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Redemption's Heir #1
Summoned
While browsing in a rare book store in Arkham, Sean finds an occult book with an ad seeking an apprentice sorcerer, from a newspaper dated March 21, 1895. Even more intriguing, the ad specifically requests applicants reply by email.
Sean's always been interested in magic, particularly the Lovecraftian dark mythology. Against his best friend Edna's ("call-me-Eddy-or-else") advice, he decides to answer the ad, figuring it's a clever hoax, but hoping that it won't be. The advertiser, Reverend Redemption Orne, claims to be a master of the occult born more than 300 years ago. To prove his legitimacy, Orne gives Sean instructions to summon a harmless but useful familiar—but Sean's ceremony takes a dark turn, and he instead accidentally beckons a bloodthirsty servant to the Cthulhu Mythos god Nyarlathotep. The ritual is preemptively broken, and now Sean must find and bind the servitor, before it grows too strong to contain. But strange things are already happening in the town of Arkham....
Welcome to the darker side of New England in the first of a new series from Anne Pillsworth.
"Summoned is a fantastic debut...this YA gothic is infused with sly wit and occult tremors in equal measure. Finally, a novel for readers who like their magic dangerous, and their hexes irrevocable." —Sean Beaudoin, author of The Infects and Wise Young Fool
Sean's always been interested in magic, particularly the Lovecraftian dark mythology. Against his best friend Edna's ("call-me-Eddy-or-else") advice, he decides to answer the ad, figuring it's a clever hoax, but hoping that it won't be. The advertiser, Reverend Redemption Orne, claims to be a master of the occult born more than 300 years ago. To prove his legitimacy, Orne gives Sean instructions to summon a harmless but useful familiar—but Sean's ceremony takes a dark turn, and he instead accidentally beckons a bloodthirsty servant to the Cthulhu Mythos god Nyarlathotep. The ritual is preemptively broken, and now Sean must find and bind the servitor, before it grows too strong to contain. But strange things are already happening in the town of Arkham....
Welcome to the darker side of New England in the first of a new series from Anne Pillsworth.
"Summoned is a fantastic debut...this YA gothic is infused with sly wit and occult tremors in equal measure. Finally, a novel for readers who like their magic dangerous, and their hexes irrevocable." —Sean Beaudoin, author of The Infects and Wise Young Fool
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 24, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
July 15, 2014
Initial Thoughts: A bit of a slow start to this amusing story about a young boy who plays with magic and finds out that he got more than he bargained for. Sean Wyndham finds an old book and inside the book an old newspaper clipping advertising for a magician's apprentice - only the ad has an email address. Curiosity gets the better of Sean and he applies for the position.
This is a fun story and the magic is quite intriguing. I especially liked Geldman's pharmacy - so cool. This is a perfect story for kids in middle school and up, though younger readers may find parts a little scary.
The Review:
Summoned by Anne M. Pillsworth is the first book in her new series Redemption's Heir. In Summoned, Sean Wyndham answers an ad to become an apprentice in magic. He's given a fairly easy task - he is to summon an Aether Newt as a familiar. Sean loves the idea and decides to do the summoning as his summer project for school. Only - you guessed it - things don't go according to plan.
Summoned was an enjoyable read for me. The magic was interesting, especially Geldman's pharmacy which was a pharmacy like no other, and so unique that only Sean could see it. There were some amazing dream sequences as well.
Summoned should appeal to young adult readers looking for books about magic and witchcraft. I'm very excited to hear that there are other books planned for this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Tor/Forge for a review copy of this book.
This is a fun story and the magic is quite intriguing. I especially liked Geldman's pharmacy - so cool. This is a perfect story for kids in middle school and up, though younger readers may find parts a little scary.
The Review:
Summoned by Anne M. Pillsworth is the first book in her new series Redemption's Heir. In Summoned, Sean Wyndham answers an ad to become an apprentice in magic. He's given a fairly easy task - he is to summon an Aether Newt as a familiar. Sean loves the idea and decides to do the summoning as his summer project for school. Only - you guessed it - things don't go according to plan.
Summoned was an enjoyable read for me. The magic was interesting, especially Geldman's pharmacy which was a pharmacy like no other, and so unique that only Sean could see it. There were some amazing dream sequences as well.
Summoned should appeal to young adult readers looking for books about magic and witchcraft. I'm very excited to hear that there are other books planned for this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Tor/Forge for a review copy of this book.
Read
March 28, 2015I received this book as an Advance Reader Copy.
~~~
While, as I write this review, one of the other books on my shelf is The Definitive H.P. Lovecraft by H.P. Lovecraft, I have to admit my ignorance when it comes to the Cthulhu Mythos and the Necronomicon (I didn't reach those stories yet). I mention this, because the premise of SUMMONED is that H.P. Lovecraft's account is based on real events and that one of his characters is Helen Arkwright's uncle. I see from another review that I have missed some references. Possible, but even reading this story without any prior knowledge, I had no problems grasping its context and content.
SUMMONED is the tale of a teenage wizard, Sean, trapped in a trial of sorcery and forced to defend himself and the ones he loves against the most puissant Master of Magic—Nyarlathotep or the Black Man. While his journey takes him through several action-packed adventures, the biggest test is one of discovery and knowledge. Sean is not just another Harry Potter, or even worse a blend of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. He is an insecure teenager, tempted by the allure of power through knowledge. He finds the strength to fight the antagonist not due to mindless courage, but due to desperation to protect his family and friends. In the end it is this love for his family that yanks him away from Nyarlathotep's temptation. If there is a aspect that IMO could be improved in this story it is the protagonist's reaction—his behavior seems a bit immature for a sixteen-almost-seventeen-year-old near-adult.
Otherwise, the other characters are nicely rounded for a YA story—the father is overly protective, due to being the only parent, the best friend is brave and wise, though overly critical, Helen—his sister is learning—is as wobbly on her path to discovery as Sean. By the end of the story everyone gains not only more understanding about the essence of magic, but also about their loved ones. Everyone is more tempered in their reactions and criticism and more willing to admit their own errors and lack of knowledge.
The author crafts some imaginative settings, as for instance Geldman’s Pharmacy in Arkham. The idea of a dual place, which is perceived differently based on the magical-ability of the viewer, might not be new. Nonetheless I found its descriptions fresh and captivating due to the minute details, like the old-fashioned soda fountain.
With an almighty god hungering for Sean's magical ability and a secret society advocating a formal wizard education, the ending indicates that Sean's adventures have just began. Adventure, mystery, magic, evil gods who pose as benevolent, and heartwarming family and friendship links—this book includes something for everyone young at heart. I really liked the first encounter with the world of SUMMONED and I would definitively continue to read about it.
~~~
While, as I write this review, one of the other books on my shelf is The Definitive H.P. Lovecraft by H.P. Lovecraft, I have to admit my ignorance when it comes to the Cthulhu Mythos and the Necronomicon (I didn't reach those stories yet). I mention this, because the premise of SUMMONED is that H.P. Lovecraft's account is based on real events and that one of his characters is Helen Arkwright's uncle. I see from another review that I have missed some references. Possible, but even reading this story without any prior knowledge, I had no problems grasping its context and content.
SUMMONED is the tale of a teenage wizard, Sean, trapped in a trial of sorcery and forced to defend himself and the ones he loves against the most puissant Master of Magic—Nyarlathotep or the Black Man. While his journey takes him through several action-packed adventures, the biggest test is one of discovery and knowledge. Sean is not just another Harry Potter, or even worse a blend of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. He is an insecure teenager, tempted by the allure of power through knowledge. He finds the strength to fight the antagonist not due to mindless courage, but due to desperation to protect his family and friends. In the end it is this love for his family that yanks him away from Nyarlathotep's temptation. If there is a aspect that IMO could be improved in this story it is the protagonist's reaction—his behavior seems a bit immature for a sixteen-almost-seventeen-year-old near-adult.
Otherwise, the other characters are nicely rounded for a YA story—the father is overly protective, due to being the only parent, the best friend is brave and wise, though overly critical, Helen—his sister is learning—is as wobbly on her path to discovery as Sean. By the end of the story everyone gains not only more understanding about the essence of magic, but also about their loved ones. Everyone is more tempered in their reactions and criticism and more willing to admit their own errors and lack of knowledge.
The author crafts some imaginative settings, as for instance Geldman’s Pharmacy in Arkham. The idea of a dual place, which is perceived differently based on the magical-ability of the viewer, might not be new. Nonetheless I found its descriptions fresh and captivating due to the minute details, like the old-fashioned soda fountain.
With an almighty god hungering for Sean's magical ability and a secret society advocating a formal wizard education, the ending indicates that Sean's adventures have just began. Adventure, mystery, magic, evil gods who pose as benevolent, and heartwarming family and friendship links—this book includes something for everyone young at heart. I really liked the first encounter with the world of SUMMONED and I would definitively continue to read about it.
September 11, 2016
An Uncommon Occult Thriller
On first blush this looks like it will be a basic YA action/fantasy, set against a generic sort of H.P. Lovecraft background, involving the accidental summoning of a demon. That's correct, but it only touches the surface of this uncommonly arresting fantasy.
Lots of authors try to copy the Lovecraft style, or pay homage to Lovecraft with references to the Cthulhu Mythos or the Necronomicon. The Mythos is, after all, now a shared universe to be expanded by any author, and that was so even when Lovecraft was still writing in it. In the 1940's authors like August Derleth took the expansion of the universe very seriously, but nowadays, while Lovecraft may be honored, few authors are willing to actually, seriously, and exclusively set their tales firmly in the Lovecraft universe.
That's where this book really shines. It embraces the entire Lovecraft body of work, without reservation. Interestingly, it starts from the position that what Lovecraft wrote was true, that Lovecraft experienced it personally, and that Lovecraft is thus a character in the Mythos as well as its chronicler. (It is as if someone were to write a book 60 years from now assuming that George Lucas had actually been a rebel alliance leader, or that J.R.R.Tolkien had actually quested with elves and hobbits.)
Once you get to this point you can have a grand time with your plot. This book is set in Arkham, which is where Lovecraft set many of his pieces. It involves a family of archivists who trace themselves all the way back to Lovecraft and whose job it is to protect and secure his papers and notes. After all Lovecraft was part of a secret society that knew the truth about Cthulhu and what he wrote in his stories was true.
Once that is established we can just pop over to our hero Sean in the present and have him pick up, unintentionally, where all of the Lovecraft stories ended. Now he is the seeker after truth, he is the one exploring the Mythos, he is the one who tangles with "the Old Ones", he is the one who dabbles in dark magic and calls up a demonic servitor. Everything that was supposedly just pulp fiction and that ended when Lovecraft stopped writing, just starts right up again in the here and now.
That has a number of important implications that you have to take into account. First, while you don't need to be deeply familiar with Lovecraft's stories, you have to be at least passingly familiar with them or at least willing to go along in the dark for a while and pick things up as they go by. You'll miss some clever inside jokes and references, but not that many. Second, Lovecraft's trembling, terrified, possibly insane protagonists don't really have a lot of "character development" to them. That's not the point. This book follows the same route. There is enough of our hero and his BFF and some secondary characters to keep the story moving, but fully realized characters aren't what we're aiming for.
On the upside, there is much more going on here than just "I came, I saw, I lost my mind in the Mountains of Madness". There are some sub-plots, there are some incidental characters who have nice cameos, there are some characters who are being established, I would guess, for sequels. There is a reasonable attempt to describe Arkham, and some very effective writing setting the stage for particular scenes, ( the old book store, the magical compounding pharmacy, the Arkwright mansion). A fair amount of attention is paid to mood, build-up, growing menace, creepy vibe, and the like, which gives the book a richness and depth it might otherwise lack. This is all sustained by writing that is particularly and exceptionally sophisticated, complex and satisfying.
So, this should please people who know Lovecraft and people who just sort of like a Lovecraft style. As an action/fantasy it is better, deeper and richer than most. As a sort of modern gothic with an evil demon vibe it certainly scores. That sounds good to me.
Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
On first blush this looks like it will be a basic YA action/fantasy, set against a generic sort of H.P. Lovecraft background, involving the accidental summoning of a demon. That's correct, but it only touches the surface of this uncommonly arresting fantasy.
Lots of authors try to copy the Lovecraft style, or pay homage to Lovecraft with references to the Cthulhu Mythos or the Necronomicon. The Mythos is, after all, now a shared universe to be expanded by any author, and that was so even when Lovecraft was still writing in it. In the 1940's authors like August Derleth took the expansion of the universe very seriously, but nowadays, while Lovecraft may be honored, few authors are willing to actually, seriously, and exclusively set their tales firmly in the Lovecraft universe.
That's where this book really shines. It embraces the entire Lovecraft body of work, without reservation. Interestingly, it starts from the position that what Lovecraft wrote was true, that Lovecraft experienced it personally, and that Lovecraft is thus a character in the Mythos as well as its chronicler. (It is as if someone were to write a book 60 years from now assuming that George Lucas had actually been a rebel alliance leader, or that J.R.R.Tolkien had actually quested with elves and hobbits.)
Once you get to this point you can have a grand time with your plot. This book is set in Arkham, which is where Lovecraft set many of his pieces. It involves a family of archivists who trace themselves all the way back to Lovecraft and whose job it is to protect and secure his papers and notes. After all Lovecraft was part of a secret society that knew the truth about Cthulhu and what he wrote in his stories was true.
Once that is established we can just pop over to our hero Sean in the present and have him pick up, unintentionally, where all of the Lovecraft stories ended. Now he is the seeker after truth, he is the one exploring the Mythos, he is the one who tangles with "the Old Ones", he is the one who dabbles in dark magic and calls up a demonic servitor. Everything that was supposedly just pulp fiction and that ended when Lovecraft stopped writing, just starts right up again in the here and now.
That has a number of important implications that you have to take into account. First, while you don't need to be deeply familiar with Lovecraft's stories, you have to be at least passingly familiar with them or at least willing to go along in the dark for a while and pick things up as they go by. You'll miss some clever inside jokes and references, but not that many. Second, Lovecraft's trembling, terrified, possibly insane protagonists don't really have a lot of "character development" to them. That's not the point. This book follows the same route. There is enough of our hero and his BFF and some secondary characters to keep the story moving, but fully realized characters aren't what we're aiming for.
On the upside, there is much more going on here than just "I came, I saw, I lost my mind in the Mountains of Madness". There are some sub-plots, there are some incidental characters who have nice cameos, there are some characters who are being established, I would guess, for sequels. There is a reasonable attempt to describe Arkham, and some very effective writing setting the stage for particular scenes, ( the old book store, the magical compounding pharmacy, the Arkwright mansion). A fair amount of attention is paid to mood, build-up, growing menace, creepy vibe, and the like, which gives the book a richness and depth it might otherwise lack. This is all sustained by writing that is particularly and exceptionally sophisticated, complex and satisfying.
So, this should please people who know Lovecraft and people who just sort of like a Lovecraft style. As an action/fantasy it is better, deeper and richer than most. As a sort of modern gothic with an evil demon vibe it certainly scores. That sounds good to me.
Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
September 6, 2016
With the advent of the 21st century and the entering of Lovecraft into the public domain, there are more risks being taken with his stories. Works like The Ballad of Black Tom and The Litany of Earth challenge assumptions about the racism inherent in some of his stories while things like the Cthulhutech RPG merge Lovecraft with sci-fi anime. Summoned is enjoyable and surprising as it's the first time I've ever read a Young Adult Cthulhu Mythos novel.
I'm a fan of the Young Adult fantasy/sci-fi genre as it's been popularized but I questioned whether or not the mixture would work. After all, H.P. Lovecraft is about cosmic horror and implications of unspeakable dread. Then I remembered what my teenage years were like and how it was nothing but a daily reminder of just how unspeakably awful the universe was turning out to be. If Katniss Everdeen could be part of a ritual murder of children every year, so could H.P. Lovecraf's Mythos be the basis for Summoned.
And it works.
The novel's premise is Sean Wyndham and his friend Eddy (Edna) visit Arkham, Massachusetts before stumbling upon an occult tome written by a Puritan sorcerer. The book contains a newspaper clipping from the 19th century which includes an e-mail address for Sean to contact him. Sean, a devoted fan of the supernatural as described in H.P. Lovecraft's works, contacts the Reverend only to be given a test which he screws up badly. Instead of summoning a harmless minor spirit, he ends up bring an eldritch abomination into the world which will inevitably go after him and his loved ones.
Anne M. Pillsworth almost lost me when the Servitor began eating the neighborhood pets. I'm a die-hard Lovecraftian but that's a bridge too far. Have the monster eat humans, not cute little dogs! However, I managed to trudge through this sanity-blasting image to enjoy the rest of the story which is kind of a reverse Harry Potter. Just as Harry Potter indulges in magic to enjoy a wonderful life, so does Sean discover magic is the horrific road away from everything good in his life. Even so, Sean can't turn it down as like all good Cthulhu Mythos investigators, it's impossible to go back up the rabbit hole.
The world of H.P. Lovecraft is somewhat toned down for this novel but not so much that it's not recognizably Cthulhu. The main differences is that Sean has the aid of seasoned scholar-heroes from Miskatonic University at his back versus those poor fools blubbering blindly along in Lovecraft's time. Also, the Mythos is more likely to cause Raldolph Carter-esque fascination versus the loss of sanity as well as will to live as it does in other stories. Sean's greatest danger isn't that Nyarlathotep will destroy him, it's that he was become a servant to him.
Given how many children Sean's age (such as myself at said age) are enamored by the workings of Yog-Sothery when they discover it, I find this an entirely believable phenomenon. It is older gentlemen, like Lovecraft's protagonists, who are frightened rather than fascinated by the Things Beyond. I'm actually surprised the Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game by Chaosium was not mentioned in this novel but perhaps that's for the best given their somewhat twitchy feelings regarding copyright.
One thing I appreciated about the book is while the children are the protagonists, the adults aren't useless. While possessing a healthy amount of skepticism to the horrors they face, they prove instrumental in dealing with the problem. I was especially fond of Helen the new archivist at Miskatonic University who reminded me of a number of grad students I worked with at Marshall University. She's a very likable character and I actually thought she and Sean's father had a real connection.
The characters in Summoned are likable, the plot entertaining, and events progress in an entertaining fashion from beginning to end. There's a few flaws like the fact they cling to the idea the supernatural is a hoax perhaps just a wee bit too long but these are minor in the grand scheme of things. If you want an excellent bit of light horror reading, then this is the book for you.
9/10
I'm a fan of the Young Adult fantasy/sci-fi genre as it's been popularized but I questioned whether or not the mixture would work. After all, H.P. Lovecraft is about cosmic horror and implications of unspeakable dread. Then I remembered what my teenage years were like and how it was nothing but a daily reminder of just how unspeakably awful the universe was turning out to be. If Katniss Everdeen could be part of a ritual murder of children every year, so could H.P. Lovecraf's Mythos be the basis for Summoned.
And it works.
The novel's premise is Sean Wyndham and his friend Eddy (Edna) visit Arkham, Massachusetts before stumbling upon an occult tome written by a Puritan sorcerer. The book contains a newspaper clipping from the 19th century which includes an e-mail address for Sean to contact him. Sean, a devoted fan of the supernatural as described in H.P. Lovecraft's works, contacts the Reverend only to be given a test which he screws up badly. Instead of summoning a harmless minor spirit, he ends up bring an eldritch abomination into the world which will inevitably go after him and his loved ones.
Anne M. Pillsworth almost lost me when the Servitor began eating the neighborhood pets. I'm a die-hard Lovecraftian but that's a bridge too far. Have the monster eat humans, not cute little dogs! However, I managed to trudge through this sanity-blasting image to enjoy the rest of the story which is kind of a reverse Harry Potter. Just as Harry Potter indulges in magic to enjoy a wonderful life, so does Sean discover magic is the horrific road away from everything good in his life. Even so, Sean can't turn it down as like all good Cthulhu Mythos investigators, it's impossible to go back up the rabbit hole.
The world of H.P. Lovecraft is somewhat toned down for this novel but not so much that it's not recognizably Cthulhu. The main differences is that Sean has the aid of seasoned scholar-heroes from Miskatonic University at his back versus those poor fools blubbering blindly along in Lovecraft's time. Also, the Mythos is more likely to cause Raldolph Carter-esque fascination versus the loss of sanity as well as will to live as it does in other stories. Sean's greatest danger isn't that Nyarlathotep will destroy him, it's that he was become a servant to him.
Given how many children Sean's age (such as myself at said age) are enamored by the workings of Yog-Sothery when they discover it, I find this an entirely believable phenomenon. It is older gentlemen, like Lovecraft's protagonists, who are frightened rather than fascinated by the Things Beyond. I'm actually surprised the Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game by Chaosium was not mentioned in this novel but perhaps that's for the best given their somewhat twitchy feelings regarding copyright.
One thing I appreciated about the book is while the children are the protagonists, the adults aren't useless. While possessing a healthy amount of skepticism to the horrors they face, they prove instrumental in dealing with the problem. I was especially fond of Helen the new archivist at Miskatonic University who reminded me of a number of grad students I worked with at Marshall University. She's a very likable character and I actually thought she and Sean's father had a real connection.
The characters in Summoned are likable, the plot entertaining, and events progress in an entertaining fashion from beginning to end. There's a few flaws like the fact they cling to the idea the supernatural is a hoax perhaps just a wee bit too long but these are minor in the grand scheme of things. If you want an excellent bit of light horror reading, then this is the book for you.
9/10
June 25, 2014
Fascinated by the Cthulhu Mythos, Sean Wyndham goes with his best friend to an occult bookshop to find a book about the mythology. While there, he discovers a strange ad from hundreds of years ago asking for an apprentice - to apply by email. When he answers, he's given a ritual as a test. But Sean messes it up and unleashes a predator upon his town - one that only he can banish.
At first, SUMMONED annoyed me. I think the Cthulhu stuff is great fun, but I really dislike it when authors treat it as something that was around before Lovecraft. For some reason trying to force it into reality like that gives me unpleasant thoughts of Scientology. And, well, I thought Sean was super dumb for getting involved with a guy who got his power through Nyarlathotep. I mean, you don't have to read that much to know that's a power you don't want to get involved with.
But then Sean actually summoned the Servitor, and I got sucked into SUMMONED. The ensuing adventure involves blood, insanity, stores that aren't really there, monsters that aren't really there, and monsters that are unfortunately actually there. There are lots of grade-A horror scenes in this novel, no "for YA" disclaimer needed. (I will note that I am not particularly sensitive to violence towards animals, but there was a scene that I found very upsetting.)
I appreciated that Sean had an involved, concerned father. It was a convincingly close father-son relationship that still got the father out of the way long enough to allow bad things to happen. I also liked that SUMMONED splits the point of view between Sean and a twenty-something woman who is also discovering her own power. There were a few too many secondary characters for all of them to get much development, but there is time for that given sequels are on their way.
As I read, I even started to enjoy the conceit that the Mythos was real and something that Lovecraft had actually experience before writing it down. Plus, debut author Anne M. Pillsworth's homage was expertly done. You don't need to be familiar with Lovecraft's stories to enjoy SUMMONED, but I felt that she got to the heart of the terror wonderfully.
SUMMONED is a terrific little horror adventure. I'm excited to know that more books about Sean are on their way, but gratified that SUMMONED stands just fine on its own.
At first, SUMMONED annoyed me. I think the Cthulhu stuff is great fun, but I really dislike it when authors treat it as something that was around before Lovecraft. For some reason trying to force it into reality like that gives me unpleasant thoughts of Scientology. And, well, I thought Sean was super dumb for getting involved with a guy who got his power through Nyarlathotep. I mean, you don't have to read that much to know that's a power you don't want to get involved with.
But then Sean actually summoned the Servitor, and I got sucked into SUMMONED. The ensuing adventure involves blood, insanity, stores that aren't really there, monsters that aren't really there, and monsters that are unfortunately actually there. There are lots of grade-A horror scenes in this novel, no "for YA" disclaimer needed. (I will note that I am not particularly sensitive to violence towards animals, but there was a scene that I found very upsetting.)
I appreciated that Sean had an involved, concerned father. It was a convincingly close father-son relationship that still got the father out of the way long enough to allow bad things to happen. I also liked that SUMMONED splits the point of view between Sean and a twenty-something woman who is also discovering her own power. There were a few too many secondary characters for all of them to get much development, but there is time for that given sequels are on their way.
As I read, I even started to enjoy the conceit that the Mythos was real and something that Lovecraft had actually experience before writing it down. Plus, debut author Anne M. Pillsworth's homage was expertly done. You don't need to be familiar with Lovecraft's stories to enjoy SUMMONED, but I felt that she got to the heart of the terror wonderfully.
SUMMONED is a terrific little horror adventure. I'm excited to know that more books about Sean are on their way, but gratified that SUMMONED stands just fine on its own.
July 21, 2014
Summoned is the kind of cool, scary, but also with a nice edge of humor that I just don't see much of these days. Sean is like a lot of kids, fascinated by dark fantasy, intrigued by the notion of magic and the supernatural, a gamer, and enough of a risk taker to try and do more than just play games. He would love to find a way to create real magic--not that he actually understands the serious, potentially deadly implications of doing such a thing.
So when he and his best friend, the tomboyish Eddy, go to a local Arkham, Rhode Island, bookstore and Sean sees a copy of a book about magic, he takes it off the shelf--and a page from a newspaper falls out of the book. It's a strange page. The newspaper dates from 1895, and on the page is an ad in which someone is looking for an apprentice in magic. Cool, right? But 1895??? But wait. There's an e-mail address. An e-mail address from 1895.
Needless to say, he's intrigued. I mean, who wouldn't be. But he has no idea what lies in store for him, for his friends and family, and for the city of Arkham.
I don't want to give away too much, but the author has done a wonderful job of taking this idea and creating a story that gets progressively faster, deeper and scarier/creepier from start to finish. It is not a book for middle-grades readers, but it is definitely cool for Young Adult readers, and adults.
It might not seem like a very scary book at first, but once Sean actually performs the summoning, there is no turning back from a very dark, dangerous path that at times had me looking over my shoulder at odd sounds in the night.
I can't wait for the next book!
So when he and his best friend, the tomboyish Eddy, go to a local Arkham, Rhode Island, bookstore and Sean sees a copy of a book about magic, he takes it off the shelf--and a page from a newspaper falls out of the book. It's a strange page. The newspaper dates from 1895, and on the page is an ad in which someone is looking for an apprentice in magic. Cool, right? But 1895??? But wait. There's an e-mail address. An e-mail address from 1895.
Needless to say, he's intrigued. I mean, who wouldn't be. But he has no idea what lies in store for him, for his friends and family, and for the city of Arkham.
I don't want to give away too much, but the author has done a wonderful job of taking this idea and creating a story that gets progressively faster, deeper and scarier/creepier from start to finish. It is not a book for middle-grades readers, but it is definitely cool for Young Adult readers, and adults.
It might not seem like a very scary book at first, but once Sean actually performs the summoning, there is no turning back from a very dark, dangerous path that at times had me looking over my shoulder at odd sounds in the night.
I can't wait for the next book!
November 16, 2014
Never judge a book by its cover. That's what "they" say. If I had taken that advice I would not have chosen this book. The cover is what caught my eye, but the tale inside is what held me. I can't wait to find out Sean's decision, but I know what I want it to be. Masterful storytelling. This one kept me hooked from start to finish.
March 29, 2019
Very creepy young adult book about a teen boy who responds to an impossible ad in an old book and falls into the Cthulhu Mythos. Be warned that this gets off to a rather slow and somewhat plodding start, but boy does it pick it up speed as it goes!
June 26, 2014
Disclosure: I received a review copy from the publicist in exchange for a honest review.
Summoned is centered on wizard-to-be Sean Wyndham who happens to also be a Lovecraftian-Cthulhu fanatic. In wanting to learn more about the Mythos, Sean and his best friend Eddy go down to the local bookstore Horrocke’s. While browsing in Horrocke’s, Sean stumbled upon a newspaper ad clipping seeking an apprentice in magic! What’s more bizarre is the ad is from 1895, and the ad asks potential candidates to apply by email! Talk about creepy! As you can imagine, Sean of course answers the ad by Reverend Orne, and is given a ritual/summoning test to see if he qualifies for the apprenticeship. What was supposed to be an easy summoning turns into a nightmare when Sean accidently summons a high-level blood demon/servitor. Sean must learn and get all the help he can because he’s the only one able to banish the servitor.
Summoned pulled me right from the first page! I’m not really familiar with Lovecraft’s work (heard of them but never read it) but it seems that Pillsworth’s debut novel is heavily influenced by Lovecraft’s tales and monsters. While I don’t know much on the Lovecraftian topic, I enjoyed how Pillsworth tied everything into the story/plot. Pillsworth played around with the idea that perhaps H.P. Lovecraft wasn’t writing mere fiction, but writing the truth of what he knows. How there were supposedly a secret society that hunted monsters. I’m a sucker for anything with secret societies, the occults, magic and Pillsworth managed to incorporate the ideas flawlessly all together. The world building is pretty strong, anyone reading can definitely tell that Pillsworth did extensive research on the subject and knows what she’s talking about.
With the book mainly focused on all things Lovecrafitian, and it being the strong point of the novel, the character department fell short. Sean may be the main character, but readers don’t learn anything new other than what is stated at the beginning of the novel and there wasn’t any character development/growth from the time Sean summons the servitor to the time he banishes it. Many of the other secondary characters also didn’t make any lasting impressions. There wasn’t any depth to any of the characters and I never once felt connected to them and like the main hero…they all fell flat. The only person that actually made a lasting impression was Mr. Geldman and his pharmacy. Mr. Gelfman had about only two scenes but they were probably the best and most interesting scenes in the entire book. Mr. Geldman specializes in magical remedies and only those who believe or have the aptitude for magic can see and enter his pharmacy. Mr. Geldman’s scenes were by far my favorite parts in the book.
The book started off strong but dragged here and there in the middle and by the end everything was back on track with non-stop action. While I did enjoy most of the book, there were a few things that took away from the overall story. First, there was just too much information dumping. While I appreciate the background knowledge of the Cthulhu Mythos, Necronomicon and the Eldritch tales the author didn’t give readers enough time to digest the information. Pillsworth had paragraph after paragraph of explanations, which at times at times felt overwhelming. Then there was a lot of repetition of said information dumping. For example the author explained in great length on the subject but then when it came to the character’s dialogue portions, the characters would reiterate what the author just explained. And finally, the abundant use of profanities was astounding. For a moment I wondered if I was really reading a young adult fiction. I mean Sean and Eddy were cursing like sailors. It was as if it was part of their everyday vocabulary, which I found worrisome. Sean and Eddy are ‘teenagers’, but their age was never specified (or if it was I totally missed it) and from how they acted…I assumed they were either 12 or 13-years old. While I’m sure all kids hear profanities one way or another, the amount used in this book wasn’t necessary nor did it do anything to drive the plot/or characters forward.
Overall I enjoyed Summoned, and the unique idea behind the novel. There were some minor flaws but given that this is a debut novel, Pillsworth did a good job. I think a lot of people are going to enjoy this book, especially the Lovecraft fans. I initially thought this would be more fantasy, but it ended up leaning more towards the horror genre…which was perfectly fine with me. I recommend this to anyone who loves Lovecraftian, secret societies, the occults, magic, and some fun wizardry.
Summoned is centered on wizard-to-be Sean Wyndham who happens to also be a Lovecraftian-Cthulhu fanatic. In wanting to learn more about the Mythos, Sean and his best friend Eddy go down to the local bookstore Horrocke’s. While browsing in Horrocke’s, Sean stumbled upon a newspaper ad clipping seeking an apprentice in magic! What’s more bizarre is the ad is from 1895, and the ad asks potential candidates to apply by email! Talk about creepy! As you can imagine, Sean of course answers the ad by Reverend Orne, and is given a ritual/summoning test to see if he qualifies for the apprenticeship. What was supposed to be an easy summoning turns into a nightmare when Sean accidently summons a high-level blood demon/servitor. Sean must learn and get all the help he can because he’s the only one able to banish the servitor.
Summoned pulled me right from the first page! I’m not really familiar with Lovecraft’s work (heard of them but never read it) but it seems that Pillsworth’s debut novel is heavily influenced by Lovecraft’s tales and monsters. While I don’t know much on the Lovecraftian topic, I enjoyed how Pillsworth tied everything into the story/plot. Pillsworth played around with the idea that perhaps H.P. Lovecraft wasn’t writing mere fiction, but writing the truth of what he knows. How there were supposedly a secret society that hunted monsters. I’m a sucker for anything with secret societies, the occults, magic and Pillsworth managed to incorporate the ideas flawlessly all together. The world building is pretty strong, anyone reading can definitely tell that Pillsworth did extensive research on the subject and knows what she’s talking about.
With the book mainly focused on all things Lovecrafitian, and it being the strong point of the novel, the character department fell short. Sean may be the main character, but readers don’t learn anything new other than what is stated at the beginning of the novel and there wasn’t any character development/growth from the time Sean summons the servitor to the time he banishes it. Many of the other secondary characters also didn’t make any lasting impressions. There wasn’t any depth to any of the characters and I never once felt connected to them and like the main hero…they all fell flat. The only person that actually made a lasting impression was Mr. Geldman and his pharmacy. Mr. Gelfman had about only two scenes but they were probably the best and most interesting scenes in the entire book. Mr. Geldman specializes in magical remedies and only those who believe or have the aptitude for magic can see and enter his pharmacy. Mr. Geldman’s scenes were by far my favorite parts in the book.
The book started off strong but dragged here and there in the middle and by the end everything was back on track with non-stop action. While I did enjoy most of the book, there were a few things that took away from the overall story. First, there was just too much information dumping. While I appreciate the background knowledge of the Cthulhu Mythos, Necronomicon and the Eldritch tales the author didn’t give readers enough time to digest the information. Pillsworth had paragraph after paragraph of explanations, which at times at times felt overwhelming. Then there was a lot of repetition of said information dumping. For example the author explained in great length on the subject but then when it came to the character’s dialogue portions, the characters would reiterate what the author just explained. And finally, the abundant use of profanities was astounding. For a moment I wondered if I was really reading a young adult fiction. I mean Sean and Eddy were cursing like sailors. It was as if it was part of their everyday vocabulary, which I found worrisome. Sean and Eddy are ‘teenagers’, but their age was never specified (or if it was I totally missed it) and from how they acted…I assumed they were either 12 or 13-years old. While I’m sure all kids hear profanities one way or another, the amount used in this book wasn’t necessary nor did it do anything to drive the plot/or characters forward.
Overall I enjoyed Summoned, and the unique idea behind the novel. There were some minor flaws but given that this is a debut novel, Pillsworth did a good job. I think a lot of people are going to enjoy this book, especially the Lovecraft fans. I initially thought this would be more fantasy, but it ended up leaning more towards the horror genre…which was perfectly fine with me. I recommend this to anyone who loves Lovecraftian, secret societies, the occults, magic, and some fun wizardry.
April 6, 2021
Short version: Buy this book. The Outer Gods command it. So mote it be.
Long version:
Anne Pillsworth’s Summoned sits in a lovely gray area between teen fantasy and adult horror. Sean Wyndham is very much a normal teenager, but an online meeting with a person claiming to be a centuries-old Puritan wizard sets Sean on the path of half-serious magical experimentation. A simple test ritual goes terribly awry (as they do), unleashing a shambling, blood-thirsty monster straight from an alien netherworld into the sleepy New England suburbs.
This year I’ve wound up reading a lot more teen fiction than I normally do, and as a character Sean feels like a more authentic teenager than many of the heroes of YA fiction. Too often the protagonists of these novels feel like adults in teen clothing, their maturity explained away by the characters having had to grow up too fast due to childhood trauma or, more often than not, the hardships of living in a future dystopia. Sean feels much more real – a kid with an intense fixation on his personal interests, delusions of invincibility, and a sense that nothing he does will have any real cost or consequence, so why not dive in headfirst?
As an adult reader, I also appreciate that the grown-ups in Sean’s world are actual characters in their own right, not merely two-dimensional authoritarian figureheads to serve as obstacles or to dispense sage wisdom when the hero needs it most. A significant portion of the book is told from an adult viewpoint – that of Helen Arkwright, a young archivist at Miskatonic University in Arkham with access to the Necronomicon and other occult lore.
And yes, Cthulhu fans, it’s that Miskatonic, that Arkham, and that Necronomicon. Lovecraft’s Mythos was always intended to be an open-source playground for other writers to work in, and Summoned is set firmly in that universe. “The Dunwich Horror” in particular is name-checked as being based on events that actually took place.
That, for me, is part of what gives this book a broader appeal than just the target teen audience. Anne’s introducing younger readers to a world of classics that modern horror is founded on, and for adults is breathing new life into an old, dark stomping ground of existential terror.
I had the pleasure of reading a very early draft of this novel several years ago, so I’ve been looking forward to the sequel for quite a while. Congratulations, Anne! Now bring on book 2.
Long version:
Anne Pillsworth’s Summoned sits in a lovely gray area between teen fantasy and adult horror. Sean Wyndham is very much a normal teenager, but an online meeting with a person claiming to be a centuries-old Puritan wizard sets Sean on the path of half-serious magical experimentation. A simple test ritual goes terribly awry (as they do), unleashing a shambling, blood-thirsty monster straight from an alien netherworld into the sleepy New England suburbs.
This year I’ve wound up reading a lot more teen fiction than I normally do, and as a character Sean feels like a more authentic teenager than many of the heroes of YA fiction. Too often the protagonists of these novels feel like adults in teen clothing, their maturity explained away by the characters having had to grow up too fast due to childhood trauma or, more often than not, the hardships of living in a future dystopia. Sean feels much more real – a kid with an intense fixation on his personal interests, delusions of invincibility, and a sense that nothing he does will have any real cost or consequence, so why not dive in headfirst?
As an adult reader, I also appreciate that the grown-ups in Sean’s world are actual characters in their own right, not merely two-dimensional authoritarian figureheads to serve as obstacles or to dispense sage wisdom when the hero needs it most. A significant portion of the book is told from an adult viewpoint – that of Helen Arkwright, a young archivist at Miskatonic University in Arkham with access to the Necronomicon and other occult lore.
And yes, Cthulhu fans, it’s that Miskatonic, that Arkham, and that Necronomicon. Lovecraft’s Mythos was always intended to be an open-source playground for other writers to work in, and Summoned is set firmly in that universe. “The Dunwich Horror” in particular is name-checked as being based on events that actually took place.
That, for me, is part of what gives this book a broader appeal than just the target teen audience. Anne’s introducing younger readers to a world of classics that modern horror is founded on, and for adults is breathing new life into an old, dark stomping ground of existential terror.
I had the pleasure of reading a very early draft of this novel several years ago, so I’ve been looking forward to the sequel for quite a while. Congratulations, Anne! Now bring on book 2.
July 2, 2014
My Thoughts:
Summoned was one of those novels with a great premise, but in my opinion - failed in the execution department. Below is a list of reasons why I disliked this book, and why It remains unfinished.
Mistakes: Galore
Sentences switching in and out of tense, the occasional lack of context (He said/She said), online chatting not having any sort of possessive-citation (Usernames/ or anything to distinguish who's saying what), etc. Though this didn't happen all the time, it was jarring and odd when it did.
Sean (personally) didn't strike me as a lead character.
I feel that when you write a novel with a small cast of characters, you kinda have to make sure those guys shine, whether this may be in feats, or just by making them "interesting". Summoned didn't quite do this for me. There wasn't enough information, or character development for me to fully* empathise with his situation, and thus I found myself disinterested in book's happenings as a whole.
I felt a lack of a "backing"
This is a bizarre one, but throughout my read, I felt as if there was something missing. The plot was there, but I didn't feel it; like there wasn't any ambience accompanied with that. For example, you know how Coraline has an eerie tone to it? And how it transfers that unsettling energy to the reader itself? Summoned was missing that quality.
My Rating: 3/5
Summoned was one of those novels with a great premise, but in my opinion - failed in the execution department. Below is a list of reasons why I disliked this book, and why It remains unfinished.
Mistakes: Galore
Sentences switching in and out of tense, the occasional lack of context (He said/She said), online chatting not having any sort of possessive-citation (Usernames/ or anything to distinguish who's saying what), etc. Though this didn't happen all the time, it was jarring and odd when it did.
Sean (personally) didn't strike me as a lead character.
I feel that when you write a novel with a small cast of characters, you kinda have to make sure those guys shine, whether this may be in feats, or just by making them "interesting". Summoned didn't quite do this for me. There wasn't enough information, or character development for me to fully* empathise with his situation, and thus I found myself disinterested in book's happenings as a whole.
I felt a lack of a "backing"
This is a bizarre one, but throughout my read, I felt as if there was something missing. The plot was there, but I didn't feel it; like there wasn't any ambience accompanied with that. For example, you know how Coraline has an eerie tone to it? And how it transfers that unsettling energy to the reader itself? Summoned was missing that quality.
My Rating: 3/5
June 7, 2014
I was hooked from the first page. A mysterious book store, mysterious books. I was confused at first by the age of the kids,they appeared to be much younger the their age. I'm not a reader of H.P. Lovecraft so the myths were new to me, but that did not detract from the story. From the time Sean and Eddy entered the bookstore and found the mysterious book and ad till the end the book it was a great ride. There was mystery as to if it was real, what was really happening,who was behind it,how would it end. All the characters where interesting and added to the story. I thought the language in parts of the book was too strong especially since this was a YA book. It was exciting from beginning till the end. Loved it. I can see this as a series of book.
Read
September 22, 2015Graded By: Brian
Cover Story: What's With That Hair?
Drinking Buddy: Space Mead
Testosterone Level: Just Like Ol' Howard Phillips
Talky Talk: I Was Told There'd Be Suicidal Insanity...
Bonus Factor: Tome Raider
Bromance Status: Necronomicon in English. Now in paperback.
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: What's With That Hair?
Drinking Buddy: Space Mead
Testosterone Level: Just Like Ol' Howard Phillips
Talky Talk: I Was Told There'd Be Suicidal Insanity...
Bonus Factor: Tome Raider
Bromance Status: Necronomicon in English. Now in paperback.
Read the full book report here.
Read
August 23, 2015This is another book I won (from Goodreads I think?) and I know I should really finish it, but I really just don't want to.
There are a lot of things I like about this book: the Cthulhu mythology that digs a little deeper than most, a not-too stupid mc, an interesting setting.
So it's not bad. I just didn't want to be reading it.
So I read about 100 pages in, but I was just not enjoying it and I really just don't want to read things I'm not into right now.
There are a lot of things I like about this book: the Cthulhu mythology that digs a little deeper than most, a not-too stupid mc, an interesting setting.
So it's not bad. I just didn't want to be reading it.
So I read about 100 pages in, but I was just not enjoying it and I really just don't want to read things I'm not into right now.
December 9, 2016
This series deserves way more attention than it gets. It's got interesting, likable, and complex characters. It subverts many tropes associated with the genera (which was extremely refreshing). The magic system is just as mystical as it is startling. These books are definitly worth your time and they've more than earned my seal of approval.
June 19, 2017
A good old style horror story, hits all the expected buttons.
Why only 4 stars? The weak 'creature' more like a sheep worrying dog then a true Lovecraftian horror.
Eddy is a stand out character, give her a mask and cape and you have Batgirl, she deserves her own series.
Feeling nostalgic for the horror tales of your youth - read this one
Why only 4 stars? The weak 'creature' more like a sheep worrying dog then a true Lovecraftian horror.
Eddy is a stand out character, give her a mask and cape and you have Batgirl, she deserves her own series.
Feeling nostalgic for the horror tales of your youth - read this one
December 22, 2015
We likes it, don't we, my precious?
Yes, my precious, we does, because it's crunchably scrunchable!
With eldritch sauce?
Always, my love, always.
Yes, my precious, we does, because it's crunchably scrunchable!
With eldritch sauce?
Always, my love, always.
September 23, 2016
I adored this original and creative fantasy adventure! The mystery kept me turning the pages, the writing was superb, and I adored both Sean and Eddy. I highly recommend it!
March 1, 2014
I thought that the premise of this one sounded pretty cool. A boy answers an ad for a wizard's apprentice, to find out the secret behind the authentically aged piece of newspaper containing it. The mystery is there, because the ad mentions email which was not invented until over 100 years after the ad was taken out! I thought to myself, okay, here we go. A book with some humor and mostly about a modern teenage boy training to become a wizard's apprentice. I even speculated that it involved time travel (that interesting me slightly more than just a wizard character who is centuries old), which would have been spectacular. I was unfamiliar with the term "Cthulhu Mythos god" and was sincerely hoping that I would have it explained to my satisfaction, or be so minor to the plot that it didn't matter what it was. None of my expectations were met in a way that I wanted them to be.
Being that I am not really a horror aficionado, I can't really compare the mythology in this book to that in the stories of H.P. Lovecraft. But I can tell that the author draws heavily from him, on the basis that in her book's world, Lovecraft was part of a secret society in the know and just writing the truth. That is a cool concept and I would have loved it - had I already been a Lovecraft fan, and been in on the history. The whole plot of this book relies on prior knowledge of terminology and ideas from a mythology that I was not the least bit familiar with (at least in my opinion and reading experience) and it wasn't really fleshed out in the novel. I felt like it assumed prior knowledge, and because of that the terminology was vague to me - something that I was never really able to picture all that well in my mind. Something that might have made this book a better experience for me would have been highly developed and sound characters. I love characters that are so real they could walk off the page and share a drink with me at the local coffee shop. That, or a plot that surpasses my need for intimate connections with the main characters (it takes an extremely special kind of book to accomplish this feat). Keeping that in mind, me being on the outskirts of this very plot driven novel, with characters whose whole lives seem to revolve around the plot, it never really connected.
Eddie was only there to scold Sean for contacting some "creep" on the Internet and to annoy the heck out of him. To be the one-dimensional best friend (although their strong bond is showcased when later on she knows exactly where to find him when he's missing). I believe the friendship, but it does nothing for me. Sean's Dad is the "concerned single parent" who also restores stained glass windows. That's about all there is to him, other than him being a widower who doesn't date and a skeptic of all things magic/supernatural. His role is parent and skeptic: check mark. Most of the other characters are fleeting, just there to move along the plot. Redemption Orne, arguably the most important character other than Sean, is nothing more than an Internet presence, of someone who might be a mentally deluded weirdo just playacting. Sean is the typical hero, just goofing off and doing things out of curiosity - until it gets him into real trouble and the shit hits the fan. I never really got to know him as a character though, outside of his mission to bind the servitor, find out the truth about Redemption and become "serious" in regards to messing with the supernatural. The message of this book seems to be, don't play with fire unless you're ready to be burned. And it's not a subtle message, with the very serious consequences of Sean's actions on a pet-killing spree across the neighborhood and sucking his own blood. The action was spotty, the plot dragged in it's odd pacing and the novel was mostly set up for a series. The disappearing pharmacy and its quirky pharmacist felt like they belonged in a different novel altogether, the one I had initially thought I was going to read (and its not a coincidence they were my favorite part/little fantasy quirk).
That said, a lot of people would probably adore this book beyond belief. I am not by any means stating that this book was bad, or does not have its audience somewhere out there. Hell, Pillsworth probably has a built in curiosity audience in all the Lovecraft fans lurking out there, waiting for a book like this. It's modern, approachable for a younger audience and has a very dark, science fiction edge to it. But as someone who self-proclaimedly prefers fantasy to science fiction it just wasn't the book for me. I thought it was a fantasy book and was highly disappointed. But I did finish the book and was interested in the resolution of the whole issue Sean caused, so Pillsworth did manage to draw me in regardless of my slight boredom. Overall, a decent book but not my thing. Lovecraftians take notice and add to your to-reads.
VERDICT: 3/5 Stars
*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie. No favors or money were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is June 24th, 2014.*
Being that I am not really a horror aficionado, I can't really compare the mythology in this book to that in the stories of H.P. Lovecraft. But I can tell that the author draws heavily from him, on the basis that in her book's world, Lovecraft was part of a secret society in the know and just writing the truth. That is a cool concept and I would have loved it - had I already been a Lovecraft fan, and been in on the history. The whole plot of this book relies on prior knowledge of terminology and ideas from a mythology that I was not the least bit familiar with (at least in my opinion and reading experience) and it wasn't really fleshed out in the novel. I felt like it assumed prior knowledge, and because of that the terminology was vague to me - something that I was never really able to picture all that well in my mind. Something that might have made this book a better experience for me would have been highly developed and sound characters. I love characters that are so real they could walk off the page and share a drink with me at the local coffee shop. That, or a plot that surpasses my need for intimate connections with the main characters (it takes an extremely special kind of book to accomplish this feat). Keeping that in mind, me being on the outskirts of this very plot driven novel, with characters whose whole lives seem to revolve around the plot, it never really connected.
Eddie was only there to scold Sean for contacting some "creep" on the Internet and to annoy the heck out of him. To be the one-dimensional best friend (although their strong bond is showcased when later on she knows exactly where to find him when he's missing). I believe the friendship, but it does nothing for me. Sean's Dad is the "concerned single parent" who also restores stained glass windows. That's about all there is to him, other than him being a widower who doesn't date and a skeptic of all things magic/supernatural. His role is parent and skeptic: check mark. Most of the other characters are fleeting, just there to move along the plot. Redemption Orne, arguably the most important character other than Sean, is nothing more than an Internet presence, of someone who might be a mentally deluded weirdo just playacting. Sean is the typical hero, just goofing off and doing things out of curiosity - until it gets him into real trouble and the shit hits the fan. I never really got to know him as a character though, outside of his mission to bind the servitor, find out the truth about Redemption and become "serious" in regards to messing with the supernatural. The message of this book seems to be, don't play with fire unless you're ready to be burned. And it's not a subtle message, with the very serious consequences of Sean's actions on a pet-killing spree across the neighborhood and sucking his own blood. The action was spotty, the plot dragged in it's odd pacing and the novel was mostly set up for a series. The disappearing pharmacy and its quirky pharmacist felt like they belonged in a different novel altogether, the one I had initially thought I was going to read (and its not a coincidence they were my favorite part/little fantasy quirk).
That said, a lot of people would probably adore this book beyond belief. I am not by any means stating that this book was bad, or does not have its audience somewhere out there. Hell, Pillsworth probably has a built in curiosity audience in all the Lovecraft fans lurking out there, waiting for a book like this. It's modern, approachable for a younger audience and has a very dark, science fiction edge to it. But as someone who self-proclaimedly prefers fantasy to science fiction it just wasn't the book for me. I thought it was a fantasy book and was highly disappointed. But I did finish the book and was interested in the resolution of the whole issue Sean caused, so Pillsworth did manage to draw me in regardless of my slight boredom. Overall, a decent book but not my thing. Lovecraftians take notice and add to your to-reads.
VERDICT: 3/5 Stars
*I received this book as part of Around the World ARC Tours, run by the lovely Princess Bookie. No favors or money were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is June 24th, 2014.*
May 31, 2016
There's a lot to love about this book. It's steeped in the Cthulhu Mythos and has all the Lovecraftian elements it needs to be a fine entry in the genre. They're all handled well - in particular the portrayals of the archives at Miskatonic University in Arkham, MA, and the now-you-see-it-now-you-don't arcane pharmacy (my personal favorite touch). The horror elements were truly scary -- no sanitizing for YA readers here -- and I appreciated the the ostensible protagonist, Sean, never faces anything alone but has a complex network of family and friends that he turns to almost immediately when he gets into trouble. And the only other teen we see very much of in the book (because it's summer vacation and they're not in school) is the awesome Eddy, a girl with whom Sean has a close friendship that does not at any point turn romantic.
What brought the book down a bit for me was the pacing. I devoured the first half -- in which Sean makes contact with the enigmatic Redemption Orne and ultimately performs the summoning ritual -- but found the second half quite slow. I think this was in part because we more or less stop moving deeper into the novel's world and instead kind of plateau: Sean summons the one monster, and then everybody spends the rest of the story figuring out how to send it back, with no help from Orne who basically disappears from the narrative. We get glimpses of intriguing things, set up for future installments (the "Mythos" police, Helen's potion-induced glimpses into the Otherworld), but they're largely sidelined in favor of bolstering Sean's role as unwitting naif and his relationship with his worried father. None of this is bad, just not very fast-paced.
Finally, I don't know how much of the grammar will be changed between the ARC and the final publication and how much is a conscious stylistic choice, but I found there to be many strange uses (or lacks) of punctuation, in particular. In the beginning, I though this was Pillsworth's attempt to make the teenagers sound realistic, but it didn't work for me, and also did not hold up through the whole book -- not because the teens became more serious and adultlike, but because it was as if Pillsworth suddenly forgot all about it. This made for an odd tonal shift.
I enjoyed this overall, though it's not a new favorite, and I would recommend it to casual Lovecraft fans looking for a fun modernization. It's probably not serious enough for die-hards, but they might be glad to have something with which to hook their kids!
I'd give this 3.5 stars.
** I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley**
What brought the book down a bit for me was the pacing. I devoured the first half -- in which Sean makes contact with the enigmatic Redemption Orne and ultimately performs the summoning ritual -- but found the second half quite slow. I think this was in part because we more or less stop moving deeper into the novel's world and instead kind of plateau: Sean summons the one monster, and then everybody spends the rest of the story figuring out how to send it back, with no help from Orne who basically disappears from the narrative. We get glimpses of intriguing things, set up for future installments (the "Mythos" police, Helen's potion-induced glimpses into the Otherworld), but they're largely sidelined in favor of bolstering Sean's role as unwitting naif and his relationship with his worried father. None of this is bad, just not very fast-paced.
Finally, I don't know how much of the grammar will be changed between the ARC and the final publication and how much is a conscious stylistic choice, but I found there to be many strange uses (or lacks) of punctuation, in particular. In the beginning, I though this was Pillsworth's attempt to make the teenagers sound realistic, but it didn't work for me, and also did not hold up through the whole book -- not because the teens became more serious and adultlike, but because it was as if Pillsworth suddenly forgot all about it. This made for an odd tonal shift.
I enjoyed this overall, though it's not a new favorite, and I would recommend it to casual Lovecraft fans looking for a fun modernization. It's probably not serious enough for die-hards, but they might be glad to have something with which to hook their kids!
I'd give this 3.5 stars.
** I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley**
April 27, 2015
This review is also posted at Musings of the Bookaholic Fairies, Inc
Summoned is a story about a teen age boy answering a mysterious wiz' apprenticeship ad he and his bestfriend found in a library. The said ad was mysterious in a way that it mentions an email address which was not invented until over a century before it was taken out. This held my interest that I must say, had me reading fast until 18-20% of the book. However, since I have no idea what Cthulhu Mythos are, which yep slowed down my reading I had to pause and continue after a while everytime. And since we're being honest, yes, I'd looked it up and somehow it'd helped me made it through the book. There were just lots of terms that were vague to me I had a hard time picturing them all out in mind.
The hero, Sean was this typical one you'd meet who's curious. Of course, sixteen, almost seventeen years old. At this age, it is expected, teenagers just up for doing stuffs until shit happens and their young selves could not be able to handle the weight of the trouble they've gotten themselves into, that adults' presence is already necessary. Which exactly what he have gotten himself when he summoned a Black spawn instead of an aethernewt which had killed animals in the neighborhood, also threatening for his loved ones to get hurt apart from himself getting blood-sucked.
Rev. Orne, who other than Sean an important character, was simply a presence from the internet. I was waiting for the part that he'd show his face up but, it never came.
But I'd admit that though Eddy, who may be an overly critical bestfriend I liked the part that she knew where to go when Sean was missing. I also liked that when everyone was skeptic about magic in the beginning, they understood the essence of it in the end. I wouldn't also leave that I admire Sean's bravery to deal with the trouble he has caused everybody, protect his love ones and his willingness to end it all.
Sure, the ending indicates a sequel. With Sean and secret society offering him formal wiz education? ^__^ His journey has just truly began. For everyone whos young at heart and like witch and lovecraft.
3.5 fairy wings!
Summoned is a story about a teen age boy answering a mysterious wiz' apprenticeship ad he and his bestfriend found in a library. The said ad was mysterious in a way that it mentions an email address which was not invented until over a century before it was taken out. This held my interest that I must say, had me reading fast until 18-20% of the book. However, since I have no idea what Cthulhu Mythos are, which yep slowed down my reading I had to pause and continue after a while everytime. And since we're being honest, yes, I'd looked it up and somehow it'd helped me made it through the book. There were just lots of terms that were vague to me I had a hard time picturing them all out in mind.
The hero, Sean was this typical one you'd meet who's curious. Of course, sixteen, almost seventeen years old. At this age, it is expected, teenagers just up for doing stuffs until shit happens and their young selves could not be able to handle the weight of the trouble they've gotten themselves into, that adults' presence is already necessary. Which exactly what he have gotten himself when he summoned a Black spawn instead of an aethernewt which had killed animals in the neighborhood, also threatening for his loved ones to get hurt apart from himself getting blood-sucked.
Rev. Orne, who other than Sean an important character, was simply a presence from the internet. I was waiting for the part that he'd show his face up but, it never came.
But I'd admit that though Eddy, who may be an overly critical bestfriend I liked the part that she knew where to go when Sean was missing. I also liked that when everyone was skeptic about magic in the beginning, they understood the essence of it in the end. I wouldn't also leave that I admire Sean's bravery to deal with the trouble he has caused everybody, protect his love ones and his willingness to end it all.
Sure, the ending indicates a sequel. With Sean and secret society offering him formal wiz education? ^__^ His journey has just truly began. For everyone whos young at heart and like witch and lovecraft.
3.5 fairy wings!
June 30, 2014
3.5 Stars
'Summoned' is the exciting first book in a young adult fantasy/paranormal series. Our hero, Sean, is obsessed with the occult - magic in particular. When he goes into an odd bookstore with his best friend Eddy, Sean finds a book over a century old with a strange classified inside. The date on the paper is from 1895 and says it is seeking an apprentice in magic. Even weirder is the part where the ad says to reply by email. Sean all this to be incredibly fascinating and decides to answer the ad - because it obviously has to be a joke. The answer he receives, however, is no laughing matter - and Sean finds himself following the occult master's orders to disastrous results. Sean has let a bloodthirsty familiar into the world and must find a way to stop it before even worse things begin to happen.
This was a really fun and fast read for me. I read it in one sitting over the course of an afternoon. I love almost any book involving magic and the occult, so this was right up my alley. Sean was a great main character for the book - he's an average teen with a somewhat odd obsession with magic and the occult, due in large part to his Uncle Gus. He's smart, thinks outside the box, and is open to possibilities that others would immediately dismiss. I loved watching how his character grew throughout the book and how he handled all the strange and dangerous situations around him. The plot was full of ancient myths, gods, magic, spells - and just about everything related to them. I loved reading about all the various myths and magic along with Sean - and I hope that the author includes more of that information in the following books. The writing was well done with a fast-paced and fluid plot, a story line full of action, adventure, and fantasy - and it was all written with fantastic descriptions and vivid imagery that made it easy to slip inside the story alongside Sean. I'll definitely be picking up the next book in the series to see what happens next. Definitely recommended for fans of YA fantasy and paranormal fiction!
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
'Summoned' is the exciting first book in a young adult fantasy/paranormal series. Our hero, Sean, is obsessed with the occult - magic in particular. When he goes into an odd bookstore with his best friend Eddy, Sean finds a book over a century old with a strange classified inside. The date on the paper is from 1895 and says it is seeking an apprentice in magic. Even weirder is the part where the ad says to reply by email. Sean all this to be incredibly fascinating and decides to answer the ad - because it obviously has to be a joke. The answer he receives, however, is no laughing matter - and Sean finds himself following the occult master's orders to disastrous results. Sean has let a bloodthirsty familiar into the world and must find a way to stop it before even worse things begin to happen.
This was a really fun and fast read for me. I read it in one sitting over the course of an afternoon. I love almost any book involving magic and the occult, so this was right up my alley. Sean was a great main character for the book - he's an average teen with a somewhat odd obsession with magic and the occult, due in large part to his Uncle Gus. He's smart, thinks outside the box, and is open to possibilities that others would immediately dismiss. I loved watching how his character grew throughout the book and how he handled all the strange and dangerous situations around him. The plot was full of ancient myths, gods, magic, spells - and just about everything related to them. I loved reading about all the various myths and magic along with Sean - and I hope that the author includes more of that information in the following books. The writing was well done with a fast-paced and fluid plot, a story line full of action, adventure, and fantasy - and it was all written with fantastic descriptions and vivid imagery that made it easy to slip inside the story alongside Sean. I'll definitely be picking up the next book in the series to see what happens next. Definitely recommended for fans of YA fantasy and paranormal fiction!
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
July 2, 2014
"Summoned" by Agnes M. Pillsworth which I won through Goodreads Giveaways is a chilling tale that begins in Arkham, New England when sixteen year old Sean Wyndham shifts a mummy-book at Hornoke´s bookstore and an advertisement for an apprentice in magic from the year 1895 flutters to the floor. When Sean and his best friend Edna (Eddy) Rosenbaum email Redemption Orne for particulars, expecting a prankster, they are stunned to discover that the wizard is still alive after more than 300 years and is still looking for an apprentice. What follows is a an adventure filled with secrets, mystery and hair-raising creepy characters.
The plot is fast-paced and intense especially when Sean ignores Redemption´s instructions and summons a blood-spawn, a reptilian creature that craves blood instead of a harmless and useful familiar. As the narrative progresses the author weaves dream sequences that add intensity and suspense as Sean enters the mind of a monster that not only threatens the dogs, cats and wildlife of the town, but is bent on killing and feeding on the townspeople. Amid the dark violence, there are elements of friendship, trust, love and family support.
The characters are fascinating as they struggle to help Sean who's stalked by dark forces that test his magical ability. Helen Arkwright the Assistant Archivist from a magical family who Sean approaches for aid never expects to be caught up in an adventure that will test her capabilities. She´s intelligent, determined and logically minded while Sean Wyndham is cocky, curious, and reckless. Yet his strength-of will and self-sacrifice will fortify him as he faces the dark magic that wants him dead. Eddy Rosenbaum is a research junkie and his pragmatic and suspicious friend. Add to these characters Jeremy Wyndham, a trusting, protective and selfless father; Professor Gus Litinski Sean´s supportive, intelligent uncle; a vicious, ominous creature and an evil, dark magician. All these characters and more add power and drama to a captivating plot.
I enjoyed this uniquely imaginative tale geared to a teen audience and recommend it to those that like a darkly chilling fantasy.
The plot is fast-paced and intense especially when Sean ignores Redemption´s instructions and summons a blood-spawn, a reptilian creature that craves blood instead of a harmless and useful familiar. As the narrative progresses the author weaves dream sequences that add intensity and suspense as Sean enters the mind of a monster that not only threatens the dogs, cats and wildlife of the town, but is bent on killing and feeding on the townspeople. Amid the dark violence, there are elements of friendship, trust, love and family support.
The characters are fascinating as they struggle to help Sean who's stalked by dark forces that test his magical ability. Helen Arkwright the Assistant Archivist from a magical family who Sean approaches for aid never expects to be caught up in an adventure that will test her capabilities. She´s intelligent, determined and logically minded while Sean Wyndham is cocky, curious, and reckless. Yet his strength-of will and self-sacrifice will fortify him as he faces the dark magic that wants him dead. Eddy Rosenbaum is a research junkie and his pragmatic and suspicious friend. Add to these characters Jeremy Wyndham, a trusting, protective and selfless father; Professor Gus Litinski Sean´s supportive, intelligent uncle; a vicious, ominous creature and an evil, dark magician. All these characters and more add power and drama to a captivating plot.
I enjoyed this uniquely imaginative tale geared to a teen audience and recommend it to those that like a darkly chilling fantasy.
June 3, 2014
The overwhelmingly extensive use of foul language is a HUGE turn off! Yes, all the @#$% nasty ones and to my mind - so unnecessary. This just made me want to quit reading. However, since this was a Goodreads First Read Giveaway, I completed the book. As before, I don't mind it when there is some foul language, when it adds to the story to make a point. But when it is overused in everyday conversation (outside a mob-like oriented type book), it just thoroughly debases the story.
Like others, I was under the impression from the giveaway description this was more on the side of fantasy than horror. And the Cthulhu Mythos, I felt as well, wasn't explained enough. I've heard the name Cthulhu before, but never really investigated what it was about. Upon reading the book, I had the feeling it was assumed I "should" have already known about some of these things prior to the book. Not a deal breaker, but a little more background info would have been nice - at least for this "outta my usual genre" girl.
As for the way the story is told (profanity aside), it moved along at a good clip. Kept me wanting to find out what happens next. There was a couple of "REALLY? - that's just Ewwww" moments, that truthfully could have been left out (referring to arousal description). The descriptions of many details were perfect in creating a picture in my mind (some most definitely unwanted!). This book could have been a 4 star (that's saying something when the horror style genre isn't my cup of tea), but I can give it only 3, as noted above I at first didn't even want to continue the book. Thanks to this novel, I'm obliged to add horror to my bookshelf! YIKES! ;-p
Horror, Cthulhu Mythos, Lovecraft, demons, servitor, wizards, magicians, YA protagonist, adventure, mystery, mythology, book shop, ephemeral pharmacy, internet safety, obedience, loss of a parent, parent child relationship, friendship, family support, witchcraft, potions, magic, research, teamwork, animal dismemberment (by evil familiar), fear and plenty of YUCK.
Definitely for a more mature YA, in my opinion.
Like others, I was under the impression from the giveaway description this was more on the side of fantasy than horror. And the Cthulhu Mythos, I felt as well, wasn't explained enough. I've heard the name Cthulhu before, but never really investigated what it was about. Upon reading the book, I had the feeling it was assumed I "should" have already known about some of these things prior to the book. Not a deal breaker, but a little more background info would have been nice - at least for this "outta my usual genre" girl.
As for the way the story is told (profanity aside), it moved along at a good clip. Kept me wanting to find out what happens next. There was a couple of "REALLY? - that's just Ewwww" moments, that truthfully could have been left out (referring to arousal description). The descriptions of many details were perfect in creating a picture in my mind (some most definitely unwanted!). This book could have been a 4 star (that's saying something when the horror style genre isn't my cup of tea), but I can give it only 3, as noted above I at first didn't even want to continue the book. Thanks to this novel, I'm obliged to add horror to my bookshelf! YIKES! ;-p
Horror, Cthulhu Mythos, Lovecraft, demons, servitor, wizards, magicians, YA protagonist, adventure, mystery, mythology, book shop, ephemeral pharmacy, internet safety, obedience, loss of a parent, parent child relationship, friendship, family support, witchcraft, potions, magic, research, teamwork, animal dismemberment (by evil familiar), fear and plenty of YUCK.
Definitely for a more mature YA, in my opinion.
September 16, 2014
Disclaimer: I received a free eBook from Netgalley in exchange for a review.
Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos comes alive in this YA tale of magic and mayhem. Our protagonist, Sean Wyndham finds some strange mythos-related books while visiting in Arkham. One thing leads to another and he's invited to become an apprentice to a master magician. He's tasked with summoning a servitor, and when things go awry, it's up to him and those closest to Sean to set things right.
Now I love the Cthulhu Mythos. Lovecraft's works are some of my favorite writings. I even devoted a whole semester to his weird tales in college. So, it was the back copy of this book that caught my attention. I loved how Pillsworth brought the mythos into "our world" in a way that retains some of the magic but also keeps a lot of the skepticism alive. This world felt alive in a way that Lovecraft's monsters could fit into it. Secret societies, magical summonings, and dark secrets are all here. I could see many of the characters reacting to the events just as a normal person would.
That said, my biggest beef was with Sean himself. He's 17 in the book, which almost makes him an adult. However, he's treated almost if he was 13 or so in the book. A lot of his characterization doesn't make him seem like he's a 17 at all. I kept wavering between seeing an adult or seeing a very young 13 year old who makes a lot of weird mistakes. Espeically around how Sean and Eddy dealt with one another. Their relationship seemed very young... as in, "ewww cooties" whenever they got close together. It's fine not to include romance in a book, but the closer you are to a person, sometimes you do develop feelings. Especially at that age.
Bottom Line: If you enjoy a good tale involving mythos characters then you'll enjoy this book. I recommend that young adults read a bit of Lovecraft first before reading this book. It'll make a bit more sense.
Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos comes alive in this YA tale of magic and mayhem. Our protagonist, Sean Wyndham finds some strange mythos-related books while visiting in Arkham. One thing leads to another and he's invited to become an apprentice to a master magician. He's tasked with summoning a servitor, and when things go awry, it's up to him and those closest to Sean to set things right.
Now I love the Cthulhu Mythos. Lovecraft's works are some of my favorite writings. I even devoted a whole semester to his weird tales in college. So, it was the back copy of this book that caught my attention. I loved how Pillsworth brought the mythos into "our world" in a way that retains some of the magic but also keeps a lot of the skepticism alive. This world felt alive in a way that Lovecraft's monsters could fit into it. Secret societies, magical summonings, and dark secrets are all here. I could see many of the characters reacting to the events just as a normal person would.
That said, my biggest beef was with Sean himself. He's 17 in the book, which almost makes him an adult. However, he's treated almost if he was 13 or so in the book. A lot of his characterization doesn't make him seem like he's a 17 at all. I kept wavering between seeing an adult or seeing a very young 13 year old who makes a lot of weird mistakes. Espeically around how Sean and Eddy dealt with one another. Their relationship seemed very young... as in, "ewww cooties" whenever they got close together. It's fine not to include romance in a book, but the closer you are to a person, sometimes you do develop feelings. Especially at that age.
Bottom Line: If you enjoy a good tale involving mythos characters then you'll enjoy this book. I recommend that young adults read a bit of Lovecraft first before reading this book. It'll make a bit more sense.
November 22, 2014
I won this book through the Goodreads First Reads program in exchange for an unbiased review.
I'd heard so much about the Cthulhu mythos that I always planned to read Lovecraft some day, but as of now I didn't get around to it, in fact I actually had to double check that this mythos really was a creation of Lovecraft as this book implies the mythos was around a lot longer and all too real as Sean was about to discover.
Sean accidentally summons a demon...well not completely accidental, he sort of knew what he was doing, but being a kid, not fully believing what he was doing was real and being manipulated by a freaking god one could sort of excuse him for his mistake. Thus he summons a Servitor, one super creepy demonic creature that nearly gave me nightmares.
Pros - interesting premise, good world building, engaging characters, mysteries, danger, magic, and creepy if you like that kind of thing. I liked how the adults were involved, unlike so many other middle grade books where adults are either the bad guys or just get in the way (though once they all saw the Servitor they could hardly deny it was real!) The quirky potion shop was definitely a plus, Sean should hang out there and avoid that Reverend...
Cons - It could be a little slow at times, especially at the beginning as Sean and Eddy try to convince themselves that what was happening was real, and then have to go and convince multiple adults.
I'd continue with this series, maybe after I read a little Lovecraft.
I'd heard so much about the Cthulhu mythos that I always planned to read Lovecraft some day, but as of now I didn't get around to it, in fact I actually had to double check that this mythos really was a creation of Lovecraft as this book implies the mythos was around a lot longer and all too real as Sean was about to discover.
Sean accidentally summons a demon...well not completely accidental, he sort of knew what he was doing, but being a kid, not fully believing what he was doing was real and being manipulated by a freaking god one could sort of excuse him for his mistake. Thus he summons a Servitor, one super creepy demonic creature that nearly gave me nightmares.
Pros - interesting premise, good world building, engaging characters, mysteries, danger, magic, and creepy if you like that kind of thing. I liked how the adults were involved, unlike so many other middle grade books where adults are either the bad guys or just get in the way (though once they all saw the Servitor they could hardly deny it was real!) The quirky potion shop was definitely a plus, Sean should hang out there and avoid that Reverend...
Cons - It could be a little slow at times, especially at the beginning as Sean and Eddy try to convince themselves that what was happening was real, and then have to go and convince multiple adults.
I'd continue with this series, maybe after I read a little Lovecraft.
December 4, 2014
The book Summoned by Anne M. Pillsworth is about a teenager by the name of Sean who is into magic. He lives in Rhode Island with his dad and he mostly plays MMORPGs(video game genres). When he isn't playing video games, he is most likely hanging out with his best friend Edna.
The author uses tough words in his sentences. For example on the first page he is already using words like Cthulhu, but he later does tell you what they are. This book is in a first person point of view because he uses words like “i’ll” or like “my dad”. The book was good, but there wasn't enough background information. For example he used the word “Cthulhu” and he didn't explain what it was, but he say what it was a little further away in the text. We are also not told much about the dad even though he pops up here and there. You also tell that this book is a little more for mature people because it does include swear words in the book. I personally was a big fan of magic so I could relate with the character Sean. I also think that it would be really cool to have magic in the real world. You would probably have to be really careful with the magic you use though if magic was real which kind of sucks. I recommend this book to people who are mature, like magic, and people who like to read long books.
The author uses tough words in his sentences. For example on the first page he is already using words like Cthulhu, but he later does tell you what they are. This book is in a first person point of view because he uses words like “i’ll” or like “my dad”. The book was good, but there wasn't enough background information. For example he used the word “Cthulhu” and he didn't explain what it was, but he say what it was a little further away in the text. We are also not told much about the dad even though he pops up here and there. You also tell that this book is a little more for mature people because it does include swear words in the book. I personally was a big fan of magic so I could relate with the character Sean. I also think that it would be really cool to have magic in the real world. You would probably have to be really careful with the magic you use though if magic was real which kind of sucks. I recommend this book to people who are mature, like magic, and people who like to read long books.
June 19, 2014
First of all, thank you to Tor Teen and Goodreads for the ARC copy of this book.
The story overall was good, but sadly not for me. I can recognize its qualities but I never felt the pull towards this book and these characters. I loved the mythology and everything surrounding it, but the main story never got to me, but as I said before, I take a good part of the blame for that, maybe I wasn't in the right mood to read this novel, or I don't know.
Even though I didn't love it, I still recommend this book to YA readers. I believe enough in this story's writing, mythology and story to believe that other people will connect to it much more than I did.
One thing that I have to say however, and I also read it in another review, is that the main character seemed to me to be much younger than the sixteen years old that he's supposed to be, and with that, was acting really immaturely.
All in all, a nice story that just didn't find it's right reader in me, but that's okay! I might still read the next books in the series.
The story overall was good, but sadly not for me. I can recognize its qualities but I never felt the pull towards this book and these characters. I loved the mythology and everything surrounding it, but the main story never got to me, but as I said before, I take a good part of the blame for that, maybe I wasn't in the right mood to read this novel, or I don't know.
Even though I didn't love it, I still recommend this book to YA readers. I believe enough in this story's writing, mythology and story to believe that other people will connect to it much more than I did.
One thing that I have to say however, and I also read it in another review, is that the main character seemed to me to be much younger than the sixteen years old that he's supposed to be, and with that, was acting really immaturely.
All in all, a nice story that just didn't find it's right reader in me, but that's okay! I might still read the next books in the series.
May 27, 2014
Honestly, when I requested this book, I thought it was MG. The plot sounded interesting, so I figured why not. And while the plot was interesting, it was a little more involved than I was expecting.
I'm not at all familiar with Lovecraft and the Cthulhu. I didn't feel that the book gave enough of a background on the mythos that the book was basing the magic on. If it would have been explained better, I would have enjoyed it a bit more.
I did like the characters. It was fun to see this mishmash group of family and friends band together to fight against the magic and conjure up spells and incantations.
The plot was interesting and I was mostly entertained, but I'm not sure I'll be reading further in the series.
**Thanks to Tor Teen and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
I'm not at all familiar with Lovecraft and the Cthulhu. I didn't feel that the book gave enough of a background on the mythos that the book was basing the magic on. If it would have been explained better, I would have enjoyed it a bit more.
I did like the characters. It was fun to see this mishmash group of family and friends band together to fight against the magic and conjure up spells and incantations.
The plot was interesting and I was mostly entertained, but I'm not sure I'll be reading further in the series.
**Thanks to Tor Teen and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
December 21, 2015
I picked up this book really in the mood to read a fantasy adventure, so the fact that I didn't enjoy it was both surprising and disappointing. Its main issue was that it was boring. The plot took too long to move and neither the writing or the characters made up for it. Sean, the main character and the main narrator, was honestly kind of annoying. He pretty much doesn't do anything useful for the entire book, except create the problem in the first place, but is treated as the golden boy. I did like Eddy, his best friend, but even she fell flat about halfway into the book due to lack of involvement and lack of development. The writing, while not bad, was dull enough not to keep my attention.
To be fair, I did give two stars, because the mediocre plot was enough to keep me reading until the end. That said, I wouldn't really recommend this book unless you really enjoy the genre.
To be fair, I did give two stars, because the mediocre plot was enough to keep me reading until the end. That said, I wouldn't really recommend this book unless you really enjoy the genre.
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