A classic Boy’s Own Adventure story with an inventive setting, let down by thin characters and pacing issues.

Will Burrows shares a love for amateur archaeological excavations with his eccentric father, the proprietor of a small museum of historical curiosities.  When his father goes missing and his family falls apart, Will must descend into a terrifying underground world…one vaster and more terrifying than he ever imagined.

I typically enjoy over-the-top adventure stories-I’m looking forward to reviewing Scott Westerfeld’s Leviathan (living airships), Stephen Hunt’s Court of the Air (victorian mecha battles) and Terry Pratchett’s Nation (shipwrecks and tsunamis) in the coming weeks-so I was a little surprised when Tunnels left me cold.  Tunnels proves that no matter how exciting your subject matter, you can’t ignore the basics-pacing and character.

The first third of the book drags.  I’m not sure that the intended audience will be able to slog through over 100 pages before Will arrives in the underground city and the plot really kicks off.  Considering how look it took to get going, I’m unforgiving of the sequel-bait ending that leaves the main conflict unresolved.  The setting is imaginative, the villains competent and terrifying-but the pacing could have stood some serious tightening up.

The characters were thin.  At times, Will’s friend, Chester, seems to exist only to give him someone to talk to.   There’s a distinct lack strong female characters-women are either ignorant and ineffectual, self-sacrificing mother types, or backstabbing villains.

I feel I’m being overly hard on Tunnels-if you add it to your classroom library, it will probably be read, and enjoyed, by at least some students.  Students who are interested in construction and buildings will probably get a a real kick out of Will’s creations and the wonders of the Eternal City.   However, thanks to Harry Potter and Twilight, there’s no shortage of intermediate and young adult speculative fiction and adventure novels being published right now-great examples of the genre that would never have seen the light of day five years ago. Tunnels is not one of those books.  It is merely average.

I picked up Tunnels along with its sequel, Deeper through Scholastic Book Clubs-$12 for the pair.

Reading Level: 8.2

Rating (out of five): ★★1/2 

Tunnels @Amazon.com