The Door in Lake Mallion

The Brindlewatch Quintet #2

by S.M. Beiko

The Door in Lake Mallion brings readers into a world of magic, monsters, and the folks who love them, telling a story of dazzling performers, glowing mushroom cities, and the power of shining our light for everyone to see

Dunstan has had big ambitions his entire life — bigger than the small lakeside town of Knockum — imagining himself heading a chorus line with a leading man he hasn’t quite cast yet. But on his way out of town for good, a gang of his classmates capture him and send him to the bottom of nearby Lake Mallion, rumored to harbor a magical door in its depths.

Before Dunstan drowns, the door opens. On the other side is the Geodom of Jet and the reptilian Prince Ven, who is on the run — from his past, his destiny, and the stories people tell about him. Now Ven has a chance to tell a different story, and he’ll use Dunstan to pen the script.

But the door has been keeping a dangerous secret that not even the lakebed can contain, and both worlds hang in the balance. Will the final curtain reveal that not all lights are meant to shine?

Genres: Fantasy, Audiobook, Young Adult, Queer

360 pages, Paperback

Published October 8, 2024

About the author

SAMANTHA MARY BEIKO is a writer of whatever tromps into her head at the time--but mostly it is YA fantasy and its derivatives.

She currently works full-time the Canadian publishing industry as a freelance editor, graphic designer, and consultant, and is the Co-Publisher of ChiZine Publications. She devotes her days to helping traditional corporate publishers, as well as independent writers and creators, realize their projects to print or digital completion, helping them to market with editorial and graphic design. She was also the co-editor on Imaginarium 2013 and Imaginarium 5, and will be co-editing Gothic Tales of Haunted Love with Hope Nicholson for Bedside Press in 2017.

Her first novel, a young adult fantasy set in rural Manitoba called The Lake and the Library, was nominated for the Manitoba Book Award for Best First Book, as well as the 2014 Aurora Award. Her next series, The Realms of Ancient, has been signed for a three book deal with ECW Press. The first book, Scion of the Fox, will be out in October 2017. The sequels to follow are Children of the Bloodlands and The Brilliant Dark in the subsequent years (2018 and 2019).

Samantha currently resides in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and is the co-chair of the Winnipeg ChiSeries, a reading series that highlights speculative writers in various panels, readings, and workshops. She is also the co-organizer, along with Hope Nicholson (Bedside Press) and Alicia May (Dandizette Cosmetics) of Winnipeg Geek Girls Social Club.

She apologizes in advance if she ignores you when a dog walks by.

Reviews

[Caitlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

The beginning of this book was very confusing and made it hard to get into. There was a lack of world building that the book really needed and there was almost nothing to set up the plot of the book. Also the parts of the book that were written like a play, didn't work for me.

Sometimes the main character was likeable and I found myself rooting for him being able to stay in the underwater world where he wasn't losing his sight, but other times, he annoyed me and I didn't want that for him.

Unfortunately, I just wasn't able to become invested in this book or characters otherwise.

Thank you to S.M. Beiko, ECW Press Audio, and NetGalley for the Advanced Listener's Copy of this book.

[Vivi.Vale · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advanced listeners copy of the Door In Lake Mallion by S. M. Beiko from NetGalley. The visual of the underwater city is fun, and would be great to see as an animated setting. Overall, this book feels like it leans towards the younger side of YA, but I liked the idea of a dramatic theatre kid as the main character. It just wasn’t for me though, and I ended up DNFing it at 25%. Rounding up to 3 from 2.5.

[Lana · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF, could not get passed the first chapter. I do not like the set up of the book or how they start it by deliberately telling us the ways of the first chapter.

[Jonny Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Fantasy World Brought to Life (a 3.5 star that’s rounded up to 4)

S.M. Beiko’s The Door in Lake Mallion, the second installment in the Brindlewatch Quintet, immerses readers in a richly imaginative world filled with magic, mystery, and the complexities of identity. The novel features a diverse cast of characters, including strong LGBTQIA+ representation, and explores themes of self-discovery, courage, and rewriting one’s story. Paul Van Dyck’s narration enhances these fantastical elements with his varied tone and inflection, making it easy for listeners to get lost in the narrative. His skillful delivery adds depth to the characters, especially during scenes where the protagonist, Dunstan, and Prince Ven’s storylines intersect. I found that listening at a speed of 1.50x best maintained the story’s rhythm and clarity, allowing Paul’s performance to truly shine.

However, I noticed some technical inconsistencies in the audiobook. In Act 2, Scene 6, Part 1 and Part 2, the audio quality noticeably shifts, with the narration suddenly becoming either muffled or louder than the rest of the book. This discrepancy creates an awkward listening experience, as it feels as though these segments were recorded separately, disrupting the overall flow. While it’s not a deal-breaker, this variance in sound quality might take some listeners out of the immersive world that Beiko and Van Dyck work hard to create.

The novel itself is filled with beautiful world-building and complex storytelling. But the beginning of the book can feel a little disjointed, making it difficult to grasp the full context of what’s happening. I found myself having to rewind often to catch critical details that were either not fully explained or introduced too abruptly.

Given the dense world-building and the novel’s intricate structure, I believe The Door in Lake Mallion is best enjoyed when read physically. Using the audiobook as a supplement while reading along can help provide a fuller understanding of Beiko’s lush prose and vivid storytelling, especially during parts where the plot becomes more convoluted or when technical audio issues are present.

Overall, while The Door in Lake Mallion is engaging and creative, the complex storytelling might not be fully appreciated through the audiobook format alone. I’d recommend combining both formats to experience the narrative’s full impact.
Thank you to ECW Press Audio, NetGalley, and S.M. Beiko for providing this eARC!

[⭐️🍏sourappleidiot🍏⭐️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book… Wow. I have a lot of feelings.
It was a rather fun read, with characters and locations often reminding me of stories I rejected myself, saying “No one will want to read this!” But there it was, sat before me on the page, a tale of a land of mushroom cities and gay theater kids. It was funny, and I found the small easter eggs from the first installment quite enjoyable.
However, it’s fairly clear to me that it was rather rushed. The world building is confusing and unclear at times, leaving my imagination to run wild, which is okay occasionally… But a book like this could have done so well with more structure. Both the mundane and fantastical locations in this book were disappointingly vague, especially considering how they were often very similar to things I’d thought of in much greater detail before reading this.
The backstory is also frustratingly difficult to follow. I often found myself flipping back to remember who an “important” figure was, despite them being treated as very much background characters. Such characters seemed to play a secondary role to the plot despite driving most of it, which left me rather confused by the end of the book.
I also faintly remember reading somewhere— in what I believe was the acknowledgments— that the author herself didn’t enjoy writing this one. I think that it unfortunately shows in her writing, and it makes me sad knowing that if she had more time to have fun with it, it probably would’ve been a winner.
Do I recommend it? Only if you’ve read the first one. Do I dislike it? Not at all. I see the technical issues as much as I see the fun ideas, and I enjoy playing with the “What could have been”s. As someone who also struggles with world building in my writing, I don’t really blame the author, I only wish she had been granted the opportunity to enjoy the process and build it out more.

[Karen Cohn · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Door in Lake Mallion has an interesting premise, but ultimately, this is high school romance, in which two strangers meet and fall instantly in love, right after one of them is dumped by an abusive, lying former partner. Their relationship forms the basis for the rest of the novel. I had difficulty getting into the beginning, and had to really push to get through to the meat of the plot. There were parts that I enjoyed, but overall, while there's nothing wrong with this book, it's simply not to my taste; given that this is book two in a quartet, which I didn't realize until after I read it, it's possible that I'd feel differently if I'd read book one. Still, I don't feel like I was missing plot points; rather, the story doesn't flow quite enough to create the suspension of belief, the visualization, that novels that truly capture my attention do. Given the age of the characters, this is a novel that may appeal more to middle and high school age readers, and that is who I would recommend it for.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Adrianna Heaney-velu · Rating 3 out of 5]

“The Door in Lake Mallion,” by S. M. Beiko

I give this book a 3 out of 5 stars because I see how I would’ve loved this book when I was in middle school/ high school, and I think it’s perfect for those ages. I would’ve given it below a 3 if it was purely on my own taste. I did not like the play write layout to the story with interludes and such. The main character was a little annoying how he wanted to constantly be the star and outshine everyone else at all times, kind of gave me pick me girl vibes but I think all little kids have a very annoying side, so it fits in with the age range. I did like the M/M story and the fact that MMC is going blind in his world but not the lake world, which is why he wants to stay so bad. The audiobook narration for this book fits the age range and brings out the characters.

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Door in Lake Mallion (The Brindlewatch Quintet, #2)
by S.M. Beiko
The story of friendship and expectation. Dunstan does not fit in his world. The family he has is bewildered by his behavior his whole life. The green marks in his eyes show that he will go blind. Dunstan is learning that there is magic in the world, and the things that he does is needed by that magic. The light he has needs to be expressed. This book is a great young adult novel, showing magic, acceptance, and understanding.

[Bethany Fisher · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the idea of this book, but the writing isn't working for me at the moment; there seems to be more telling than showing, with interludes telling a lot of the story.

As for the narration, this was fine but not my favourite.

I may try this again as I hate DNFing review copies, but for now I'm not into it.

Overall, I'd rate it 2.5 stars, because I see a lot of potential and I liked the creativity.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ALC

[Crystal Palmisano-Dillard · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this. The premise is right up my alley, but the execution leaves something to be desired. It's just dull. Which is crazy to say when the book starts off with the attempted murder of the MC by his classmates.

[Emma Renshaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

An atmospheric, fantastical world all in one story. I really enjoyed it. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this.

[Puck Tisserand]

Thank you to Netgalley and ECW Press for the Advanced Listener’s Copy.

I’ll start with the bad. There were some audio quality discrepancies that made for an inconsistent listening experience. There was an entire scene that sounded like it had been recorded with a potato and was really grating on the ears.

Personally I am not a big fan of insta-love which this book very much exhibits. Dunstan and Ven meet, flirt, and kiss all within the span of about five minutes. By day two of knowing each other they are “boyfriends.” The chemistry between them is undeniable and endearing but it was hard to forget they had spent mere hours together and were so immediately attached, especially given the inter-species nature of their relationship.

I really couldn’t get ahold of what the physical description of the Jetties was supposed to be. They’re described as lizard people with scales but never find out exactly how close or far from human they appear. My mental picture of Ven was a constantly amorphous physique that ranged from a D&D Dragonborn to Voldemort depending on the needs of the scene. We find out the town’s commemorative mermaid statue is in fact a sculpture o Jettite so do they look like mermaids? It’s all very confusing without any character art to accompany the book.

That said, the world building for Lake Mallion is phenomenal. We’re dropped into a queer-normative world where no one questions the star quarterback for the football team having a boyfriend and half the town believes in a magic door beneath the lake. The town is essentially ran by a posse of boss moms and the reveal of character as trans is taken in stride. The underground kingdom of Jet is described beautifully and the ambiance of Knockum is cozy and intriguing. We also get to find out a bit how this expands out into the rest of the world toward the end.

The best aspect of Lake Mallion is its characters. Ven in particular is clever and quippy (and every time he called Dunstan “bright eyes” my heart melted), and Dunstan is infectiously optimistic. They are so fun to follow about and root for and near impossible not to like even with all their flaws. Even the characters who are adversarial have their chance to grow and become quite endearing.

I found the plot quickly addictive and had a hard time putting the story down once I had started. I wanted to listen to it all the time, and though I’m a person who usually needs something to do with my hands to process audiobooks well, I spent the second half of the story mostly just laying on my back listening intently to absorb every second of Paul van Dyck’s narration.

Speaking of the narration, it was quite engaging and I was very impressed with the variety of voices Paul was able to use to make characters distinct. He did an amazing job bringing everyone to life. There were times Dunstan was a little annoying to listen to but it fit very much within his character I think to be a bit squeaky and all over the place. I think If I had been reading instead of listening to Paul tell the story, some of the lightheartedness and whimsy would be lost.

Overall, Lake Mallion’s audiobook was a very enjoyable experience. There are a few flaws but nothing that outweighed the fun ride you go on with the characters.

[Casso Briggs · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning of this book was very confusing and made it hard to get into as the story is written in a very odd way. There was a lack of world building that the book really needs and there was very little done to set up the plot of the book. It's written very much like a play and the audio version made it a bit easier to digest that way I don't think I could have read it without the audiobook.

Only about half the time was the main character likeable. Other times he gave major theater kid energy, and it took me out of the book at times. The underwater city seemed very pretty when described I'd love to see this as like an animated movie or short I think it could be very beautiful. It starts off hella strong but this reads like a play script more than an actual book. It might be a good play but its very tell don't show.

I got the audiobook version as an ARC via Netgalley. Thank you!