Book Review: Discovery of The Five Senses
K.N. Smith is a writer with some impressive projects to her name. She is a passionate advocate for mental health awareness, having founded the organisation Mental Health California, as well as creating and directing the non-profit mental health platform for boys and men of colour, Brother be Well. Writing is an additional passion that’s earned her a great deal of attention around Los Angeles, not to mention an award or two. The Urban Boys - Discovery of the Five Senses is a Young Adult urban fantasy novel that showcases her talents as a writer and storyteller. It has enough quick-witted action, mystery and adventure to give readers a full-bodied read, and contains no end of heart and drama, with even heavier emphasis on loyalty, family and brotherhood.
All is not well in the small American town of Danville Heights. The neighbouring town of Sandry Lake has been ransacked to wasteland status by unknown forces, and Danville Heights is next on the radar. The mysterious murder of a young man 20 years prior continues to hold sinister implications, and otherworldly forces fortell a distaster of unimaginable proportions. Only five high school boys, who find themselves levelled up with extraordinary sensory gifts after entering a mysterious forest late one night, have the talents necessary to triumph over the awaiting villainy. Along the way, they must reconcile with their own anxieties and trepidations in order to become the heroes they are now destined to be.
K.N. Smith builds a world ideally suited for her young adult audience, where the five main characters operate alongside a much larger cast of people who contribute to the intricate bigger picture of Danville Heights. While the five ethnically diverse boys are central to the story, no expense is spared in delving into the lives of family, friends and partners. Discovery of the Five Senses weaves a mystery, establishes an enjoyably sinister villain, and then proceeds to unpack the mythology one dramatic plot thread at a time.
Alongside all of this lies the fantasy element, a crucial component of the story but one which, by design, rests in the backdrop. Readers aren’t necessarily expected to know the origins of the Naculeans, who are beings of light capable of bestowing great powers over those they believe to be worthy, or why they dwell in the forests of Danville Heights. But the ambiguity of their existence is part of the appeal. In creating a grander mystery upon the self-contained plot of this story, K.N. Smith invites readers to stay tuned for the future instalments where we are likely to find out more. In the meantime, the cosmic presence of anomalous beings is an engaging game-changer that expands the horizon of possibility within The Urban Boys universe.
When it’s not dealing in fantasy and drama, it’s also important to consider just how fully kick-ass the action of Discovery of the Five Senses is. Whilst they are bestowed with the sensory gifts of heightened sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch, the five main characters are also given highly intuitive martial arts skills. As they are high school boys who play on the football team, it’s easy to imagine how swift they are in putting these new skills to use. And do so they must, as the book’s central villain Druth, has a seemingly infinite supply of thugs on standby to perform his dirty work. With this framework in place, K.N. Smith is able to write the kind of break-neck fight scenes fans of the martials arts genre will find a joy to read, mixing slick MMA moves with all-out brawls, and a heck of a lot of punches to the ribs and face. It’s brazen combat galore once the action gets underway, consistently carried out under the noble banner of justice and courage akin to the more popular fictional superheroes we all know and love.
It can’t be stressed enough however, that domestic drama is the glue holding the story together. It is gritty and surprisingly feel-good at times. The heroes of this book have strong family bonds, but ones which are also born out of loss and bereavement, with the parents and siblings having to care for their young by themselves, or with the family units made tighter through the fear of past events returning to haunt them. It’s rewarding to read how the young teens of this story overcome the kind of struggles that would put most adults under strain, and it’s also great when the supporting cast of family members and residents of the community rally themselves in their own capacity as the novel progresses. In this book, it seems that every character is nurtured to a certain degree, and no person is considered a wasted commodity.
The Urban Boys - Discovery of the Five Senses is a superb mix of fantasy, action and urban realism that justifies all of the acclaim it has already received, as well as being a treat for readers of all ages. K.N. Smith demonstrates flair and wisdom with her writing alongside an inspiring sense of heart which shines a light over many real world problems, whilst placing it in an exciting action setting suitable for all. Mystery and drama collides with heart and soul and young audiences are guaranteed to feel well fed by the end of it. It’s good news for those hoping to read more of the same that further instalments are promised, as this saga is definitely a keeper for many a book collection.
You can order The Urban Boys - Discovery of the Five Senses on Amazon. You can also visit K.N.Smith’s website to sign up to her E-News and also download a wonderfully packaged Discovery of the Five Senses discussion guide.
