What do you think?
Rate this book
The Invisible College #1
They Do Things Differently Here
When the Waldens move to Templewood, teenagers Emily and Peter find that leaving the City for 'a quieter life in the country' is the least of their problems. Bubbling beneath the surface of their new home are challenges that could change their world forever ...and end ours.
Templewood is so isolated it is not on the map and has no communications links with the outside world. The village is home to the Sect, a divided organisation planning an apocalyptic event intended to establish world domination, but which may destroy the planet.
Emily and Peter's arrival is no accident; their parents may know more than they admit. Could Peter really hold the key to trigger a world-changing event? One by one, mysteries are uncovered, until the terrifying objective of the Sect becomes clear.
There is little time in which to find who is responsible. How far will they go? Should they be stopped? Can they be stopped? If you were the only ones who could save the world, where would you start? Who would you trust?
'1984 Meets the Book of Revelation'
Templewood is so isolated it is not on the map and has no communications links with the outside world. The village is home to the Sect, a divided organisation planning an apocalyptic event intended to establish world domination, but which may destroy the planet.
Emily and Peter's arrival is no accident; their parents may know more than they admit. Could Peter really hold the key to trigger a world-changing event? One by one, mysteries are uncovered, until the terrifying objective of the Sect becomes clear.
There is little time in which to find who is responsible. How far will they go? Should they be stopped? Can they be stopped? If you were the only ones who could save the world, where would you start? Who would you trust?
'1984 Meets the Book of Revelation'
456 pages, Paperback
First published August 3, 2015
325 people want to read
About the author
Owen W. Knight
6 books21 followersOwen W. Knight writes contemporary and speculative fiction.
He creates worlds based on documented myths, with elements of dystopia, mystery and science fiction to highlight the use and abuse of power and the conflicts associated with maintaining ethical values.
His works include Conditions Are Different After Dark, which combines contemporary horror with alternative history, The Visitors, a grounded sci-fi ‘first contact’ novel, Another Life, a retelling of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ for the 21st Century’ and The Invisible College Trilogy, an apocalyptic dystopian conspiracy tale for young adults, described as ‘1984 Meets the Book of Revelation’.
Owen lives in Essex, England, close to the countryside that inspires his writing.
He creates worlds based on documented myths, with elements of dystopia, mystery and science fiction to highlight the use and abuse of power and the conflicts associated with maintaining ethical values.
His works include Conditions Are Different After Dark, which combines contemporary horror with alternative history, The Visitors, a grounded sci-fi ‘first contact’ novel, Another Life, a retelling of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ for the 21st Century’ and The Invisible College Trilogy, an apocalyptic dystopian conspiracy tale for young adults, described as ‘1984 Meets the Book of Revelation’.
Owen lives in Essex, England, close to the countryside that inspires his writing.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 17, 2016
I finished this book yesterday and WOW the ending was good.
The book started off quite slowly, but it gave a good introduction to the characters. We are introduced to the village of Templewood as they are. At first it just seems like a village in the middle of nowhere which is living in the past. But gradually it seems to be a bit more sinister.
The cricket match is where things really start getting interesting, soon followed by a strange death which completely surprised me!
I had no idea where this book was going to lead and, being the debut book from an unknown author there weren't any clues in reviews online! So I pretty much went into this blind.
However I'm glad I did. It is a brilliant mystery story and it really keeps you wondering what is going to happen next.
The beginning of the end seemed to give a reason for all the strangeness, but it didn't quite make sense, neither to me, nor to the main characters! There are still many questions I want to know the answer to and so I've just ordered the second book in the trilogy.
To be quite honest I have no idea what genre this falls into. Mystery meets dystopian fiction? Even though there is no specific mention of magic, there are hints at supernatural things, so maybe a fantasy book?!
Either way, this book definitely needs to be more widely known, especially as I reckon it would make a brilliant TV series.
The book started off quite slowly, but it gave a good introduction to the characters. We are introduced to the village of Templewood as they are. At first it just seems like a village in the middle of nowhere which is living in the past. But gradually it seems to be a bit more sinister.
The cricket match is where things really start getting interesting, soon followed by a strange death which completely surprised me!
I had no idea where this book was going to lead and, being the debut book from an unknown author there weren't any clues in reviews online! So I pretty much went into this blind.
However I'm glad I did. It is a brilliant mystery story and it really keeps you wondering what is going to happen next.
The beginning of the end seemed to give a reason for all the strangeness, but it didn't quite make sense, neither to me, nor to the main characters! There are still many questions I want to know the answer to and so I've just ordered the second book in the trilogy.
To be quite honest I have no idea what genre this falls into. Mystery meets dystopian fiction? Even though there is no specific mention of magic, there are hints at supernatural things, so maybe a fantasy book?!
Either way, this book definitely needs to be more widely known, especially as I reckon it would make a brilliant TV series.
March 17, 2016
I bought this book based on a recommendation from a friend, so I had high hopes for it! Ultimately I was not disappointed, though I must admit it did take me a few chapters to get into it. However I realise these chapters are necessary to set the scene.
It quickly picks up the pace though, with a few deaths and lots of intrigue. I've seen the book compared to the Wicker Man, which I can see, however to me it felt more like a modern day, fantasy version of the Prisoner!
I had little predictions all the way through, though none turned out to be correct! I'd say this is a good thing, because it was not a predictable book in the slightest!
The sequel has recently been released and I am excited to start on it, as I can't wait to see what happens next
It quickly picks up the pace though, with a few deaths and lots of intrigue. I've seen the book compared to the Wicker Man, which I can see, however to me it felt more like a modern day, fantasy version of the Prisoner!
I had little predictions all the way through, though none turned out to be correct! I'd say this is a good thing, because it was not a predictable book in the slightest!
The sequel has recently been released and I am excited to start on it, as I can't wait to see what happens next
January 19, 2026
Templewood is a chilling, thought-provoking thriller that blends dystopian tension with apocalyptic horror, delivering a story that feels both intimate and world-shattering. What begins as a familiar “escape the City for a quieter life” premise quickly unravels into something far darker, more dangerous, and deeply unsettling.
Emily and Peter are compelling, believable protagonists, thrust into a nightmare where isolation is absolute and trust is a luxury they can’t afford. Templewood itself is masterfully imagined—off the map, cut off from the world, and pulsing with menace. The Sect is not just a shadowy threat, but a fractured, fanatical organisation whose internal divisions make it even more unpredictable and terrifying.
Emily and Peter are compelling, believable protagonists, thrust into a nightmare where isolation is absolute and trust is a luxury they can’t afford. Templewood itself is masterfully imagined—off the map, cut off from the world, and pulsing with menace. The Sect is not just a shadowy threat, but a fractured, fanatical organisation whose internal divisions make it even more unpredictable and terrifying.
March 7, 2019
An intriguing story!
June 8, 2024
I found this to be the lower age range for young adults.
April 26, 2016
I won a copy of this book through goodreads giveaways. All opinions are my own.
I didn't really know what to expect when I started reading this book since there are not many reviews on it yet. The description of the book did make it sound like it would be a great book but It just fell short for me. When it got close to the end of the book I started wondering how it would all wrap up before the end with so few pages left. Once I finished the book, I was pretty let down because it seemed like nothing had been answered. The last chapter of the book is titled "So Many Unanswered Questions" which is pretty spot on because there were exactly that - so many unanswered questions.
I didn't really know what to expect when I started reading this book since there are not many reviews on it yet. The description of the book did make it sound like it would be a great book but It just fell short for me. When it got close to the end of the book I started wondering how it would all wrap up before the end with so few pages left. Once I finished the book, I was pretty let down because it seemed like nothing had been answered. The last chapter of the book is titled "So Many Unanswered Questions" which is pretty spot on because there were exactly that - so many unanswered questions.
Read
February 19, 2016Author comment: Hope you enjoy!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews