Phoenix Island (Bram Stoker Award for Young Readers)

John Dixon’s “Phoenix Island” is a compelling first-in-series novel for many reasons, but perhaps the most prominent is its ability to effectively straddle the adult and young-adult (YA) reading market. I’ve read several YA novels where I was led to believe that the author pulled off this feat, only to discover that the validity of the claim ranged from a bit off the mark to entirely fanciful. That didn’t make them bad books, but they didn’t cross over to the adult market effectively.This is not the case with “Phoenix Island”. I suspect that I could hand this book off to most of my adult reading friends and they wouldn’t know that they were enjoying a novel that targets a YA market. That said, I further suspect that there would be a gender bias, regardless of age. I don’t think it’s impossible for female readers to enjoy this book, but they’ll be at the thin end of the bell curve. This is a relentlessly action-oriented, testosterone-infused adventure story set in modern times but hearkening back to classic adventure tales.It’s pretty solidly a man book.At a breakneck pace, Dixon’s “Phoenix Island” tells the story of Carl Freeman, a troubled teen orphan gripped by an uncontrollable compulsion to physically punish bullies of all types and sizes. And Carl is more than equipped to dole out his particular brand of justice. He’s a highly gifted boxer who holds a national title at the not-so-tender age of 16. But Carl’s taste for high-velocity, bloody justice puts him at odds with law enforcement … often.As a matter of fact, Carl’s beat down of a high school football team is only the latest of a string of violent encounters that have caused him to transition through a string of foster homes and juvenile detention centers. But, it’s this particular beat down that gets him sentenced to do his time on Phoenix Island, a military-styled juvenile rehabilitation center on an island off the coast of Mexico, where he must stay until he is at least 18 years old.It is in this grueling environment that he meets the beautiful-but-tough Octavia (solidly signaled from her first appearance as a love interest) and Ross, a dorky sidekick with miles of courage and a propensity for wisecracking that borders on OCD behavior. He also comes into immediate contact with the brutal disciplinary tactics of the drill sergeants, including one by the name of Parker whose attitude starts at sadistic and gets worse from there. Carl can handle the non-stop training and abuse, but he struggles mightily to control his temper and talent for violence in an environment where bullies thrive.Over the course of the book, the true nature of Phoenix Island is revealed to Carl. It is less of a juvenile rehab center and more of a prison facility with an intensely sinister end goal embodied in the camp’s megalomaniac leader, the Old Man. Inside all the action, the novel deftly reveals Carl’s backstory and the reasons why he’s so fixated on stopping bullies in their tracks.The book’s overall premise requires a high degree of belief suspension, but that’s okay. This is an adventure novel. As long as the ride entertains then it’s fine to give the logic centers of your brain a bit of a break and just enjoy it. That said, some of the secondary characters are at times a bit too overblown and cartoonish (perhaps even for an adventure novel). The only real foible that tripped me up as a reader is a single spot where a main character discovers critical information in a way that strains credulity and feels like Dixon needed a shortcut to move the plot forward. It was bothersome, but I got over it.Parents of YA readers should know that “Phoenix Island” is brutally violent in places. Though, within the odd publishing restrictions of YA fiction, nobody drops F-bombs or any other bad language and there’s no sex. As mentioned earlier, “Phoenix Island” is also the first book in a series, with the next book, “Devil’s Pocket, set for release in early August 2015.Yes, I’ll review that book as well.For current readers, though, it means you have precious little time (mere days) to get caught up with this very worthwhile series from John Dixon. And I recommend that you do.-- END --

Orphans with potential will still be lost in the system. Their potential turns from something good to something that could lead them down a path of crime. When one man develops a network to funnel those delinquent orphans through the system directly to his island, he changes the fate of these children forever. John Dixon's Phoenix Island is a no-nonsense story about who we are inside... and who we are fated to be.Carl Freeman lost his parents and became an orphan. Stability is a figment of his imagination as he is bounced from foster family to foster family and state to state. He tries to stay out of trouble and keep to himself, but he has a weakness for bullies. When he sees a bunch of kids going too far, he can't help but step in and do something. Of course the bullies were the sons of very connected people, so boxing champ Carl is deemed the villain in that story. When the judge sends him to Phoenix Island, Carl chooses to see this as an opportunity rather than a punishment. If he keeps his head down and does his time, he will be released with an expunged record by the time he is 18. This is the first big break Carl has ever received and he intends to take it seriously.Phoenix Island is nothing like he expected. Sure, there are other delinquents like himself, but the guards are not interested in just making sure everyone follows the rules. They are soldiers. And sadistic. In addition, they have picked some favorites out of the group to act as their long reaching arms into the ranks of the orphans. The boys chosen for that detail are exactly like the kids Carl beat up to get put here. It will be hard enough to keep his head down, but when Carl starts to suspect there is something deeper and darker than just vindictive guards, he struggles with his inner conscience. His weakness has always been that he cared about the people around him. At least that is what the system led him to believe. But in reality? Has it made him stronger than the bullies around him?Phoenix Island looked like a "boy book" and truly turned out to be a boy book. If it was a movie, a 16 yr old Sylvester Stallone would play Carl. He would wear a dirty white tank top and fatigues and run around the island all sweaty and dirty. I am not criticizing this. Honestly? I watch the Rambo series all the time (more than I care to admit). But there is a particular audience for this kind of story. If you have a reader who loves those violent action flicks (I know I do!) with explosions and bad guys and the lone good guy trying to save the world one innocent life at a time, here be your tale. And it was done pretty well, albeit a little formulaic. I really didn't have to predict much about the layout of the plot because it happened just as you would think it would. Again, that isn't to say I didn't like it, because it was certainly enjoyable, but I would have loved a surprise every now and then.The real winner in this story is Carl. He is truly unwavering in his goodness. Carl actually cannot control himself when it comes to protecting the innocent, even when he knows it will totally and completely ruin his life. He is the epitome of unwavering good guy. A little unrealistic, but it makes for an entertaining story! He is the kind of good guy you can't help but root for and hope he pummels the crap out of the bad guys. I have to say, the fact that he is always in trouble for stopping bullying is my favorite part of the story (and the saddest reflection of humanity). Phoenix Island is an entertaining, kind of predictable story that will certainly appeal to those hard-to-reach boys.

A good read, especially if you like boxing. Lots of violence to be prepared for that. Overall a solid story, will be interested​ to see what happens in the sequel.

Easy to read, kept my interest all the way through.

I don't often leave reviews for books as i think the reader gets more out of it if the find out for themselves, however i really wanted to as this book was very hard to put down. The same can be said for the sequel, both well worth a read. I enjoyed every page.

A great first book from John Dixon. I highly recommend it. This is the book that the series Intelligence was created from. The book is fast paced and a refreshing look at youth and loyalty, whilst sci-fi type stuff goes on.

Absorbing, a real page turner, even for adults. Don't expect Intelligence series in book form, it was only based very loosely on this book.