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Sentinel Trilogy #1
Sentinel
"What is a Sentinel? A guard. A detective. A killer..."
They are the world's best-kept secret - an underground society whose eternal cause is to protect the world against the dark creatures and evil forces that inhabit the night.
Now Sentinels are being targeted, murdered and turned as the fury of an ancient evil is unleashed once more. And when 15-year-old Nicholas Hallow's parents are killed in a train crash, the teenager is drawn into a desperate struggle against malevolent powers.
Sentinel is the first book in the Sentinel Trilogy - a world of unconventional heroes, monsters, murder and magic.
They are the world's best-kept secret - an underground society whose eternal cause is to protect the world against the dark creatures and evil forces that inhabit the night.
Now Sentinels are being targeted, murdered and turned as the fury of an ancient evil is unleashed once more. And when 15-year-old Nicholas Hallow's parents are killed in a train crash, the teenager is drawn into a desperate struggle against malevolent powers.
Sentinel is the first book in the Sentinel Trilogy - a world of unconventional heroes, monsters, murder and magic.
264 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
June 10, 2015
Sentinel by Joshua Winning
Published 2013, Peridot Press
Stars: ★★★☆☆
Review also posted at: Slapdash & Sundry
Thanks to the author Joshua Winning for providing a review copy of this book one after I was approved on Netgalley for book two, without realizing it was a book two!
So, we all know that YA is chock full of "something happens, teenager learns they don't know their world, find out they're special, etc" type books. And yes, this is one of them. It's a trope that will be hard for the book universe to ever shake, because young adults love that potential destiny feeling, that maybe one day it could happen to them. It's a fun and easy way to tempt them to read, and as an adult reader, you can either accept it, or you can whine about it. Me? I'll accept it. I'm a grown man with boring job, and a relatively unexciting life, so I'm all for getting my fun and adventure where I can find it.
That being said, this book has a pretty interesting new idea. It's no JK Rowling, but honestly, who's going to be able to reproduce that? It is, however, a really fun concept. There's a secret world, hidden under the thin surface of reality, in which Sentinels guard the world from dark forces... but the dark forces have been quiet for so long that the Sentinels got a little complacent, and while the darkness was quiet, it wasn't gone -- it was slowly seeping its way through the barriers between worlds, scheming, and plotting. And now it's time for those plots to come to fruition...
I think my biggest problem with this book was the insanely slow pace. Don't get me wrong, there's action -- and it's often -- but the plot itself doesn't move forward all that much in this book. It suffers from "Setup Syndrome," in which the author has such a big concept to push that the framework takes a while to assemble. But, the world-building was done well, so it wasn't a huge problem or anything that made me enjoy the story any less. I can appreciate a slow burn as long as it's headed somewhere. And if the end of this book says anything, it's definitely headed somewhere. I'll definitely read book two, and if that one picks up the pace, I'll finish the trilogy.
Published 2013, Peridot Press
Stars: ★★★☆☆
Review also posted at: Slapdash & Sundry
Thanks to the author Joshua Winning for providing a review copy of this book one after I was approved on Netgalley for book two, without realizing it was a book two!
So, we all know that YA is chock full of "something happens, teenager learns they don't know their world, find out they're special, etc" type books. And yes, this is one of them. It's a trope that will be hard for the book universe to ever shake, because young adults love that potential destiny feeling, that maybe one day it could happen to them. It's a fun and easy way to tempt them to read, and as an adult reader, you can either accept it, or you can whine about it. Me? I'll accept it. I'm a grown man with boring job, and a relatively unexciting life, so I'm all for getting my fun and adventure where I can find it.
That being said, this book has a pretty interesting new idea. It's no JK Rowling, but honestly, who's going to be able to reproduce that? It is, however, a really fun concept. There's a secret world, hidden under the thin surface of reality, in which Sentinels guard the world from dark forces... but the dark forces have been quiet for so long that the Sentinels got a little complacent, and while the darkness was quiet, it wasn't gone -- it was slowly seeping its way through the barriers between worlds, scheming, and plotting. And now it's time for those plots to come to fruition...
I think my biggest problem with this book was the insanely slow pace. Don't get me wrong, there's action -- and it's often -- but the plot itself doesn't move forward all that much in this book. It suffers from "Setup Syndrome," in which the author has such a big concept to push that the framework takes a while to assemble. But, the world-building was done well, so it wasn't a huge problem or anything that made me enjoy the story any less. I can appreciate a slow burn as long as it's headed somewhere. And if the end of this book says anything, it's definitely headed somewhere. I'll definitely read book two, and if that one picks up the pace, I'll finish the trilogy.
May 21, 2014
Sentinel by Josh Winning
Book 1 of the ‘Sentinel’ Trilogy)
Publisher: Peridot Press NZ/AU Imprint: TBC
Release Date: TBC
A savvy mix of magic, myth, folklore and classic teenage coming of age angst, a very basic starting synopsis could make Joshua Winning’s debut novel sound a little like another series of books about a boy called Harry and his magical hijinks at boarding school. But make no mistake, Nicholas Hallow, the protagonist at the heart of Sentinel is no boy wizard, and this is no series for children.
A journalist and film expert by trade, Winnings love for horror and thorough knowledge of the genre and its tropes pay off lovingly with a well-crafted, sharply honed novel that creeps into your subconscious, settling deep before springing a few surprises upon the unsuspecting reader.
At times reminding me of a classic Hammer film, more modern elements like body horror are cleverly woven through leaving you with the realisation that while the battle between good and evil may be as old as time itself, this particular story is fresh and new, as is the voice of the protagonist and the writer behind it.
A slow burn to begin with, it’s worth investing in those first few chapters because the payoff is incredible. You won’t want to put it down, and you probably don’t want to read it on your own in an empty house!
I for one can’t wait for book two!
4.5 Stars / 5
Reviewer: Sarah McMullan @SarahMcMullanNZ
www.13thfloor.co.nz
Book 1 of the ‘Sentinel’ Trilogy)
Publisher: Peridot Press NZ/AU Imprint: TBC
Release Date: TBC
A savvy mix of magic, myth, folklore and classic teenage coming of age angst, a very basic starting synopsis could make Joshua Winning’s debut novel sound a little like another series of books about a boy called Harry and his magical hijinks at boarding school. But make no mistake, Nicholas Hallow, the protagonist at the heart of Sentinel is no boy wizard, and this is no series for children.
A journalist and film expert by trade, Winnings love for horror and thorough knowledge of the genre and its tropes pay off lovingly with a well-crafted, sharply honed novel that creeps into your subconscious, settling deep before springing a few surprises upon the unsuspecting reader.
At times reminding me of a classic Hammer film, more modern elements like body horror are cleverly woven through leaving you with the realisation that while the battle between good and evil may be as old as time itself, this particular story is fresh and new, as is the voice of the protagonist and the writer behind it.
A slow burn to begin with, it’s worth investing in those first few chapters because the payoff is incredible. You won’t want to put it down, and you probably don’t want to read it on your own in an empty house!
I for one can’t wait for book two!
4.5 Stars / 5
Reviewer: Sarah McMullan @SarahMcMullanNZ
www.13thfloor.co.nz
August 14, 2013
Boring.
This book maybe the most boring book I've ever read. It is not usual for me to hate books, but I did hate it. I also have never gave a book less than 3 stars, but I wanted to give this book one, but I gave it two considering the language, which was the only good thing in this book.
I've started this book and from the first chapter I found it boring, but I told myself it would get better by time, but it didn't. It kept the boring state till the end.
I've also found it so childish. I've read other paranormal books, but this was a childish and it wasn't dark as people described it. A lot of people said that it was dark and scary and I'm the kind of girls who gets scary from anything, but this book didn't make me a single feeling.
Overall, I didn't like this book and I rated it as two stars and wouldn't give it higher than this.
This book maybe the most boring book I've ever read. It is not usual for me to hate books, but I did hate it. I also have never gave a book less than 3 stars, but I wanted to give this book one, but I gave it two considering the language, which was the only good thing in this book.
I've started this book and from the first chapter I found it boring, but I told myself it would get better by time, but it didn't. It kept the boring state till the end.
I've also found it so childish. I've read other paranormal books, but this was a childish and it wasn't dark as people described it. A lot of people said that it was dark and scary and I'm the kind of girls who gets scary from anything, but this book didn't make me a single feeling.
Overall, I didn't like this book and I rated it as two stars and wouldn't give it higher than this.
May 22, 2013
Originally posted in: http://threeblankpages.blogspot.com/2...
Terrifying! What a monster! This book, written by Joshua Winning, is so real. I love everything inside the book. It courses through all my nerves when I was reading it. I don't want to put this book down when I'm reading this but I am so busy which was not good. But, it doesn't matter because this book is just awesome.
I had fun reading this book. It was in a British/ English accent and I always know that English people are fun so I imagined them speaking in that accent while reading. haha.
I love how the characters are so magnetic. They are so lovely and captivating. The main character, Nicholas, is not some kind of teenager guy you would meet. He's not normal. He's different and I love that idea. He lost his parents in the short-run and it was heart-breaking. He is special. It was somehow similar to Harry Potter but not the same.
I also love the character of Sam. He was a very good friend. But I don't like it when he doesn't want to tell Nicholas about his self. He's also stubborn, but he's awesome. He helped Nicholas a lot of times.
I also love Tabatha even when she's annoying, and also Liberty who was such a big help. I love the thought that some of them has powers. :D
Also, love the world building in this book. It will give you chills while reading through every details that was described in this book. You would want to believe about everything written in here. I mean, it seems real. It was perfectly molded. It depicts our world but in a more specific and invisible way. We don't know what lies under the dark alleys. We can't trust anybody.
Really, over-all, this book is amazing and fantastic. I really love this book. I think this would be lined next to Brandon Mull's Beyonders book series. I wish this book would be in paperback soon. I would love to get a copy. I am speechless by the way, just trying to say something about how awesome this book is. :) I can't just get enough of this book. I want more!!! :D Book 2 please!
I would rate this 5/5 since it captured me and it's really a very good read.
Terrifying! What a monster! This book, written by Joshua Winning, is so real. I love everything inside the book. It courses through all my nerves when I was reading it. I don't want to put this book down when I'm reading this but I am so busy which was not good. But, it doesn't matter because this book is just awesome.
I had fun reading this book. It was in a British/ English accent and I always know that English people are fun so I imagined them speaking in that accent while reading. haha.
I love how the characters are so magnetic. They are so lovely and captivating. The main character, Nicholas, is not some kind of teenager guy you would meet. He's not normal. He's different and I love that idea. He lost his parents in the short-run and it was heart-breaking. He is special. It was somehow similar to Harry Potter but not the same.
I also love the character of Sam. He was a very good friend. But I don't like it when he doesn't want to tell Nicholas about his self. He's also stubborn, but he's awesome. He helped Nicholas a lot of times.
I also love Tabatha even when she's annoying, and also Liberty who was such a big help. I love the thought that some of them has powers. :D
Also, love the world building in this book. It will give you chills while reading through every details that was described in this book. You would want to believe about everything written in here. I mean, it seems real. It was perfectly molded. It depicts our world but in a more specific and invisible way. We don't know what lies under the dark alleys. We can't trust anybody.
Really, over-all, this book is amazing and fantastic. I really love this book. I think this would be lined next to Brandon Mull's Beyonders book series. I wish this book would be in paperback soon. I would love to get a copy. I am speechless by the way, just trying to say something about how awesome this book is. :) I can't just get enough of this book. I want more!!! :D Book 2 please!
I would rate this 5/5 since it captured me and it's really a very good read.
June 19, 2013
I was originally going to give this 4 stars, but the last 40 pages convinced me to change it to 5 because... well it IS AMAZING! What a book, but really, what a story teller! The author gives you only bits to nibble on in the beginning of the tale, then the pace picks up, and as the momentum builds you find yourself in the middle of an all out good vs. evil war of the worlds. Lies are told, truths unearthed and demons set free~ come on, how could that not be a great story? At the heart of all of this is a traumatized, unsuspecting 15 year old boy. I really liked getting to know Nicholas, and shook my head as his immaturity led the story through twists and turns that made this book a real thriller.
I was lucky enough to get this book gifted in exchange for an honest review, but personally can not wait to read the next two installments in what is sure to be a best selling trilogy! Fans of fantasy, adventure, and old time magic will love these books.
I was lucky enough to get this book gifted in exchange for an honest review, but personally can not wait to read the next two installments in what is sure to be a best selling trilogy! Fans of fantasy, adventure, and old time magic will love these books.
January 2, 2020
Really loved this, the first book in the Sentinel Trilogy. It's sort of Buffy meets Shadowhunters meets Inspector Morse (set in Cambridge though!). It certainly kept me on the edge of my seat!
February 2, 2018
I really, really enjoyed this book. A lot of times I find it hard to get into YA fantasy as it either comes across as childish or it there is simply too much backstory to get into. But, Sentinel really finds the goldilocks medium of just enough of everything to keep it approachable, moving along, and just enough enough detail for everything to make sense while leaving just enough details out to keep you guessing.
I ended up loving Nicholas as a character, as he was mature enough to handle all of the obstacles thrown at him in a reasonable (read no overly stroppy) manner, yet he will filled with just enough angst and self pity to remain relatable despite the more fantastical elements of this book. I would, however, have liked to know a little bit more about his parents, what sentinels really do, and what happened to Sam's wife. But, seeing as there are two more books to comes and Winning's slow release style of handing out details I have no doubt that the answers to these questions will surface in the books to come.
With that being said though, Sam was by far my favourite supporting character. Who doesn't love a plucky old man who can surprise the heck out of you by holding his own... or whipping a rifle out at random moments? It was refreshing to see that his sentimentality never waned despite the gravity of the situations presented, and that he always remained loving and compassionate to those in his care. I truly appreciated that he never stopped believing that he could save his friends, and hope that this theme persists into books two and three.
As a librarian, one of the things that really drew me in is the fact that neither Sentinel or Ruins are particularly long, with both books sitting around 300 pages give or take a few. It's long enough to tell a full story, but no so long that the girth of the book scares potential readers away. As someone who rarely circulates the bound collection of Tolkien's work as a single volume, but rushes around circulating the individual instalments of LOTR in quick succession, I know just how important the intimidation factor on the shelf can be for YA readers.
But what I loved the most about this book was the inclusion of History and facts too often considered to be above a teen audience. My heart literally went pitter-patter at the mention of the Grimm brothers and their dictionary, as well as when Perrault's fairy tales were brought into the fray. The only things missing from those conversations were the Grimm's Laws for linguistics and the fact that Perrault's recorded fairy tales were, in fact, edited amalgamations of tales that had been told orally for centuries and were only codified through his publications.
I was left with a good number of questions though, such as how does the Sentinel organization work, what purpose do the ravens have, and who are the Trinity? I also need to know more about Jessica and Isabella as their characters fascinate me, but I am happy with feeling like their mystery was part of the point. Despite a few lurking questions, there wasn't enough to turn me off the books or even leave me feeling frustrated. Instead, they left me wanting more and eager to dive into the second book - Ruins.
Ultimately, I really liked this book! It's well written, engaging, and vastly different from the majority of YA lit currently on offer. It has hints of Rowling, Clare, and even a Whedon but still clearly stands on it's own. Sentinel is a promising start to what is sure to be an outstanding trilogy - it's action packed, evenly paced, and allows just enough room for character development and battling the forces of evil.
Would I recommend this book? Absolutely! I can't wait to dive into Ruins, or for the third instalment to come out this summer. Take a gamble on this one, lovers of YA, I promise you won't be disappointed.
I ended up loving Nicholas as a character, as he was mature enough to handle all of the obstacles thrown at him in a reasonable (read no overly stroppy) manner, yet he will filled with just enough angst and self pity to remain relatable despite the more fantastical elements of this book. I would, however, have liked to know a little bit more about his parents, what sentinels really do, and what happened to Sam's wife. But, seeing as there are two more books to comes and Winning's slow release style of handing out details I have no doubt that the answers to these questions will surface in the books to come.
With that being said though, Sam was by far my favourite supporting character. Who doesn't love a plucky old man who can surprise the heck out of you by holding his own... or whipping a rifle out at random moments? It was refreshing to see that his sentimentality never waned despite the gravity of the situations presented, and that he always remained loving and compassionate to those in his care. I truly appreciated that he never stopped believing that he could save his friends, and hope that this theme persists into books two and three.
As a librarian, one of the things that really drew me in is the fact that neither Sentinel or Ruins are particularly long, with both books sitting around 300 pages give or take a few. It's long enough to tell a full story, but no so long that the girth of the book scares potential readers away. As someone who rarely circulates the bound collection of Tolkien's work as a single volume, but rushes around circulating the individual instalments of LOTR in quick succession, I know just how important the intimidation factor on the shelf can be for YA readers.
But what I loved the most about this book was the inclusion of History and facts too often considered to be above a teen audience. My heart literally went pitter-patter at the mention of the Grimm brothers and their dictionary, as well as when Perrault's fairy tales were brought into the fray. The only things missing from those conversations were the Grimm's Laws for linguistics and the fact that Perrault's recorded fairy tales were, in fact, edited amalgamations of tales that had been told orally for centuries and were only codified through his publications.
I was left with a good number of questions though, such as how does the Sentinel organization work, what purpose do the ravens have, and who are the Trinity? I also need to know more about Jessica and Isabella as their characters fascinate me, but I am happy with feeling like their mystery was part of the point. Despite a few lurking questions, there wasn't enough to turn me off the books or even leave me feeling frustrated. Instead, they left me wanting more and eager to dive into the second book - Ruins.
Ultimately, I really liked this book! It's well written, engaging, and vastly different from the majority of YA lit currently on offer. It has hints of Rowling, Clare, and even a Whedon but still clearly stands on it's own. Sentinel is a promising start to what is sure to be an outstanding trilogy - it's action packed, evenly paced, and allows just enough room for character development and battling the forces of evil.
Would I recommend this book? Absolutely! I can't wait to dive into Ruins, or for the third instalment to come out this summer. Take a gamble on this one, lovers of YA, I promise you won't be disappointed.
August 20, 2013
To me, the most important part of a book, is the first chapter. It’s the first part of the story that the reader is witnessing. Without a gripping and compelling first chapter; the reader gets bored and unfortunately the book gets tossed to the shelves.
This book grabbed me from the first few pages. It starts off with a little history to the story-line; dating back to the 1800′s, with; of course, a little magic involved. After a few pages, the story picks up in present day, located in Cambridge England. I will admit, the first chapter had me in tears. Starting the book off with a tragic death was unexpected; and I loved it.
Fifteen year old, Nicholas Hallow not only, must now deal with the death of his parents, but also the fact that he is a destined hero come to save all the Sentinels from the Dark Prophecies and evil Harvestors. Unfortunately, he had no idea who he really was since his parents kept it from him. Through out the book, I felt Nicholas was acting like a teenage girl instead of a young hero. He whined a lot and was very,very immature. He wasn’t very smart either. I understand he was dealing with a lot; but I felt he just needed to shut up and grow up. Unfortunately, the book fell kind of flat after that; it was slow to get into again. I kept hoping the pace and the action would pick up. The book goes into a lot of detail and the 1st person point of view jumps from several characters throughout the novel; making it a little confusing.
There were still very good parts of the book. The action and fight scenes were excellent; the author described everything with an acute attention to detail. I felt like I was there; watching the fighting. The book also had humerus moments, especially between Nicholas and Isabel; his loyal pet and com padre. The book does pick up in the last 50 pages or so. I finally got back into it; riding along the edge of my seat, wondering what’s going to happen next. I just couldn’t put it down. Lies are told, the truth is uncovered, and a terrifying demon is unleashed. All in all, the book was very well written and is a great story. I only wish it had a little more action in the earlier chapters. I would definitely recommend this book to fans who enjoy a good read. It’s not just a fantasy novel; it can be thrown into the mix with just about any genre. That’s what makes Winning an excellent author.
http://everythingmarie.com/book-revie...
Amazing interview with an amazing author!! Josh Winning, author of Sentinel
http://everythingmarie.com/interview-...
This book grabbed me from the first few pages. It starts off with a little history to the story-line; dating back to the 1800′s, with; of course, a little magic involved. After a few pages, the story picks up in present day, located in Cambridge England. I will admit, the first chapter had me in tears. Starting the book off with a tragic death was unexpected; and I loved it.
Fifteen year old, Nicholas Hallow not only, must now deal with the death of his parents, but also the fact that he is a destined hero come to save all the Sentinels from the Dark Prophecies and evil Harvestors. Unfortunately, he had no idea who he really was since his parents kept it from him. Through out the book, I felt Nicholas was acting like a teenage girl instead of a young hero. He whined a lot and was very,very immature. He wasn’t very smart either. I understand he was dealing with a lot; but I felt he just needed to shut up and grow up. Unfortunately, the book fell kind of flat after that; it was slow to get into again. I kept hoping the pace and the action would pick up. The book goes into a lot of detail and the 1st person point of view jumps from several characters throughout the novel; making it a little confusing.
There were still very good parts of the book. The action and fight scenes were excellent; the author described everything with an acute attention to detail. I felt like I was there; watching the fighting. The book also had humerus moments, especially between Nicholas and Isabel; his loyal pet and com padre. The book does pick up in the last 50 pages or so. I finally got back into it; riding along the edge of my seat, wondering what’s going to happen next. I just couldn’t put it down. Lies are told, the truth is uncovered, and a terrifying demon is unleashed. All in all, the book was very well written and is a great story. I only wish it had a little more action in the earlier chapters. I would definitely recommend this book to fans who enjoy a good read. It’s not just a fantasy novel; it can be thrown into the mix with just about any genre. That’s what makes Winning an excellent author.
http://everythingmarie.com/book-revie...
Amazing interview with an amazing author!! Josh Winning, author of Sentinel
http://everythingmarie.com/interview-...
July 27, 2013
I received this book through the making connections group on goodreads and boy am I glad I did. This was a wonderful read. I have alot of questions I hope get answered in the next book ruins.
For a trilogy the first book leaves you wanting to know more. Many questions you need answered and can’t wait to see the answers to.
Nicholas Hallow is a interesting character. A boy with strength and conviction and justifiably emotional due to all that has happened in his life. You will cry for him and root him on as he goes on the journey through loss of loved ones, acceptance of the situation he is in, frustration, secrets revealed that he must digest, anger and acceptance.
Sam is a sweet man that you just want to take home with you. he’s the “grandpa" of the story that everyone loves. A strong man of character and strength that Nicholas leans on when he needs him.
Jessica the jury is still out on for she hasn’t really revealed much about herself. She is a enigma in every sense of the word.
The book is about the fight between good and evil. The dark shadows and the light that protects the human world. The light are the Sentinel’s, who over the years have gone soft so to speak.
Apparantly Nicholas is the one of two chosen ones according to Esus. What this means isn’t revealed yet and I am wondering and hoping it will be revealed in the second book. The book tells us about Sentinels and the battle they are about to employ in. It is a book that shows Nicholas beginning to wonder and question his life and than finally accepting himself although he still has many many questions.
Other questions I can’t wait to have answered are: Who is the second chosen one? Will she be discovered by the dark before the sentinels find her? What is the deal with Nicholas’s birth? What is the training? will Nicholas and the other one fall in love? What is it about the sensitive that was used in the end- why her and not the chosen one or is she the chosen one? What will happen to the town of Cambridge? can they fix the sentinels that have been affected by harvestors? Isabel what is her role? Malika- will she be back? What is this great power Nicholas has?
A book I found to be fascinating and wonderful to read that does leave you wanting more. One that shows the strength and character of its people and the plot escalates as the book continues. Can’t wait for ruins to come out.
For a trilogy the first book leaves you wanting to know more. Many questions you need answered and can’t wait to see the answers to.
Nicholas Hallow is a interesting character. A boy with strength and conviction and justifiably emotional due to all that has happened in his life. You will cry for him and root him on as he goes on the journey through loss of loved ones, acceptance of the situation he is in, frustration, secrets revealed that he must digest, anger and acceptance.
Sam is a sweet man that you just want to take home with you. he’s the “grandpa" of the story that everyone loves. A strong man of character and strength that Nicholas leans on when he needs him.
Jessica the jury is still out on for she hasn’t really revealed much about herself. She is a enigma in every sense of the word.
The book is about the fight between good and evil. The dark shadows and the light that protects the human world. The light are the Sentinel’s, who over the years have gone soft so to speak.
Apparantly Nicholas is the one of two chosen ones according to Esus. What this means isn’t revealed yet and I am wondering and hoping it will be revealed in the second book. The book tells us about Sentinels and the battle they are about to employ in. It is a book that shows Nicholas beginning to wonder and question his life and than finally accepting himself although he still has many many questions.
Other questions I can’t wait to have answered are: Who is the second chosen one? Will she be discovered by the dark before the sentinels find her? What is the deal with Nicholas’s birth? What is the training? will Nicholas and the other one fall in love? What is it about the sensitive that was used in the end- why her and not the chosen one or is she the chosen one? What will happen to the town of Cambridge? can they fix the sentinels that have been affected by harvestors? Isabel what is her role? Malika- will she be back? What is this great power Nicholas has?
A book I found to be fascinating and wonderful to read that does leave you wanting more. One that shows the strength and character of its people and the plot escalates as the book continues. Can’t wait for ruins to come out.
January 16, 2016
This book is creeee-py! I loved it, absolutely loved it! The author hooks you right from the very beginning.
I have always loved thrillers - movies, TV, books - whatever. Being a huge fan of Stephen King, Dean Koontz and Ted Dekker etc - It takes a lot to give me goosebumps or chills. This book gave me goosebumps on top of my chills! Even with all its scary, creepiness it was a fun and gripping story that I could not put down!
I don't know why but it almost had a Gothic feel to it that I really liked! And talk about suspense.. the suspense in this story is incredible. There were times when I sat there reading with my hand over my mouth just waiting for something to happen (with chills on my goosebumps of course LOL).
There were a lot of great characters in here, all done very well. But my favorite was Isabel the cat! Ha! You'll have to read it to find out why.
Besides great character development, the other thing I look for in a book is the visualization, can I picture it, does it feel like I am there? Score! This story had great visuals. It felt like I was watching a movie in my head. The descriptions are so good that even at the creepiest and strangest parts, I had no trouble understanding and picturing everything.
At the end of the book I read that the author studied film and writes for Total Film, Grolsch Film Works, and movieScope. - Well no wonder the book felt like I was watching a movie!!!
"What is a Sentinel?" she asked, as if reading his mind. "A Sentinel is a guard. A detective. A killer. There are Sentinels stationed all over the world, watching for dark creatures that inhabit the night. It is a Sentinel's duty to destroy those creatures, to protect the weak and the vulnerable. The world you come from knows nothing of the Sentinels and their cause. It is perhaps a thankless existence, but their duties must be carried out nonetheless."
"Typical. Here they were, trudging out into the wilds of the countryside, frozen stiff and possibly being stalked by some bloodthirsty fiend, and he didn't even have his phone." ~ Yeah, I hate when that happens!
Well I will be definitely be looking for the rest of this series! If you love a good thriller or suspense novel - this is definitely one you want to pick up! Very original, easy, quick, and creepy read!
Note to Joshua (author) - Next book please!
A huge thanks to Joshua Winning, the author, for sending me this ebook for my honest review!
I have always loved thrillers - movies, TV, books - whatever. Being a huge fan of Stephen King, Dean Koontz and Ted Dekker etc - It takes a lot to give me goosebumps or chills. This book gave me goosebumps on top of my chills! Even with all its scary, creepiness it was a fun and gripping story that I could not put down!
I don't know why but it almost had a Gothic feel to it that I really liked! And talk about suspense.. the suspense in this story is incredible. There were times when I sat there reading with my hand over my mouth just waiting for something to happen (with chills on my goosebumps of course LOL).
There were a lot of great characters in here, all done very well. But my favorite was Isabel the cat! Ha! You'll have to read it to find out why.
Besides great character development, the other thing I look for in a book is the visualization, can I picture it, does it feel like I am there? Score! This story had great visuals. It felt like I was watching a movie in my head. The descriptions are so good that even at the creepiest and strangest parts, I had no trouble understanding and picturing everything.
At the end of the book I read that the author studied film and writes for Total Film, Grolsch Film Works, and movieScope. - Well no wonder the book felt like I was watching a movie!!!
"What is a Sentinel?" she asked, as if reading his mind. "A Sentinel is a guard. A detective. A killer. There are Sentinels stationed all over the world, watching for dark creatures that inhabit the night. It is a Sentinel's duty to destroy those creatures, to protect the weak and the vulnerable. The world you come from knows nothing of the Sentinels and their cause. It is perhaps a thankless existence, but their duties must be carried out nonetheless."
"Typical. Here they were, trudging out into the wilds of the countryside, frozen stiff and possibly being stalked by some bloodthirsty fiend, and he didn't even have his phone." ~ Yeah, I hate when that happens!
Well I will be definitely be looking for the rest of this series! If you love a good thriller or suspense novel - this is definitely one you want to pick up! Very original, easy, quick, and creepy read!
Note to Joshua (author) - Next book please!
A huge thanks to Joshua Winning, the author, for sending me this ebook for my honest review!
June 15, 2018
I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.
This is a fantastic start to what looks like an exciting trilogy! I loved it!
Nicholas Hallow is a fantastic character. I liked him very much; and felt extremely sorry for him, as he dealt with a tragedy that destroyed his world. When he is sent to live with his godmother, Nicholas has no idea what mystery and danger awaits him.
This is an exciting, danger-filled YA Fantasy novel set it Cambridge, England. I found myself completely hooked from the first page! The characters come alive as the tale unfolds. Samuel Wilkins is Nicholas's parents friend. I liked his spirit! At 71 years old, he's still got a lot of it! Nicholas's godmother seemed a bit flighty to me, but when I read the full story of how she became that way, I could understand why. She's a powerful witch, but emotionally damaged by an event in her past. Isabel is a unique character, and her snarky and sarcastic comments had me giggling! I liked her very much! It's amazing what havoc a misfired spell can do to your perspective! However, there is one character that sent chills down my back, and her name is Malika. She is a creepy and dangerous individual! Well, I suppose you would have to be, working for a demon!
I struggled to put this book down, and couldn't wait to get back to it when I had to! There are several twists and turns in this book that I didn't see coming, but they just added to a totally enthralling read! By the end of the book I still had some questions that needed to be answered, such as: Why were the Sentinels created/formed? Who or what is Esus? And, what will happen next? I am now looking forward to reading the next book in the trilogy as soon as I can!
Joshua Winning has written a debut novel that had me sitting on the edge of my seat! I loved his fast paced writing style, which made the story flow beautifully. This author is one to watch. If he's not careful, he'll be on my favourite authors list in no time at all!
As this book is a Young Adult fantasy, I highly recommend this book to young readers aged 12+, and adults who love YA stories filled with witches, demons, supernatural beings, danger and adventure! - Lynn Worton
This is a fantastic start to what looks like an exciting trilogy! I loved it!
Nicholas Hallow is a fantastic character. I liked him very much; and felt extremely sorry for him, as he dealt with a tragedy that destroyed his world. When he is sent to live with his godmother, Nicholas has no idea what mystery and danger awaits him.
This is an exciting, danger-filled YA Fantasy novel set it Cambridge, England. I found myself completely hooked from the first page! The characters come alive as the tale unfolds. Samuel Wilkins is Nicholas's parents friend. I liked his spirit! At 71 years old, he's still got a lot of it! Nicholas's godmother seemed a bit flighty to me, but when I read the full story of how she became that way, I could understand why. She's a powerful witch, but emotionally damaged by an event in her past. Isabel is a unique character, and her snarky and sarcastic comments had me giggling! I liked her very much! It's amazing what havoc a misfired spell can do to your perspective! However, there is one character that sent chills down my back, and her name is Malika. She is a creepy and dangerous individual! Well, I suppose you would have to be, working for a demon!
I struggled to put this book down, and couldn't wait to get back to it when I had to! There are several twists and turns in this book that I didn't see coming, but they just added to a totally enthralling read! By the end of the book I still had some questions that needed to be answered, such as: Why were the Sentinels created/formed? Who or what is Esus? And, what will happen next? I am now looking forward to reading the next book in the trilogy as soon as I can!
Joshua Winning has written a debut novel that had me sitting on the edge of my seat! I loved his fast paced writing style, which made the story flow beautifully. This author is one to watch. If he's not careful, he'll be on my favourite authors list in no time at all!
As this book is a Young Adult fantasy, I highly recommend this book to young readers aged 12+, and adults who love YA stories filled with witches, demons, supernatural beings, danger and adventure! - Lynn Worton
December 23, 2020
For more YA reviews, visit my blog!
Young Adult urban horror/fantasy set in and around Cambridge? Yes please!
The blurb on the back of Book One of the Sentinel Trilogy promises 'unconventional heroes, monsters, murder and magic', and the story doesn't disappoint. Fifteen-year-old Nicholas Hallow's world is turned upside-down when his parents are killed in a train crash. A letter from his father to an old friend sets out what should be done if anything were to happen to his parents, and Nicholas finds himself uprooted from his home and placed in the care of a godmother he knows nothing about. Chased by evil entities he doesn't understand, and with his future decided by adults who refuse to explain the danger he faces, Nicholas attempts to find his own answers. Will he find the truth, or will the demons find him first?
Sentinel is a fun read. There are dramatic scenes that explode vividly from the page like sequences from a film, and quieter, more reflective sections that give the reader a chance to get to know Nicholas, and the people around him. The constant refusal of the adults to explain anything to Nicholas becomes more frustrating for him as the story progresses, and while this frustration is shared by the reader, it serves a chilling purpose at the end of the book. Nicholas is relatable as a grieving, powerless teenager, attempting to understand the secrets that define his life, but it is the supporting characters who bring colour and depth to the story. Sam, the elderly friend of the family, and Liberty, in particular, provide the book's unconventional heroes, and the principle antagonist is absolutely delicious in her evil scheming.
The settings for the story are well drawn, and the scenes set in Cambridge are fun to read if you are familiar with the locations. The sequence at the Fitzwilliam Museum felt very close to home, and the descriptions of Midsummer Common provided a solid real-world anchor for Nicholas's experiences. There are hat-tips to Narnia (I counted three), an interesting system of magic, symbols, and folklore, and a house that felt like a character in its own right.
Judging by the ending, things can only get more exciting in Book Two!
Young Adult urban horror/fantasy set in and around Cambridge? Yes please!
The blurb on the back of Book One of the Sentinel Trilogy promises 'unconventional heroes, monsters, murder and magic', and the story doesn't disappoint. Fifteen-year-old Nicholas Hallow's world is turned upside-down when his parents are killed in a train crash. A letter from his father to an old friend sets out what should be done if anything were to happen to his parents, and Nicholas finds himself uprooted from his home and placed in the care of a godmother he knows nothing about. Chased by evil entities he doesn't understand, and with his future decided by adults who refuse to explain the danger he faces, Nicholas attempts to find his own answers. Will he find the truth, or will the demons find him first?
Sentinel is a fun read. There are dramatic scenes that explode vividly from the page like sequences from a film, and quieter, more reflective sections that give the reader a chance to get to know Nicholas, and the people around him. The constant refusal of the adults to explain anything to Nicholas becomes more frustrating for him as the story progresses, and while this frustration is shared by the reader, it serves a chilling purpose at the end of the book. Nicholas is relatable as a grieving, powerless teenager, attempting to understand the secrets that define his life, but it is the supporting characters who bring colour and depth to the story. Sam, the elderly friend of the family, and Liberty, in particular, provide the book's unconventional heroes, and the principle antagonist is absolutely delicious in her evil scheming.
The settings for the story are well drawn, and the scenes set in Cambridge are fun to read if you are familiar with the locations. The sequence at the Fitzwilliam Museum felt very close to home, and the descriptions of Midsummer Common provided a solid real-world anchor for Nicholas's experiences. There are hat-tips to Narnia (I counted three), an interesting system of magic, symbols, and folklore, and a house that felt like a character in its own right.
Judging by the ending, things can only get more exciting in Book Two!
April 9, 2015
This book is not faced paced but there is plenty of action. There was enough suspense to keep me turning the pages. I usually don't like books that take the pace slow but this book was so well written it kept me wanting more.
The world building is good. The charaters are good. The story line is intriguing.
The world building is good. The charaters are good. The story line is intriguing.
February 22, 2018
Fast paced and absolutely wonderfully written. I loved the characters and the world that Joshua creates! It was so interesting to read, and I didn't want to put it down because I was so invested! I can't wait to read the next book!
FULL REVIEW: https://betweenthepages13.wordpress.c...
FULL REVIEW: https://betweenthepages13.wordpress.c...
March 11, 2018
Publisher: Peridot Press, Woodbridge
Year of Publication: 2014
Pick a side and join the eternal struggle between light and dark in Joshua Winning’s Sentinel.
Sentinel tells the story of Nicholas Hallow and the discovery of his heritage that marks him Sentinel, an agent of light who fights against evil and darkness. A classic coming-of-age story, Sentinel takes place in a world where the naivety of one teenager costs lives, good doesn’t always win hands down and a world where even good can be a little evil. Talking cats, femme fatales and potbellied men all come together to transform an already formidable story into a multi-tonal and quite fantastic experience that left this reader craving more.
The geographical switches of the story were effective ways of building tension because it meant that just as we were on the edges of our seats and the action sequences were about to start, we switched location hungry for blood. Pacing the two sides of the story and bringing them to a climax simultaneously kept me reading and I’m not sure that separating them and doing them one then the other, which some books have in the past, would really have amused me. I could see the elements coming together all around and could see them heading to the middle which was perfectly engineered. It also meant that I didn’t get bored of each viewpoint. The story had all the elements of a typical teenage fantasy; it managed to set up a basis for a trilogy well and we can tell that Nicholas’ journey is only now beginning. His character is not the only one though that has an arc to work through and we see a different journey for Isabel, Jessica and Sam. The novel does not make the mistake though of serving us characters that have already done their development and use them as a wall off which Nicholas can bounce. Sam fights against an ageless plight though he realises the Sentinels are weaker than ever before, Jessica fights against the demons of her past and seeks forgiveness whereas Isabel is forced back into this world and seems to seek someone to fight the her lack of family (which she of course finds in the rebellious Nicholas).
The plot itself was classically structured featuring mysteries, action chases as well as big fights that are barely won. What I liked most though about the plot was its refusal to hurl magic left, right and centre as an answer to any problem that arose. It wasn’t all solvable by the wave of a wand and we are left not knowing what the situation is with the Sentinels, Hallow House and what is to come. The epilogue of the book is perhaps the most ambiguous moment of the entire story: is the female the second foretold character who needs to be found and will she be good or evil? The moment that seems the most ominous for this trilogy is when we realise that Orville is not what it appears. Nicholas’ conception is shrouded in mystery and it openly toys with the idea of good and evil. If Nicholas’ conception was engineered by the side of Good, was it an act of Good in itself? Its philosophical questioning is surprisingly advanced for a teenage book and refreshing because it isn’t presenting an answer but instead has a tearful Jessica revealing all in an attempt to save her own life before she is killed by a mesmerised Nicholas.
Nicholas Hallow, the central character in the story, is an everyday 15 year old to the naked eye. At the end of Sentinel, we are certain that he is much more though only a few tantalising strips of information are thrown at us. Given his set of circumstances in the story, we would expect Nick to be painfully brooding but he is actually a hotbed of teenage angst and surprisingly likeable for it. He has all the admirable traits of a hero and his main flaw is his blatant disregard for his own safety in the face of adversity. Malika is a delightful adversary placed perfectly opposite Sam and Nicholas who oozes utter evilness. She is sultry, beautiful and yet wicked at the same time. Despite her clearly evil character, I found it impossible to hate her because she was so deliciously fabulous. Towards the end, there was one moment that made me question her entire motives and that added to her depth because it made me wonder, even just for a second, if there was a justification for her behaviour.
I have to admit though, two characters held my fascination more than the others: Liberty and Isabel. Liberty is the typical character in any fantasy book that promises more though we know it’s unlikely we will ever understand them until the finale book. Isabel though is something quite different. I must admit, I had a big soft spot for the orphan cat stuck outside who is taken in and finds herself living in a world of privilege meandering around wherever it suits her being a pest. Imagine my disdain then when that character was wiped from existence. There is a certain place in my heart for non-speaking characters that seem to have so much character despite their lack of lines. That being said, Isabel was not necessarily an unwelcome replacement. She is as tenacious as Malika and my money would be on her to win in a fight between the two were she not stuck in the body of a cat. She is written though in a rather beautiful way that made me want to protect her. Initially she comes across as a piece of bone flint when in fact she is perhaps a decadent chocolate filled with truffle because once you get past her fiery exterior, actually you see a character that is protective, wise and loveable. Her backstory is somewhat surprising and we see in her a parental figure that Nicholas sorely needs.
I was thoroughly impressed by Winning’s Sentinel. Its clever manipulations of story and exemplary characters made it one of those rare finds that will likely remain with me for years to come. The intermingling of genres was effortless with femme fatales and undercover cops mixing perfectly with talking cats and magic houses. The only real challenges that Joshua Winning now faces is producing the goods with its sequel Ruins, penned for a Spring 2015 release and not breaking my heart by removing more beloved animals that I grow strangely attached to!
Year of Publication: 2014
Pick a side and join the eternal struggle between light and dark in Joshua Winning’s Sentinel.
Sentinel tells the story of Nicholas Hallow and the discovery of his heritage that marks him Sentinel, an agent of light who fights against evil and darkness. A classic coming-of-age story, Sentinel takes place in a world where the naivety of one teenager costs lives, good doesn’t always win hands down and a world where even good can be a little evil. Talking cats, femme fatales and potbellied men all come together to transform an already formidable story into a multi-tonal and quite fantastic experience that left this reader craving more.
The geographical switches of the story were effective ways of building tension because it meant that just as we were on the edges of our seats and the action sequences were about to start, we switched location hungry for blood. Pacing the two sides of the story and bringing them to a climax simultaneously kept me reading and I’m not sure that separating them and doing them one then the other, which some books have in the past, would really have amused me. I could see the elements coming together all around and could see them heading to the middle which was perfectly engineered. It also meant that I didn’t get bored of each viewpoint. The story had all the elements of a typical teenage fantasy; it managed to set up a basis for a trilogy well and we can tell that Nicholas’ journey is only now beginning. His character is not the only one though that has an arc to work through and we see a different journey for Isabel, Jessica and Sam. The novel does not make the mistake though of serving us characters that have already done their development and use them as a wall off which Nicholas can bounce. Sam fights against an ageless plight though he realises the Sentinels are weaker than ever before, Jessica fights against the demons of her past and seeks forgiveness whereas Isabel is forced back into this world and seems to seek someone to fight the her lack of family (which she of course finds in the rebellious Nicholas).
The plot itself was classically structured featuring mysteries, action chases as well as big fights that are barely won. What I liked most though about the plot was its refusal to hurl magic left, right and centre as an answer to any problem that arose. It wasn’t all solvable by the wave of a wand and we are left not knowing what the situation is with the Sentinels, Hallow House and what is to come. The epilogue of the book is perhaps the most ambiguous moment of the entire story: is the female the second foretold character who needs to be found and will she be good or evil? The moment that seems the most ominous for this trilogy is when we realise that Orville is not what it appears. Nicholas’ conception is shrouded in mystery and it openly toys with the idea of good and evil. If Nicholas’ conception was engineered by the side of Good, was it an act of Good in itself? Its philosophical questioning is surprisingly advanced for a teenage book and refreshing because it isn’t presenting an answer but instead has a tearful Jessica revealing all in an attempt to save her own life before she is killed by a mesmerised Nicholas.
Nicholas Hallow, the central character in the story, is an everyday 15 year old to the naked eye. At the end of Sentinel, we are certain that he is much more though only a few tantalising strips of information are thrown at us. Given his set of circumstances in the story, we would expect Nick to be painfully brooding but he is actually a hotbed of teenage angst and surprisingly likeable for it. He has all the admirable traits of a hero and his main flaw is his blatant disregard for his own safety in the face of adversity. Malika is a delightful adversary placed perfectly opposite Sam and Nicholas who oozes utter evilness. She is sultry, beautiful and yet wicked at the same time. Despite her clearly evil character, I found it impossible to hate her because she was so deliciously fabulous. Towards the end, there was one moment that made me question her entire motives and that added to her depth because it made me wonder, even just for a second, if there was a justification for her behaviour.
I have to admit though, two characters held my fascination more than the others: Liberty and Isabel. Liberty is the typical character in any fantasy book that promises more though we know it’s unlikely we will ever understand them until the finale book. Isabel though is something quite different. I must admit, I had a big soft spot for the orphan cat stuck outside who is taken in and finds herself living in a world of privilege meandering around wherever it suits her being a pest. Imagine my disdain then when that character was wiped from existence. There is a certain place in my heart for non-speaking characters that seem to have so much character despite their lack of lines. That being said, Isabel was not necessarily an unwelcome replacement. She is as tenacious as Malika and my money would be on her to win in a fight between the two were she not stuck in the body of a cat. She is written though in a rather beautiful way that made me want to protect her. Initially she comes across as a piece of bone flint when in fact she is perhaps a decadent chocolate filled with truffle because once you get past her fiery exterior, actually you see a character that is protective, wise and loveable. Her backstory is somewhat surprising and we see in her a parental figure that Nicholas sorely needs.
I was thoroughly impressed by Winning’s Sentinel. Its clever manipulations of story and exemplary characters made it one of those rare finds that will likely remain with me for years to come. The intermingling of genres was effortless with femme fatales and undercover cops mixing perfectly with talking cats and magic houses. The only real challenges that Joshua Winning now faces is producing the goods with its sequel Ruins, penned for a Spring 2015 release and not breaking my heart by removing more beloved animals that I grow strangely attached to!
August 2, 2018
This book read more like a prequel then a first book. It had the feeling of "this is how all your favorite characters ended up in their epic adventure".
It started off a little slower then I expected and I will admit that I had trouble getting into it. I found that for the first half of the book the reader was jumped around between characters of the story too quickly. It felt as if just as you started to learn about one character you would be taken from them to learn about someone different. It was hard for me to tell who was a main character and who was supporting character as there was not enough time spent on any one character.
However! The story really came along in the second half. It started to flow better and you started to get to know the characters a bit more. By the end of the book you where left feeling satisfied and ready to sink your teeth into the next one.
I hope the next book in the trilogy really develops the characters we have seen, and answers some of the questions that the reader may have from the first one.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
It started off a little slower then I expected and I will admit that I had trouble getting into it. I found that for the first half of the book the reader was jumped around between characters of the story too quickly. It felt as if just as you started to learn about one character you would be taken from them to learn about someone different. It was hard for me to tell who was a main character and who was supporting character as there was not enough time spent on any one character.
However! The story really came along in the second half. It started to flow better and you started to get to know the characters a bit more. By the end of the book you where left feeling satisfied and ready to sink your teeth into the next one.
I hope the next book in the trilogy really develops the characters we have seen, and answers some of the questions that the reader may have from the first one.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 25, 2018
Excerpt from my review - originally published at Offbeat YA.
PLEASE NOTE - THIS IS A JOINT REVIEW FOR THE WHOLE SERIES
Pros: On the whole, a fast-paced, high-stakes adventure, with a strong ensemble cast and plenty of heart.
Cons: Slow start, tapping into your typical orphan-to-chosen-one trope. Book 1 also has a strangely quaint atmosphere.
WARNING! Contains many elements of horror and gore, plus nightmarish monsters.
Will appeal to: Those who like apocalyptic scenarios (in the truest sense), everyday heroes, surprises...and cats. Those who like seeing characters come of age under exceptional circumstances.
First off...DISCLAIMER: I was offered a review copy by the author, having previously reviewed another one of his books (Vicious Rumer). We also follow each other on Twitter. This didn't influence my opinion on the series.
HITTING THE STRIDE
Straight-up fantasy books are not my thing, but I'm drawn to urban fantasy from time to time, and I do enjoy my Supernatural 😊. That's why I decided to take a chance on this series. I won't lie - Book 1 left me a bit lukewarm. I understand that world-building is necessary and takes time, plus we see most events through Nicholas' eyes, while on the one hand he discovers a new, terrifying world, and on the other is smothered in secrets for his own protection (ha! the old excuse). But my main problem with Sentinel was that its atmosphere is oddly dated, and I couldn't help but feeling like I was reading a historical novel. Of course, old England plays a huge part in the series, with settings like Cambridge or Bury St. Edmunds, and it was indeed nice to be able to visit a world that doesn't come up often in YA - but I'm talking about something deeper here, that to me prevented the series to fully spread its wings. Not to mention, there were a few tropes in Book 1 that sounded too typical - recently orphaned and clueless kid destined to save the world, old mentor, secret room, you name it. Luckily, once I started Book 2, I got sucked up into the story: the author seems to find his feet in Ruins, (not only because most of the world-building and the secrets are out of the way), and Splinter is a poignant, strong finale - while the Witchpin novella, set in a distant past but tied to the events recounted in the trilogy, is a welcomed glimpse into a different era and the origins of a certain pivotal character. [...]
Whole review here.
PLEASE NOTE - THIS IS A JOINT REVIEW FOR THE WHOLE SERIES
Pros: On the whole, a fast-paced, high-stakes adventure, with a strong ensemble cast and plenty of heart.
Cons: Slow start, tapping into your typical orphan-to-chosen-one trope. Book 1 also has a strangely quaint atmosphere.
WARNING! Contains many elements of horror and gore, plus nightmarish monsters.
Will appeal to: Those who like apocalyptic scenarios (in the truest sense), everyday heroes, surprises...and cats. Those who like seeing characters come of age under exceptional circumstances.
First off...DISCLAIMER: I was offered a review copy by the author, having previously reviewed another one of his books (Vicious Rumer). We also follow each other on Twitter. This didn't influence my opinion on the series.
HITTING THE STRIDE
Straight-up fantasy books are not my thing, but I'm drawn to urban fantasy from time to time, and I do enjoy my Supernatural 😊. That's why I decided to take a chance on this series. I won't lie - Book 1 left me a bit lukewarm. I understand that world-building is necessary and takes time, plus we see most events through Nicholas' eyes, while on the one hand he discovers a new, terrifying world, and on the other is smothered in secrets for his own protection (ha! the old excuse). But my main problem with Sentinel was that its atmosphere is oddly dated, and I couldn't help but feeling like I was reading a historical novel. Of course, old England plays a huge part in the series, with settings like Cambridge or Bury St. Edmunds, and it was indeed nice to be able to visit a world that doesn't come up often in YA - but I'm talking about something deeper here, that to me prevented the series to fully spread its wings. Not to mention, there were a few tropes in Book 1 that sounded too typical - recently orphaned and clueless kid destined to save the world, old mentor, secret room, you name it. Luckily, once I started Book 2, I got sucked up into the story: the author seems to find his feet in Ruins, (not only because most of the world-building and the secrets are out of the way), and Splinter is a poignant, strong finale - while the Witchpin novella, set in a distant past but tied to the events recounted in the trilogy, is a welcomed glimpse into a different era and the origins of a certain pivotal character. [...]
Whole review here.
August 20, 2020
I don't think I was the target audience for the book as sadly just thought it was an okay read.
I didn't find the plot immersive or relate to any of the characters.
I was also not a massive fan of the writing and had to really push myself to finish the book.
I didn't find the plot immersive or relate to any of the characters.
I was also not a massive fan of the writing and had to really push myself to finish the book.
May 27, 2015
I’m sure that everyone has had daydreams of living a different life; of waking up one morning and discovering your regular life is changed so dramatically that everything is new and exciting. It’s great to dream but for Nicholas Hallow the dream becomes a nightmare when a family tragedy unlocks a new life that he could never have expected.
The Sentinels are the de-facto guardians of humanity. This secret society are the chosen few, just slightly out of step with normal existence. They suffer and fight for us so that we can live on in blissful ignorance. I’ve always liked that idea, the premise that groups like this could exist side by side with the rest of us, hidden in plain sight.
Nicholas is an engaging lead, and it was easy to empathise with him as he is dragged through the emotional wringer. I have to admit though, I was more interested in another couple of characters. First there is Sam Wilkins. Sam is an old family friend who becomes Nicholas’ guardian and, perhaps more importantly, his mentor. He remains suitably mysterious throughout, but you get the sense that Sam has seen some things in his time and still remains a force to be reckoned with. Sam’s character reads almost like an old school private detective, he even favours a fedora, and I just bet he has some stories that would make your hair stand on end. The other character is Isabel. Nicholas and Isabel have an interesting relationship. Let’s put it this way, they don’t always see eye to eye. Isabel is wonderfully snarky and looks down on everything that Nicholas does. Needless to say I loved her immediately.
The forces that the Sentinels face are an entirely evil bunch. Demons and their followers don’t take prisoners, they exist only to destroy or to corrupt. It quickly becomes obvious that the Sentinels aren’t just in a fight for their lives, but for everyones. I rather like the dark nature of these villains. Nicholas is forced to grow up quickly when he realises exactly what is at stake in his new life. This is end-of-the-world type stuff we are talking about here, people. There are no second chances when facing off against demons; it is kill or be killed. The tools of the Dark Prophets are violent, utterly driven, and have no problem doing whatever it takes to get the job done.
My only criticism, and it is a relatively minor one, is that there could have been a little bit more exposition in some areas. The author successfully piqued my interested about the Sentinels and how their organisation works. but just a little bit more detail would have made all the difference. For example, there is a character called Esus who appears to hold a very special place in society. He pops up from time to time, but could be the posterboy for the word enigmatic. I don’t mind a bit of mystery, Sam being the perfect example, but Esus was just a little to inscrutable for my liking. Hopefully there will be a bit more detail in future novels.
That quibble aside, this first book in the Sentinel trilogy does do a pretty solid job of setting up this new series. Nicholas is initially oblivious of his origins, and this gives Winning the opportunity to reveal the rules as Nicholas learns them himself. I don’t think you could hope for a more entertaining introduction into the world of the Sentinels. If other teens with a destiny have taught us anything, it’s that you can’t really can’t go far wrong with fiction like this. Sometimes darkly horrific, but always exciting. This is great deal of fun. Put it this way, if you enjoy danger, demons and more secrets than you can shake a big stick at, then Sentinel is the book for you. I wish there had been more books like this around when I was a teen. I would have devoured them all, one after another.
The Sentinels are the de-facto guardians of humanity. This secret society are the chosen few, just slightly out of step with normal existence. They suffer and fight for us so that we can live on in blissful ignorance. I’ve always liked that idea, the premise that groups like this could exist side by side with the rest of us, hidden in plain sight.
Nicholas is an engaging lead, and it was easy to empathise with him as he is dragged through the emotional wringer. I have to admit though, I was more interested in another couple of characters. First there is Sam Wilkins. Sam is an old family friend who becomes Nicholas’ guardian and, perhaps more importantly, his mentor. He remains suitably mysterious throughout, but you get the sense that Sam has seen some things in his time and still remains a force to be reckoned with. Sam’s character reads almost like an old school private detective, he even favours a fedora, and I just bet he has some stories that would make your hair stand on end. The other character is Isabel. Nicholas and Isabel have an interesting relationship. Let’s put it this way, they don’t always see eye to eye. Isabel is wonderfully snarky and looks down on everything that Nicholas does. Needless to say I loved her immediately.
The forces that the Sentinels face are an entirely evil bunch. Demons and their followers don’t take prisoners, they exist only to destroy or to corrupt. It quickly becomes obvious that the Sentinels aren’t just in a fight for their lives, but for everyones. I rather like the dark nature of these villains. Nicholas is forced to grow up quickly when he realises exactly what is at stake in his new life. This is end-of-the-world type stuff we are talking about here, people. There are no second chances when facing off against demons; it is kill or be killed. The tools of the Dark Prophets are violent, utterly driven, and have no problem doing whatever it takes to get the job done.
My only criticism, and it is a relatively minor one, is that there could have been a little bit more exposition in some areas. The author successfully piqued my interested about the Sentinels and how their organisation works. but just a little bit more detail would have made all the difference. For example, there is a character called Esus who appears to hold a very special place in society. He pops up from time to time, but could be the posterboy for the word enigmatic. I don’t mind a bit of mystery, Sam being the perfect example, but Esus was just a little to inscrutable for my liking. Hopefully there will be a bit more detail in future novels.
That quibble aside, this first book in the Sentinel trilogy does do a pretty solid job of setting up this new series. Nicholas is initially oblivious of his origins, and this gives Winning the opportunity to reveal the rules as Nicholas learns them himself. I don’t think you could hope for a more entertaining introduction into the world of the Sentinels. If other teens with a destiny have taught us anything, it’s that you can’t really can’t go far wrong with fiction like this. Sometimes darkly horrific, but always exciting. This is great deal of fun. Put it this way, if you enjoy danger, demons and more secrets than you can shake a big stick at, then Sentinel is the book for you. I wish there had been more books like this around when I was a teen. I would have devoured them all, one after another.
July 24, 2013
Nicholas lived a very ordinary life in Cambridge – until the fateful day his parents died.
After which Sam, his parents’ oldest friend, swoops in to try and get him out of Cambridge, to go stay with a godmother he’s never heard of in a large house in the countryside. What should be a simple trip is made harrowing by attacks and the revelation that his parents did not die by accident – they were killed by demons.
Which is what Sam, as a Sentinel, needs to battle and oppose. First and foremost that means getting Nicholas – who is special – to safety. But then he needs to help the besieged sentinels, including those who have been attacked and the increasing number who are dying
Unfortunately if I had to sum up this book in 2 words they would be “vague” and “slow”.
In this world we have evil dark demons of badness who are doing dark and nefarious things. They’re either coming to Earth or want to come to Earth or are on Earth and we wish they weren’t and they’re going to do bad stuff while here
What that bad stuff is, I don’t know. What these demons are, I don’t know. What these demons can do, I don’t know. They’re demons, they’re served by Harvesters (I don’t know what they are) and Familiars (I don’t know what they are). And they’re evil and want to do evil things.
Then there are the good guys called the sentinels. They fight the bad things, for reasons unknown but positively related to the bad guys being bad. I don’t know what the sentinels are, how they started, what their symbols are, what their resources are, what they do or how they do it. But they’re the good guys and they fight the bad guys. They also serve something called the Trinity – I have no idea what that is beyond the fact it probably isn’t the Christian Trinity. Esus is also involved as well – Gaulish Celtic god (not that the book tells me that, I just know the name. We just have Esus. He wields a mask. He’s important somehow).
Then we have Nicholas, the 15 year old. His parents were sentinels (tragic parent death) and he is special. How he is special I don’t know, but he was born special. I don’t know how. He may be able to do things. I don’t know what. But his specialness is such that the bad guys want to kill him and the good guys would rather that didn’t happen.
Did I mention this book is vague? Because it’s really really really vague. The generic nature of so much of this book and the complete lack of any attempt to develop or characterise the world its set in makes it incredibly frustrating to read. What is happening? Why? How am I supposed to get invested in this? Will someone please explain things?!
Then there’s the slow. The first half of this book is spent with Nicholas grieving for his dead parents (who die in the opening chapter so I have no idea what Nicholas is other than mopey and grief striken) and then wandering around while every doesn’t tell him anything. Sam, Liberty and other side characters occasionally wander off to be intimidated by murderous demons (who, because of the vagueness, could just as easily be murderous knife-wielding psychotics) and pretend to Nicholas that everything is fine. At one immensely frustrating moment, Nicholas actually finds a journal of past Sentinel activities and doesn’t read it to is. Whether he reads it to himself, I don’t know but the reader gets no enlightenment. This is frustrating.
At the half way point we get the big reveal from the spooky woman who is way older than she looks – DEMONS ARE REAL!
Read More
After which Sam, his parents’ oldest friend, swoops in to try and get him out of Cambridge, to go stay with a godmother he’s never heard of in a large house in the countryside. What should be a simple trip is made harrowing by attacks and the revelation that his parents did not die by accident – they were killed by demons.
Which is what Sam, as a Sentinel, needs to battle and oppose. First and foremost that means getting Nicholas – who is special – to safety. But then he needs to help the besieged sentinels, including those who have been attacked and the increasing number who are dying
Unfortunately if I had to sum up this book in 2 words they would be “vague” and “slow”.
In this world we have evil dark demons of badness who are doing dark and nefarious things. They’re either coming to Earth or want to come to Earth or are on Earth and we wish they weren’t and they’re going to do bad stuff while here
What that bad stuff is, I don’t know. What these demons are, I don’t know. What these demons can do, I don’t know. They’re demons, they’re served by Harvesters (I don’t know what they are) and Familiars (I don’t know what they are). And they’re evil and want to do evil things.
Then there are the good guys called the sentinels. They fight the bad things, for reasons unknown but positively related to the bad guys being bad. I don’t know what the sentinels are, how they started, what their symbols are, what their resources are, what they do or how they do it. But they’re the good guys and they fight the bad guys. They also serve something called the Trinity – I have no idea what that is beyond the fact it probably isn’t the Christian Trinity. Esus is also involved as well – Gaulish Celtic god (not that the book tells me that, I just know the name. We just have Esus. He wields a mask. He’s important somehow).
Then we have Nicholas, the 15 year old. His parents were sentinels (tragic parent death) and he is special. How he is special I don’t know, but he was born special. I don’t know how. He may be able to do things. I don’t know what. But his specialness is such that the bad guys want to kill him and the good guys would rather that didn’t happen.
Did I mention this book is vague? Because it’s really really really vague. The generic nature of so much of this book and the complete lack of any attempt to develop or characterise the world its set in makes it incredibly frustrating to read. What is happening? Why? How am I supposed to get invested in this? Will someone please explain things?!
Then there’s the slow. The first half of this book is spent with Nicholas grieving for his dead parents (who die in the opening chapter so I have no idea what Nicholas is other than mopey and grief striken) and then wandering around while every doesn’t tell him anything. Sam, Liberty and other side characters occasionally wander off to be intimidated by murderous demons (who, because of the vagueness, could just as easily be murderous knife-wielding psychotics) and pretend to Nicholas that everything is fine. At one immensely frustrating moment, Nicholas actually finds a journal of past Sentinel activities and doesn’t read it to is. Whether he reads it to himself, I don’t know but the reader gets no enlightenment. This is frustrating.
At the half way point we get the big reveal from the spooky woman who is way older than she looks – DEMONS ARE REAL!
Read More
July 22, 2018
I recently read and reviewed Josh Winning’s dark, gritty thriller Vicious Rumer, and absolutely loved it, so when I was offered the chance to take part in the blog tour for Splinter, the Sentinel series finale, I leapt at the chance. I loved Josh’s writing style – the descriptions are incredibly vivid, almost visceral in places, and you can see that in evidence in Sentinel, which was his debut novel. I felt his style had become slicker and more accomplished by Vicious Rumer.
The pace of the novel felt quite gentle, yet it is actually action-packed from the word go. We begin by meeting the Hallows as they travel on their ill-fated train, and despite knowing the fate that awaited them I was slightly annoyed to find that the author managed to make me feel attached to them and somewhat cheated when the inevitable tragedy occurs!
There were some wonderful characters. I particularly loved Sam – he has a great character and it was wonderful both to have some representation of an older generation and to see him trying to overcome his age to continue the same lifestyle he managed when younger. Isabel! I won’t say why I was so attached to Isabel (spoilers) but I enjoyed her feisty nature and quirks. I was less fond of Jessica as she seemed somewhat contradictory – for me her vulnerability didn’t quite seem to tally with her role and history.
I particularly enjoyed how we were tantalisingly drip-fed information about Sentinels, learning with Nicholas as he gradually uncovers this world. I was left with the feeling that there is still a lot more to unearth. There was some fantastic blurring of the lines between good and evil where our ‘good’ characters are faced with some difficult choices. This was a really enjoyable fantasy novel which left me with a pleasurable anticipation of the next instalment.
The pace of the novel felt quite gentle, yet it is actually action-packed from the word go. We begin by meeting the Hallows as they travel on their ill-fated train, and despite knowing the fate that awaited them I was slightly annoyed to find that the author managed to make me feel attached to them and somewhat cheated when the inevitable tragedy occurs!
There were some wonderful characters. I particularly loved Sam – he has a great character and it was wonderful both to have some representation of an older generation and to see him trying to overcome his age to continue the same lifestyle he managed when younger. Isabel! I won’t say why I was so attached to Isabel (spoilers) but I enjoyed her feisty nature and quirks. I was less fond of Jessica as she seemed somewhat contradictory – for me her vulnerability didn’t quite seem to tally with her role and history.
I particularly enjoyed how we were tantalisingly drip-fed information about Sentinels, learning with Nicholas as he gradually uncovers this world. I was left with the feeling that there is still a lot more to unearth. There was some fantastic blurring of the lines between good and evil where our ‘good’ characters are faced with some difficult choices. This was a really enjoyable fantasy novel which left me with a pleasurable anticipation of the next instalment.
July 4, 2013
Kyra's Star Ratings:
Characters: * * * * *
Story: * * * * *
Writing: * * * * *
Emotional Engagement: * * * * *
(I received a free copy of this book for the purpose of giving an honest review.)
"Sentinel" is the story of a fifteen-year-old boy, Nicholas Hallow, who, when his world falls apart, learns that he has abilities and a heritage that he never dreamed of. Evil beings who were long held at bay by the Sentinels have begun to gain a foothold in our world, and Nicholas finds himself the object of the stuggle between the Sentinels and the servants of the Dark Prophets.
This book grabbed me from the beginning and didn't let go till the end. The sense of menace never lets up - even when Nicholas finds refuge, the danger is still out there, waiting. The descriptions of a world where evil is gaining power are chilling, as are the antagonists themselves. The characters are vividly drawn, and I found myself loving the good guys (and girls) and loving to hate the baddies. the book is also emotionally gripping - I felt the highs, lows, fear, relief, and shock right along with the characters.
"Sentinel" is described as "dark YA fantasy," but it hits that sweet spot of having a teen protagonist and being appropriate for/interesting to teens, while also being written with a deeper, more sophisticated adult voice and outlook and featuring some adult point-of-view characters. I'm not a big YA reader, preferring adult characters and an adult voice, but I found myself deeply engaged in and satisfied with reading "Sentinel." Besides being a good example of YA-adult crossover, I think this book would appeal very much to teen boys who enjoyed the Harry Potter books.
It isn't perfect; there are a few bits of the story that didn't quite hang together for me, though it never lost my attention, and the author occasionally uses words to attribute dialogue that don't really work as substitutes for "said." There's also a technical editing glitch (looks like a search-and-replace mistake) that I brought to the author's attention and will be corrected soon if it hasn't been already.
Other than those tiny nitpicks, I thought "Sentinel" was fantastic, and enjoyed it immensely. (Plus it gives a whole new meaning to the term "crazy cat lady"!) I highly recommend it, and I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in the series.
Characters: * * * * *
Story: * * * * *
Writing: * * * * *
Emotional Engagement: * * * * *
(I received a free copy of this book for the purpose of giving an honest review.)
"Sentinel" is the story of a fifteen-year-old boy, Nicholas Hallow, who, when his world falls apart, learns that he has abilities and a heritage that he never dreamed of. Evil beings who were long held at bay by the Sentinels have begun to gain a foothold in our world, and Nicholas finds himself the object of the stuggle between the Sentinels and the servants of the Dark Prophets.
This book grabbed me from the beginning and didn't let go till the end. The sense of menace never lets up - even when Nicholas finds refuge, the danger is still out there, waiting. The descriptions of a world where evil is gaining power are chilling, as are the antagonists themselves. The characters are vividly drawn, and I found myself loving the good guys (and girls) and loving to hate the baddies. the book is also emotionally gripping - I felt the highs, lows, fear, relief, and shock right along with the characters.
"Sentinel" is described as "dark YA fantasy," but it hits that sweet spot of having a teen protagonist and being appropriate for/interesting to teens, while also being written with a deeper, more sophisticated adult voice and outlook and featuring some adult point-of-view characters. I'm not a big YA reader, preferring adult characters and an adult voice, but I found myself deeply engaged in and satisfied with reading "Sentinel." Besides being a good example of YA-adult crossover, I think this book would appeal very much to teen boys who enjoyed the Harry Potter books.
It isn't perfect; there are a few bits of the story that didn't quite hang together for me, though it never lost my attention, and the author occasionally uses words to attribute dialogue that don't really work as substitutes for "said." There's also a technical editing glitch (looks like a search-and-replace mistake) that I brought to the author's attention and will be corrected soon if it hasn't been already.
Other than those tiny nitpicks, I thought "Sentinel" was fantastic, and enjoyed it immensely. (Plus it gives a whole new meaning to the term "crazy cat lady"!) I highly recommend it, and I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in the series.
May 18, 2015
I received a copy of Sentinel directly from the author Joshua Winning.
I am a fan of the fantasy genre and this trilogy shows promise. This book begins slowly but I found myself growing more and more attached to the story as it progressed. There is no descriptive introduction to the backstory of Sentinels so you have to jump in open-minded and understand things as they come. This is not a bad thing and it does not impede the quality of the book. Actually, this styling drew me into the book more easily. I sometimes can’t get past the boring introductory phase of a series. Whereas, I found the vague backstory in this book to be part of the charm of the storyline. You have unanswered questions and you have to continue to find answers. Additional, it seems easier through the different points of view and descriptions to visualize the story.
Nicholas is a likeable character. He has suffered a loss of family and ends up stumbling into a life and future that he never imagined. Also, Isabel is a fascinating unexpected character. I find her very interesting and I love her personality.
The ending of this book was also very good. I often craved a bit more of a struggle, but I found myself satisfied with the killing of a demon that caused so much turmoil. Overall, I found this to be a strong start to a mesmerizing trilogy.
This review, or links to this review, may also be found on my profile pages as follows:
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Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/A3RJ...
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I am a fan of the fantasy genre and this trilogy shows promise. This book begins slowly but I found myself growing more and more attached to the story as it progressed. There is no descriptive introduction to the backstory of Sentinels so you have to jump in open-minded and understand things as they come. This is not a bad thing and it does not impede the quality of the book. Actually, this styling drew me into the book more easily. I sometimes can’t get past the boring introductory phase of a series. Whereas, I found the vague backstory in this book to be part of the charm of the storyline. You have unanswered questions and you have to continue to find answers. Additional, it seems easier through the different points of view and descriptions to visualize the story.
Nicholas is a likeable character. He has suffered a loss of family and ends up stumbling into a life and future that he never imagined. Also, Isabel is a fascinating unexpected character. I find her very interesting and I love her personality.
The ending of this book was also very good. I often craved a bit more of a struggle, but I found myself satisfied with the killing of a demon that caused so much turmoil. Overall, I found this to be a strong start to a mesmerizing trilogy.
This review, or links to this review, may also be found on my profile pages as follows:
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2...
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/A3RJ...
Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/profile/A...
Pintrest http://www.pinterest.com/baltimore333/
Twitter https://twitter.com/chb548s
Google+ https://plus.google.com/u/0/107592987...
December 3, 2015
This book sounded really interesting to me, and I am so glad that I came across it! The story pulled me in right from the beginning, and I had trouble putting it down. Nicholas is 15, he’s lost his parents, and now he’s discovering that there’s an entire world that he knew nothing about. I was really drawn to Nicholas, and felt genuinely bad for him while he was learning about this new part of his life.
While Nicholas was a great character to read, this book is full of wonderful characters! I loved Sam, the seventy-something bad ass, because he was very caring. There is also nothing feeble about him which just made me so happy. I was also a huge fan of Isabel, but then I’m always a big fan of snarky characters. Also, her situation is just fantastic to me. I’m really excited to see where that goes in the sequel.
The actual writing is wonderful. It flows so nicely and the descriptions are fantastic. Everything had this creepy, black and white feel to it, like the whole story was told under grey clouds. I loved it! That ominous feeling was just the little extra that the monsters needed, without being downright scary. Creepy, but not nightmare inducing.
The pacing was great. From beginning to end, the story flows from one action packed scene to the next, tempting the reader to find out what happens next. I was never bored while reading, and I’m not even upset that my many questions weren’t entirely answered this time. I need to know more about the Sentinels and their world!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I can’t wait to start the next one to see what happens next!
While Nicholas was a great character to read, this book is full of wonderful characters! I loved Sam, the seventy-something bad ass, because he was very caring. There is also nothing feeble about him which just made me so happy. I was also a huge fan of Isabel, but then I’m always a big fan of snarky characters. Also, her situation is just fantastic to me. I’m really excited to see where that goes in the sequel.
The actual writing is wonderful. It flows so nicely and the descriptions are fantastic. Everything had this creepy, black and white feel to it, like the whole story was told under grey clouds. I loved it! That ominous feeling was just the little extra that the monsters needed, without being downright scary. Creepy, but not nightmare inducing.
The pacing was great. From beginning to end, the story flows from one action packed scene to the next, tempting the reader to find out what happens next. I was never bored while reading, and I’m not even upset that my many questions weren’t entirely answered this time. I need to know more about the Sentinels and their world!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I can’t wait to start the next one to see what happens next!
August 17, 2013
I received an ebook from the author in exchange for an honest review.
The truth is, it was very hard to finish this book.
The book wasn't so boring that I wanted to fall asleep every time I read a page (it's happened to me before), but it wasn't very interesting either. From chapter one, new information was thrown at me and my brain had to rush to comprehend all of it--which is very normal in fantasy novels--however, the information was never very clear. To this point, as I sit here pondering what happened throughout the book, I am still confused what a Sentinel (with a capital S) is or does. I know they're supposed to protect the world, but from what? Evil? Demons? The Harvesters, who I still really know nothing about? Perhaps all this was explained, but like I said earlier, the book was not good at grabbing my attention and I forgot things quickly. There's really nothing else to it--I just wasn't interested.
It started pretty nicely--the first few chapters were pretty good--and then there was this whole middle section that really had no purpose. During this part, Nicholas was being extremely stupid and wasn't very likable at all, and neither were the other protagonists. Thrilling action scenes left me bored (there was one about every ten minutes) and I ended up multi-tasking and trying to get other things done at the same time just so I could finish the book. Luckily the ending picked up a little bit, which added the second star (along with the beginning) but all in all, there was just way too much writing for a book that could've been way less.
The truth is, it was very hard to finish this book.
The book wasn't so boring that I wanted to fall asleep every time I read a page (it's happened to me before), but it wasn't very interesting either. From chapter one, new information was thrown at me and my brain had to rush to comprehend all of it--which is very normal in fantasy novels--however, the information was never very clear. To this point, as I sit here pondering what happened throughout the book, I am still confused what a Sentinel (with a capital S) is or does. I know they're supposed to protect the world, but from what? Evil? Demons? The Harvesters, who I still really know nothing about? Perhaps all this was explained, but like I said earlier, the book was not good at grabbing my attention and I forgot things quickly. There's really nothing else to it--I just wasn't interested.
It started pretty nicely--the first few chapters were pretty good--and then there was this whole middle section that really had no purpose. During this part, Nicholas was being extremely stupid and wasn't very likable at all, and neither were the other protagonists. Thrilling action scenes left me bored (there was one about every ten minutes) and I ended up multi-tasking and trying to get other things done at the same time just so I could finish the book. Luckily the ending picked up a little bit, which added the second star (along with the beginning) but all in all, there was just way too much writing for a book that could've been way less.
September 17, 2013
I received this book for free in exchange of an honest review
Plot
I had a very hard time reading this book, I really wanted to like it since I had heard very good things about it and the premise was amazing.
I loved the first chapters the pace was great but around chapter three the book got so slow that by the time I finished it I had zero interest in it.
I felt that a lot of scenes could have been deleted since they were only fillers ans made already slow book more tedious to read.
Characters
None of the characters stood out to me, not Nicholas (who gets over their parents death so fast, not Liberty, not Sam even when the previous two were out hunting demons. The character I most liked was the lady trapped in the cats body and even she was kind of forgettable.
It felt strange to me that all the Sentinels knew that Nicholas was special but they left him on his own most of the time and didn't tell him anything, I understand that sentinel training starts at sixteen, but if the demons are getting so strong and you have a "special" future sentinel, there is nothing wrong with starting training a few months ahead of schedule.
Note
Although I didn't like the book my brother (age ten) loved it. Because of this I'm giving this book the benefit of the doubt and recommending this book to younger readers and not to people who enjoy Young Adult books.
Plot
I had a very hard time reading this book, I really wanted to like it since I had heard very good things about it and the premise was amazing.
I loved the first chapters the pace was great but around chapter three the book got so slow that by the time I finished it I had zero interest in it.
I felt that a lot of scenes could have been deleted since they were only fillers ans made already slow book more tedious to read.
Characters
None of the characters stood out to me, not Nicholas (who gets over their parents death so fast, not Liberty, not Sam even when the previous two were out hunting demons. The character I most liked was the lady trapped in the cats body and even she was kind of forgettable.
It felt strange to me that all the Sentinels knew that Nicholas was special but they left him on his own most of the time and didn't tell him anything, I understand that sentinel training starts at sixteen, but if the demons are getting so strong and you have a "special" future sentinel, there is nothing wrong with starting training a few months ahead of schedule.
Note
Although I didn't like the book my brother (age ten) loved it. Because of this I'm giving this book the benefit of the doubt and recommending this book to younger readers and not to people who enjoy Young Adult books.
May 16, 2013
I received a copy of this in exchange for my honest opinion. This series has a lot of potential across several genres. Demons, Harvesters, Sentinels, the Trinity, and a young man and young woman caught in the middle of all of this. The book mostly follows Nicholas Hallows after his parents are killed in a train wreck. He discovers that his parents were part of something known as the Sentinels. They are an ancient group that protect the earth from the demons. It is also a hereditary job, passing on from parents to children once they reach a certain age. The story also follows Liberty, also a young sensitive. With the aid of Sam, they discover that some of the Sentinels have been turned and now are working for the demons.
The story did slow down a bit in the middle, but overall was a story that kept my attention. Being based in Cambridge England, it was refreshing to be able to read the book without having to learn or try to figure out a lot of strange words, places etc. The only thing that kept this from being a 5 star book was the mild drag in the middle. I look forward to the next installment to this book.
The story did slow down a bit in the middle, but overall was a story that kept my attention. Being based in Cambridge England, it was refreshing to be able to read the book without having to learn or try to figure out a lot of strange words, places etc. The only thing that kept this from being a 5 star book was the mild drag in the middle. I look forward to the next installment to this book.
May 10, 2013
Set in modern-day Cambridge, this novel creates a real sense of tension and takes us into the history and physical spaces of the city which is refreshing. Part of the appeal of the book is that this isn't fantasy in the sense of a novelist creating a completely different, alien world, with a lot of esoteric mumbo-jumbo you have to wade through, which puts many people off the genre. Instead, we follow its protagonist, Nicholas Hallow, on an emotional voyage, in discovering how his recently deceased parents are connected to the distant past and the sentinels of the title, who determine Hallow's future destiny. There are some extremely effective atmospheric scenes, and the tension never flags, as the plot develops nicely. Neither does this work take itself too seriously; there are some nice humourous touches, and throughout the dialogue feels authentic. An excellent find , and one I would highly recommend to young adult readers particularly.
September 4, 2013
Sentinel is the story of Nicolas a 15 year old boy who tragically loses both his parents. Just after their funerals he is told that he must go and live with a mysterious Godmother that he has never heard of.
Just before leaving the family home Nicolas discovers a secret room in his parents bedroom that contains the secrets of th sentinels. A secret group of people who seem to fight an unknow about evil.
Nicolas is escorted to his Godmothers house by Sam a man in his 70's who is integral to the sentinal cause.
I really enjoyed this book and couldnt put the book down I found that I wanted to know what the secret of the sentinels is ans who they really are.
I want to know why Nicolas is so important and how he has been kept so protectes from his dynasty.
I loved a lot of the characters a d the depth of detail inthe book with out the revelaton of too much of the story.
I cant wait to read the next installment to answer all the questions that I have.
Just before leaving the family home Nicolas discovers a secret room in his parents bedroom that contains the secrets of th sentinels. A secret group of people who seem to fight an unknow about evil.
Nicolas is escorted to his Godmothers house by Sam a man in his 70's who is integral to the sentinal cause.
I really enjoyed this book and couldnt put the book down I found that I wanted to know what the secret of the sentinels is ans who they really are.
I want to know why Nicolas is so important and how he has been kept so protectes from his dynasty.
I loved a lot of the characters a d the depth of detail inthe book with out the revelaton of too much of the story.
I cant wait to read the next installment to answer all the questions that I have.
August 17, 2013
What a fun book. When Nicholas Hallow, just shy of his sixteenth birthday, is tragically orphaned, he's thrust into a dangerous, paranormal world. With the help of his parents' elderly friend, Nicholas must find a way to navigate this dangerous, new territory, even as sinister forces are converging.
Cons: The ending is a bit abrupt, which will be easier to handle when the sequel is released. Some of the villains' motivations are murky, as is the mythology.
Pros: Great characters. The book doesn't fall into the usual trappings of paranormal YA by forcing a teenage romance into the mix. Nicholas Hallow is dealing with some serious issues, and he can't be tied down dealing with a relationship. I didn't see some of the twists and turns coming and loved every one of them.
Overall, this is a great start to a fun trilogy and I'm looking forward to book two.
Cons: The ending is a bit abrupt, which will be easier to handle when the sequel is released. Some of the villains' motivations are murky, as is the mythology.
Pros: Great characters. The book doesn't fall into the usual trappings of paranormal YA by forcing a teenage romance into the mix. Nicholas Hallow is dealing with some serious issues, and he can't be tied down dealing with a relationship. I didn't see some of the twists and turns coming and loved every one of them.
Overall, this is a great start to a fun trilogy and I'm looking forward to book two.
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