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Seckry Sequence #1
Seckry Sevenstars and the City of the Falling Sky
From Book 1: When Seckry Sevenstars is forced out of his village by the greedy Endrin Corporation and relocated to the daunting metropolis of Skyfall City, he harbours resentment for the company and vows to get them back one day for taking away his home, his school and his friends.
Fortunately, the marvels of the city do a good job in distracting Seckry from his anger and homesickness, and it isn’t long before he’s competing at Friction (the city’s most popular multiplayer video game), slurping awe-inspiring multicoloured milkshakes, and getting butterflies on his first date.
Then, when a mysterious email asks Seckry to break into the headquarters of the Endrin Corporation and steal a container full of worms for a hefty sum of money, his anger resurfaces, and he can’t resist the revenge he promised himself.
Alone at night, Seckry creeps through the sewers whilst wondering what experiments Endrin might be doing on the worms, and emerges into the silent complex. But the worms aren’t the only thing that he finds. Staring at him through the darkness, with wide, innocent eyes, is something that makes Seckry’s heart almost stop.
A girl.
She’s shaking, petrified, and has no recollection of who she is or what she’s doing there.
Floodlights bleach the area and Seckry has no choice but to grab a hold of the girl and escape with her.
Suddenly the question of what Endrin were doing with a few worms becomes the last thing on Seckry’s mind. What were Endrin doing with a human?
Fortunately, the marvels of the city do a good job in distracting Seckry from his anger and homesickness, and it isn’t long before he’s competing at Friction (the city’s most popular multiplayer video game), slurping awe-inspiring multicoloured milkshakes, and getting butterflies on his first date.
Then, when a mysterious email asks Seckry to break into the headquarters of the Endrin Corporation and steal a container full of worms for a hefty sum of money, his anger resurfaces, and he can’t resist the revenge he promised himself.
Alone at night, Seckry creeps through the sewers whilst wondering what experiments Endrin might be doing on the worms, and emerges into the silent complex. But the worms aren’t the only thing that he finds. Staring at him through the darkness, with wide, innocent eyes, is something that makes Seckry’s heart almost stop.
A girl.
She’s shaking, petrified, and has no recollection of who she is or what she’s doing there.
Floodlights bleach the area and Seckry has no choice but to grab a hold of the girl and escape with her.
Suddenly the question of what Endrin were doing with a few worms becomes the last thing on Seckry’s mind. What were Endrin doing with a human?
394 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 22, 2011
902 people are currently reading
7793 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 203 reviews
April 1, 2012
While young adult books shouldn't be judged the same as adult, the storytelling here is entirely too simplistic. Friendships are formed too quickly, trust is given too easily, and situations are resolved too neatly.
Maybe you can't expect your reader to do too much thinking in a YA book, but there has to be evidence the author has thought through character motivations and why they behave as they do. Rather than being developed, characters appear to be assigned roles: good, bad, helpful, etc. without any reason except that a character was needed to fill such a role.
I wish the author all the best, because he gets some things right and I admire anyone who can complete a novel, but this particular effort needs more polish. City of the Falling Sky reads like it was written by a juvenile instead of for juveniles.
Maybe you can't expect your reader to do too much thinking in a YA book, but there has to be evidence the author has thought through character motivations and why they behave as they do. Rather than being developed, characters appear to be assigned roles: good, bad, helpful, etc. without any reason except that a character was needed to fill such a role.
I wish the author all the best, because he gets some things right and I admire anyone who can complete a novel, but this particular effort needs more polish. City of the Falling Sky reads like it was written by a juvenile instead of for juveniles.
June 27, 2012
If you can get over the blatant similarities between this and Harry Potter, and some inconsistency in world building and plot, it's pretty good. Better than it should be, honestly.
Seckry is a boy who is forced to relocate to Skyfall City with his mother. One day doing an odd job on the net, he meets a beautiful amnesiac girl, and then gets thrown into a wild plot concerning the megacorp Endrin, one that affects everyone around him and even brings to light his own history.
First off, good lord this is about as much a HP clone as can be, to the point where it starts to grate against the world itself. Characters have Harry Potterish last names like Furrowfog and Goblededee, names which make absolutely no sense given this is set in a vaguely science fictional world. You have a virtual reality form of Quidditch in Friction complete with leagues and it being the hottest thing among the students, most of the action is set around a school, and you even have the relocation, just the take the whole family to Skyfall/Hogwarts instead of just the main character. You have your Dumbledore and Snape figures. It even feels like a Harry Potter book with the structure of various mysteries weaving into a single end. That end has a Potterish resolution, too: without getting into spoilers, solutions are often underground in both books.
Second, there's a lot of inconsistency in the world. It's a world that has a sophisticated VR system and a fairly sophisticated form of genetic modification, enough to make pills that can only swell up your tongue (another HP-ish idea.) But people still listen to compact discs, and follow rock bands. There's a lot of stuff that has a technological gloss but is pretty obvious that it either should have been or is magic-an electronics class instead of a spells class, but it doesn't work like an electronics class should. It makes the world a bit thin and jangly because it doesn't feel like a science fiction world.
Lastly there's just odd little details. Teenage boys do not have slumber parties. If the worms are so valuable, why on earth does Endrin have such lax security that a high school boy can steal them? You have Friction as VR, but no other uses of that technology anywhere. Also, elements don't work that way.
Despite all this though, it's an entertaining book. I think pure invention and momentum help to make it interesting, and the characters are simple, but work well together. The plot takes a lot of twists and turns, with a fairly outrageous ending, and I found myself caring about Seckry's quest and his dealing with one mystery after another. It may be heavily inspired by HP, but I think he also manages to get the good side of those novels too. Friction as an idea was good, because you can tell the author at least understands free to play MMOs. I have a soft spot for mysterious amnesiac girls, too.
I enjoyed reading it, but I wish it would have been a little more its own world.
Seckry is a boy who is forced to relocate to Skyfall City with his mother. One day doing an odd job on the net, he meets a beautiful amnesiac girl, and then gets thrown into a wild plot concerning the megacorp Endrin, one that affects everyone around him and even brings to light his own history.
First off, good lord this is about as much a HP clone as can be, to the point where it starts to grate against the world itself. Characters have Harry Potterish last names like Furrowfog and Goblededee, names which make absolutely no sense given this is set in a vaguely science fictional world. You have a virtual reality form of Quidditch in Friction complete with leagues and it being the hottest thing among the students, most of the action is set around a school, and you even have the relocation, just the take the whole family to Skyfall/Hogwarts instead of just the main character. You have your Dumbledore and Snape figures. It even feels like a Harry Potter book with the structure of various mysteries weaving into a single end. That end has a Potterish resolution, too: without getting into spoilers, solutions are often underground in both books.
Second, there's a lot of inconsistency in the world. It's a world that has a sophisticated VR system and a fairly sophisticated form of genetic modification, enough to make pills that can only swell up your tongue (another HP-ish idea.) But people still listen to compact discs, and follow rock bands. There's a lot of stuff that has a technological gloss but is pretty obvious that it either should have been or is magic-an electronics class instead of a spells class, but it doesn't work like an electronics class should. It makes the world a bit thin and jangly because it doesn't feel like a science fiction world.
Lastly there's just odd little details. Teenage boys do not have slumber parties. If the worms are so valuable, why on earth does Endrin have such lax security that a high school boy can steal them? You have Friction as VR, but no other uses of that technology anywhere. Also, elements don't work that way.
Despite all this though, it's an entertaining book. I think pure invention and momentum help to make it interesting, and the characters are simple, but work well together. The plot takes a lot of twists and turns, with a fairly outrageous ending, and I found myself caring about Seckry's quest and his dealing with one mystery after another. It may be heavily inspired by HP, but I think he also manages to get the good side of those novels too. Friction as an idea was good, because you can tell the author at least understands free to play MMOs. I have a soft spot for mysterious amnesiac girls, too.
I enjoyed reading it, but I wish it would have been a little more its own world.
July 5, 2024
This novel has nothing to do with Harry Potter, so I don’t get the promotion it gets online. Also, from the first page, it was clear what would have happened, the flash forward, the dialogues so academic… I also didn’t like the invented words for berries and other stuff, they looked like imitation and not thought through.
It’s a DNF for me.
It’s a DNF for me.
December 3, 2024
AI art is a plague on the world in my opinion. You know what's worse than using AI art for your book cover? Aggressively attempting to silence those who point this out by mass blocking them. This author has no integrity whatsoever and you should not support him or the trash he puts out.
March 31, 2025
Personajes simples, trama que se resuelve siempre de manera fácil y oportuna, nombres ridículos y una historia que abre muchos caminos y no cierra nada (ni parece tener intención, simplemente se olvidan). Bastante pedorro.
January 8, 2024
One read is almost too many.
My rating is my opinion and my rating preference, and applies to this book and book two. But some might disagree.
I dislike sadism and am repulsed by outright horror.
This book can be considered a young adult level, but has enough language that disqualifies it for me. I would not want my children reading it.
I did not read the second book. It stated outside worse - so, I'm deleting both from my Kindle library.
I. Going back to reading some Brandon Sanderson, Jordan Rivet, or maybe some Seth Ring.
My rating is my opinion and my rating preference, and applies to this book and book two. But some might disagree.
I dislike sadism and am repulsed by outright horror.
This book can be considered a young adult level, but has enough language that disqualifies it for me. I would not want my children reading it.
I did not read the second book. It stated outside worse - so, I'm deleting both from my Kindle library.
I. Going back to reading some Brandon Sanderson, Jordan Rivet, or maybe some Seth Ring.
August 3, 2024
I really disliked this book but I kept going thinking it MIGHT improve…it didn’t. It seemed as if the author took memorable parts of the Harry Potter series and reworked them into his unremarkable world. Character names were weird and unbelievable. I could see this work as a backstory for a video game but not a full body of work. I will not be continuing in this world. This is time I will NOT get back.
October 17, 2014
Well, somebody has read Harry Potter...
April 8, 2024
There are too many thoughts in my brain right now to express but I know one thing and that’s that this book is amazing you should go read it rn
September 25, 2013
I started to read this one night when my wifi was down, and it was storming out. For whatever reason, this book had been downloaded to my kindle. Honestly, my son may have been reading it. Anyways, for the review, I found it to be pretty silly. The Harry Potter weirdness just didn't work in this science fiction book, like it did in the fantasy genre. Also it felt like the plot was going in so many directions, some of them completely pointless. I still don't get the point of adding the video game thing, I guess it was so the kid could be a genius at something like Harry was. Anyways, with Harry it connected him to his biological family, and served a purpose in the story. This book, well it just seemed like it was thrown in there. I might have enjoyed this more if I was the target audience, I'm not sure. I'm not normally judgmental against books, and typically read anything my kids like. I mean, I bought it, so I might as well take a go and have something to talk about with them.
The good points, and the reason the book received two stars instead of one, is that the characters were pretty well fleshed out. I felt like I knew them, and cared about what happened. They also acted age appropriate, and the action scenes weren't bad. The writing was pretty cohesive, and there were few errors that I saw. Honestly, the author probably has a lot of talent, he just needs to move away from writing a Harry Potter clone. I could have enjoyed the book more if the weird foods, and video game weren't included.
The good points, and the reason the book received two stars instead of one, is that the characters were pretty well fleshed out. I felt like I knew them, and cared about what happened. They also acted age appropriate, and the action scenes weren't bad. The writing was pretty cohesive, and there were few errors that I saw. Honestly, the author probably has a lot of talent, he just needs to move away from writing a Harry Potter clone. I could have enjoyed the book more if the weird foods, and video game weren't included.
May 8, 2014
Terribly boring. I did not get past the first couple of chapters.
October 25, 2017
I can’t do it, DNF 30%. More suitable for a child not YA. Way too simplistic for me.
May 31, 2015
A terrific debut novel for young adults, but requires significant editing before it can become a genuine bestseller.
Let me just say first of all that I think Joseph Evans has great talent as a storyteller. His imagination and world-building skills are something to be admired, and you can’t help but get sucked into this saga. ‘City of the Falling Sky’, the first title in ‘The Seckry Sequence’ trilogy, is a sci-fi coming-of-age tale that hits the ground running.
Mainly set in the futuristic dystopian city of Skyfall, Seckry is a teenage boy whose life is turned upside down when he and his family are forced to relocate from their rural home by the monopolistic Endrin Corporation. Attending a new school, he is soon immersed in an intriguing curriculum (literally straight out of science fiction) and making friends with a whole bunch of relatable characters. As expected from this type of young adult adventure, the mysteries surrounding much of his daily life quickly pile up – very reminiscent of J.K. Rowling’s style in the ‘Harry Potter’ series – which tackle subjects such as the disappearance of Seckry’s father, the secret and unethical projects of Endrin, the motives of a hideous serial killer, and just who stole the classroom pet. The more you read, the deeper and darker the plot becomes. To be fair to the author, he has clearly put a lot of thought into the many story threads and subplots, and it’s good fun as a reader to juggle them all throughout the book.
Many of the reviews I’ve read about ‘City of the Falling Sky’ have been critical of Evans’ obvious inspiration by Rowling and ‘Harry Potter’. I disagree: I think he should be applauded for taking a structure that obviously works and applying a fresh concept to it. The virtual reality game of Friction has all the ingenuity and revitalising subplot elements that Potter fans adore about Quidditch, not to mention something that most videogame players will drool over. By his own admission, Evans is also a huge fan of the iconic videogame ‘Final Fantasy VII’, and anyone familiar with that storyline will see its influence stamped all over this book. The parallels between Endrin and Shinra, Darklight and Hojo, and the Innoya and Cetra are just a few of these. Another thing that the reviews haven’t really picked up on is the religious undertones throughout the novel. I think Evans has been clever in the way that he has reflected Christian beliefs in the lore and origins of Seckraman, but does not do so in an inflammatory manner. Perhaps that’s something that only older readers might spot.
However, as great a tale as this is, it fails to hit top marks on a number of key development factors. The recurring theme that was most obvious to me was that the reader is often given an elaborate scenario or character role, but only a shred of explanation as to how everything came together. It’s almost as if Evans has decided on the “my story, my rules” approach whereby the reader just has to accept it all at face value. An example of this would be how Seckry’s hatred of Endrin is touched on a few times in the early chapters, but not explored too thoroughly, and at no point does he appear to be deliberately mischievous or roguish. Then, out of nowhere, he agrees to break into a highly-restricted facility. Alone. On behalf of an online stranger. Without up-front payment or insurance. Because he’s angry at Endrin. Admittedly, this is one of the major plot holes, but it is by no means isolated. While the subplots are enjoyable, there are a couple that could be cut without actually making any difference. One that springs to mind is the headmaster’s illness and past. In a book that already has so many balls in the air, a thread like this might be considered overkill. One final point is the simplicity of so many things (though, again, this is only from the point of view of an adult writer and not necessarily reflective of the target audience). The twists regarding the Vitruvian Man-style door lock or the old painting with the symbol among others were too easy to spot, and the idea of having the last 20 pages tie just about everything up in a neat little bow was both unrealistic and anti-climactic for me.
‘City of the Falling Sky’ is also without a shadow of doubt the work of a first-time author: the writing standard is relatively poor. For the target audience, this is arguably not too problematic as they are less likely to read the book with editor glasses on. Other authors or writers, though, will be cringing a few times each chapter at the typos, terrible grammar and regular inconsistencies in style. As a fantasy author myself, I’m all too aware how difficult it is to catch all the mistakes and how invaluable a proofreader’s opinion can be, but even more important is someone who can make suggestions to improve your product. I think the novel severely lacks this, and it had a really negative impact on my enjoyment levels. I genuinely hope that Evans or another party will return and thoroughly edit this book as to leave it as it is will be hugely detrimental to his future career. It’s also worth noting that he has recently been taken on by a literary agent so I would expect these problems to be fixed sooner rather than later.
Despite the criticism, I would very much recommend ‘City of the Falling Sky’ to anyone who likes their young adult books to be engaging thrill rides without the hassle of convoluted and challenging plots. Evans has produced a fantastic story with twists and turns that is pretty much guaranteed to leave you entertained – as long as you can deal with regular errors and a few “eh?” moments. I suppose you could describe it as a sci-fi ‘Harry Potter’ set in ‘Final Fantasy VII’’s Midgar. That alone would be enough to sell it to me, but the fact that it is available to download in any digital format for free makes it all the more appealing.
Let me just say first of all that I think Joseph Evans has great talent as a storyteller. His imagination and world-building skills are something to be admired, and you can’t help but get sucked into this saga. ‘City of the Falling Sky’, the first title in ‘The Seckry Sequence’ trilogy, is a sci-fi coming-of-age tale that hits the ground running.
Mainly set in the futuristic dystopian city of Skyfall, Seckry is a teenage boy whose life is turned upside down when he and his family are forced to relocate from their rural home by the monopolistic Endrin Corporation. Attending a new school, he is soon immersed in an intriguing curriculum (literally straight out of science fiction) and making friends with a whole bunch of relatable characters. As expected from this type of young adult adventure, the mysteries surrounding much of his daily life quickly pile up – very reminiscent of J.K. Rowling’s style in the ‘Harry Potter’ series – which tackle subjects such as the disappearance of Seckry’s father, the secret and unethical projects of Endrin, the motives of a hideous serial killer, and just who stole the classroom pet. The more you read, the deeper and darker the plot becomes. To be fair to the author, he has clearly put a lot of thought into the many story threads and subplots, and it’s good fun as a reader to juggle them all throughout the book.
Many of the reviews I’ve read about ‘City of the Falling Sky’ have been critical of Evans’ obvious inspiration by Rowling and ‘Harry Potter’. I disagree: I think he should be applauded for taking a structure that obviously works and applying a fresh concept to it. The virtual reality game of Friction has all the ingenuity and revitalising subplot elements that Potter fans adore about Quidditch, not to mention something that most videogame players will drool over. By his own admission, Evans is also a huge fan of the iconic videogame ‘Final Fantasy VII’, and anyone familiar with that storyline will see its influence stamped all over this book. The parallels between Endrin and Shinra, Darklight and Hojo, and the Innoya and Cetra are just a few of these. Another thing that the reviews haven’t really picked up on is the religious undertones throughout the novel. I think Evans has been clever in the way that he has reflected Christian beliefs in the lore and origins of Seckraman, but does not do so in an inflammatory manner. Perhaps that’s something that only older readers might spot.
However, as great a tale as this is, it fails to hit top marks on a number of key development factors. The recurring theme that was most obvious to me was that the reader is often given an elaborate scenario or character role, but only a shred of explanation as to how everything came together. It’s almost as if Evans has decided on the “my story, my rules” approach whereby the reader just has to accept it all at face value. An example of this would be how Seckry’s hatred of Endrin is touched on a few times in the early chapters, but not explored too thoroughly, and at no point does he appear to be deliberately mischievous or roguish. Then, out of nowhere, he agrees to break into a highly-restricted facility. Alone. On behalf of an online stranger. Without up-front payment or insurance. Because he’s angry at Endrin. Admittedly, this is one of the major plot holes, but it is by no means isolated. While the subplots are enjoyable, there are a couple that could be cut without actually making any difference. One that springs to mind is the headmaster’s illness and past. In a book that already has so many balls in the air, a thread like this might be considered overkill. One final point is the simplicity of so many things (though, again, this is only from the point of view of an adult writer and not necessarily reflective of the target audience). The twists regarding the Vitruvian Man-style door lock or the old painting with the symbol among others were too easy to spot, and the idea of having the last 20 pages tie just about everything up in a neat little bow was both unrealistic and anti-climactic for me.
‘City of the Falling Sky’ is also without a shadow of doubt the work of a first-time author: the writing standard is relatively poor. For the target audience, this is arguably not too problematic as they are less likely to read the book with editor glasses on. Other authors or writers, though, will be cringing a few times each chapter at the typos, terrible grammar and regular inconsistencies in style. As a fantasy author myself, I’m all too aware how difficult it is to catch all the mistakes and how invaluable a proofreader’s opinion can be, but even more important is someone who can make suggestions to improve your product. I think the novel severely lacks this, and it had a really negative impact on my enjoyment levels. I genuinely hope that Evans or another party will return and thoroughly edit this book as to leave it as it is will be hugely detrimental to his future career. It’s also worth noting that he has recently been taken on by a literary agent so I would expect these problems to be fixed sooner rather than later.
Despite the criticism, I would very much recommend ‘City of the Falling Sky’ to anyone who likes their young adult books to be engaging thrill rides without the hassle of convoluted and challenging plots. Evans has produced a fantastic story with twists and turns that is pretty much guaranteed to leave you entertained – as long as you can deal with regular errors and a few “eh?” moments. I suppose you could describe it as a sci-fi ‘Harry Potter’ set in ‘Final Fantasy VII’’s Midgar. That alone would be enough to sell it to me, but the fact that it is available to download in any digital format for free makes it all the more appealing.
August 5, 2017
This book (City of the Falling Sky, by Joseph Evans) is full of action, romance, humour, and especially plot twists!
While it may seem like your average boy going to a new town to experience new things, there is much more to this book.
I can completely imagine all of the scenery, and it is like a movie playing in my head. As well, the dialogue fits perfectly into my imagination.
Seckramen Sevenstars must go to a new city called Skyfall, away from his old town, Marne. He meets many friends along the way, such as Tenk, Tippian, Loca, and Kimmy.
As he dives deeper into his Skyfall adventure's, he discovers a bright light, and to his astonishment, it is a girl.
The main character, Seckry Seckaman, is a shy boy, who is very curious in his adventures, but become's more brave, confident, and protective as the novel continues. He doesn't stop until he has the exact answers he needs, and will do anything to save everyone.
Along with the main plot, there is also a sport in their city (Skyfall), named Friction.
Since this books takes place in the future, everything is more complex and futuristic.
Friction is a sport based on virtual reality. You get to choose your avatar, and you can play as them, feelings the movements around you, as if you are actually in the virtual universe.
In the Friction Meltdown (that is the tournament for Friction), you fight to achieve the Meltdown trophy. You collect items and eliminate other players to win.
This book is similar to the series "Harry Potter" by JK Rowling, for the fact that it has Friction, and Harry Potter has Quidditch.
The way this novel incorporate's science and logic, while still holding full interest for me, is amazing!
I would recommend this book for any readers who love fantasy, plot twists, and romance, all in one!
For being a free digital book (it is also available in paperback!), this is worth reading!
While it may seem like your average boy going to a new town to experience new things, there is much more to this book.
I can completely imagine all of the scenery, and it is like a movie playing in my head. As well, the dialogue fits perfectly into my imagination.
Seckramen Sevenstars must go to a new city called Skyfall, away from his old town, Marne. He meets many friends along the way, such as Tenk, Tippian, Loca, and Kimmy.
As he dives deeper into his Skyfall adventure's, he discovers a bright light, and to his astonishment, it is a girl.
The main character, Seckry Seckaman, is a shy boy, who is very curious in his adventures, but become's more brave, confident, and protective as the novel continues. He doesn't stop until he has the exact answers he needs, and will do anything to save everyone.
Along with the main plot, there is also a sport in their city (Skyfall), named Friction.
Since this books takes place in the future, everything is more complex and futuristic.
Friction is a sport based on virtual reality. You get to choose your avatar, and you can play as them, feelings the movements around you, as if you are actually in the virtual universe.
In the Friction Meltdown (that is the tournament for Friction), you fight to achieve the Meltdown trophy. You collect items and eliminate other players to win.
This book is similar to the series "Harry Potter" by JK Rowling, for the fact that it has Friction, and Harry Potter has Quidditch.
The way this novel incorporate's science and logic, while still holding full interest for me, is amazing!
I would recommend this book for any readers who love fantasy, plot twists, and romance, all in one!
For being a free digital book (it is also available in paperback!), this is worth reading!
June 3, 2024
This was the first book that I tried putting colored tabs in to keep track of things, but I didn't really need them that much, since reading this was a blast and I remembered a lot of tiny details that came back.
I will keep them in the book, to make sure I know what happened when I go and read part 2, because I will read it!
It is easy to imagine you're living in this world. I would definitely like to be able to play Friction some time.
Really cool book!
I will keep them in the book, to make sure I know what happened when I go and read part 2, because I will read it!
It is easy to imagine you're living in this world. I would definitely like to be able to play Friction some time.
Really cool book!
November 14, 2024
Initially started this book and put it down for a good few months. Picked it up again recently and ended up binge reading it. Oh my the plot twists… I mean there are plot twists to the plot twists. It had my jaw on the floor. Great book and by the end it almost felt as if I knew the characters. Excited to read the second book!
December 8, 2025
2.5⭐️ I didn’t NOT like the book, like it got me hooked of course. The plot was exciting but it wasn’t written amazing. Reminded me heaps of Harry Potter (it was heavily influenced, you can tell) but it obviously couldn’t show it up. The world building wasn’t great and there were definitely plot holes. I wouldn’t read the rest of the series but I enjoyed it enough at the time.
August 9, 2025
Wonderful read. A story with twists, turns and fantastic characters. A must read!
December 3, 2012
It is both a blessing and a curse to be compared to -THE- J.K. Rowling. Somehow, Joseph Evans is being fit into such big, amazing, magical shoes. Well, let me tell you now, you won't get disappointed. The City of the Falling Sky is such a refreshing read (especially if you're like me, that's been reading 'dark humor' material for the past couple of months). I've said this before, that Evans' novel is one of THE best post-Potter Depression pacifier you can find. But, its more than that. Its a whole new world on its own. Some might say that The City of the Falling Sky is eerily reminiscent to the Harry Potter series (as if insinuating that Evans copied from Rowling... *rolls eyes*), but looking closely, there are only 3 similarities between the two series: (1) you fall in love with the characters quickly and deeply, (2) both exhibited great potential to the extent of even creating fan base (that is sooooo religious, some can even consider it as a cult! Haha), and (3) you get to escape from this world to a WHOLE NEW MAGICAL ONE.
One of the things that I loved about this novel is how detailed Evans' can be. Like, he'd tell you that a Slipshaker is made up of sweetslush, chocomilk, goldberry and some other saccharine-sounding ingredients you'd wish really existed, and you'll be able to taste it.. with your imagination. He'll make you experience the novel with ALL your senses.
It kills me now to write a review about The City of the Falling Sky because it dawns on me... that, like all my fellow Seckramaniacs, I have to painfully wait for the next series installment! I've been telling myself to pace my reading slower... but its SO difficult to not turn the page.
"Last chapter for the night, Angeli. You have to go do your Psychopathology Case Study!" *finishes chapter* "Meh, Psychopathology can wait." *reads another chapter*
I really can't say more about the book without spoiling it... so better just read it for yourself.
In a nutshell, I recommend The City of the Falling Sky to fellow Potterheads, sci-fi lovers, people who'd rather live in a fictional world... well, basically, just everyone. And I swear to Gedin, you'd be high with the Seckramania fever as well.
One of the things that I loved about this novel is how detailed Evans' can be. Like, he'd tell you that a Slipshaker is made up of sweetslush, chocomilk, goldberry and some other saccharine-sounding ingredients you'd wish really existed, and you'll be able to taste it.. with your imagination. He'll make you experience the novel with ALL your senses.
It kills me now to write a review about The City of the Falling Sky because it dawns on me... that, like all my fellow Seckramaniacs, I have to painfully wait for the next series installment! I've been telling myself to pace my reading slower... but its SO difficult to not turn the page.
"Last chapter for the night, Angeli. You have to go do your Psychopathology Case Study!" *finishes chapter* "Meh, Psychopathology can wait." *reads another chapter*
I really can't say more about the book without spoiling it... so better just read it for yourself.
In a nutshell, I recommend The City of the Falling Sky to fellow Potterheads, sci-fi lovers, people who'd rather live in a fictional world... well, basically, just everyone. And I swear to Gedin, you'd be high with the Seckramania fever as well.
November 6, 2011
I didn't stop reading until it was over. Not to eat, not to sleep ... due to the light weight of the kindle, I didn't even have to stop to pee. Let's all just be glad that I didn't have to work today, or I think I would have been fired while trying to sneak glances between ... you know ... what it is I do.
Although the writing is simplistic at times - it is, I believe, geared for YA audiences - it is engaging, descriptive, inventive, and clever. The main character, Sekry, is whole and utterly human. I really empathized with his pain and his frustration, and I really celebrated his joy. The author has done a great job of creating a world detailed and consistent enough to allow a true suspension of disbelief, melding elements of science fiction and fantasy into a classically-styled storyline.
My qualms with the book were few and far between. I think I noticed, at some point, a total of two typos - although I was way too enthralled with the book to linger on them or even write them down for reference. I didn't like the names assigned to various characters, finding them too Disney-Clownish (or, you know, Harry-Pottery). I think some may have issue with a few of the religious parallels drawn by the culture; I didn't.
I loved the development of the plot. It started small, but intriguing, and quickly expanded out into something huge and enthralling, complicated and entertaining all at once. At the same time, I never found myself confused. The author has done a great job of going back and editing everything for cohesion; I didn't notice any major plot holes, loopholes, etc.
And then ending? What a great ending. I wish I could tell you about it, but there would be spoilers bursting out of the woodwork, and as an author myself, I hate when people do that.
I looked up the current price, and it's only 99 cents. A definite steal, if you ask me. I'll definitely be grabbing the next book in the series as soon as it comes out.
Final Rating: 4.8 Stars
Although the writing is simplistic at times - it is, I believe, geared for YA audiences - it is engaging, descriptive, inventive, and clever. The main character, Sekry, is whole and utterly human. I really empathized with his pain and his frustration, and I really celebrated his joy. The author has done a great job of creating a world detailed and consistent enough to allow a true suspension of disbelief, melding elements of science fiction and fantasy into a classically-styled storyline.
My qualms with the book were few and far between. I think I noticed, at some point, a total of two typos - although I was way too enthralled with the book to linger on them or even write them down for reference. I didn't like the names assigned to various characters, finding them too Disney-Clownish (or, you know, Harry-Pottery). I think some may have issue with a few of the religious parallels drawn by the culture; I didn't.
I loved the development of the plot. It started small, but intriguing, and quickly expanded out into something huge and enthralling, complicated and entertaining all at once. At the same time, I never found myself confused. The author has done a great job of going back and editing everything for cohesion; I didn't notice any major plot holes, loopholes, etc.
And then ending? What a great ending. I wish I could tell you about it, but there would be spoilers bursting out of the woodwork, and as an author myself, I hate when people do that.
I looked up the current price, and it's only 99 cents. A definite steal, if you ask me. I'll definitely be grabbing the next book in the series as soon as it comes out.
Final Rating: 4.8 Stars
August 28, 2016
Somehow I missed writing up a review on this one. When I was reading this I couldn't help but think that a teenage boy should like it (not at all that I am clear as to what teenage boys should like). The story was well told and there was enough action and curious occurrences to keep it moving.
Likes:
1 - Seckry - I could see him being a kid in school with the challenges. But then of course he goes and does something amazing and risky making him anything but the normal student.
2 - Interesting story that I hadn't seen before.
Dislikes:
1 - No major dislikes here. But the romance portion was a bit corny. Especially this part: Someone "pressed her finger gently to" someone else's "lips and said 'Shhh', just like she had done so many times in his dreams..." I thought it was funny. Mostly because... well have you ever had anyone do that to you? I know my reaction would be, "ok....awkward".
2 - I was a little curious about his sister... There really wasn't much about here and it seems like she could potentially have an interesting story as well.
If you liked this you may like: Rick Riordan. I don't read much like this so it's hard to give other recommendations.
Likes:
1 - Seckry - I could see him being a kid in school with the challenges. But then of course he goes and does something amazing and risky making him anything but the normal student.
2 - Interesting story that I hadn't seen before.
Dislikes:
1 - No major dislikes here. But the romance portion was a bit corny. Especially this part: Someone "pressed her finger gently to" someone else's "lips and said 'Shhh', just like she had done so many times in his dreams..." I thought it was funny. Mostly because... well have you ever had anyone do that to you? I know my reaction would be, "ok....awkward".
2 - I was a little curious about his sister... There really wasn't much about here and it seems like she could potentially have an interesting story as well.
If you liked this you may like: Rick Riordan. I don't read much like this so it's hard to give other recommendations.
August 7, 2014
This book was absolutely thrilling! There was adventure, romance (not that I cared much for THAT), friendships and most of all, MYSTERY. There was so much mystery to the story that it be extremely hard to write a proper review without giving away Spoilers! If I did have a complaint, it would be the kissing. I mean, the kids were only 14 for heaven's sake! But since the rest of the book was great, I'll try not to dwell on that particular scene....er, SCENES.
- :SPOILERS:-
WARNING: This part of the review is only for people who have read the book. If, in fact, you haven't read this thrilling story, then I suggest you leave this site right now and pick up the book. It is free on Nook and Kindle. Thank you and have a nice day. .............................................................................
I love how Seckry was able to go in the past and save the day, finding out that he was the messiah. A whole religion made by him....and that he was named after himself! HIMSELF! Its just mind boggling! I'm hardly able to wrap my mind around it all!
- :SPOILERS:-
WARNING: This part of the review is only for people who have read the book. If, in fact, you haven't read this thrilling story, then I suggest you leave this site right now and pick up the book. It is free on Nook and Kindle. Thank you and have a nice day. .............................................................................
I love how Seckry was able to go in the past and save the day, finding out that he was the messiah. A whole religion made by him....and that he was named after himself! HIMSELF! Its just mind boggling! I'm hardly able to wrap my mind around it all!
August 25, 2024
Once I began the book it was worth it to me to finish it, but rather than being an “alternative” to the Harry Potter series, it was a direct copy in too many ways. I felt like the author could have worked harder to come up with his own plot points rather than just taking JK Rowlings. It also didn’t solve any of the “icks” from the Harry Potter series: cis-gendered white male centric, mostly white coded characters (unless I missed something), no variety of body types or diversions from conventional beauty…
Other people have said what I also felt: plot transitions are too convenient, asking me to stretch my willing suspension of disbelief way too far, trust gained way too quickly between characters (to the point of getting creepy for me with his adult male “mentor”? He just met you, dude. Why are you all in his private business? He is a child.)
It had enough of an entertainment factor for me to not just scrap it altogether, but I think my 9 year old that doesn’t yet know what good writing should look like will enjoy it much more than I was able to.
Other people have said what I also felt: plot transitions are too convenient, asking me to stretch my willing suspension of disbelief way too far, trust gained way too quickly between characters (to the point of getting creepy for me with his adult male “mentor”? He just met you, dude. Why are you all in his private business? He is a child.)
It had enough of an entertainment factor for me to not just scrap it altogether, but I think my 9 year old that doesn’t yet know what good writing should look like will enjoy it much more than I was able to.
April 18, 2012
After reading the first chapter of City of the Falling Sky by Joseph Evans, my stomach did that nervous little twitter thing it does whenever I know I'm going to read something good. City of the Falling Sky is Evans first published novel, I believe, and it's very good. Not perfect, but very good. While Joseph mentions on his website that he was influenced by Harry Potter, I found City of the Falling Sky to be unique. Seckry, the main character is likable... almost lovable. In fact, Evans does a great job of making his characters memorable. Also, there are some interesting twists in the story that I didn't see coming. My only complaint might be the names he chose for some of the older characters, which sounded a bit silly to me. A minor complaint in all. For the young adult reader, there's plenty of romance. I look forward to seeing how Evans grows as an author. City of the Falling Sky is obviously only just the beginning...
December 11, 2011
An enjoyable read that kept me page turning the entire time I was reading it, the desire to find out what happens next is very strong. It's difficult not to make comparisons to Harry Potter after finishing it and a few parts of the book feel like it was being forced to fit a mold for "young readers" and that makes other parts seem a little out of place by comparison.
The religious themes near the end were a little shocking to find in the "young adult" catagory, however to be fair that might just be one of the culture differences between America and England that makes it appear noticable.
The desire to find out what happens next is strong enough I will very likely continue reading the series.
The religious themes near the end were a little shocking to find in the "young adult" catagory, however to be fair that might just be one of the culture differences between America and England that makes it appear noticable.
The desire to find out what happens next is strong enough I will very likely continue reading the series.
November 23, 2011
OK I'm 44 years old reading young adult sci-fi, sooo, after suspending all disbelief I enjoyed the book. The author uses a third person narrator to tell the story of Seckry Sevenstars in an alternate history of the near (2173) future earth. He uses lots of cutesy sounding names and fantastical chance and coincidence. From the point of view of continuing the saga of Seckry the book ties up so many loose ends it leaves very little to lead in to the next book.
So go ahead and read it, it won't hurt to act your shoe size for a day or two
So go ahead and read it, it won't hurt to act your shoe size for a day or two
September 29, 2014
I can't remember why I borrowed this book.
I started reading it and immediately it became clear that the writing was not that great. Also plot holes!
The writing and plot got a bit better towards the end. But still lots of awful bits especially about the romantic relationships in the story. And way too many side arcs.
In short, this book had potential. But it didn't get there.
I started reading it and immediately it became clear that the writing was not that great. Also plot holes!
The writing and plot got a bit better towards the end. But still lots of awful bits especially about the romantic relationships in the story. And way too many side arcs.
In short, this book had potential. But it didn't get there.
November 26, 2015
This was different than what I was expecting, but I ended up liking it. I'm not a big fan of video games or sci-fi (except for shows), but I didn't mind it in this. I also liked how the romance part was a sweeter, cuter kind, more fit for their age rather than a big, extreme, adult-like romance. It's a pretty good book with good characters.
December 24, 2011
The story had too many threads weaving together but none had enough depth to be truly satisfying. The same goes for the characters. There were a number of could-be-interesting characters, but none had enough depth to be truly satisfying.
June 30, 2012
I like to read YA books that have a male character as a possible addition to my classroom. This book was... well it was just okay. It took me a while to get through it and I didn't feel the characters were really connectable. It felt like a bad Harry Potter rip off.
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