The Paradox

Oversight Trilogy #2

by Charlie Fletcher

"Exciting, exhilaring, scary and moving in equal measure, The Oversight is a teeming world of dark deeds and dark magics, brilliantly realized." -- M. R. CareyThe Last Hand of the Oversight still patrols the border between the natural and supranatural, holding a candle to the darkness. But this new Hand is unproven, its fresh members untrained, its veterans weary and battle-scarred. Their vulnerability brings new enemies into the city, and surprising new allies from across the sea. But most surprising of all are new revelations about the Oversight's past, revelations that will expose the true peril of the world in which Sharp and Sara are trapped -- the secret of the Black Mirrors, and what lies beyond. And the catastrophic danger that will follow them home, if they ever manage to return. The dark waters rise. The candles are guttering. But the light still remains.For now. . .

Genres: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult, Magic, Historical Fiction, Fiction

432 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 26, 2015

About the author

Also publishes under C.A. Fletcher

Charlie Fletcher is the author of Stoneheart, shortlisted for the Branford Boase award and longlisted for the Guardian children’s fiction award, the sequels Ironhand and Silvertongue, and the stand-alone YA novel Far Rockaway.

His first adult novel The Oversight will be published in May 2014 in the US and UK.

Dragon Shield, the start of a new trilogy set in the Stoneheart world of London will be published in mid 2014.

He’s also a screenwriter for film and television . He lives in Edinburgh with one wife, two children, and a terrier called Archie.

He's twitterable at @CharlieFletch_r

For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_...

Reviews

[Scott Hitchcock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 1: 3*
Book 2: 3.5*

UF/Steampunk series set in Victorian England encompassing an ancient group who are protectors of London against things that go bump in the night.

This was a much better book than the first and had the ending been on a grander scale I would have given it 4*'s. This book however is a clear setup book to the third and final chapter in the story. There's a multitude of storylines in progress and I expect book 3 to bring them all together.

I think the biggest difference between books one and two was the absence of the circus storyline that was in book one. I've come to the conclusion that I simply don't like circus or traveling show narratives. Additionally "the mirrors" was a terrific sub-world with a lot of good twists.

Looking forward to book 3.

[Montzalee Wittmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Paradox
By Charlie Fletcher
Book two follows up nicely with more detail into each character and their powers. I was really interested in Amos. We have more characters appear too. There is a lot that happens and we get a glimpse into other "cultures".
Can't wait for book 3!

[Arie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Somewhere between reading - and loving - The Oversight, and finally picking this book up, I forgot how good the series actually is.

Which made for a very nice surprise indeed as once again, I couldn't put the damn thing down til I'd finished. There's something lovely here, in the tone and language and settings and imagery that means that even though I'm struggling weeks later to put my finger on an actual plot, it doesn't matter in the slightest.

There are events that slide into other events, and possibly end up building into the (next? final?) book, and I'm intrigued to see where it all leads, but honestly I'd just happily keep reading anyway, even if nothing actually happens in the end.

[Yzabel Ginsberg · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting in that it picks up loos threads from the first book and expands on them, but it definitely reads like a seris of "middles", with no real plot to speak of. The danger the Oversight has to face is basically thrown in through a few sparse chapters, and it feels like more loose threads were added in preparation for a third book.

[Jasper · Rating 5 out of 5]

originally posted at: http://thebookplank.blogspot.com/2015...


Last year Charlie Fletcher really took me by surprise with his Urban Fantasy debut The Oversight. This dark, Gothic inspired story contained a ton of wealth in terms of atmosphere, characters and general ideas. I nominated The Oversight for one of the best Urban Fantasy books that I read last year. So you can quite imagine that I had more than just hopes for how Charlie Fletcher would execute his sequel. I am going to be honest. Wow. This is how sequel ought to be!

The Paradox picks up directly after the events in The Oversight. The organization wasn't strong to begin with and were left with even less in the ending. Sara Falk and Mr. Sharp are trapped within the dangerous world of mirrors and the remaining full fledged members, Cook Smith and Hodge (who is now blinded in one eye), of the Oversight are left with the two latest recruits Charlie Pyefinch and Lucy Harker. The events in The Oversight left the whole situation rather precarious. The Templebanes were planning the downfall of Britain's protective organization and have managed to do just that.

So following up on all these events are multiple storylines. The first is that of Sara Falk and Jack Sharp who are navigating their way through the often obscured and always dangerous place of the mirrors. No one has come out of them yet. Around every turn danger could be lurking and not long after this Mirror Wights. Who will do anything to turn you on the wrong foot and hopefully lure you into giving away some of your precious blood that they use to feed. Luckily both Sara and Mr. Sharp aren't stupid and use their minds to trick the Mirror Wights. But with no one having come out of the mirror in well forever.. will Sara and Mr. Sharp succeed?

The second storyline if followed by the remaining members and latest recruits of the Oversight, Cook, Smith, Hodge, Lucy and Charlie. This was for me a very interesting storyline to follow. The Oversight has lost it's leader, but the threat isn't over and the three veterans have a tough job ahead of them of restoring the order as well as training Lucy and Charlie. Somethings do go as planned but others well.. set the plans on a different course. Here Charlie Fletcher does a smart thing and makes the reader also learn more about the history of many characters, a nice trip. Smith takes the job to look over Lucy and train her in being a Glint (Glint powers include touching an object "seeing" the memories of the object like picking up a glass and seeing what the other person went through etc). It is a strong power but also a hard power to fully master and Lucy's lessons doesn't go without any troubled. Charlie Pyefinch is being trained by Hodge, who without good functioning eyes is still able to walk about and work as he has the gift to use various animals for his ears and eyes. Charlie hasn't quite developed this skill yet but well he is only an apprentice. With getting The Oversight back on track and training the new recruits they have their hands full. And then comes an old acquaintance knocking on their door...

Where I praised the first book a lot for was the addition of the storyline that followed the Templebanes and in The Paradox this again isn't the exception. I won't go into much of detail because that would spoil the surprise that awaits you too much but the Sluagh are on the rise and they have become immune to the thing that The Oversight could always rely to use to get rid of them. Again the focus on the bad guys of the book readily adds another dimension to the whole story. You see how both parties act and how they subsequent react on the how their plan work and fail. Great story dynamics.

One thing that I have to see in a sequel is character development. Here The Paradox also doesn't fail. The world was very well put down in the first book, and Charlie Fletcher directly delves deeper into many different characters both of The Oversight, but mainly those that aren't lost in the mirrors. One part of the Smith really got my interests piqued and I am curious as to what it might mean for the third book. The main focus for development was for both Lucy and Charlie who are being trained in the finer ways of the supranatural and it starts of course with the basics that of the Wildfire. As I already mentioned above this is a nice way of both educating the characters and the readers as well. One character that I really started to like over the course of this book was Amos, with out spoiling to much, you got to know him in the first book but he really grows into something.

And than it only remains for me to give Charlie Fletcher a lot of praise for his world building once again. The first book gave a great show of a gothic Victorian inspired London, and he doesn't falter in giving the same show once more. The writing style the Charlie Fletcher has definitely helps a lot in putting the atmosphere just right. It feel that you are really in the story itself. Being the latest member of The Oversight or part of the Templebanes discussions. It takes a lot more than just saying Gothic Victorian to get a setting. This world has it all down from the lurking corridors, secret places for refuge, and of course the magical powers that several characters have. It's all really something amazing. And then I haven't even started about the world in the mirrors. Now this really deserves a wow, brilliant too say the least.

The Paradox is precisely what I wanted to see in a sequel. Charlie Fletcher has gone above and beyond himself to write and even better story. He doesn't hesitate a moment before throwing the reader once again in the fray of on upcoming battle. There are lots of developments happening when it comes to the overall to take story that much further but it also doesn't lack in the character development department. All in all a definite winner and just as with The Oversight, The Paradox will be ending up high in my favorite list as well!

[Saba jahangiriyan · Rating 3 out of 5]

توصیفات شخصیت‌ها و داستان واقعا به‌نظرم عالیه. اونقدری که آدمو وابسته شخصیت‌های دوست داشتنی داستان می‌کنه و باعث میشه تا آخرین لحظه دنبالشون کنید.
ممکنه گاهی وقتا زیاده‌گویی‌های نویسنده توی توصیف شما رو خسته کنه ولی داستان به اندازه کافی کشش داره که شما خوندنشو ادامه بدین☺️

[Online Eccentric Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

I had greatly enjoyed the Oversight and knew The Paradox would be a good book. But even I was surprised to find myself just as riveted as with the first. Mythology and canon are greatly expanded, providing quite a few surprises and consistently delivering unexpected twists and turns. But this book has a beating heart at the center - well drawn, nuanced, flawed, but remarkable characters who are fascinating to follow.

Author Fletcher's writing is so tight, rich, and engrossing that upon finishing this second book in the Oversight series, I had a hard time reading other books afterwards. The difference in writing chops was just too apparent with otherwise good books. But that isn't necessarily a bad thing and certainly I greatly look forward to the third book.

Story: With the Oversight veering ever closer to extinction, there are those who question whether the organization is too far compromised toward the humans to even be useful any more. Sarah and Mr. Sharp are trapped in the mirrors, the Smith has secrets of his own, Hodge is blinded, and Cook is trying to keep them all together. And while Charlie blindly trusts, Lucy is suspicious of them all. Enter a lost boy who can communicate in his mind with others, souls lost within the mirrors hindering Sarah and Mr. Sharp, a cocky Irish lass who hunts the supernatural, and a minion who may just have the perfect plan to finally destroy the Oversight. The supernatural elements may have the perfect storm to claim Dickensian London for their own.

I have never been a fan of multiple POVs - I can respect an author who can bring them all together in the end but I am usually frustrated for most of the book until I get there. But Fletcher's precise writing keeps the POVs tight and concise - they don't drag and they naturally push or pull the character right into the main plot neatly. It's the mark of an excellent writer than I was never frustrated when one POV ended and another began. Each change was at an appropriate place and without the usual nagging cliffhangers. But more importantly, it was obvious while reading why the characters were important to the main plot - no one felt random and waiting to become important at the end.

I had worried that the mirror scenes would drag and be too surreal to be interesting. What a surprise, then, that those scenes were among the most interesting in the book. The situations that Sarah and Sharp encounter are distinct, unique, and completely unexpected. As well, their mirror travels mark important worldbuilding and plot points that further the mystery while also answering important questions from the first book.

Yes, the Paradox continues to be very dark - perhaps even dreary. As fitting the London of that era, the supernatural elements are seamlessly bound to the world and feel as organic as the smokestacks and railroad tracks. The entire series feels very real in that regard - the characters are nuanced and entirely believable in their foibles, weaknesses, and of course abilities and strengths. There are no mustache-twirling evil baddies, insipid romantic cliches, or over reliance on the supernatural to get characters out of (or into) trouble. Decisions are made based upon logic and experience - not deus ex machina plotting.

If the Paradox suffers on one account, it is that this is very much a bridge book. There are definitive arcs that finish here, several echoing the events of the first book. But where this book really excels is the riveting depth of the world explored and expanded upon - and of course the pervasive sense that the Oversight are in for one very nasty battle of survival in the final book.

[Romanticamente Fantasy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maljka - per RFS
.
Questo secondo capitolo della trilogia Oversight è decisamente diverso dal primo.

Nel volume precedente, nonostante la moltitudine dei personaggi, la narrazione risultava accattivante e veloce nel cambio di azioni e situazioni, in questo invece è molto più lenta; i punti di vista e le storie dei vari personaggi, presenti in questo secondo capitolo, sono molto distanti tant’è che a volte credevo di aver dimenticato dei pezzi di storia. Fortunatamente nelle pagine finali torna il ritmo incalzante dell’autore rendendo la lettura gradevole, accattivante e in grado di terti con il fiato sospeso fino alla fine.

La volta scorsa ci eravamo lasciati con le due protagoniste femminili Lucy e Sara sulla porta della casa sicura. Lucy aveva tentato di derubare Sara dopo che quest’ultima l’aveva salvata da un’orrenda fine.

Cercando di fuggire attraverso uno specchio aveva causato parecchi problemi all’Oversight: la connessione tra il mondo reale e quello degli specchi era stata spezzata troppo bruscamente e la mano di Sara, protesa per salvarla, era stata tranciata di netto insieme agli anelli che la tengono in vita e proteggono il suo dono.

Anche Sharp si è perso nel mondo degli specchi quando ha cercato di recuperare ciò che era stato perso: Sara e la sua mano sembravano perduti per sempre ma… l’amore aggiusta ogni cosa così Sharp entra negli specchi per poterla ritrovare. Inizia così la loro rincorsa alla vita, alla ricerca e all’amore che tra i due sboccerà come un fiore in primavera.

Come se non bastasse, i Tamplebane, la famiglia complottista per eccellenza, trama alle spalle della congrega e farà di tutto per eliminarli.

Mi è piaciuto molto come l’autore abbia ricreato il mondo degli specchi, un mondo fatto di paradossi in cui la parola d’ordine è perdersi e l’unico modo per uscirne è sopravvivere alle sue creature.

Troviamo numerosi altri personaggi che vanno ad aggiungersi al già vasto background precedente. Questo fa sì che la lettura risulti ancor più completa e la storia accattivante. Molti complotti risorgono e tanti altri trovano finalmente una fine. È un romanzo d’intermezzo, che si fa leggere abbastanza velocemente e che soprattutto ti lascia con il fiato sospeso, agognando il terzo e ultimo capitolo della serie. Le ambientazioni sono sempre molto suggestive, così come alcune scene un po’ forti, decisamente non adatte ai deboli di stomaco.

Mi è piaciuta moltissimo la figura di Charlie, è cresciuto, si è responsabilizzato e credo che sarà uno degli anelli forti della storia. Per quanto riguarda Lucy invece… ho immaginato fin dall’inizio che qualcosa in lei non quadrava, tanto brava come un agnellino fino a quando non accade qualcosa per cui potrebbe guadagnarci. Lei credo che si schiererà dalla parte dei cattivi, soprattutto dopo gli avvenimenti del finale aperto di questo secondo capitolo. Una serie che sicuramente consiglio sia agli amanti del genere che ai profani.

[Charon Lloyd-Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I don't know why I didn't write a review for The Oversight speaking of which I need to re-read that book at somepoint because heck these books are brilliant...Anyway when are we getting the final book? I mean seriously the way The Paradox ended well I was pretty shocked as to how it ended and no I didn't see it coming either but hey things have been turned up a notch.

A summery for The Paradox:

Sometimes you look in the mirror-Sometimes it looks back.

Those who belong to the secret society called the Oversight know many things. They know cold iron will hold back the evil in the darkness. They know it is dangerous to stand between two mirrors. And they know that, despite their dwindling numbers, it remains their duty to protect humanity from the supernatural. And vice-versa.

But two of the society's strongest members, Mr Sharp and Sara Falk, are trapped in the world between the mirrors, looking for each other, searching for a way back home. What they discover there will have ominous consequences both for the Oversight and the world it protects, effects will make them question everything they thought they knew.

The dark waters rise. The candle is guttering. But the light still remains. For now...

I remember back in January when I'd read The Oversight I enjoyed it and over the past few months I was secretly waiting for The Paradox to be released these books are a mix of fantasy, paranormal and historical fiction and these books make historical fiction interesting and not a borefest as there's always something going on due to the subject matter of dealing with the paranormal and a secret society who keep themselves busy with other characters with their own storylines there's never a dull moment and mind you the first book The Oversight does take some patience to get into and once you're familiar with the characters and the setting it becomes quite a breeze to read after that I admit I curious about the premise at first but it all made sense eventually.

A brilliant sequel and I need to re-read The Oversight soon because I might as well go back to the first book again to remember how it all began.

[Valentina]

Can't get enough of the world and the characters! And so many questions left unanswered... (Not so) Patiently waiting for book 3

[Jules Vandemberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bellissimo! Migliore rispetto al primo.
ancora non mi va giù il fatto di avere così pochi capitoli di Sharp o di Sara, per privilegiare tanti punti di vista, ma questa è una delle particolarità di questa saga. Almeno ci sono stati meno capitoli dei Tempblane del Marchese e di Lucy, personaggio che non sopporto.
Ancora una volta l'originalità è la chiave di questo libro, ci sono stati molti colpi di scena,e sono rimasta con il fiato sospeso fino alla fine.
La storia d'amore di Sharp e Sara è delicata, e anche se ci sono davvero poche scene sul loro rapporto, l'amore li guidano nei loro singoli viaggi. Riescono con piccoli gesti a darti tante emozioni, anche se Sara dovrebbe dare a Jack, più spazi di manovra

[Jeremy Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a weakness for gothic Victorian fantasy, and this series is the best modern example of it I've come across. Despite the setting being one of the most overdone in English literature (Dickensian clones are almost as easy to find in second-hand bookshops as Dickens himself), these books are fresh and vibrant, the world-building first-rate, the story gripping, and the prose shockingly good.

The Paradox is everything a sequel should be- the story grew deeper, the characters changed organically, loose ends from the first book were tied off as new ones were left dangling.

If you want a well-written gas-lamp fantasy with depth, humor, and great characters, look no further.

[Will Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant!
I can't put into words how much I love the world Charlie has created here. His characters, the overall mood and pacing are sensational.

I can't wait to read the next one in the trilogy.

I only hope he doesn't abandon this world he's created and comes back to it at some point.
I want....No, I NEED more!

[Sofie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second book in the series is overall better paced and more to my liking than the first. It does however still feel very much like a middle book. The book also introduces and evolves a lot of characters which is worth the read.

[Sean Collins · Rating 3 out of 5]

A definite middle book. Took a little get reacquainted with the world the novels exist in, but by 1/3rd was fully hooked again. Great writing, but feels unfinished - not a cliffhanger into the next book, but more that there should have been at least another chapter or two before ending.

[jD · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every time I think I have figured out the direction of things, something happens that makes me go 'whoa'. I'm just going on to the third book and close of the trilogy. Like right now.

[Dorian Nescio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amos 💛💛

[Bookend Family · Rating 5 out of 5]

***** 5 out of 5 Stars
Review by: Mark Palm
Mirrors inside Mirrors.

The Oversight by Charlie Fletcher was one of my favorite book of 2014, so I was seriously anticipating the second book in the series. Well, I just read The Paradox and I was not disappointed! To give you some background The Oversight was set in mid-nineteenth century England and was about a mystical organization that protected humans from the evils of the Supernatural world, and the people and creatures out to destroy the group. The novel was about magic and the supernatural, but was firmly grounded in reality with believable, three-dimensional characters and a taut and exciting story. The Paradox picks up the story and continues it beautifully.

Mr. Sharp and Sara are in the world of mirrors, searching for each other. Their places have been taken by Charlie and Lucy, who are being trained by The Smith, Cook and Hodge. While the newcomer’s learn the ways of the Oversight we are also following Amos, the ghost, and the Slaugh, as they trek across the length and breadth of Britain, as well as the Templebanes, and the Citizen, who are still trying to destroy the Oversight and its members. It might seem like a lot to follow, but Mr. Fletcher does a sterling job of making the the various storylines interweave and inform each other, and as our knowledge of this world increases so does the moral and ethical dilemmas of the characters out in the world, a motif that is subtly echoed in Mr. Sharp and Sara’s sojourn in the world of mirrors, which is at once terrifying and touching. The rest of the Oversight have to face the charge that they have lost the balance that they are charged to protect, and may have favored their human charges to the detriment of the Supernatural world, which adds richness and depth to all of the characters. Mr. Fletcher also gives us a wider view of his world as he introduces Caitlin, an irrepressible Irish woman who hunts Changelings on her own, and two other “Hunters”, Otto and Ida, both from Bavaria. All of these characters are rich and varied, and we see their world through multiple point a view, a technique that Mr. Fletcher pulls off with aplomb.

The tone of The Paradox is a bit darker and more elegiac than the first book, but it should, because the fate of the world is teetering on the brink. Like it’s predecessor one of the main strengths of this novel is its mix of gritty reality and imaginative fantasy, next to each other cheek-by jowl, each enforcing and playing off of the other. A perfect example of this is in the Mirror world, where space and time seem to have lost meaning, but the physical realities of Mr. Sharp and Sara’s trials are almost punishingly visceral.

You can read this book as a stand-alone, but I think that you should not. It’s rare to find two such splendid novels that fit together seamlessly, and tell such a powerful story. If I had to nitpick a bit I could say that The Paradox is a bit too much of a “second” novel in that even though the end is satisfying it’s still obvious that there is a lot of the story left to tell, but that would be nitpicking, and these two novels deserve all of the praise and attention that I can give, so do yourself a favor, and start reading; you won’t be disappointed.

Full reviews available at: http://www.thebookendfamily.weebly.com

[Ciaran Mcgowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

"we all come into the world through a woman: birth's feminine. Only right that a woman should hold the door on the way out." - C. Fletcher, The Paradox, Chapter 42, Page 345.

I am in complete awe, but am also feeling the pain of the events in this sequel. The Paradox continues from the events of The Oversight, we see the Free Company go through a hell of a lot, and the characters individually more so.
Lucy and Charlie make some hard decisions, we learn a lot about The Smiths past, Hodge adjusts, Cook does what she does best and tries to hold everything together, while Sarah and Sharp are wondering the mirrored world they are now both 'lost' in.

There's many twists and turns, many moments where the scales could have tipped either way, and there's so much plotting, vengeance, and action you don't know if the characters you've grown to love will be save. At all.
With the addition of some new characters, giving us some new perspectives and stories to follow The Paradox is an amazing sequel in this trilogy that I have deemed my favorite series.

I would definitely suggest this to anyone who loves urban fantasy, fantasy, and books which not only focus on telling the story; but building the world it is set in, and showing us the lives of each character we encounter along the way.
Charlie really shows off his abilities of description and world building in this series, especially in certain parts of this book.

If the final installment does come out in 8 months, May 2016, you should definitely read the two books before then. The Reddest Hand* (working title) needs to get in stores right now because I need to see whats on the other side of that cliff hanger we are left with at the end of The Paradox.

I'd also like to add that I love Fletcher's comments in his acknowledgements. You've done very well with these two books,very imaginative; thought provoking; and inspirational, I hope the third is just as good, if not more.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

In "The Paradox" the second darkly gripping novel in the trilogy begins with the Oversight facing extinction as the Templebanes plan the destruction of the Safe House in Wellclose Square. Among the threads of this mesmerizing story are Sara Falk's hunt for Jack Sharp in the mirror maze; the revelation of Smith's secret past; Amos Templebane's mission to free the Slaugh from their aversion to iron; and the training of Lucy Harker and Charlie Pyefinch as members of the Last Hand. With imaginative ingenuity Charlie Fletcher infuses this compelling roller-coaster ride that twists and turns with a mute lost boy who communicates with his mind; a blind rat hunter; Mirror Wights who drink blood; and a sassy Irish Venatrix chasing changelings.

Set in a world where a secret organization patrols the border between the human world and the supernatural the atmosphere is dark and grimly uncertain as the Templebanes, Viscount Mountfellon and the Citizen plot not only to destroy the Safe House but the Oversight. Fast-paced the action never stops as Sara and Sharp nearly drown in the mirror maze only to look for a way out of a dark underground cavern, while the Cook with her wise counsel tries to keep the family circle at Wellclose Square from splitting up.

The intensity and suspense are heightened with new alliances and split allegiances that not only give rise to a Slaugh hunt for their lost flag so they can overcome their aversion to cold iron, but to Coram's explosive attack on the Oversight's Safe House. Skilfully Charlie Fletcher blends a twist on history with the paranormal and fantasy, infusing it with the rich complexity of realistic characters to produce a story you can't put down until the end.

I liked "The Paradox" and can't wait to see what the Oversight will do to thwart the plans of their adversaries and stop the Slaugh's destruction.

[Chip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Middlebookitis. Rather wish I'd waited for the third to be out, instead of now having to wait a year or more to close the loop. Far too much to remember, and I suspect the third will be less enjoyable with memory of the second faded.

[Jill Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a great series - Charlie Fletcher creates amazing worlds and populates them with rich, unique, incredibly interesting characters... In this second installment in the trilogy, things are coming together and falling apart in equal measure. It's unusual for a middle book, to my mind, in that it presents an entirely engaging story on its own. Generally speaking, I tend to find middle books to be the glue books - they tie bits together and introduce/develop many of the elements that are crucial to the series as a whole, but often at the expense of their own individual story. Not so, here. This is a marvelous story on its own, as well as a great step in the overall series.

If you like strong, well developed characters and original spins on supranatural (yes, supra, read the book!) world-behind-the-world storytelling, I CANNOT recommend this series too strongly... Excellent writing, great detail without going overboard, cliff hangers building on a series of increasingly intricate and masterfully overlaid plot threads - it has it all. If you like your adventure with a bit of folklore, mythology, history, and fabulous characterization across the good-evil spectrum then this is definitely one you should check out!

[Colin Murtagh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd been looking forward to this since finishing the first in the series, and boy he didn't let me down. This picks up where the last book left off, so really, you have to read the first book before thinking of this one.
The oversight are in disarray, Sara Falk and Jack Sharp are both missing in the mirrors, Cook, Smith and Hodge are looking after, and training Lucy and Charlie. Meanwhile the Templebanes are looking for ways to finally kill off the Oversight, and the Sluagh are trying to reclaim their land.
This is not a galloping along type book. The author takes the time, not only to set the scene, but also to extend, and develop the characters. That's not to say it's slow, more that it's measured. Looking at where the book finishes, as opposed to where it starts, there's a lot happening, a lot of plot lines slowly start to come together, and you get the feeling that come book 3, everything will be wrapped up plot wise, and we'll have really got to know the characters as people. I for one can't wait

[Milliebot · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t want to talk too much about the plot of The Paradox, because it picks up right where The Oversight left off. But I will say that as a sequel, it lived up to its predecessor by keeping me invested in the plot and characters. Fletcher did a good job of lightly reviewing some of the information from the first book without overloading (I hate when books dump half of book one back into your lap – I already read the first book, that’s why I’m reading the sequel!) He also continued to divulge new information about the history of the Oversight. He added a few new characters (yes, there’s more Dramatis Personae pages) without clogging up the central plot.

I just found this series to be really fun and exciting. I’m upset that the book ended on a cliffhanger because I need to know what happens next! Fletcher’s website says the third book, The Reddest Hand, is due out in May of this year, but I can’t find anything on Amazon or Barnes and Noble to confirm that. I need more!

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book took a while to grip me but The Paradox was enthralling from page 1. Charlie and Lucy are now provisionally members of the Oversight and we see their training, set against the slow decline of that team and the aftermath of book one. We follow Amos and Ghost and sympathise with the dilemmas of both. And most excitingly we see Jack and Sara (thank God she has her head screwed on correctly; Jack is far too trusting) stumble through the mirror maze and discover the truth behind the Disaster. And that truth is excruciating for anyone with a dislike of water and tight spaces.

In truth the plot doesn't advance too much, setting up strands for the next book, but that didn't bother me. Overall a very satisfying read but definitely part of a sequence. I can't wait for the next one.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 Black Mirror Stars

An excellent second book, and it smoothly carried on from the first and expanded the story. Many of the questions I was left with at the end of the first book were resolved, but only led to more questions and desire to read on.

The world is fascinating and the tensions are reaching fever pitch for the final book in the series. I still feel oddly removed from many of the characters, but I thoroughly enjoy how diverse the personalities and motives.

I am looking forward to reading how Charlie Fletcher brings this trilogy and wide canvas of character to a conclusion.

[Sammm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally shelving the audio edition because that was all I had, but I quickly obtained the ebook and went through the story again! It's that addictive. Switching edition for 2020 because I read quite a few short stories this year, the average page count is slightly hurting lol. Will eventually shelve the audio one separately at some point.

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May up it to a 5. Not sure yet.

[Saphana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review is up on my blog. Caution - the blog theme does not support spoiler tags. I did place the review under a "read-more", however, it doesn't show up. No idea, why.

[Deano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the first one and can't wait to grab hold of a signed copy over at the Quill & Claw very soon.

[Sadie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant second book in the series - if you like fantasy this series is soooooooooo good. Can't wait for the next one.