What do you think?
Rate this book
The Mirror Chronicles #1
The Bell Between Worlds
Half of your soul is missing.
The lost part is in the mirror.
And unless Sylas Tate can save you, you will never be whole again.
Sylas Tate leads a lonely existence since his mother died. But then the tolling of a giant bell draws him into another world known as the Other, where he discovers not only that he has an inborn talent for the nature-influenced magic of the Fourth Way, but also that his mother might just have come from this strange parallel place.
Meanwhile, evil forces are stirring, and an astounding revelation awaits Sylas as to the true nature of the Other. As violence looms and the stakes get ever higher, Sylas must seek out a girl called Naeo who might just be the other half of his soul – otherwise the entire universe may fall…
The lost part is in the mirror.
And unless Sylas Tate can save you, you will never be whole again.
Sylas Tate leads a lonely existence since his mother died. But then the tolling of a giant bell draws him into another world known as the Other, where he discovers not only that he has an inborn talent for the nature-influenced magic of the Fourth Way, but also that his mother might just have come from this strange parallel place.
Meanwhile, evil forces are stirring, and an astounding revelation awaits Sylas as to the true nature of the Other. As violence looms and the stakes get ever higher, Sylas must seek out a girl called Naeo who might just be the other half of his soul – otherwise the entire universe may fall…
512 pages, Paperback
First published May 20, 2013
42 people are currently reading
1777 people want to read
About the author
Ian Johnstone
3 books43 followersIan Johnstone was brought up in Oxfordshire and he now lives in Oxford, which might suggest a man who likes to stick to what he knows. In fact, Ian makes an awkward habit of shifting between worlds. He grew up in a quiet English town but has spent much of his life travelling and working in Africa. He has a love of science but studied English Literature. He grew up in Oxford but received his degree from Cambridge. He started off his publishing career producing books for West Africa and ended up creating futuristic websites and virtual learning environments. Most recently, he left publishing to become a writer. So perhaps it is not surprising at all that he writes fantastical novels about journeys to other worlds. Ian lives on a hill with his wife Emily and his daughter Ella.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
June 28, 2013
See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads
3.5 stars
Thank you HarperCollins Australia for the copy. No compensation was given or taken to alter this review.
'You are able to see the world as it is promised for us.'
While I could cherry pick out the flaws easily, there were several aspects of The Bell Between Worlds that I appreciated to a great extent. However, I'll I have little qualm and banter here about the synopsis. For me, I felt like it either gave away too much or the plot was too slow. Regardless, a little less in the synopsis would've been beneficial.
Sylas Tate has had a pretty monotonous and uneventful life so far, all until the day he met Mr. Zhi. Once Sylas finds himself thrown into another world- also known as the Other- he learns things beyond his imagination. Beyond what he dared to believe. And maybe even discover the strange occurrences about his mother. A journey filled with light and dark. Good and evil. Imagination and magic, a story about a young boy to save the world. This novel left me somewhat mildly pleased.
One of the key points that were enjoyable was the characters. All personalities were unique and sensitive, in the essence that they could feel so vivid and alive. For Sylas, his perceptiveness and straight mindedness shone. While he had an unfortunate and messed up past, he pushed away this and got on with his task and kept a determined attitude. At times, I did feel that he came out as oblivious to situations but, I guess that's just what builds a character to be more real as he is a little younger than the age I'm prone to reading.
Our relationships with supporting characters were another cogent part. Two that I cannot to thinking about are; Sylas and his uncle. Virtual opposites, Sylas is full of youth, imagination and brightness. His uncle, on the other hand leads a pessimistic life filled with sneering remarks and demands. The way these two character interacted was fascinating and in many lovely way, pitiful. Sylas and Simia was another connection I adored. Being a MG genre novel, this was not necessarily a chemistry romance. It was a new born friendship that endured evenly and steadily as the novel progressed. Whether this develops into something more in the next instalment, I'm still very impressed that Ian Johnstone could create a believable friendship so quickly, besides, MG romances rule if they take long book lengths to spark.
For the next part, I can not exactly pin point whether it's positive or negative. Both have its perks. The writing was beautiful, descriptive and illusional. However. I could feel myself becoming bored as it dragged on and on, sometimes pointless. This basically lead to be skimming half of the novel. Fortunately enough, the perk was the world building. One of the best worlds I've seen constructed so magnificently and creatively. I could feel myself engrossed and living in the Other world.
Overall, The Bell Between Worlds is a fantastic MG debut novel that had magnificent world building and connections. A little less detail in the synopsis and writing would have made this book much more readable and less predictable. Recommended to lovers of The Golden Compass.
3.5 stars
Thank you HarperCollins Australia for the copy. No compensation was given or taken to alter this review.
'You are able to see the world as it is promised for us.'
While I could cherry pick out the flaws easily, there were several aspects of The Bell Between Worlds that I appreciated to a great extent. However, I'll I have little qualm and banter here about the synopsis. For me, I felt like it either gave away too much or the plot was too slow. Regardless, a little less in the synopsis would've been beneficial.
Sylas Tate has had a pretty monotonous and uneventful life so far, all until the day he met Mr. Zhi. Once Sylas finds himself thrown into another world- also known as the Other- he learns things beyond his imagination. Beyond what he dared to believe. And maybe even discover the strange occurrences about his mother. A journey filled with light and dark. Good and evil. Imagination and magic, a story about a young boy to save the world. This novel left me somewhat mildly pleased.
One of the key points that were enjoyable was the characters. All personalities were unique and sensitive, in the essence that they could feel so vivid and alive. For Sylas, his perceptiveness and straight mindedness shone. While he had an unfortunate and messed up past, he pushed away this and got on with his task and kept a determined attitude. At times, I did feel that he came out as oblivious to situations but, I guess that's just what builds a character to be more real as he is a little younger than the age I'm prone to reading.
Our relationships with supporting characters were another cogent part. Two that I cannot to thinking about are; Sylas and his uncle. Virtual opposites, Sylas is full of youth, imagination and brightness. His uncle, on the other hand leads a pessimistic life filled with sneering remarks and demands. The way these two character interacted was fascinating and in many lovely way, pitiful. Sylas and Simia was another connection I adored. Being a MG genre novel, this was not necessarily a chemistry romance. It was a new born friendship that endured evenly and steadily as the novel progressed. Whether this develops into something more in the next instalment, I'm still very impressed that Ian Johnstone could create a believable friendship so quickly, besides, MG romances rule if they take long book lengths to spark.
For the next part, I can not exactly pin point whether it's positive or negative. Both have its perks. The writing was beautiful, descriptive and illusional. However. I could feel myself becoming bored as it dragged on and on, sometimes pointless. This basically lead to be skimming half of the novel. Fortunately enough, the perk was the world building. One of the best worlds I've seen constructed so magnificently and creatively. I could feel myself engrossed and living in the Other world.
Overall, The Bell Between Worlds is a fantastic MG debut novel that had magnificent world building and connections. A little less detail in the synopsis and writing would have made this book much more readable and less predictable. Recommended to lovers of The Golden Compass.
January 17, 2016
There's nothing particularly wrong with this book at all - other than a tendency to over-describe, which is not unusual, and the fact that it starts off incredibly derivative (it does get more original as the plot moves on) - I simply think that there are children's books that transcend genre and age, and ones that don't. This is the latter. My ten-year-younger self would have absolutely adored this book, though, especially the take on mirror selves and the ravel runes. Infinitely better than anything like City of Bones.
July 5, 2013
Imaginative, intriguing and finely written. Great start to a new fantasy adventure trilogy. Very much looking forward to book 2.
March 23, 2015
**An ARC was provided by Harper Collins UK Children's in exchange for an honest review**
When a book gets compared to big name works and titles that have come before it, it can really be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it gives the reader an idea what kind of story to expect and it can get people's attention where they might not have gravitated towards a certain book otherwise. On the other hand though, comparisons set the bar pretty high - sometimes, impossibly so. When I stumbled upon The Bell Between Worlds, I was intrigued right away. Just by the cover, you can tell that it's children or middle-grade high fantasy - which we all know I love. Then, reading the blurb as you probably did just now, I became simultaneously giddy & terrified. C.S. Lewis & Philip Pullman are both beyond epic in their own rights as the authors of the Narnia Series & His Dark Materials respectively. Could The Mirror Chronicles really hold it's own among such heavy-weights? After reading The Bell Between Worlds I can easily say that it did for me - and then some!
The Bell Between Worlds is the first installment in The Mirror Chronicles and it introduces us to a world so richly imagined & so completely fresh that it was hard to believe that this was author Ian Johnstone's first book. In The Bell Between Worlds, we're introduced to Sylas Tate - a very lonely young boy in the care of his uncle since his mother passed away some years before. Sylas's life hasn't been easy but he's managed to make the most of it thanks to his inane imagination & creativity. Then, on a day like any other, Sylas discovers a strange new little shop selling a variety of oddities and 'things'; little treasures that stir the imagination and seem almost magical. And the wizened shopkeeper, Mr.Zhi seems to know an awful lot about Sylas...he even hints that he believes Sylas will embark on an adventure of his own soon. Before long, something seriously magical does happen; through a truly incredible and kind of scary set of circumstances, Sylas travels to an 'other' world. A world that is very similar to our own but also strikingly different because in this world, real magic exists. It is in this 'other' world that Sylas will embark the quest of a lifetime!
There are a few things I look for in children's/middle-grade fantasy. World building is probably one of the biggest determining factors in fantasy reads of all ages to be honest so let's start there. In children's/m-g fantasy, I like the descriptions of a magical new world to be rich and vivid without weighing the story down - simple but effective. This may sound pretty do-able but in reality, it's not an easy task to achieve. To me, The Bell Between Worlds accomplished it wonderfully. The way this 'other' world is introduced is equal parts inventive, awe-inspiring and exciting. I was literally sitting on the edge of my seat as it all unfolded before my eyes with a huge smile on my face! The end result is wholly unique and from that point on, I was hooked.
Once Sylas had crossed over into 'the Other', I continued to be impressed by the beautiful descriptions and the magical world as it unfolded before my eyes. I felt that the magical system itself was really original and chock-full of potential. The characters were diverse and likeable - it was easy to feel for them and understand Sylas' desire to not only get to know them all but also to help them out. And that's the kind of protagonist Sylas is. Beyond his imagination and wit, he's also inclined to want to listen others, to understand and to try and help in any way he can. It's hard for someone like me not to connect an MC who's best trait is his imagination but Sylas is much more than that - and the more I got to know him, the more I wanted to spend time with him! His choice in friends once he crossed into 'the Other' only sweetened the deal; they ranged from funny, mysterious and even conflicted but they all had one thing in common: a perfect mix of bravery and hope.
The dark side of this magical world was pretty creeptastic right from the word go. Sylas is being hunted but he soon finds out that this whole world is pretty much under a reign of terror brought on by some sort of age-old and horribly powerful being and his army of hellish hound creatures. Throughout the book, you're always reminded that nowhere is safe, those hounds can smell out anything and anyone and they.are.everywhere. The best part of it was that it seemed like we got a lot of information on the villains but since this is the first book, I can only expect that we'll be learning a lot more. I love it when authors take time to fully develop both sides of the spectrum, only because it makes the story feel more balanced to me. And I'm big on balance >.<
The Bell Between Worlds was a surprising, promising and exciting debut from author Ian Johnstone and I am already eager to get my hands on the sequel. There were a few details I'd hope would have been fleshed out a bit more before the end but it seemed obvious to me that they will be addressed in the next book(s). The ending was a bit abrupt too but when I read the final words I already knew I would be tagging along for however many more adventures Sylas needs to go on. I think the best part for me was that despite the fact that it is indeed in the same vein as stories like Narnia & His Dark Materials, The Bell Between Worlds didn't have any preachy underlying religious themes. There were solid life lessons and good morals instilled in here but it was done with a light touch and in very good taste. The Mirror Chronicles promises to be an addictive and compelling series for the young and young at heart!
For this and other reviews like it- visit my blog:
When a book gets compared to big name works and titles that have come before it, it can really be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it gives the reader an idea what kind of story to expect and it can get people's attention where they might not have gravitated towards a certain book otherwise. On the other hand though, comparisons set the bar pretty high - sometimes, impossibly so. When I stumbled upon The Bell Between Worlds, I was intrigued right away. Just by the cover, you can tell that it's children or middle-grade high fantasy - which we all know I love. Then, reading the blurb as you probably did just now, I became simultaneously giddy & terrified. C.S. Lewis & Philip Pullman are both beyond epic in their own rights as the authors of the Narnia Series & His Dark Materials respectively. Could The Mirror Chronicles really hold it's own among such heavy-weights? After reading The Bell Between Worlds I can easily say that it did for me - and then some!
The Bell Between Worlds is the first installment in The Mirror Chronicles and it introduces us to a world so richly imagined & so completely fresh that it was hard to believe that this was author Ian Johnstone's first book. In The Bell Between Worlds, we're introduced to Sylas Tate - a very lonely young boy in the care of his uncle since his mother passed away some years before. Sylas's life hasn't been easy but he's managed to make the most of it thanks to his inane imagination & creativity. Then, on a day like any other, Sylas discovers a strange new little shop selling a variety of oddities and 'things'; little treasures that stir the imagination and seem almost magical. And the wizened shopkeeper, Mr.Zhi seems to know an awful lot about Sylas...he even hints that he believes Sylas will embark on an adventure of his own soon. Before long, something seriously magical does happen; through a truly incredible and kind of scary set of circumstances, Sylas travels to an 'other' world. A world that is very similar to our own but also strikingly different because in this world, real magic exists. It is in this 'other' world that Sylas will embark the quest of a lifetime!
There are a few things I look for in children's/middle-grade fantasy. World building is probably one of the biggest determining factors in fantasy reads of all ages to be honest so let's start there. In children's/m-g fantasy, I like the descriptions of a magical new world to be rich and vivid without weighing the story down - simple but effective. This may sound pretty do-able but in reality, it's not an easy task to achieve. To me, The Bell Between Worlds accomplished it wonderfully. The way this 'other' world is introduced is equal parts inventive, awe-inspiring and exciting. I was literally sitting on the edge of my seat as it all unfolded before my eyes with a huge smile on my face! The end result is wholly unique and from that point on, I was hooked.
Once Sylas had crossed over into 'the Other', I continued to be impressed by the beautiful descriptions and the magical world as it unfolded before my eyes. I felt that the magical system itself was really original and chock-full of potential. The characters were diverse and likeable - it was easy to feel for them and understand Sylas' desire to not only get to know them all but also to help them out. And that's the kind of protagonist Sylas is. Beyond his imagination and wit, he's also inclined to want to listen others, to understand and to try and help in any way he can. It's hard for someone like me not to connect an MC who's best trait is his imagination but Sylas is much more than that - and the more I got to know him, the more I wanted to spend time with him! His choice in friends once he crossed into 'the Other' only sweetened the deal; they ranged from funny, mysterious and even conflicted but they all had one thing in common: a perfect mix of bravery and hope.
The dark side of this magical world was pretty creeptastic right from the word go. Sylas is being hunted but he soon finds out that this whole world is pretty much under a reign of terror brought on by some sort of age-old and horribly powerful being and his army of hellish hound creatures. Throughout the book, you're always reminded that nowhere is safe, those hounds can smell out anything and anyone and they.are.everywhere. The best part of it was that it seemed like we got a lot of information on the villains but since this is the first book, I can only expect that we'll be learning a lot more. I love it when authors take time to fully develop both sides of the spectrum, only because it makes the story feel more balanced to me. And I'm big on balance >.<
The Bell Between Worlds was a surprising, promising and exciting debut from author Ian Johnstone and I am already eager to get my hands on the sequel. There were a few details I'd hope would have been fleshed out a bit more before the end but it seemed obvious to me that they will be addressed in the next book(s). The ending was a bit abrupt too but when I read the final words I already knew I would be tagging along for however many more adventures Sylas needs to go on. I think the best part for me was that despite the fact that it is indeed in the same vein as stories like Narnia & His Dark Materials, The Bell Between Worlds didn't have any preachy underlying religious themes. There were solid life lessons and good morals instilled in here but it was done with a light touch and in very good taste. The Mirror Chronicles promises to be an addictive and compelling series for the young and young at heart!
For this and other reviews like it- visit my blog:
September 22, 2013
Book review will be posted on my blog first......... http://mrripleysenchantedbooks.blogsp...
This book is definitely the belle of the ball - it is taking fantasy literature literally by storm this year. It is a book that, in my opinion, should certainly see Ian's name in the fantasy hall of fame.
After flying through the first chapter I had a tingling feeling that this book was going to be really special and I was not wrong. The more that I read, the more I became totally immersed in an amazing world of painted words - it is a story that's breathtaking and an absolute joy to read. I feel that it will be a book that you will reflect on for the rest of your life. Just like when you first read the Hobbit or Sabriel or took your first stroll along the story path of Terry Pratchett. It's a reading journey that will take you to another world and one that you will remember for a very long time. Fantastically exciting to read, but you may feel a great sense of loss when it has ended, as I did.
Sylas Tate leads a lonely existence since the death of his mother - it is not a happy life. However, an figment of his own imagination draws him to a strange shop called The Shop of Things. There he has an encounter with an even stranger owner, Mr Zhi, who from that point onwards whips the story up into a thrilling, action-packed ride. The tolling of the giant bell draws both him and the reader into another world known as the' Other'. Here he discovers that, not only does he have an inborn talent for the nature-influenced magic, but that his mother might also have come from this strange parallel place.
Meanwhile, evil forces are stirring and an even more astounding revelation awaits Sylas regarding the true nature of the Other. As violence looms and the stakes get ever higher, Sylas must seek out a girl called Naeo who might just be the other half of his soul – otherwise the entire universe may fall…
This story is beautifully written and captured through fantastic imagination. Ambitious in its telling, it is has a whole host of characters that you will fall in love with. Humour and humanity, compassion and despair, dark and light - all are classic attributes found within this story. It will leave your senses and emotions running on autopilot whilst the timely action sequences will leave you in awe.
One particularly fantastic part of the story can be found in the chapter entitled 'Nature's Song'. It is told like a classical symphony with the conductor controlling the elements to the tune of Antonín Dvořák's "New World" Symphony. This is the best chapter that I have read in a very long time - magical, vivid and exhilarating. It was so good that I actually read it twice and enjoyed it equally as much the second time.
Half of your soul is missing. The lost part is in the mirror. And unless Sylas Tate can save you, you will never be whole again.
This is a debut epic masterpiece which is due to be published in June. Quite simply, it is possibly the best book that I have or will read this year. I really can't wait to see what comes next....
This book is definitely the belle of the ball - it is taking fantasy literature literally by storm this year. It is a book that, in my opinion, should certainly see Ian's name in the fantasy hall of fame.
After flying through the first chapter I had a tingling feeling that this book was going to be really special and I was not wrong. The more that I read, the more I became totally immersed in an amazing world of painted words - it is a story that's breathtaking and an absolute joy to read. I feel that it will be a book that you will reflect on for the rest of your life. Just like when you first read the Hobbit or Sabriel or took your first stroll along the story path of Terry Pratchett. It's a reading journey that will take you to another world and one that you will remember for a very long time. Fantastically exciting to read, but you may feel a great sense of loss when it has ended, as I did.
Sylas Tate leads a lonely existence since the death of his mother - it is not a happy life. However, an figment of his own imagination draws him to a strange shop called The Shop of Things. There he has an encounter with an even stranger owner, Mr Zhi, who from that point onwards whips the story up into a thrilling, action-packed ride. The tolling of the giant bell draws both him and the reader into another world known as the' Other'. Here he discovers that, not only does he have an inborn talent for the nature-influenced magic, but that his mother might also have come from this strange parallel place.
Meanwhile, evil forces are stirring and an even more astounding revelation awaits Sylas regarding the true nature of the Other. As violence looms and the stakes get ever higher, Sylas must seek out a girl called Naeo who might just be the other half of his soul – otherwise the entire universe may fall…
This story is beautifully written and captured through fantastic imagination. Ambitious in its telling, it is has a whole host of characters that you will fall in love with. Humour and humanity, compassion and despair, dark and light - all are classic attributes found within this story. It will leave your senses and emotions running on autopilot whilst the timely action sequences will leave you in awe.
One particularly fantastic part of the story can be found in the chapter entitled 'Nature's Song'. It is told like a classical symphony with the conductor controlling the elements to the tune of Antonín Dvořák's "New World" Symphony. This is the best chapter that I have read in a very long time - magical, vivid and exhilarating. It was so good that I actually read it twice and enjoyed it equally as much the second time.
Half of your soul is missing. The lost part is in the mirror. And unless Sylas Tate can save you, you will never be whole again.
This is a debut epic masterpiece which is due to be published in June. Quite simply, it is possibly the best book that I have or will read this year. I really can't wait to see what comes next....
January 26, 2019
Verhaal: 3/5
Karakters: 3/5
Schrijfstijl: 3,5/5
Herlezen: Zou kunnen, mocht ik ooit deel 2 tegenkomen.
Karakters: 3/5
Schrijfstijl: 3,5/5
Herlezen: Zou kunnen, mocht ik ooit deel 2 tegenkomen.
August 2, 2013
A glorious epic fantasy in the grand tradition of CS Lewis and Philip Pullman, and a major publishing event, The Mirror Chronicles will take you into another world, and on the adventure of your lifetime…
Half of your soul is missing.
The lost part is in the mirror.
And unless Sylas Tate can save you, you will never be whole again.
Sylas Tate leads a lonely existence since his mother died. But then the tolling of a giant bell draws him into another world known as the Other, where he discovers not only that he has an inborn talent for the nature-influenced magic of the Fourth Way, but also that his mother might just have come from this strange parallel place.
Meanwhile, evil forces are stirring, and an astounding revelation awaits Sylas as to the true nature of the Other. As violence looms and the stakes get ever higher, Sylas must seek out the other half of his soul – otherwise the entire universe may fall…
This book had a lot to live up to; it has been compared to Phillip Pullmans brilliant series Dark Materials, that I still crave more of, and classics such as Narnia. When that is done, it gives expectations that are often broken and not fulfilled. This time it’s true, this is a really good read and a series I am going to enjoy and hope the wait is not too long for the next one in the series.
The Mirror Chronicles introduces us to Sylas Tate, who is living with his uncle in Gabblety Row, the description of which leaves me wanting to explore this place much more, and especially the Shop of Things, that he enters and in which he discovers some amazing things.
I don’t want to spoil this read for new readers, so that is all I will say about this, but over the course of the next few hours everything will change for Sylas and he will find himself drawn by the bell between worlds t the other world, different but similar, and an adventure that will see Sylas begin to learn more about himself, his past and his mother that he thought was dead.
Well written, descriptive, the author has beautifully built these worlds and the characters in such a way as to illustrate to us the reader, where we are going and who with. The book sweeps us along with plenty of action and interesting creatures and beings that make up the worlds with vivid description.
Magic, good versus evil, and friendships that hold the story together and make this such a good read.
Sylas learns he has the ability to read runes and to do magic, that might be my only little quibble, it was all too easy, and it would have been nice to see this ability slowly brought to light and developed, rather then suddenly he has them.
This is an amazing read, and I would recommend it to anyone that enjoys fantasy tales.
July 23, 2015
I received a free copy of this book by the book's publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Sylas Tate never thought that a trip from Gabblety Row to post letters for his uncle could change everything he ever knew. A trip into the mysterious new shop, 'The Shop of Things' and meeting a certain Mr Zhi alters everything Sylas ever thought possible. A humongous bell chiming and a magical journey could make Sylas finally see that his true destiny is in another world...
This was an amazing read that entralled me from the first page and there's not many books that do that! I quickly became immersed in Johnstone's worlds and enchanting characters. Sylas' plight is immersive and I rapidly felt myself being drawn to his unfair situation. The story is packed with well paced adventure, thrills, fantasy and excitement! A book that easily conjures images of the wonderful worlds Johnstone has created and their equally magical qualities.
This was a real page turner and I think this book will appeal equally to adults and children alike. If you enjoy reading books akin to the great fantasy writers such as J. K. Rowling, Terry Pratchett etc. you need look no further. The language used is exceptional and vividly brings the story to life.
I cannot recommend this book enough to you, and I'm sat here eagerly awaiting the second book in the series. I for one, cannot wait to see what is next for the young Sylas Tate...
Sylas Tate never thought that a trip from Gabblety Row to post letters for his uncle could change everything he ever knew. A trip into the mysterious new shop, 'The Shop of Things' and meeting a certain Mr Zhi alters everything Sylas ever thought possible. A humongous bell chiming and a magical journey could make Sylas finally see that his true destiny is in another world...
This was an amazing read that entralled me from the first page and there's not many books that do that! I quickly became immersed in Johnstone's worlds and enchanting characters. Sylas' plight is immersive and I rapidly felt myself being drawn to his unfair situation. The story is packed with well paced adventure, thrills, fantasy and excitement! A book that easily conjures images of the wonderful worlds Johnstone has created and their equally magical qualities.
This was a real page turner and I think this book will appeal equally to adults and children alike. If you enjoy reading books akin to the great fantasy writers such as J. K. Rowling, Terry Pratchett etc. you need look no further. The language used is exceptional and vividly brings the story to life.
I cannot recommend this book enough to you, and I'm sat here eagerly awaiting the second book in the series. I for one, cannot wait to see what is next for the young Sylas Tate...
June 3, 2022
4 stars - English ebook
A glorious epic fantasy in the grand tradition of CS Lewis and Philip Pullman I think. A young adult fantasy novel in my opinion.
The Mirror Chronicles will take you into another world, and on the adventure of your lifetime…
Half of your soul is missing.
The lost part is in the mirror.
And unless Sylas Tate can save you, you will never be whole again.
I did not actually at first appreciate that this book was for children but to my surprise it is a book that can be enjoyed by any age group & I was captivated.
There were one or two incongruities at the beginning but I soon forgot any slight concerns that I had, so bound up in the excitement of the story I forget them. I even lost track of time and keeper reading.The characters are interesting, sympathetic and the action great. Altogether a most enjoyable read & I shall look out for the remainder of the series.
A glorious epic fantasy in the grand tradition of CS Lewis and Philip Pullman I think. A young adult fantasy novel in my opinion.
The Mirror Chronicles will take you into another world, and on the adventure of your lifetime…
Half of your soul is missing.
The lost part is in the mirror.
And unless Sylas Tate can save you, you will never be whole again.
I did not actually at first appreciate that this book was for children but to my surprise it is a book that can be enjoyed by any age group & I was captivated.
There were one or two incongruities at the beginning but I soon forgot any slight concerns that I had, so bound up in the excitement of the story I forget them. I even lost track of time and keeper reading.The characters are interesting, sympathetic and the action great. Altogether a most enjoyable read & I shall look out for the remainder of the series.
August 13, 2015
I received a free ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Bell Between Worlds is book 1 in the Mirror Chronicles series.
I quite enjoyed reading this as it reminded me of the Chronicles of Narnia at some points. However, sometimes I thought the story was going too slowly. I did like most of the characters and I liked the idea of the Ravel Runes and Nature being involved.
Overall, a good read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, Children's for providing me with a copy.
The Bell Between Worlds is book 1 in the Mirror Chronicles series.
I quite enjoyed reading this as it reminded me of the Chronicles of Narnia at some points. However, sometimes I thought the story was going too slowly. I did like most of the characters and I liked the idea of the Ravel Runes and Nature being involved.
Overall, a good read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, Children's for providing me with a copy.
October 15, 2015
Sylas is living with his unkind uncle. His mother died and he misses her terribly. She was the light in his life. When one day he stands in front of a new shop in town he's being introduced to a world of magic. It immediately changes his life completely. Soon a bell is calling him and reaching it isn't easy. There are plenty of obstacles on his road to get to it. The bell will take him to the Other, a geographically similar world to his own, but otherwise very different. Here Sylas learns about magic and how to use it. He has a mission and with the help of several new friends he's trying to accomplish it. It isn't an easy task as they're being hunted and they constantly have to be on the run. Sylas has to succeed, otherwise it could mean the Other will completely fall into the hands of an evil force.
The Bell Between Worlds is a fantastic adrenaline rush. I could hardly keep up with my eyes as I constantly wanted to read faster and faster. I had to know what would happen next. I enjoyed this book very much. The world building is really good, the main characters are both fun and interesting and Ian Johnstone knows how to write. There are so many action packed scenes that there is hardly any time for the reader to breathe, which worked really well for me as it felt like I was running with the main characters. It made me want to go on and on until the end of the story. I liked the magical creatures, the way the magic works and the philosophy behind nature and the essence of things.
I admire Ian Johnstone's cleverness, he's definitely a skillful writer. Every word is right and all the scenes are well thought through. I could picture everything that happened in the story so well that it sometimes felt like I was watching a movie. I'm happy there is a second part as I'm not ready to say goodbye to Sylas and his friends yet. If you like fantasy I think this is a must-read. It's been a long time since I've read such an amazing book about magic. I can't recommend this story enough, it's a true gem and a wonderful read for both children and adults.
The Bell Between Worlds is a fantastic adrenaline rush. I could hardly keep up with my eyes as I constantly wanted to read faster and faster. I had to know what would happen next. I enjoyed this book very much. The world building is really good, the main characters are both fun and interesting and Ian Johnstone knows how to write. There are so many action packed scenes that there is hardly any time for the reader to breathe, which worked really well for me as it felt like I was running with the main characters. It made me want to go on and on until the end of the story. I liked the magical creatures, the way the magic works and the philosophy behind nature and the essence of things.
I admire Ian Johnstone's cleverness, he's definitely a skillful writer. Every word is right and all the scenes are well thought through. I could picture everything that happened in the story so well that it sometimes felt like I was watching a movie. I'm happy there is a second part as I'm not ready to say goodbye to Sylas and his friends yet. If you like fantasy I think this is a must-read. It's been a long time since I've read such an amazing book about magic. I can't recommend this story enough, it's a true gem and a wonderful read for both children and adults.
July 19, 2015
An amazing new saga commences in this first book of ‘The Mirror Chronicles’. It is one of the most eloquently written novels I have ever read; the carefully chosen language paints detailed scenes in the reader’s imagination, enticing you to journey with syllabus Tate from his home in Gabblety Row to explore life in the ‘Other’. In this alternative reality Science and technology are replaced by the ability to manipulate and harass natural powers, forces and materials. Here, such inborn talents are seen as ‘normal’, not magical.
In this fast paced, enthralling tale, Sylas escapes horrendous monsters, meets new friends, has action-packed, thrilling adventures and has his knowledge, beliefs, understanding and tenacity tested to the full.
Anyone who enjoys adventures involving children with developing powers and skills in an alternative reality will be captivated by this stupendous story. If you’re looking for an author like Terry Pratchett or JK Rowling, look no further - the plot, language, characters and events in this are at least equivalent. A breathtaking, epic adventure that is a pleasure to journey through, I have no hesitation in highly recommending this fantastic novel to children and adults alike and hope to read the sequel soon!
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley too,
for letting me read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
In this fast paced, enthralling tale, Sylas escapes horrendous monsters, meets new friends, has action-packed, thrilling adventures and has his knowledge, beliefs, understanding and tenacity tested to the full.
Anyone who enjoys adventures involving children with developing powers and skills in an alternative reality will be captivated by this stupendous story. If you’re looking for an author like Terry Pratchett or JK Rowling, look no further - the plot, language, characters and events in this are at least equivalent. A breathtaking, epic adventure that is a pleasure to journey through, I have no hesitation in highly recommending this fantastic novel to children and adults alike and hope to read the sequel soon!
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley too,
for letting me read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 3, 2015
The Bell Between Worlds by Ian Johnstone. is a first reads win and I'm giving my honest opinion. This book is a fantasy that's a little different in that mirrors and lights force the issues. Sylas Tate lives with his strict and harsh uncle since his mother died. One day Sylas meets Mrs. Zhi. He opened a variety store. he invites Sylas in and shows him a flight of birds. they're on mirrors. Mr. Zhi teaches him to use his imagination and the birds take flight. He gives Sylas a book and a scrap of paper. This is the clue to translate the book. The next night the bell rings calling him. a Ghor hound is chasing after him. He meets up with a fellow named Expend who help him flea from the hound. Expend gets caught up by the hound and tells Sylas to run.-
January 19, 2018
This book was ok it was really boring and so very slow paced it was a chore to finish it the writing was fine also the synopsis gave away too much it lost all mystery and was just boring. The characters were just fine the writing was good but the story was way too slow paced for me to stay interested. While I was reading I found it a chore to read it was just so slow I will more than likely not read any more of this series it is just not that interesting to me. So overall this book was just ok and nothing more not interesting in continuing.
April 5, 2017
DNF at p.119. Not at bad book by any means just not grabbing my attention at all. I can see why it appeals and it is well written but I just had to keep forcing myself to pick it back up
February 25, 2016
3,5*
Sylas é um rapaz um pouco isolado, que vive sozinho com o seu desagradável tio, desde a suposta morte de sua mãe. Os seus dias passam-se, sem grande novidade, a fazer recados e outro tipo de tarefas, até ao dia em que se desvia do seu caminho, intrigado com uma nova loja, vinda do nada: a Loja das Coisas. E é aí, nessa loja, ao conhecer o misterioso Sr. Zhi, que tudo muda para Sylas.
Num piscar de olhos, a sua vida corriqueira fica para trás das costas, tornando-se possuidor de um livro muito especial de runas, o Samarok, e começa uma desenfreada fuga, de estranhas e maléficas criaturas, que o leva a um Sino que o transporta para um mundo paralelo.
O Sino Entre Mundos é um livro de fantasia, dirigido a um público mais juvenil, mas capaz de agradar e entreter leitores mais maduros.
A história é interessante e bem conseguida e desenrola-se a bom ritmo: há muita acção, aventura, magia e mistério pelo meio, um conjunto de ingredientes no mínimo cativante, e melhor que isso, encontram-se bem equilibrados.
No entanto, não é uma história muito fácil de entrar de início, pois são-nos introduzidos muitos conceitos novos, criados pelo autor, nomes de espécies de criaturas, de certos grupos de pessoas, de vários tipos de magia, de categorias de praticantes da mesma, etc. Por isso dei por mim um pouco perdida em certos momentos, algo que me acontece muito raramente, o que me faz achar que o autor pode ter caído no erro de criar demasiados nomes para várias coisas e/ou tê-os introduzido na história, sem muito cuidado, praticamente uns atrás dos outros. Felizmente, apesar de levarem o seu tempo a interiorizar, todas estas palavras novas, inventadas, acabam por fazer sentido.
As personagens destas crónicas, acabam por ser algo simples, ou são totalmente boas, como Sylas e a sua amiga Simia, ou totalmente más, como o vilão Thoth e seus fieis seguidores, não há nenhuma que seja mais dúbia ou neutra, mais realista.
Estamos, portanto, perante uma clássica história do bem contra o mal, cujos traços gerais não nos trazem grande novidade, mas que tem as suas particularidades: como os diversos tipos de magia, o transporte entre mundos através de um sino ou círculos mágicos, os mitos e lendas presentes, como o Mito do Reflexo, que me parece de particular interesse, e que basicamente diz, que cada pessoa tem alguém no outro mundo que é o seu reflexo e que juntos se complementam. Pegando neste último detalhe, quero ainda dizer que gostei particularmente da ideia dos dois mundos desta obra serem o espelho um do outro: quando num é dia, no outro é noite; se num é Inverno, no outro é Verão; se um tem indústria e ciência, o outro é mais natural e com magia.
Posto isto, fica a intenção de continuar a seguir as Crónicas do Espelho e saber mais sobre a recém apresentada Naeo, descobrir o que sucedeu a à mãe de Sylas, Bowe e Espen, e claro, saber para onde irão Sylas e os seus companheiros e que rumo tomará a sua grande aventura.
Sylas é um rapaz um pouco isolado, que vive sozinho com o seu desagradável tio, desde a suposta morte de sua mãe. Os seus dias passam-se, sem grande novidade, a fazer recados e outro tipo de tarefas, até ao dia em que se desvia do seu caminho, intrigado com uma nova loja, vinda do nada: a Loja das Coisas. E é aí, nessa loja, ao conhecer o misterioso Sr. Zhi, que tudo muda para Sylas.
Num piscar de olhos, a sua vida corriqueira fica para trás das costas, tornando-se possuidor de um livro muito especial de runas, o Samarok, e começa uma desenfreada fuga, de estranhas e maléficas criaturas, que o leva a um Sino que o transporta para um mundo paralelo.
O Sino Entre Mundos é um livro de fantasia, dirigido a um público mais juvenil, mas capaz de agradar e entreter leitores mais maduros.
A história é interessante e bem conseguida e desenrola-se a bom ritmo: há muita acção, aventura, magia e mistério pelo meio, um conjunto de ingredientes no mínimo cativante, e melhor que isso, encontram-se bem equilibrados.
No entanto, não é uma história muito fácil de entrar de início, pois são-nos introduzidos muitos conceitos novos, criados pelo autor, nomes de espécies de criaturas, de certos grupos de pessoas, de vários tipos de magia, de categorias de praticantes da mesma, etc. Por isso dei por mim um pouco perdida em certos momentos, algo que me acontece muito raramente, o que me faz achar que o autor pode ter caído no erro de criar demasiados nomes para várias coisas e/ou tê-os introduzido na história, sem muito cuidado, praticamente uns atrás dos outros. Felizmente, apesar de levarem o seu tempo a interiorizar, todas estas palavras novas, inventadas, acabam por fazer sentido.
As personagens destas crónicas, acabam por ser algo simples, ou são totalmente boas, como Sylas e a sua amiga Simia, ou totalmente más, como o vilão Thoth e seus fieis seguidores, não há nenhuma que seja mais dúbia ou neutra, mais realista.
Estamos, portanto, perante uma clássica história do bem contra o mal, cujos traços gerais não nos trazem grande novidade, mas que tem as suas particularidades: como os diversos tipos de magia, o transporte entre mundos através de um sino ou círculos mágicos, os mitos e lendas presentes, como o Mito do Reflexo, que me parece de particular interesse, e que basicamente diz, que cada pessoa tem alguém no outro mundo que é o seu reflexo e que juntos se complementam. Pegando neste último detalhe, quero ainda dizer que gostei particularmente da ideia dos dois mundos desta obra serem o espelho um do outro: quando num é dia, no outro é noite; se num é Inverno, no outro é Verão; se um tem indústria e ciência, o outro é mais natural e com magia.
Posto isto, fica a intenção de continuar a seguir as Crónicas do Espelho e saber mais sobre a recém apresentada Naeo, descobrir o que sucedeu a à mãe de Sylas, Bowe e Espen, e claro, saber para onde irão Sylas e os seus companheiros e que rumo tomará a sua grande aventura.
October 16, 2013
De twaalfjarige Silas woont samen met zijn norse oom in Habbershoek, een bijzonder gebouw dat bestaat uit een doolhof van gangen waar Silas de weg op zijn duimpje weet te vinden. Het liefst sluit hij zichzelf op in zijn enige toevluchtsoord: zijn slaapkamer. Maar wanneer zijn oom hem weer eens op pad stuurt om wat brieven op de post te doen, verandert Silas’ leven voorgoed. Een mysterieuze stem lokt hem de Winkel van Dingen binnen en daar geeft de oude meneer Zhi Silas een geheimzinnig boek vol onleesbare tekens. Als hij vervolgens die nacht ook nog eens ruw wakker wordt geschud door het geklingel van een reusachtige klok en een woest monster het op hem heeft gemunt, beseft Silas dat zijn rustige leventje nu echt voorbij is.
In alle haast gaat Silas op weg naar de klok, die een portaal blijkt te zijn tussen twee werelden. Zodra Silas de klok instapt, wordt alles zwart, maar wanneer hij weer wakker wordt is hij niet meer in het Engeland dat hij zo goed kent; het lijkt er zelfs wel het tegenovergestelde te zijn! Silas is namelijk terecht gekomen in de Ander, een wereld die aan de ene kant enorm lijkt op die van ons, maar die aan de andere kant niet meer kon verschillen. De seizoenen zijn bijvoorbeeld omgedraaid en de magie heeft het gewonnen van de wetenschap. Silas heeft geen idee wat er van hem in de Ander verwacht wordt, maar al snel wordt duidelijk dat hij een belangrijke taak te vervullen heeft. En dan is er ook nog de kwestie van zijn moeder. Heeft zij ooit iets te maken gehad met de Ander?
Bijzondere fantasywereld
Met de Ander heeft Ian Johnstone een erg bijzondere wereld gecreëerd die ontstaan is uit een gedachte die Johnstone als kind had: ‘stel dat het feit dat we vaak zo twijfelen over van alles, dat we zo onzeker zijn, komt doordat we niet compleet zijn. [...] Stel dat dat andere deel van ons een geheel eigen wereld heeft en dat die wereld op sommige vlakken hetzelfde is als de onze en op sommige vlakken compleet anders, zelfs tegenovergesteld aan onze wereld.’ Nu, jaren later, heeft Johnstone een prachtige, uitgebreide wereld gecreëerd, die aan de ene kant herkenbaar is, maar aan de andere kant juist ongelooflijk anders. De vorm van het land is bijvoorbeeld hetzelfde en bijzondere plaatsen in beide landen liggen vaak op hetzelfde punt, maar dan in een andere dimensie. Maar in deze wereld is veel meer mogelijk dan in de onze.
Lees de gehele recensie op:
http://www.fantasywereld.nl/recensies...
In alle haast gaat Silas op weg naar de klok, die een portaal blijkt te zijn tussen twee werelden. Zodra Silas de klok instapt, wordt alles zwart, maar wanneer hij weer wakker wordt is hij niet meer in het Engeland dat hij zo goed kent; het lijkt er zelfs wel het tegenovergestelde te zijn! Silas is namelijk terecht gekomen in de Ander, een wereld die aan de ene kant enorm lijkt op die van ons, maar die aan de andere kant niet meer kon verschillen. De seizoenen zijn bijvoorbeeld omgedraaid en de magie heeft het gewonnen van de wetenschap. Silas heeft geen idee wat er van hem in de Ander verwacht wordt, maar al snel wordt duidelijk dat hij een belangrijke taak te vervullen heeft. En dan is er ook nog de kwestie van zijn moeder. Heeft zij ooit iets te maken gehad met de Ander?
Bijzondere fantasywereld
Met de Ander heeft Ian Johnstone een erg bijzondere wereld gecreëerd die ontstaan is uit een gedachte die Johnstone als kind had: ‘stel dat het feit dat we vaak zo twijfelen over van alles, dat we zo onzeker zijn, komt doordat we niet compleet zijn. [...] Stel dat dat andere deel van ons een geheel eigen wereld heeft en dat die wereld op sommige vlakken hetzelfde is als de onze en op sommige vlakken compleet anders, zelfs tegenovergesteld aan onze wereld.’ Nu, jaren later, heeft Johnstone een prachtige, uitgebreide wereld gecreëerd, die aan de ene kant herkenbaar is, maar aan de andere kant juist ongelooflijk anders. De vorm van het land is bijvoorbeeld hetzelfde en bijzondere plaatsen in beide landen liggen vaak op hetzelfde punt, maar dan in een andere dimensie. Maar in deze wereld is veel meer mogelijk dan in de onze.
Lees de gehele recensie op:
http://www.fantasywereld.nl/recensies...
October 5, 2013
THE BELL BETWEEN WORLDS is the first book in Ian Johnstone’s debut series THE MIRROR CHRONICLES. It tells the story of Sylas Tate who lives in a world similar to our own, with his uncle Tobias Tate in a place called Gabblety Row. Sylas seems like an ordinary boy who spends most of his time with his head in the clouds. Through a series of strange events Sylas finds himself in another world, one very different from his own but strangely similar where magic exists.
Ian Johnstone is a brilliant storyteller, and I can see why comparisons are made in the blurb between him and C. S. Lewis and Philip Pullman. Some of the language and imagery Johnstone writes is really beautiful and evocative. The world and ideas in THE BELL BETWEEN WORLDS are really interesting, and quite complex. I really enjoyed Sylas as a main character and thought he seemed really believable, however I had a bit of trouble believing that he was just twelve years old (at least, I think he is twelve – I’m honestly not too sure). I also thought he was quite a compelling character.
The Other is a really interesting place; instead of being driven forward by science and technology, its driving force is magic and that has shaped the world differently. The way Sylas arrives in the Other is really unique, and quite inventive. Johnstone does a brilliant job with the world building – he gives just enough information so you can build a picture of the world, but not so much you drown in it. He also seems to have done a good job thinking about the history of this world, and the glimpses we get of it through the story seem quite interesting and I hope we learn more about the Other in future books.
The basic plot of the books is… well, quite complex and there is definitely more going on beneath the surface than you would expect. The book has a few twists, and I have to admit that I was left guessing all the way through. I really liked the way Johnstone used the idea of Glimmers in the book – in fact, I thought the whole idea of a Glimmer as rather neat. I also liked the way that friendship is an important thread through the story.
THE BELL BETWEEN WORLDS is a fantastic introduction to Ian Johnstone’s THE MIRROR CHRONICLES. Johnstone does a brilliant job introducing us to the major players, ideas, and the world itself in this the first book. I look forward to reading future books in THE MIRROR CHRONICLES.
Originally posted on TheFlutterbyRoom.com I was kindly provided with an ARC by the publisher.
Ian Johnstone is a brilliant storyteller, and I can see why comparisons are made in the blurb between him and C. S. Lewis and Philip Pullman. Some of the language and imagery Johnstone writes is really beautiful and evocative. The world and ideas in THE BELL BETWEEN WORLDS are really interesting, and quite complex. I really enjoyed Sylas as a main character and thought he seemed really believable, however I had a bit of trouble believing that he was just twelve years old (at least, I think he is twelve – I’m honestly not too sure). I also thought he was quite a compelling character.
The Other is a really interesting place; instead of being driven forward by science and technology, its driving force is magic and that has shaped the world differently. The way Sylas arrives in the Other is really unique, and quite inventive. Johnstone does a brilliant job with the world building – he gives just enough information so you can build a picture of the world, but not so much you drown in it. He also seems to have done a good job thinking about the history of this world, and the glimpses we get of it through the story seem quite interesting and I hope we learn more about the Other in future books.
The basic plot of the books is… well, quite complex and there is definitely more going on beneath the surface than you would expect. The book has a few twists, and I have to admit that I was left guessing all the way through. I really liked the way Johnstone used the idea of Glimmers in the book – in fact, I thought the whole idea of a Glimmer as rather neat. I also liked the way that friendship is an important thread through the story.
THE BELL BETWEEN WORLDS is a fantastic introduction to Ian Johnstone’s THE MIRROR CHRONICLES. Johnstone does a brilliant job introducing us to the major players, ideas, and the world itself in this the first book. I look forward to reading future books in THE MIRROR CHRONICLES.
Originally posted on TheFlutterbyRoom.com I was kindly provided with an ARC by the publisher.
June 18, 2013
This is the first in a vividly imagined new fantasy series for children – thank you to Harpercollins and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to review it!
Sylas Tate has always believed his mother to be dead, and lives a sad existence with his strict uncle in a bizarre building called Gabblety Row. But when he’s invited into a strange shop and given a book written in a peculiar language, it’s the beginning of an adventure which leads him to follow the call of a bell into another world entirely, the place his mother may have really come from. He finds himself in the Other, the flipside of our world, where fantastical magic and dangerous monsters live. Hunted by terrifying creatures known as the Ghor, he seeks safety with the Suhl, a hidden group of people persecuted by the rulers of the world. They believe him to be a Bringer, and their salvation. But he doesn’t know anything about this strange world, so it comes as a shock that he can do magic, read the Raven Runes – and possibly be their last hope.
This is a beautifully written book featuring a vividly imagined alternative world. The author does a great job of bringing the fantasy world to life and creating a new vision of magic and wonder through the lyrically descriptive writing. At times, it almost feels like too much, and since this is targeted at the middle-grade age group, it’s possible that some more impatient readers might get bored. But there’s plenty of action, even though I was disappointed that the Glimmer myth mentioned in the blurb doesn't appear until near the end.
The ideas are familiar, admittedly – boy possesses astonishing powers and a destiny he’s unaware of, an alternative world which needs to be saved – but the sheer scope of the imagined world makes it unique. A must-read for fans of jaw-dropping fantasy!
Sylas Tate has always believed his mother to be dead, and lives a sad existence with his strict uncle in a bizarre building called Gabblety Row. But when he’s invited into a strange shop and given a book written in a peculiar language, it’s the beginning of an adventure which leads him to follow the call of a bell into another world entirely, the place his mother may have really come from. He finds himself in the Other, the flipside of our world, where fantastical magic and dangerous monsters live. Hunted by terrifying creatures known as the Ghor, he seeks safety with the Suhl, a hidden group of people persecuted by the rulers of the world. They believe him to be a Bringer, and their salvation. But he doesn’t know anything about this strange world, so it comes as a shock that he can do magic, read the Raven Runes – and possibly be their last hope.
This is a beautifully written book featuring a vividly imagined alternative world. The author does a great job of bringing the fantasy world to life and creating a new vision of magic and wonder through the lyrically descriptive writing. At times, it almost feels like too much, and since this is targeted at the middle-grade age group, it’s possible that some more impatient readers might get bored. But there’s plenty of action, even though I was disappointed that the Glimmer myth mentioned in the blurb doesn't appear until near the end.
The ideas are familiar, admittedly – boy possesses astonishing powers and a destiny he’s unaware of, an alternative world which needs to be saved – but the sheer scope of the imagined world makes it unique. A must-read for fans of jaw-dropping fantasy!
July 14, 2015
Wow, what a truly crowning achievement Ian Johnstone has made with this first part of his Mirror Chronicles series. The Bell Between Worlds has to be one of the most continuously imaginative and original fantasy books I’ve read in many years – just when you think you’ve been stunned by one visionary landscape, building or culture, another set-piece comes along that is equally enthralling.
About a “normal” boy called Sylas (but let’s be honest, anyone named Sylas isn’t going to normal, right?) from our world, Sylas lives with his uncle in a rickety, cavernous and quirky building called Gabblety Row. His mother is ill and missing and he is truly fed up until, that is, he meets a strange man called Mr Zhi who transforms his thinking.
When the bell calls him, and as he’s chased by a truly terrifying hound-like creature called a Ghorhund (I was genuinely unnerved by this beast,) Sylas travels from this world to the “Other” in a desperate search for answers and for his lost mother. It’s here he meets a new race of people, visits their secret underground homes, battles strange new forces and creatures and discovers his own growing powers can do a lot in this new, old-fashioned but deadly world.
The main foe Thoth is depicted very well and there are nuances of an undead Hitler in the way this strange entity runs the Other world. He oppresses it and uses his weird and frightening Ghor guards to threaten and kill anyone in his path.
I won’t give too much away here, but just to say Sylas search for his Glimmer and his mother is a fantastic story. This book is pretty damn remarkable. Okay, so there are a few times when the description of events can be over-descriptive, I thought, but this is a minor point when Ian has created an atmosphere and new, exciting culture of magic, nature, music, secrets and adventure. Looking forward to book two...!
About a “normal” boy called Sylas (but let’s be honest, anyone named Sylas isn’t going to normal, right?) from our world, Sylas lives with his uncle in a rickety, cavernous and quirky building called Gabblety Row. His mother is ill and missing and he is truly fed up until, that is, he meets a strange man called Mr Zhi who transforms his thinking.
When the bell calls him, and as he’s chased by a truly terrifying hound-like creature called a Ghorhund (I was genuinely unnerved by this beast,) Sylas travels from this world to the “Other” in a desperate search for answers and for his lost mother. It’s here he meets a new race of people, visits their secret underground homes, battles strange new forces and creatures and discovers his own growing powers can do a lot in this new, old-fashioned but deadly world.
The main foe Thoth is depicted very well and there are nuances of an undead Hitler in the way this strange entity runs the Other world. He oppresses it and uses his weird and frightening Ghor guards to threaten and kill anyone in his path.
I won’t give too much away here, but just to say Sylas search for his Glimmer and his mother is a fantastic story. This book is pretty damn remarkable. Okay, so there are a few times when the description of events can be over-descriptive, I thought, but this is a minor point when Ian has created an atmosphere and new, exciting culture of magic, nature, music, secrets and adventure. Looking forward to book two...!
February 13, 2021
I got to page 220 and decided not to bother anymore. Life is too short and though the idea of the story is great, the story itself isn't. It's so slow and boring and there are pages and pages of descriptions of everything and only a few sentences of something really happening. According to many reviews here this is a great book worth 5 stars but I don't agree. Sorry. It took me 13 days to finish the 220 pages! Normally I read more in a day!
May 25, 2015
This novel is sensational! I was so impressed with the amount of thought that has been put into the significance of the story being told. It is filled with magic, epic friendships that span lifetimes, the importance of self trust and wondrous events that are rolled out over many pages in exquisite detail. Although it is an adventure fantasy there were many points within the story where I was left thinking: 'Of course, that's the way things really are / should be! That makes perfect sense!' This is a book I will read more than once because I think that each time I do there will be something new in the writing that I did not pick up on the time before.
September 30, 2013
Overall, THE BELL BETWEEN WORLDS will appeal to any sort of reader and if you like a good old fantasy tale to pass the time on, than this book would be it. It's definitely worth reading!
Full review: http://talesoftheinnerbookfanatic.blo...
Full review: http://talesoftheinnerbookfanatic.blo...
May 8, 2013
I have read a pre-publication copy of this incredible book that will be published in June. The first in The Mirror Chronicles trilogy, this novel takes the author on a journey through a parallel world where magic and science are interwoven. The Ravel Runes of the ancient Samarok book hold the key to understanding the connection between our two worlds.
did-not-finish
December 8, 2015I received a free copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I am so sorry to say this, but I could not get into this book at all. It was by no means bad, but I didn't care for anything that happened, so I did not finish it. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood. I'll leave it unrated because that seems like the fair thing to do.
I am so sorry to say this, but I could not get into this book at all. It was by no means bad, but I didn't care for anything that happened, so I did not finish it. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood. I'll leave it unrated because that seems like the fair thing to do.
June 30, 2013
Loved it. Ian Johnstone has created a whole new world you can jump straight into. Can't wait for the next instalment. An immensely satisfying read.
September 25, 2018
It was very interesting to learn about the Other. I ended up really enjoying the story the characters. Its a fun creative tale and I need there to be more.
January 3, 2020
Amazing!! Loved it so much!! It's like you are in the story!!
October 17, 2023
I am so frustrated by this book.
The plot, once it kicks into gear, is actually pretty interesting, and the world-building that runs through this story is also fascinating.
But, the writing isn't great. It's not bad! It's just not great, and for a 500+ page book, that really kind of drags the reading experience down. Johnstone has so many great ideas going on here, but Sylas' personality never really feels like it gets a chance to shine through the writing consistently, and sometimes the explanations for world-building are muddled and confusing. There's a lot of "yer a wizard harry" moments where Sylas asks "okay but WHY" and no one has any real answers for him, beyond "You just are", which he accepts (sometimes, not always, but he's not particularly feisty), but as a reader, feels unsatisfying.
Ash, Simia, and the other side characters are bursting with personality, which is perhaps what makes Sylas feel all the lacking. Simia's definitely my favorite, and I adore Paiscion. I think younger readers (i.e the people this is actually written for) will probably have a blast with this, and I imagine if I had found this when I was that age, and reading Jenny Nimmo's Charlie Bone for the first time, I would too.
The second book is totally calling my name, though- I have to find out what happens next!
The plot, once it kicks into gear, is actually pretty interesting, and the world-building that runs through this story is also fascinating.
But, the writing isn't great. It's not bad! It's just not great, and for a 500+ page book, that really kind of drags the reading experience down. Johnstone has so many great ideas going on here, but Sylas' personality never really feels like it gets a chance to shine through the writing consistently, and sometimes the explanations for world-building are muddled and confusing. There's a lot of "yer a wizard harry" moments where Sylas asks "okay but WHY" and no one has any real answers for him, beyond "You just are", which he accepts (sometimes, not always, but he's not particularly feisty), but as a reader, feels unsatisfying.
Ash, Simia, and the other side characters are bursting with personality, which is perhaps what makes Sylas feel all the lacking. Simia's definitely my favorite, and I adore Paiscion. I think younger readers (i.e the people this is actually written for) will probably have a blast with this, and I imagine if I had found this when I was that age, and reading Jenny Nimmo's Charlie Bone for the first time, I would too.
The second book is totally calling my name, though- I have to find out what happens next!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews