"On the Run" series by Gordon Korman

 On the Run series by Gordon Korman

This is a hexology young adult series about a young brother and sister whose parents are in jail.  The 2 youngsters travel the US trying to prove their parents innocence.  It’s not realistic but it’s not designed to be.  It’s designed to be fast paced and interesting which it is.

It’s start reminds me of Holes by Louis Sachar and other parts remind me of Runaway by Wendell Van Draanen.  I recommend both books and authors.

I love reading Young Adult genre and try to read some Newbery Award books each year (slowly try to read all the winners).  Many of my all time favorite books are YA.  

The 6 books of this series in order are:

1. Chasing the Falconers

2. The Fugitive Factor

3. Now you See Them, Now You Don’t

4. The Stowaway Solution

5. Public Enemies

6. Hunting the Hunter

All of the books are short (relatively) and didn’t take long to read.

If you have children who like adventure stories, whether they like to read or not, this series may appeal to them.  It seems like the author was simply extending the story after the first 2 and the ending wasn't the most credible.   I’d say the first 2 books are the best and the others not as “tight” but still enjoyable reading.

 

Hong Kong Author Dung Kai-cheung: Atlas

 Reading the World

Atlas: The Archaeology of an Imaginary City  by  Dung Kai-cheung — Hong Kong

I know that technically Hong Kong is considered part of China BUT Hong Kong culturally and historically is different from mainland China although recent events are changing that.  I lived in Hong Kong from February of 2011 until August of 2012.  I lived across the mainland border from Hong Kong in Shenzhen, Guangdong, China from August 2013 until October, 2020.  

Culturally Hong Kong was very different from China as of 2013.

So as I was making a list of books to read representing the different world jurisdictions, I included Hong Kong separately as I do Taiwan.

I searched online for Authors from Hong Kong and selected Atlas by Kai-cheung Dung by mistake.  I glanced through the page online too quickly.  It was the author above Atlas that I actually was interested in reading but ….  oh well.  

Atlas is different.  It is a novel that revolves around maps.  The story itself revolves around a fictional city of Victoria but clearly revolves around Hong Kong.  For people who have lived in Hong Kong as I did, the book will be more interesting than I suspect it will be to anyone who has never been there.

The discussion of the history behind some of the places I found interesting although I am uncertain how much is true and how much is pure fiction - the book is fiction after all but the history of Cantonese language included seems real.

If you’ve lived in Hong Kong, you may find the book of interest. 

World Reading Progress

So I have now read books from every jurisdiction where I have lived - US (Arkansas), Mexico, South Korea, Hong Kong and mainland China.

Next will be to finish books related to authors from jurisdictions where I have worked.  This would add Canada, Ecuador and Brasil / Brazil.  I’ve read several Canadian authors including Charles de Lint and Margaret Atwood and at least one Brasilian author - Paulo Coelho.  So I need to read something from Ecuador before moving on to authors from places I have only visited on vacation - Costa Rica, the Bahamas, Slovakia, Austria, Japan, Indonesia, Nepal, Thailand, Taiwan.  If we include airports, I can add Switzerland, Malaysia and Qatar.   

2021 Stats

So far in 2021, I have finished 46 books totaling just over 19,000 pages.  I have read books by 33 different authors (18 female) from 13 jurisdictions: the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, Ireland, Poland, Italy, Norway, Jamaica, North Korea, South Korea, Hong Kong and a Russian American.

Currently reading:  The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Arrowsmith (1926 Pulitzer Prize) by Sinclair Lewis, A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth (India), The Federalist and the Invisible Life of Addie Larue by V. E. Schwab.