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The Magnum Opus: Seek and You Shall Find
In a time and world long ago forgotten, there existed an enchanted workshop. Within its walls, a magical creature called a 'Maker' busily created the next of his kin. Upon completion, the creator was whisked away to join the rest of the Maker community. Meanwhile, their progeny was left alone to create the next Maker in a never-ending cycle of creation.
That was, until the day an offbeat Maker named Ario was unable to complete 'The Making' and broke their sacred chain of existence. Wracked with guilt, Ario embarked on a quest to right his wrong, but what he discovered was far more monstrous and miraculous than anyone ever imagined.
That was, until the day an offbeat Maker named Ario was unable to complete 'The Making' and broke their sacred chain of existence. Wracked with guilt, Ario embarked on a quest to right his wrong, but what he discovered was far more monstrous and miraculous than anyone ever imagined.
221 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 13, 2016
87 people are currently reading
1067 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
July 1, 2020
You should know:
🔴I really love my friend that gifted me this.
🔴I too had watched the short film "the maker". I found it kind of disturbing but beautiful?
🔴The book was melancholic with trigger warnings about abuse, violence, slavery and deaths.
🔴It was also kind of... boring. I'm sorry, I really - really wanted to like this but I had it sitting in my nightstand for almost 3 months (having finished 21 books since then!) before finally finished it today!
🔴Also, I was getting Oedipus complex vibes. It's an adventure, but the pace was not rewarding.
🔴I really love my friend that gifted me this.
🔴I too had watched the short film "the maker". I found it kind of disturbing but beautiful?
🔴The book was melancholic with trigger warnings about abuse, violence, slavery and deaths.
🔴It was also kind of... boring. I'm sorry, I really - really wanted to like this but I had it sitting in my nightstand for almost 3 months (having finished 21 books since then!) before finally finished it today!
🔴Also, I was getting Oedipus complex vibes. It's an adventure, but the pace was not rewarding.
February 25, 2017
When the authors first approached me regarding this book, I had never heard of the short film to which it is a sequel. However, after I watched and enjoyed it, I happily agreed to review. Overall, I enjoyed the tale. The world building is good, the characters are engaging, and the plot is delightfully full of magic and adventure. A few grammatical issues caught my eye--comma splicing in particular--but then I'm an editor and trained to notice these things. Other readers may not spot them at all. The book certainly brought a smile to my face as I was reading, regardless of those little niggles are the prose.
You can read this book without seeing the short film, as the authors recap that story at the start. However, those interested can view the five-minute animation HERE. Perhaps it will whet your appetite for the book!
You can read this book without seeing the short film, as the authors recap that story at the start. However, those interested can view the five-minute animation HERE. Perhaps it will whet your appetite for the book!
February 13, 2017
Love love love! The Magnum Opus lays out an amazingly rich world; a heavily-layered tapestry of near-surreal imagery - and carries you along with the protagonist through a tight storyline. A perfect extension of The Maker short film. (Watch it, if you haven't already). It has a real "epic" quality, capturing the musicality of its film beginnings and zooming out to immerse you into a fully-realized and magical world.
May 20, 2020
The story is trite, but not bad. The same cannot be said for the saccharine, simplistic writing. The pacing is dreadful and the writing has all the nuance and subtlety of a blunt object. It also features several scenes of combat so dull I had to skim.
I wonder if the film is better. The story is not bad. It’s the writing that really killed this book for me.
Also...why is there a weird shoehorned romance? It’s really unnecessary. Especially since the characters share a familial relationship.
I wonder if the film is better. The story is not bad. It’s the writing that really killed this book for me.
Also...why is there a weird shoehorned romance? It’s really unnecessary. Especially since the characters share a familial relationship.
March 5, 2019
Okay, first the good: this book is a fun experiment using a beautiful and unique YouTube video to spark an adventure. It's clever and has some really lovely writing, rich descriptions, and delightful characters. The beginning is exquisite. The ode to music was a joy, and the seasons are wonderful.
Now the bad: this book needed some serious editing. I ran into a repeated word (something any word processing program can catch); words that should have been connected with hyphens but weren't are all over the place; repeated use of words that stood out and should have only been used once are used too close together; repeated descriptions of moments in combat, also lacking a correct hyphen, creat tedium; and overly preachy philosophies that should have been left to the reader to discern are numerous. I found moments where sentence structure placed the action at the end, losing the momentum of the scene, causing chaos in the imagination. (Wait, what just happened? How did they get there?) I found the last few chapters of escape/recapture/escape/recapture/escape/recapture/escape/recapture monotonous. (Please, just end!) A troll is called a she in one scene, then labelled a he in the next. The hero spouts that "he answers to no one" and it's treated as a right and good philosophy. Two pages over the villian says the same thing and he is executed. So, that's confusing, and odd.
The frustrating thing about all of these issues is that one or two really solid beta readers could have caught them. It would have taken more work on the part of the writers, but it would have been worth a more polished story. Instead, while I did enjoy the book, I could never get my writer/editor brain to shut off. I was constantly pulled out of the story just wanting to rewrite the scene. Polishing is worth it! Very frustrating.
Now the bad: this book needed some serious editing. I ran into a repeated word (something any word processing program can catch); words that should have been connected with hyphens but weren't are all over the place; repeated use of words that stood out and should have only been used once are used too close together; repeated descriptions of moments in combat, also lacking a correct hyphen, creat tedium; and overly preachy philosophies that should have been left to the reader to discern are numerous. I found moments where sentence structure placed the action at the end, losing the momentum of the scene, causing chaos in the imagination. (Wait, what just happened? How did they get there?) I found the last few chapters of escape/recapture/escape/recapture/escape/recapture/escape/recapture monotonous. (Please, just end!) A troll is called a she in one scene, then labelled a he in the next. The hero spouts that "he answers to no one" and it's treated as a right and good philosophy. Two pages over the villian says the same thing and he is executed. So, that's confusing, and odd.
The frustrating thing about all of these issues is that one or two really solid beta readers could have caught them. It would have taken more work on the part of the writers, but it would have been worth a more polished story. Instead, while I did enjoy the book, I could never get my writer/editor brain to shut off. I was constantly pulled out of the story just wanting to rewrite the scene. Polishing is worth it! Very frustrating.
March 21, 2017
After having watched The Maker and following the website for updates, to discover a sequel I was enraptured.
The story starts where the short film finished, and tells an amazing tale of friendship and hope through overwhelming odds.
The passion for music is clearly in the authors as the story goes on and you understand the true power of the Makers.
I hope for a continuation of the story.
The story starts where the short film finished, and tells an amazing tale of friendship and hope through overwhelming odds.
The passion for music is clearly in the authors as the story goes on and you understand the true power of the Makers.
I hope for a continuation of the story.
June 8, 2019
After viewing ‘the maker’ i was very curious about the book. Although it missed my expectations it captivated me and went trough it in two reads. I was expecting a more mysterious and ‘mature’ story but it came as a classic fairytale/adventure story. Well written, loved the fact that even the characters who appeared for just two lines got names and a little background. The story held some beautiful messages about how we treat each other and are treated by our oppressors. If you love a typical adventure tale, don’t hesitate, you will like this one.
March 3, 2017
This book is a feast for the eyes and ears! Its rich and epic images of an original fantasy world incorporating musical elements is a delight for the senses. It can be a struggle to find age-appropriate books for Tweens and I was pleasantly surprised that this was something my daughter and I could both share and enjoy.
August 6, 2020
I enjoyed the book. Now I want a sequel.
June 7, 2017
The Magnum Opus by Christopher and Christine Kezelos is a magical tale which follows on from a short film they made entitled The Maker. I found however that it is not necessary to watch the film as the book contains the narrative of the film and is self-contained. The story opens in the workshop of the Makers, where it is the job of the newly-created Maker to create the next - a process which has continued uninterrupted down the centuries. Melody, the latest Maker, studies the book of instruction, and, timed by an imposing hourglass, she creates the next Maker who she names Ario. There is one small difficulty in his making - the musical note which is usually stamped on the Maker’s brow will not take, so she instead paints it on quickly just before her time runs out, and she disappears in a shower of sparkles and light. This small change in the process is to have astounding repercussions which will bring about incalculable changes to their world. When Ario takes his turn to create the next Maker he finds that he does not have the musical ability to bring her to life, and is swallowed up by a bright cloud before he can find any solution. The line of creation has come to an end and he wakes in a dismal town called Winter City, a place of ice and snow peopled by equally cold denizens. Here he is put to work in a factory along with other Makers who have been transported before him, but his lack of musical ability makes him an outcast among his own people. In the city, he finds Melody, his own Maker, and together they embark on a perilous journey to find the Magnum Opus, the original Maker, to try and restore Ario’s musical ability and release their people, and perhaps their world, from the tyranny of the Winter King.
The Magnum Opus is a beautifully imagined tale which will warm your heart. Suitable for children of all ages and great to read aloud, it is a story which never preaches but nevertheless contains a strong moral thread. It is a story of good versus evil, of greed and generosity, of bravery and fear, of selfishness and of love. A seamless narrative will carry you along the exciting storyline, where you will encounter evil kings, merciless soldiers, trolls and even a dragon. Christopher and Christine Kezelos have created an enchanting fable peopled with a cast of well-drawn, likeable (and some despicable) characters. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would highly recommend it no matter what age you may be.
The Magnum Opus is a beautifully imagined tale which will warm your heart. Suitable for children of all ages and great to read aloud, it is a story which never preaches but nevertheless contains a strong moral thread. It is a story of good versus evil, of greed and generosity, of bravery and fear, of selfishness and of love. A seamless narrative will carry you along the exciting storyline, where you will encounter evil kings, merciless soldiers, trolls and even a dragon. Christopher and Christine Kezelos have created an enchanting fable peopled with a cast of well-drawn, likeable (and some despicable) characters. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would highly recommend it no matter what age you may be.
June 19, 2025
Fiquei muito fascinado quando vi o curta-metragem "The Maker" há alguns anos. Sempre o assistia novamente uma vez por ano, quando me lembrava. Só que nunca procurei mais a fundo saber sobre a história e sua criação, até que, este ano, acabei descobrindo que haviam feito um livro sobre o curta. A animação foi imediata e, sem pensar duas vezes, acabei comprando o livro — e posso dizer que valeu super a pena.
O mundo é bem construído, os personagens são cheios de personalidade e acabam facilmente nos conquistando. A história é super envolvente e tem um ritmo muito agradável — do meio para o final, você não consegue parar de ler. Sem falar que eles conseguiram ampliar a história do curta sem deixá-la artificial ou forçada.
Bom, resumindo: é um projeto/livro/história encantador, que foi feito com carinho, e você consegue sentir isso ao longo das páginas.
O mundo é bem construído, os personagens são cheios de personalidade e acabam facilmente nos conquistando. A história é super envolvente e tem um ritmo muito agradável — do meio para o final, você não consegue parar de ler. Sem falar que eles conseguiram ampliar a história do curta sem deixá-la artificial ou forçada.
Bom, resumindo: é um projeto/livro/história encantador, que foi feito com carinho, e você consegue sentir isso ao longo das páginas.
December 19, 2018
I have loved the original short film 'The Maker' for years and still count it among my top 10 favorite films of all time. I recently discovered this book and my local library agreed to order a copy at my request.
The story is a typical "hero who doesn't yet know he's a hero" story. It's cute but isn't going to surprise you. It could have done with a better proofreading, e.g. "followed her queue" instead of "followed her cue."
This is worth reading if you want to know a little bit more about the Makers in the film.
The story is a typical "hero who doesn't yet know he's a hero" story. It's cute but isn't going to surprise you. It could have done with a better proofreading, e.g. "followed her queue" instead of "followed her cue."
This is worth reading if you want to know a little bit more about the Makers in the film.
January 1, 2022
This Book is BEAUTIFUL! I am mostly the kind of guy that likes description and worldbuilding, and as much as I find likeable characters and story important, this book accomplishes all of these departments easily. Vibrant worldbuilding, interesting characters, beautiful prose, and especially a well-done setting. While it is based off of the short film the maker, you don't have to watch it to get a feel for the story, but it is recommended to watch it as well to fuel up your experience. Overall, it is a great read for any fantasy lovers!
April 12, 2024
Just your classical fantasy adventure ! Although it does remove much of the mystic that the original animation it was based on, it very well provides its own world of magic and wonder, and does prose some interesting ideas, while it does fail to completely enagage those conversation. Some of the development felt a bit rushed and the story can be a bit cliche in some parts, but it is still continuously entertaining and the action is well-written. Just your classic adventure into an unknown world.
May 26, 2017
What a great book for both young and old. It has everything from evil beings, to a fantastical creature that breaths fire, a hero who doesn't nrealize he is a hero, and a love story thrown in. Awesome
August 3, 2017
This was a fantastical and quite whimsical tale. Wholly realised and original, yet it lacked a certain profound writing style, which I'm used to. For the content in the book, it seems as though it needs a more fully developed vocabulary. That's just me, though.
May 21, 2019
Fun Read
I watched a little YouTube short that said the 2nd part was this book. This book is a gem! A grand adventure, rebellion, bad guys. So much fun to read! I expected a little story and found much more. Super cool.
I watched a little YouTube short that said the 2nd part was this book. This book is a gem! A grand adventure, rebellion, bad guys. So much fun to read! I expected a little story and found much more. Super cool.
January 27, 2023
Fun story and I loved the short film on which this is based. As other readers have noted, the lack of editing was a huge distraction. Ultimately, the poor editing made reading this book such a drag that I can only give it two stars. Watch the short film and read a synopsis of this novel, instead.
June 22, 2023
The short film was great, and it's worth buying the book if you want to support independent creators. But from the literary standpoint, the book is just not that great. It reads like a poorly adapted script for a children's movie. 5⭐ for idea and effort, 3⭐ for execution.
December 12, 2019
I recommend watching the video before reading the book. This was such a magical extension to the video!
March 25, 2020
Kind of disappointing, the story follows an interesting world and interesting characters but overall could have been much better based on how good the short is that it’s based on.
March 30, 2021
Although not the poster child for the well-written novel, this story was exciting, heart-warming, and sweet.
April 12, 2024
Après avoir vu la vidéo sur YouTube, une amie m'a offert ce livre et mon dieu je ne le regrette pas! Je la remercie fortement! J'ai été absorbée par cette histoire passionnante et touchante dans la reconquête des 4 saisons 📚
February 11, 2020
The book is so good. I absolutely loved it. I could list everything I loved about it but I don’t want to give the book away. It’s a great read for both young and old. I want to sit down and read it all over again.
I highly recommend watching the short film. You can go to Zealous Creative’s website to see the short film or you can also go to their YouTube channel Zealous Creative. The title of the short film is The Maker.
I highly recommend watching the short film. You can go to Zealous Creative’s website to see the short film or you can also go to their YouTube channel Zealous Creative. The title of the short film is The Maker.
January 29, 2021
“The Magnum Opus: Seek and You Shall Find” is a short and sweet adventure story written by Christopher Kezelos based on the animated short “The Maker” by Zealous Creative. The book follows Ario and his struggle to correct the wrongs he has done. Ario is a Maker, a dwindling species of rabbit like dolls who live to create and improve the world around them. The characters are fantastic and so is the plot, however, in my opinion this story shines in it’s world building. From the Workshop to the Castle of Ice, this book never fails to vividly depict it’s fantastical scenes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2020
Read this book after watching the movie short on YouTube. This book is absolutely delightful. It's whimsical in the fairytale way and creepy in a Tim Burton way. One of my favorites and one of the few books I will be reading twice. Excellently done.
April 1, 2017
I won this in a Goodreads giveaway.
This was a fun book to read tale about society out of balance. A bit reminiscent of Lord of the Rings.
This was a fun book to read tale about society out of balance. A bit reminiscent of Lord of the Rings.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews