Sunday, December 5, 2010

Book Review: The Invisible Order: Rise of the Darklings

Title: The Invisible Order: Rise of the Darklings
Author: Paul Crilley
Pages:  333
Cybil Book # 29

Author Website

From the website:
Some things, once glimpsed, can never be unseen...

It was a morning like any other, frigid and gray, when Emily Snow took to the streets of Victorian London to earn the pennies that would keep her and her little brother alive for another day. But a chance turning took her through a dark alley, and there she witnessed an extraordinary battle between fierce, tiny creatures no taller than Emily’s knee.

Now Emily’s life will never be the same, for she can see the world of Faerie. And once seen, she can not turn away; once engaged, she must join in the latest battle in a war that has been waged for centuries. Doing nothing is not an option, for the Invisible Order-a secret army dedicated to preserving our world against the Faerie-knows about Emily, and its members will do anything to control her. For Emily, her brother William, and their friend, the street-thief Spring-Heeled Jack, this winter morning is a turning point, and hereafter their lives will be entwined with the Invisible Order, and with Faerie…

My Thoughts
Reading this book reminds me of my blog postings and book reviews from last year. I was on this rampage about how great the writing of authors from overseas was and how I loved their books more than many of the American authors. I have not had this thought process yet this year, however, Paul Crilley has crafted a novel that has me exploring the Amazon UK site and others for books from outside of the US. Why? Because this book was AWESOME!!! High octane book that kept me reading nonstop to find out what was going to happen next. I loved the storyline and the characters. The whole London setting with all sorts of other "worlds"(for a lack of a better word) really fascinated me. Additionally, the descriptive detail and how things were pretty cutthroat. There was nothing too graphic to steer any kid away from reading this book, but the threats of the knife on the throat and some of these people wanting to eat humans was just what I needed. I live for these types of things. Paul Crilley has just gathered a new avid fan to his writing and cannot wait for book two to come out.

I can see why this book was suggested in my book judging panel to be read before Christmas. Another book to add to my working shortlist and right up there with being one of the best that I have read. Harry Potter fans and anyone else who likes a diverse group of creatures, characters, and a pretty deceptive plot line where the reader really does not know who to trust will love this book. The only flaw that I could see for students will be some of them will have a hard time keeping everyone straight as the alliances are never quite what they seem. However, this was something I loved and it kept me guessing until the end.

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