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Magic Doorways #2
Aster Wood and the Book of Leveling
After failing to locate the celebrated sorcerer Almara, Aster Wood has done the next best thing; he has found, and rescued, Almara’s daughter, Jade. Now, the two are traveling through the Maylin Fold together, still searching for the lost wizard. He is the one man who can answer their questions about why the planets within the Fold are dying, what it means for Earth, and how the evil can be stopped.
But when they finally do find Almara, he’s in no state to be of any help to anyone. They must push on with him in tow and hope to find the little known Book of Leveling, an ancient tome said to hold the key to balancing the planets in the Fold. Little by little, tiny fragments of information leak from Almara’s fractured mind, and they draw closer and closer to their goal. Aster hopes that the discovery of the book will lead to not just the healing of worlds, but the healing of the people who inhabit them. Including the one person Aster has barely dared think of for the past eight years, his long-mad father.
But a new enemy is waiting for them, watching every step that they take. The Corentin, a force of evil so great that few dare to pass along their knowledge of him, is examining their every move, playing with them like puppets on strings.
And Jade. Aster thought he had saved her for good, that the release from her mountain prison would be enough to bring her back from the misery she had experienced for so many years. But her happiness is fading, and in her eyes Aster sees flashes of a malice so deep that it chills him to his core.
Aster must make it to the book and wrench it from the clutches of the Corentin before it’s too late. Before his friend, and her old, mad father, are lost to his strange hold over them. And before he, himself, falls to the dark bed of madness the Corentin has waiting.
But when they finally do find Almara, he’s in no state to be of any help to anyone. They must push on with him in tow and hope to find the little known Book of Leveling, an ancient tome said to hold the key to balancing the planets in the Fold. Little by little, tiny fragments of information leak from Almara’s fractured mind, and they draw closer and closer to their goal. Aster hopes that the discovery of the book will lead to not just the healing of worlds, but the healing of the people who inhabit them. Including the one person Aster has barely dared think of for the past eight years, his long-mad father.
But a new enemy is waiting for them, watching every step that they take. The Corentin, a force of evil so great that few dare to pass along their knowledge of him, is examining their every move, playing with them like puppets on strings.
And Jade. Aster thought he had saved her for good, that the release from her mountain prison would be enough to bring her back from the misery she had experienced for so many years. But her happiness is fading, and in her eyes Aster sees flashes of a malice so deep that it chills him to his core.
Aster must make it to the book and wrench it from the clutches of the Corentin before it’s too late. Before his friend, and her old, mad father, are lost to his strange hold over them. And before he, himself, falls to the dark bed of madness the Corentin has waiting.
249 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 18, 2014
54 people are currently reading
384 people want to read
About the author
J.B. Cantwell
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 9 reviews
June 14, 2015
The somewhat discouraging middle of the story quest where the obstacles, setbacks, disappointments and all around bad stuff mount into an overwhelming tide for Aster & Jade.
There is of course the obligatory victory at the end of the book, but I personally found it to be a small, anticlimactic, somewhat Pyrrhic victory.
There is of course the obligatory victory at the end of the book, but I personally found it to be a small, anticlimactic, somewhat Pyrrhic victory.
August 18, 2017
Aster Wood's quest to find the great wizard Almara---and a way to save Earth---has stalled out. He and Jade are heading to her home because neither of them can think of anything else. Hopefully Almara has left a clue of some kind. But what they find is both more and less than what they hoped . . .
This is a more internal book than the previous. There's still a fair amount of death-defying escapades, but there's a lot more reflection and internal struggle. Because this time around, Aster's confronted with madness that reduces people to shells of their former selves. Worse than the madness is what causes it.
With such a heavy revelation changing the stakes of his adventure, Aster feels underpowered, so I'm hoping an upgrade for his power or equipment comes sooner rather than later. He's not particularly good at being clever, though he makes the right calls when it counts. I was disappointed that the titular book seems to be merely notes (even if he really needs those notes), but perhaps hidden depths will surface later.
It's also interesting that Aster is the only person who seems to be wondering what's behind the villain's motivations. There's plenty enough to suggest "he's just evil" would work fine, but Aster isn't so convinced. Right now, though, there's no way to dig into the whys.
I hope Erod shows up again. He and his people would make interesting allies (or bad enemies). I like how solid most of the secondary characters are in these books, even if the nature of the world-hopping plot has many of them leaving as fast as they show up.
Overall, this isn't a bad continuation, but certainly darker than the previous. I will likely read the rest of the series soon, but I needed to take a bit of a break after reading this for something a bit lighter. I rate this book Recommended.
See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....
This is a more internal book than the previous. There's still a fair amount of death-defying escapades, but there's a lot more reflection and internal struggle. Because this time around, Aster's confronted with madness that reduces people to shells of their former selves. Worse than the madness is what causes it.
With such a heavy revelation changing the stakes of his adventure, Aster feels underpowered, so I'm hoping an upgrade for his power or equipment comes sooner rather than later. He's not particularly good at being clever, though he makes the right calls when it counts. I was disappointed that the titular book seems to be merely notes (even if he really needs those notes), but perhaps hidden depths will surface later.
It's also interesting that Aster is the only person who seems to be wondering what's behind the villain's motivations. There's plenty enough to suggest "he's just evil" would work fine, but Aster isn't so convinced. Right now, though, there's no way to dig into the whys.
I hope Erod shows up again. He and his people would make interesting allies (or bad enemies). I like how solid most of the secondary characters are in these books, even if the nature of the world-hopping plot has many of them leaving as fast as they show up.
Overall, this isn't a bad continuation, but certainly darker than the previous. I will likely read the rest of the series soon, but I needed to take a bit of a break after reading this for something a bit lighter. I rate this book Recommended.
See my reviews and more at https://offtheshelfreviews.wordpress....
May 24, 2019
Wow this series just keeps getting better and better. Well written, great characters wonderful worlds . I just can't say enough good things about this book.
A must read. I love the way that Aster just keeps going (kind of like Dory) . This book is definitely a fun read for everyone from young to old.
A must read. I love the way that Aster just keeps going (kind of like Dory) . This book is definitely a fun read for everyone from young to old.
February 8, 2015
My daughter and I couldn’t wait to dig into Book 2 of this series, especially since we both loved Book 1. Aster Wood and the Book of Leveling did not disappoint. I found it to be somewhat darker than the first, with a deeper development of characters and a continued theme of urgency weaving its way through.
In the first book we were introduced to Jade, a complex and likeable girl who alternate between being small and lost and powerful and in control. When the two of them finally find Almara the reader breathes a sigh of relief, but we were sucked into a false sense of security. Almara is not himself.
What I liked about the book
As with the first in the series, I loved this book. Cantwell’s writing style is easy and full of description. She has the ability to take complex scenes and describe them in terms the reader can follow and ‘live’ the events. I grew to like Aster more and more in this one as well. He is developing into a young man who learns and grows through the hair raising experiences he encounters.
The Corentin continued to lurk in the background, always present, eerily invading minds and spying on Aster, Jade and Almara’s progress. I like the tid-bits thrown the reader in relation to Aster’s powers. I can’t wait for these to come to fruition and for him to finally be what he was born to be.
Throughout this book Jade, time and time again revealed something disturbing growing inside. At times I wondered if she was actually on Aster’s side. In the end, all was revealed.
What I didn’t enjoy that much
I am happy to say there was nothing in particular that niggled me about this book.
Final thoughts
The Aster Wood series is one of those I can see myself reading again. There are so many layers of good and evil, and so many things happening to our hero—one read could never be sufficient to truly comprehend it all. It has the makings of a brilliant middle grade series. We have already bought the Third book and I cannot wait to continue the adventure.
STAR RATING: 5 Stars
This Review will also be posted to my Blog:
https://jackiegmills.wordpress.com/
In the first book we were introduced to Jade, a complex and likeable girl who alternate between being small and lost and powerful and in control. When the two of them finally find Almara the reader breathes a sigh of relief, but we were sucked into a false sense of security. Almara is not himself.
What I liked about the book
As with the first in the series, I loved this book. Cantwell’s writing style is easy and full of description. She has the ability to take complex scenes and describe them in terms the reader can follow and ‘live’ the events. I grew to like Aster more and more in this one as well. He is developing into a young man who learns and grows through the hair raising experiences he encounters.
The Corentin continued to lurk in the background, always present, eerily invading minds and spying on Aster, Jade and Almara’s progress. I like the tid-bits thrown the reader in relation to Aster’s powers. I can’t wait for these to come to fruition and for him to finally be what he was born to be.
Throughout this book Jade, time and time again revealed something disturbing growing inside. At times I wondered if she was actually on Aster’s side. In the end, all was revealed.
What I didn’t enjoy that much
I am happy to say there was nothing in particular that niggled me about this book.
Final thoughts
The Aster Wood series is one of those I can see myself reading again. There are so many layers of good and evil, and so many things happening to our hero—one read could never be sufficient to truly comprehend it all. It has the makings of a brilliant middle grade series. We have already bought the Third book and I cannot wait to continue the adventure.
STAR RATING: 5 Stars
This Review will also be posted to my Blog:
https://jackiegmills.wordpress.com/
October 16, 2014
The first book entertained, and so does the second!
Aster and Jade find Almara, who is an insane wreck. But he still knows things that could help save the worlds of the Fold--things like the Book of Leveling. Inside it is the footprints of the man who destabilized the Fold, and our heroes can use it to fix everything.
If the Corentin doesn't get them first.
More interesting characters are introduced, more questions are raised. It's frustrating that there's no book 3 yet! This series is more like YA than MG, just without all the sexual stuff. It's lovely to read straight-up adventure for once. Aster is tortured and interesting, and so is Jade. I look forward to seeing if he learns magic in later books.
Aster and Jade find Almara, who is an insane wreck. But he still knows things that could help save the worlds of the Fold--things like the Book of Leveling. Inside it is the footprints of the man who destabilized the Fold, and our heroes can use it to fix everything.
If the Corentin doesn't get them first.
More interesting characters are introduced, more questions are raised. It's frustrating that there's no book 3 yet! This series is more like YA than MG, just without all the sexual stuff. It's lovely to read straight-up adventure for once. Aster is tortured and interesting, and so is Jade. I look forward to seeing if he learns magic in later books.
July 7, 2016
Slow to start but kept you on your toes all the way to the end!
At the beginning of this book I found it slow going but as I read the more adventures it got. All I could think about was what was going to happen next. Aster's quest was a hard one but he pushed on. So far this book and the first one is teaching a great lesson. One that we've all heard some took the lesson and ran with it, some stayed neutral, while others just dropped the ball. Never give up I think is Aster's motto and he is sticking with it. I think this is a great middle school student series. Eleven, twelve, thirteen year olds could get lost in the adventure and perhaps learn to "never give up".
At the beginning of this book I found it slow going but as I read the more adventures it got. All I could think about was what was going to happen next. Aster's quest was a hard one but he pushed on. So far this book and the first one is teaching a great lesson. One that we've all heard some took the lesson and ran with it, some stayed neutral, while others just dropped the ball. Never give up I think is Aster's motto and he is sticking with it. I think this is a great middle school student series. Eleven, twelve, thirteen year olds could get lost in the adventure and perhaps learn to "never give up".
April 10, 2015
Very well done. Action to go.
Well done. Riviting. Almost could not put it down. Very good quality writing. I would recommend this book to every one.
Well done. Riviting. Almost could not put it down. Very good quality writing. I would recommend this book to every one.
December 15, 2015
Good
A good book, very wordy and a bit gory. My son is enjoying this series and we are going on to read book 3.
A good book, very wordy and a bit gory. My son is enjoying this series and we are going on to read book 3.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 9 reviews