Orville Mouse and the Puzzle of the Capricious Shadows (Orville Wellington Mouse #3) by Tom Hoffman

Orville Mouse and the Puzzle of the Capricious Shadows (Orville Wellington Mouse #3) Reviews

• 
  Rea Martin

  Bound to be a Classic!
  
  I am in love with Orville Mouse and his fellow metaphysical adventurer, Sophia. What a fun and lovable pair they are! And let's not forget Proto, their beloved Rabbiton protector equipped with "the revolutionary Expanded L7 Sincere Friendship Simulation Package". (He's also an excellent cook!) Like all terrific children's tales, the Orville Mouse adventure series has as much in it for adults as it does for kids. Crossing several genres, Orville Mouse especially excels in the classic genre of Visionary Fiction. Author Tom Hoffman tucks surprising metaphysical insights deftly and seamlessly throughout. I highly recommend it without reservation for all ages, and promise you'll keep smiling long after you've turned the last page.
• 
  Kerry Sharp

  Suitable for adults
  
  A lovely story with childishly simple characters and motivations.
  This is no surprise as it is written for children, either I am aging backwards or it OK for adults too.
  If you are a child at heart you will enjoy it too.
• 
  Heidi

  Orville Mouse and the Puzzle of the Capricious Shadows ( Orville Wellington Mouse Book 3) was written with a young adult audience 12-18 in mind. However I'm sadly long since passed my young adult years and was thoroughly captivated by it. This was the third book in the series and my first experience of this series as well as the author Tom Hoffman.
  
  As the title hints at the main character is not human and is a mouse. The majority of the characters are animals but that doesn't take away from the thrilling plot. The reader becomes gripped in the suspense and action from the very first page. Due to the fact it is based around sci-fi and fantasy there are some parts of the book that perhaps a 12 year old would become scared of because of the situations the characters find themselves in, however there are other parts that are extremely humorous.
  
  I really enjoyed this and please don't let the young adult audience put you off if you're a tad older!
• 
  Lisa

  Orville Mouse and the Puzzle of the Capricious Shadows is the third book in the Orville Wellington Mouse Adventure book series by Tom Hoffman.
  
  The book opens with this quote—
  “We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” T.S. Eliot.
  
  This was my first exposure to the world of Orville Mouse and although the third book in the series I was able to quickly become acquainted with each main character—Orville Mouse, Sophia Mouse and Proto the Rabbiton, a ten foot tall robotic rabbit. A dream, a lost hat with its shadow acting strangely are what send Orville and his friends off on what was a delightful story.
  I found this well crafted with Mr. Hoffman not 'writing down' to his audience, which presumably is young to middle school aged children. The story, through the words used to write the story and the story line itself, encourages scientific thought, encourages the love of words and promotes working together to solve problems.
  
  An entirely enjoyable read for both children and adults; I found myself not wanting to put it down. This was my first foray into the world of Orville Wellington Mouse, but I’m sure it won’t be my last.
  
  Full Disclaimer: I was provided a complimentary copy of this book through Reading Deals; received in Kindle format; in exchange for an honest review.
  
  My Rating System: * not worth finishing, ** wouldn’t recommend, *** would recommend, **** would highly recommend, ***** have/would read again.
  
  “Even better than giving a book to a child to read; read it with them, aloud. After all it’s never too early to help a child discover the love of reading and the power of a good story.”
  Lisa Dillman Wright
  
• 
  La Donna Binkerd

  Loved it.
  
  I just lived this book even though it is for younger readers. The story and characters were wonderful and I definitely want to read more by Tom Hoffman. He is a great writer especially when your stories can cross age barriers and capture your attention with a very captivating read.
• 
  Jeannie

  Who would have guessed
  
  So entertaining, not what I was expecting. It was a different kind of story which I enjoyed every moment. What an imaginative story!
• 
  Tom Hoffman

  Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite * 5 stars
  "Hoffman deftly merges epic fantasy, science fiction and metaphysics in this disarming, imaginative and wonder-filled story which is Hoffman's best work yet. Following the clues of a hat and a dream, Orville, Sophie and Proto, their Rabbiton friend, set off on a most worthy and unforgettable quest. My only regret was that the story ended, as all stories do, but I remain confident that there will be future metaphysical adventures to look forward to -- and I think both Orville and Sophia would approve of that optimistic outlook. Orville Mouse and the Puzzle of the Capricious Shadows: Orville Wellington Mouse Book 3 is most highly recommended."
  
  Reviewed by Joel R. Dennstedt * 5 stars (Author of Guanjo, When Dolls Talk, Orange Cappuccino, Hermit)
  "Tom Hoffman has spent three glorious volumes creating and expositing the fictional universe inhabited by Orville and his friends. In Orville Mouse and the Puzzle of the Capricious Shadows - the best of the series so far - we are treated to a most wonderful, humor-filled delight of brave-hearted but vulnerable souls tackling issues much larger than themselves. Incorporating magic that is only science that is truly magic, they represent a level of metaphysical wisdom misleadingly made subtle by a smart and creative author. One forgets that he is an adult reading a young person's book, and you might be inclined to blame it on a stray mote when a tear or two makes an unwarranted appearance. Or maybe Orville or Sophia shaped it there to teach us a necessary lesson. Or maybe, just maybe, Tom Hoffman is showing us all the truth disguised as inordinate, adventurous, heart-warming fun."
  
  Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite * 5 stars
  "This novel surprised me in every single imaginable way. I loved the fantastic elements, the thrill, the mystery and the amazing characters. I loved the humor and intelligence of Orville Mouse and his interactions with his friends. I loved the fact that Orville was a charmer and unafraid. I simply love this novel just because it is absolutely fabulous. It deserves five stars and so much more!"
  
  Reviewed by Divine Zape for Readers' Favorite * 5 stars
  "Orville Mouse and the Puzzle of the Capricious Shadows is masterfully crafted with clean and exciting prose and a plot that will have the reader on tenterhooks until the very last word of this awesome narrative. Great dialogues, exploding scenes, and memorable characters are all bundled up neatly in this epic fantasy."
  
  Reviewed by Kristen Van Kampen for Readers' Favorite * 5 stars
  "I really enjoyed reading Orville Mouse and the Puzzle of the Capricious Shadows by Tom Hoffman. The book is full of suspense and action. I was hooked by the first page, and I did not want to put the book down. The book is very well written and descriptive. It has also taught me what the word 'capricious' means! The characters are all very likeable, because they are all brave and smart. This is a real page-turner, and will leave the reader wanting to know more. The book is fast paced, and the story is super exciting, and has many funny parts. I liked that the majority of characters are animals. The book also has many scary parts, like when the characters are attacked by a giant crab. I would recommend Orville Mouse and the Puzzle of the Capricious Shadows by Tom Hoffman to all readers."
• 
  Grady

  “Descend into the darkness and learn the true meaning of fear.”
  
  Alaska author Tom Hoffman comes to young adult (+/- children’s) literature with a degree in psychology from Georgetown University and a BA in Oregon College of Art. Tom’s career has embraced being an artist, a graphic designer, and now an imaginative writer. His previous books are the trilogy -THE ELEVENTH RING, THE THIRTEENTH MONK, and THE ELEVENTH MEDALION. He now continues his new series – the Orville Wellington Mouse series, of which this is the Book 3.
  
  Tom takes a chance with this book, stepping into science fiction using animals as characters, and it works very well indeed. One of the reasons the story hangs together so well is his well-considered anthropomorphic stance of his characters. Without stooping to the cuteness of today’s high money making films of animated stories, Tom keeps his level of sophistication very high indeed. His prose is luminous and makes the pleasure of reading the story all the more satisfying – adults can enjoy this book as well as teens, and for teens it presents a fine adventure tale in the language of sophistication that hopefully will replace the current acronym mode of communication fostered by the Internet and media!
  
  For example, Tom opens his story thus: “I’m telling you, it’s the same castle I dreamed about on Varmoran.” “Quiet, do you hear that?” Orville Wellington Mouse stopped short, his ears perking up. “That pounding sound?” “Yes, like a heartbeat.” “Um… that might be me. Not that I’m scared or anything, but sometimes if I get anxious, my heart starts pounding.” “It’s not your heart, ninny, it’s coming from down below, from the dungeons.” “Why am I dreaming about this creepy old castle again?” “Don’t ask me, it’s your dream, not mine.” “You’re the real Sophia, right? Not a dream Sophia I made up? You seem a little cranky.” “Pay attention, please. I already told you I was the real Sophia. I was having a lovely dream about Madam Dulcifer’s Pastry Shop when I got pulled into your spooky castle dream.” “And that’s why you’re cranky?” “I’m not cranky, Orville. All I’m saying is I’d rather be dreaming about a plate of yummy brimbleberry tarts than some moldy old castle with creepy pounding noises coming from the dungeons.” Sophia paused, listening intently. “It’s muffled, but it sounds like a big machine, maybe an old fashioned steam engine. It could be a duplonium powered generator, but that seems out of place for an old castle like this. This is getting interesting, let’s go see what it is.” “Sophia, I don’t think we should go poking around down there. In my dream on Varmoran it was weirdly dark in the dungeons. I woke up when the purple flowers started biting me, before I could see what was there.”
  
  
  But on to the story, in a tight synopsis form: ‘When Orville Mouse rescues an errant windblown hat on his way to work, he soon discovers the hat’s shadow is not behaving as it should be. While attempting to discover the cause of this curious phenomenon, Orville and his best friend Sophia Mouse uncover a terrifying secret, soon finding themselves in a desperate race to prevent the imminent destruction of uncountable parallel worlds. With help from their old friend Proto the Rabbiton, mysterious Madam Molly, a wistful robotic curator named Copo, a pair of gigantic vacationing insects, a ghostly engineer, the vaporous Others, and the simmering Forest of Thorns, the two stalwart adventurers must retrace the journey of a centuries old explorer named Haukesworth Mouse to the lost world of Tectar and a terrifying confrontation with Mendacium the Dark Wizard in the dank and dismal dungeons of infamous Castle Caligari.’
  
  Titillating? Yes, and all the more so as the reader becomes involved in this highly imaginative interplanetary sci-fi little tale written in polished sophisticated prose. This is a very successful series.
  
• 
  Julius Blitzy

  One of the most anticipating sequels I was expecting is finally here, dear god this is so good.
  When your shadow is not behaving the way it used to, you know something is out of place, and how from that unusual event can escalate to the destruction of worlds is really amazing.
  I don’t have the words to describe this book and how it explain everything so easy without over floating with information about every single thing, the author really captures this magic and charismatic setting with characters that shine at the right time and place. This is about practically everything you could expect from a fantasy book but it has so much more, and is something you would like to read several times, even after the first time I finished it I start reading it again, is that good. If you get to read these books back-to-back then be aware of the awesome experience I have, because these are one of the most original and fantastic books I read in my life.
  
  
• 
  Valery

  A quote from T.S. Eliot opens this book, 'We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.' Such is the thought pattern for Orville the Mouse, the anthropomorphic character who fills this story with wit and determination. With his third entry in the series, Tom Hoffman's Orville Mouse and the Puzzle of the Capricious Shadows has certainly captivated his audience. When Orville Wellington attempts to recover a hat behaving badly, he must figure out a new mystery. A dream sequence again opens up the story, and Orville is once more scared out of his mind. Terrifying secrets abound, keeping Orville and Sophia on their toes. With parallel worlds, intriguing characters like Proto the Rabbiton and places like the Simmering Forest of Thorns, Hoffman's vivid imagination shines through in his writing. An otherworldly experience, this story is sure to entertain young and older readers alike.