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Tales of the Nine Charms #1
Circle of Three
The first volume in a thrilling new fantasy trilogy in which the characters must fight evil using only their wits . . . and nine special charms.
Walker, ever the class clown, reaches into a fountain on a school field trip and sees that the joke is on him when he finds himself in the middle of a training camp for soldiers, worlds away from his own.
Niko wants to be a warrior, but his master insists he learn the ways of a philosopher. When he rebels against his master’s quiet ways, he finds the path to his destiny, but the price he must pay for becoming a hero is greater than he ever imagined.
Aurora can do simple gypsy magic tricks, but even she doesn’t know the true depths of her power until a mysterious woman asks to have her cards read and begs Aurora to come to her aid.
Drawn together by forces they don’t understand to combat an evil they can’t imagine, their only weapons are nine simple charms.
Walker, ever the class clown, reaches into a fountain on a school field trip and sees that the joke is on him when he finds himself in the middle of a training camp for soldiers, worlds away from his own.
Niko wants to be a warrior, but his master insists he learn the ways of a philosopher. When he rebels against his master’s quiet ways, he finds the path to his destiny, but the price he must pay for becoming a hero is greater than he ever imagined.
Aurora can do simple gypsy magic tricks, but even she doesn’t know the true depths of her power until a mysterious woman asks to have her cards read and begs Aurora to come to her aid.
Drawn together by forces they don’t understand to combat an evil they can’t imagine, their only weapons are nine simple charms.
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
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73 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 7, 2007
These books were the ultimate Work In Progress Trilogy In Which The Third Book Never Comes Out. I seem to recall that the first two books came out in fairly quicky succession and waiting eagerly for the conclusion. And waiting, and waiting. And waiting.
Apparently the third book WAS finally published...three years later. They have to have realized that their target demographic had grown up and gone to high school by then.
Apparently the third book WAS finally published...three years later. They have to have realized that their target demographic had grown up and gone to high school by then.
April 8, 2016
Oh my god! I'm 23 now i've read this in our high school library, at the age of i think 11 and I cannot express how overwhelmed I am at finally knowing the title of the book. This was my very first fantasy book. I can't remember if I encountered this before, after, or during, my harry potter days. I use to help out in the library during lunch break stacking and checking out books, it made me so happy because I read this at the right age, at the right time. I am a bit apprehensive to read it now as an adult, I still remember the feeling, I was so frustrated that there was no book 3 at that time. I thought our library just didnt have it. I promised myself to hunt for the 3rd book, but so it happened, I grew up, the magic of the book swept to the back of my mind about to be lost, only once every few years I'd remember this book again and story, and finally decided to the research. Thank you thank you google and to the user who answered the question someone also searching for the same trilogy asked at scifi.stackexchange.com . I am finally to revisit my childhood.
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July 4, 2021I remember reading this book when I was in elementary school. I could NEVER find the sequel. I randomly remembered the cover the other day and managed to google "teen book about Nico[sp] and gems."
My search found that there is a sequel but the trilogy was never finished, so I doubt I'll give it the reread I intended. What a pity. Wonder what happened.
(Upon re-learning the title, I thought, "Isn't a Circle of Three just a triangle?")
My search found that there is a sequel but the trilogy was never finished, so I doubt I'll give it the reread I intended. What a pity. Wonder what happened.
(Upon re-learning the title, I thought, "Isn't a Circle of Three just a triangle?")
December 16, 2023
Absolutely loved this book as a kid and had forgotten the name of it until now!
December 23, 2014
Walker is a joker, until the day he finds a pretty little talisman and his life turns deadly serious. Taken to another world, he must learn to fight to survive. Niko is a boy who yearns to be a warrior, until the day that he ends up on that path despite himself. Aurora is a Gypsy unwillingly drawn into a web of conspiracies that may cost her life. But the three of them are tied to an ancient prophecy about a coming war between the light and the dark. They must survive . . .
If anything, the book feels a little overly ambitious. Murders, plots, and conspiracies abound. Each of the three children has his own circle of family, friends, and enemies, which doesn't leave time for anyone but the main characters to get any development. But, for the age range, the target readers probably won't care. There's plenty of action, even if most of it is simply running away from someone who wants to catch them.
I would've preferred something more to have happened other than just running away, but the real problem with the book is that it opens a series that never materialized. Aside from a direct sequel, which looks to only introduce one more talisman's user, nothing more was published, and it's been so long the odds the series will revive are small. Although there is always the self-publishing option, I suppose.
Overall this is an action-packed book that doesn't go enough of anywhere to stand alone, and doesn't have the series behind it that would allow it to be the introduction to something larger. I rate this book Neutral.
If anything, the book feels a little overly ambitious. Murders, plots, and conspiracies abound. Each of the three children has his own circle of family, friends, and enemies, which doesn't leave time for anyone but the main characters to get any development. But, for the age range, the target readers probably won't care. There's plenty of action, even if most of it is simply running away from someone who wants to catch them.
I would've preferred something more to have happened other than just running away, but the real problem with the book is that it opens a series that never materialized. Aside from a direct sequel, which looks to only introduce one more talisman's user, nothing more was published, and it's been so long the odds the series will revive are small. Although there is always the self-publishing option, I suppose.
Overall this is an action-packed book that doesn't go enough of anywhere to stand alone, and doesn't have the series behind it that would allow it to be the introduction to something larger. I rate this book Neutral.
July 14, 2013
These books are great. They left me wanting more, just to know more about the charms themselves and what was ultimately the goal of the villains. Alas, as far as I know, the third book was never published or written. I still don't know why, but my copies of the first two books are sitting on the shelf waiting for their companion who isn't coming. Did the authors have a disagreement and their collaboration fall apart? Did they just lose interest? I remember waiting for years for the last book, only to finally give up.
I would recommend these books if you don't mind not knowing how they end.
I would recommend these books if you don't mind not knowing how they end.
October 12, 2015
I loved this book as a kid! The story line was great for young readers and probably the first book I couldn't put down. However I was very disappointed in how hard it was to locate book 2 and to find out (based on reviews) book 3 doesn't have anything to do with the Trilogy, but I look forward to reading 2. As for 3... I hope the authors one day finish the trilogy.
March 9, 2009
Young adult fiction. Complicated plot with an interesting story line that follows 3 kids (11 years old?) involving magic, courage and intrigue. Theo and I both inhalled it. He recommends the 2nd book. Maybe I'll get to it this afternoon.
June 18, 2009
Very entertaining, though it doesn't close out the story (hence the trilogy). I prefer when each book can stand alone, but this one sure keeps the action churning with the protagonists charging all over the country.
August 18, 2014
I'm just glad that I finally found this book again. The rhyme keeps popping into my head and I finally found the binder I had it written down in.
Great read. Promising beginning to the series. Looking forward to re-reading.
Great read. Promising beginning to the series. Looking forward to re-reading.
February 25, 2008
I don't really remember much of this book since I read it so long ago but I know it was good. It's good for beginning sci fi readers who are looking for something adventurous to get into.
June 10, 2017
Tolkien or Alexander wanna be that doesn't make it. Three POV characters. Neither characters, nor setting, nor poetry is memorable. Fantasy that fails to prepare me for the innovations thrown in.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews