The House on the Corner

This novel begins with a young boy names Chester who is unwittingly sent on an adventure. Things start out in a normal fashion, with the young Chester spending a boring Saturday trying to keep from cleaning the hall bathroom, his least favorite job of all that is reserved for when he looks bored.
So, Chester is excited when his mother sends him on an errand to his uncle's house just down the road. Once there, Chester is swept into an adventure beyond his wildest imagination, one filled with sea creatures, mind control, code names, and interesting characters. Even though Chester doesn't travel to a mythical place or dream up the whole story, this book reminded me of the Wizard of Oz or Alice in Wonderland. Its a bit dis-jointed and random, kind of like a book version of Napoleon Dynamite. I didn't particularly care for the story, though the ending was a lot better than I thought it would be, but I can see that a teen would enjoy the story. I would recommend it if you like random tales, but not if you are looking for a futuristic style novel that deals with a controlling society, since this would not qualify as that sort of genre.
I can see this author perhaps being one to watch once his stories are a bit more focused, since I think this story has potential.

Reviewed for Book Sneeze.