, old wounds are reopened and Fleance finds himself put to the test once again.
Blood Lines

By T. K. Roxborough

5 stars

Bloodlines is the 2nd book of the A Crown of Blood and Honour Trilogy. The story is set amidst the turmoil in Scotland after the events of Shakespeare's Macbeth. Fleance is once again tested to choose between love and duty; to choose a woman from a royal bloodline as his wife to strengthen his claim to the Scottish thrown or to go back to his first love which he left. Will he choose Scotland or himself?
Banquo's Son

By T. K. Roborough

5 stars

This is the 1st book in the Crown of Blood and Honour trilogy that is a spinoff of Shakespeare's Macbeth. The story follows the life of a young man named Fleance, 10 years after the death of his father. Fleance is the son of Banquo, a Scottish Thane who was murdered by Macbeth. He has been on the run and hiding his existence from Macbeth's men. Along the way he discovers love, duty, and more of the truth. He must choose whether to stay with the love of his life, or fulfill his father's dying wish of revenge.
The Little White Horse

By Elizabeth Goudge

4 stars

A childhood favourite of many. This is a cute story about an orphaned 13 year-old girl who discovers the truth about her ancestral home Moonacre Manor, in England's West Country.
The Tales of Beedle The Bard

By J. K. Rowling

5 stars

An collection of fairytales from the Harry Potter Universe. Basically the wizarding version of Aesop's fables but with personal notes from Albus Dumbledore.
Stuck In Orbit

By Yasmeen Musa

5 stars

A moving love story written by a dear friend of mine. The story centers around 2 university students (Laylah Mustafa and Sam Hart) who fall for each other despite their cultural differences. Laylah is a New Zealander that comes from a conservative Muslim family while Sam is a born and bred New Yorker. Their paths cross and they are drawn to each other in a way they both have never experienced before. They must navigate this new and powerful love despite cultural/religious expectations and a past event and tore one of their families apart. Definitely recommend reading!
A Thousand Splendid Suns

By Khalid Hosseini

4 stars

An incredibly moving story about two different women (Mariam and Laila) and their lives in Afghanistan, how they navigate the changes in regime and how they endure the pain of their arranged marriage.

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Macleans College

132,977 pages read and 3,407 team points

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