Cragbridge Hall, Book 1

The Inventor's Secret

By: Chad Morris

Narrated by: Kirby Heyborne

Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

Imagine a school in the year 2074 where students don't read history, but watch it happen around them; where running in gym class isn't around a track, but up a virtual mountain; and where learning about animals means becoming one through an avatar. Welcome to Cragbridge Hall, the most advanced and prestigious school in the world. Twins Abby and Derick Cragbridge are excited as new students to use their famed grandfather's inventions that make Cragbridge Hall so incredible. But when their grandfather and parents go missing, the twins must follow a mysterious trail of clues left by their grandfather. They must find out where their family is, learn who they can trust, and discover what secrets are hidden within Cragbridge Hall. Abby and Derick soon realize they are caught in a race with a fierce adversary to discover their grandfather's greatest secret - a dangerous discovery that could alter both history and reality.

©2013 Chad Morris (P)2013 Shadow Mountain

Critic reviews

"A fantastical futuristic read that should engage kids and families." (Brandon Mull, #1 New York Times best-selling author)

Nice Story, Kirby OK too

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I think the narrator did a nice job but the girl really seems too depressed in the narration. Just needs a pick-me-up here and there.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Loved it. Pretty nice job on the ending.

What three words best describe Kirby Heyborne’s performance?

Average, Enjoyable, OK

Could you see Cragbridge Hall, Book 1 being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Well, maybe a children's story. Kids today expect a lot so I'm not sure it would fly.

Enjoyable.

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I wouldn't know what to change, but it seemed to be a lesser version of several other books.

Would you recommend Cragbridge Hall, Book 1 to your friends? Why or why not?

I would, if they were looking for a light read and liked children's fiction. I didn't realize this was a book for older elementary or middle schoolers when I bought it. I'm guessing that kids will really like this book.

Which character – as performed by Kirby Heyborne – was your favorite?

Abby. It was easy to empathize with her.

Do you think Cragbridge Hall, Book 1 needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

It has several.

Any additional comments?

I found myself wishing that audio books came with illustrations like regular kids' books do.

Harry Potter meets DaVanci Code -Young Adult title

Any additional comments?

The year is 2074 and technological advancements have led to the creation of the most advanced secondary school in the world. Imagine viewing history in real-time with revolving viewpoints, where you control every aspect and are able to watch the most important events unfold in front of you. Imagine a virtual system that allows you to become an avatar and experience the world as an animal. All things are possible at Cragbridge Hall…
Enter the grandchildren of the school’s founder and inventor of these wondrous technologies and this sets an adolescent struggle to prove you belong. But it doesn’t take long before this desire to measure up against one’s peers turns into an adventure in which failure is not an option and failure to measure up could have catastrophic results.
Very entertaining it’s ability to weave history into the adventure and overall a great fun listen for all those young at heart!!! Highly recommend!

a disappointment for us

We almost never give up on a book, but this time my 12 year old and I couldn't finish it. He so disliked the main character and the tone of the interactions between the high schoolers in the book he said he just couldn't continue, and since it isn't exactly a book that will be on the AP English exam, I didn't have the heart to force him to finish it. I liked the premise a lot, but I find real-life tweens and teens much more appealing then the ones depicted here.

Good for age11

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Yes.it was interesting. In the end the girl like she didn't mean to but she totally showed up jaciline.

Would you recommend Cragbridge Hall, Book 1 to your friends? Why or why not?

no my friends are not readers

Would you listen to another book narrated by Kirby Heyborne?

If it were from the same series.

Do you think Cragbridge Hall, Book 1 needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

yes and I want to buy it.

Well done

Interesting story, moved along. I really liked the way of resolving tension with the bête noire character, and putting such a person's actions in perspective. The narrator did a great job with different voices.

A good book for the younger set

Would you try another book from Chad Morris and/or Kirby Heyborne?

Maybe

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

More adult content

What does Kirby Heyborne bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The characters came alive in a fun way.

Did Cragbridge Hall, Book 1 inspire you to do anything?

no

Any additional comments?

A bit juvenile for those of us over 30, some funny parts that made me laugh, but overall a young person’s book.

Love this book, very enjoyable.

Where does Cragbridge Hall, Book 1 rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

In the top 10. I think this would make a good movie.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It grabbed my interest and I couldn't stop listening. Can't wait to get book 2.

Strictly Kid Stuff

I've always enjoyed reading young adult fiction, which I have always done to keep up with what my daughters are reading. In the best YA books, there is more than enough to keep adults interested -- even children's movies like Toy Story and Shrek had plenty of adult in-jokes to keep me hooked over many viewings when my kids were at that age when they watched those movies over and over again.

Cragbridge Hall seems to have all the requisite qualities to work quite well for its target age group, middle schoolers (hard for me to say definitively because I haven't been in that target age group since the Johnson administration). But it does not have that extra oomph adults need in YA. Harry Potter, among many other qualities that adults can appreciate, has all the mythological and literary references adults would recognize while the kids are dazzled by magic. The Hunger Games has the social subtext, Divergent has the psychological subtext.

This story, which takes place 60 years from now, has some cool technology (rather than magic, which is refreshing) -- mainly (but not solely) a time machine that allows students to relive history (although, for some reason I can't fathom, the historical episodes are almost exclusively American or British from the 19th and early 20th centuries). The main characters must solve a series of clues, most of them quite clever, in order to discover the inventor's secret of the title and save him -- and their parents, and themselves, and the world, of course. And the book does grow on you as it goes along (or at least it did for me).

The bottom line: If you're in middle school, you will most likely enjoy this book. If I was in middle school, I'd give it five stars. But my daughter isn't even in middle school anymore, having just started high school, so I can't even recommend it to her. If you're an adult, read it if your middle school kids are reading it. Otherwise, you may happen to like it anyway, but not because it has any special appeal for adults.

Very Entertaining. Light Read.

Where does Cragbridge Hall, Book 1 rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It does not have the extensive content of Game of Thrones or Harry Potter, but it is a good easy listening, light read.

What did you like best about this story?

The creativity of the characters and the plot and the ties to history.

What does Kirby Heyborne bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Good characterization.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Abby and her parents were almost lost.