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Ateban Cipher #2
The Book of Answers
An orphan in exile. A band of rebel girls. And a prince whose throne has been stolen. Come on a journey full of danger, intrigue, adventure and incredible secrets.'The Ateban Cipher,' Lucien continued, 'is also known as the Book of Answers.''Answers to what?' Eddie asked.Lucien sighed. 'Everything.In the second gripping Ateban Cipher novel, Gabe and his companions journey to a remote mountain citadel where they learn the secret of the mysterious, encrypted book that Gabe has been tasked with protecting. But their enemies are close behind them, and new dangers lie ahead.As Eddie seeks to regain his crown, and Merry and Gwyn race to free their father, Gabe will discover the answer to his own great mystery - his true identity.'an exciting adventure read and an immersive story' ***** SUNDAY TELEGRAPH on THE ATEBAN CIPHER 1: THE BOOK OF SECRETStheatebancipher.com
211 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 27, 2018
7 people are currently reading
214 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
November 17, 2022
This is fine. It's a middle grade light fantasy and the conclusion to a duology. I think I personally have just been too deep into middle grade lately and I'm so over it.
I think younger readers will connect with these very likable characters. It was a simple enough world to dive into and a fun mystery to follow. Good for approximately ages 10-12 I think.
I think younger readers will connect with these very likable characters. It was a simple enough world to dive into and a fun mystery to follow. Good for approximately ages 10-12 I think.
August 8, 2018
Call me sentimental, but with my son turning thirteen recently – and more than ready for the world of Young Adult novels – I made sure his last days immersed in Middle Grade fiction were spent within the Kingdom of Alban, with Gabe, Eddie, Gwyn and her band of feisty young heroines.
He might be ready to move on, but am I?
I always gift books to my children for birthdays and Christmas, and with my son’s thirteenth looming, I ordered a copy of The Book of Answers. We read its prequel, The Book of Secrets, together last year, and with his reading demographic changing, I just couldn’t leave this series unfinished. I wrapped the book in bright red paper, squirrelled it away in my luggage for the 14,000km journey from Perth to Spain, and counted down the days until he reached his big milestone. By happy coincidence, his birthday fell on the festival of Sant Jordi, in Barcelona. This is a unique Catalan festival, where the streets are awash with red and yellow striped bunting, and countless stalls selling books or roses everywhere we turned. La Rambla – the famous 1.2km pedestrian mall – was barely penetrable due to people buzzing around hundreds of book marquees. I couldn’t have planned a better bookish birthday experience if I tried!
For my son, The Book of Answers was a fun read, full of medieval concepts he was learning concurrently at school. For me, it was bitter-sweet. Moving on from the Middle Grade demographic into Young Adult is yet another sign that my son’s childhood is slowly ebbing away. In a way, reading this book was yet another exercise in letting go, but it was such a rewarding one. From beginning to end, so much action in this book brought back many happy memories, not only of shared reading time over the years, but also in our real life experiences that come straight from the pages of this book.
Picking up where The Book of Secrets left off, The Book of Answers opens with a sense of urgency; a race to deliver the ancient manuscript to Sir Lucien (an exiled advisor of the King, living in a secluded mountain fortress) before it falls into the wrong hands. Time is against Gabe, Eddie, Gwyn and the girls as Winterfest approaches – and with it, the certainty that Gwyn and Merry’s father will be hanged for a crime he did not commit. Eddie’s father, the King, is becoming increasingly ill, diminishing the likelihood that Eddie will regain his crown.
However, Gabe is unable to deliver the book safely to Lucien, and many adventures ensue as the book slips in and out of the wrong hands. Whilst at Lucien’s castle, Gabe’s history is revealed (having been abandoned at Oldham Abbey as a baby), but this discovery must be put aside as more urgent matters are dealt with. I particularly loved this section of the book.
There are many heart stopping moments along the way, always handled with wit and humour, bravery and sheer determination. Gabe and his friends work as a tight team, managing to outsmart the villains during every close call. Lord Sherborne, Ronan of Feldham and Whitmore are constantly on the group’s tail, creating fast-paced action that makes the book hard to put down. There are also many touching, often comical, moments. I loved the scenes where the group pretend to be minstrels, and now that bookweek is behind him, my son should be grateful that I won’t be suggesting he dress up in red tights and a tunic, with only a lute for modesty…
I was fascinated by all things medieval as a child, and A. L. Tait has done a brilliant job at bringing this era to life. The Ateban Cipher series is crammed full of intricate detail – immense forests, stone castles, secluded abbeys, archery and falconry, noblemen and peasants. Horse or foot are the only methods of transport, and Midge’s pet, Albert – a peregrine falcon – is a constant companion, swooping down when called on to help the group out of trouble.
The code to the Ateban Cipher is finally deciphered, but this places the book, and therefore Gabe in more danger. The decision whether to stay at the Abbey, or leave and seek answers to his birth, is taken away from him, leaving the ending neatly resolved as far as books one and two go, but leaving room for a further instalment in the series.
It was great to spend time with Gabe, Eddie and the gutsy girls again. But am I ready to move on? Whilst the Map Maker Chronicles and Ateban Cipher novels are tucked away for safe keeping in my son’s bookcase, I would happily read future instalments. And if A. L. Tait is looking to turn her hand to Young Adult demographic in the near future, we would definitely be up for that!
So see the review on my blog, with photos, click through to mariemclean.com
He might be ready to move on, but am I?
I always gift books to my children for birthdays and Christmas, and with my son’s thirteenth looming, I ordered a copy of The Book of Answers. We read its prequel, The Book of Secrets, together last year, and with his reading demographic changing, I just couldn’t leave this series unfinished. I wrapped the book in bright red paper, squirrelled it away in my luggage for the 14,000km journey from Perth to Spain, and counted down the days until he reached his big milestone. By happy coincidence, his birthday fell on the festival of Sant Jordi, in Barcelona. This is a unique Catalan festival, where the streets are awash with red and yellow striped bunting, and countless stalls selling books or roses everywhere we turned. La Rambla – the famous 1.2km pedestrian mall – was barely penetrable due to people buzzing around hundreds of book marquees. I couldn’t have planned a better bookish birthday experience if I tried!
For my son, The Book of Answers was a fun read, full of medieval concepts he was learning concurrently at school. For me, it was bitter-sweet. Moving on from the Middle Grade demographic into Young Adult is yet another sign that my son’s childhood is slowly ebbing away. In a way, reading this book was yet another exercise in letting go, but it was such a rewarding one. From beginning to end, so much action in this book brought back many happy memories, not only of shared reading time over the years, but also in our real life experiences that come straight from the pages of this book.
Picking up where The Book of Secrets left off, The Book of Answers opens with a sense of urgency; a race to deliver the ancient manuscript to Sir Lucien (an exiled advisor of the King, living in a secluded mountain fortress) before it falls into the wrong hands. Time is against Gabe, Eddie, Gwyn and the girls as Winterfest approaches – and with it, the certainty that Gwyn and Merry’s father will be hanged for a crime he did not commit. Eddie’s father, the King, is becoming increasingly ill, diminishing the likelihood that Eddie will regain his crown.
However, Gabe is unable to deliver the book safely to Lucien, and many adventures ensue as the book slips in and out of the wrong hands. Whilst at Lucien’s castle, Gabe’s history is revealed (having been abandoned at Oldham Abbey as a baby), but this discovery must be put aside as more urgent matters are dealt with. I particularly loved this section of the book.
There are many heart stopping moments along the way, always handled with wit and humour, bravery and sheer determination. Gabe and his friends work as a tight team, managing to outsmart the villains during every close call. Lord Sherborne, Ronan of Feldham and Whitmore are constantly on the group’s tail, creating fast-paced action that makes the book hard to put down. There are also many touching, often comical, moments. I loved the scenes where the group pretend to be minstrels, and now that bookweek is behind him, my son should be grateful that I won’t be suggesting he dress up in red tights and a tunic, with only a lute for modesty…
I was fascinated by all things medieval as a child, and A. L. Tait has done a brilliant job at bringing this era to life. The Ateban Cipher series is crammed full of intricate detail – immense forests, stone castles, secluded abbeys, archery and falconry, noblemen and peasants. Horse or foot are the only methods of transport, and Midge’s pet, Albert – a peregrine falcon – is a constant companion, swooping down when called on to help the group out of trouble.
The code to the Ateban Cipher is finally deciphered, but this places the book, and therefore Gabe in more danger. The decision whether to stay at the Abbey, or leave and seek answers to his birth, is taken away from him, leaving the ending neatly resolved as far as books one and two go, but leaving room for a further instalment in the series.
It was great to spend time with Gabe, Eddie and the gutsy girls again. But am I ready to move on? Whilst the Map Maker Chronicles and Ateban Cipher novels are tucked away for safe keeping in my son’s bookcase, I would happily read future instalments. And if A. L. Tait is looking to turn her hand to Young Adult demographic in the near future, we would definitely be up for that!
So see the review on my blog, with photos, click through to mariemclean.com
July 17, 2020
I so enjoyed this book. If the author decides to add to this series, I would be a happy lady.
May 28, 2021
A really great book that is appropriate for younger ages, but full of twists and plotting and mystery.
June 6, 2023
Enjoyable wrap up to the duology, though I could have seen another book come out of the story. If the author ever chooses to write another book in this series, I would definitely read it.
October 25, 2018
GASP! This book was SO good! You might recall that Book 108_2018 was The Book of Secrets and that this second book was waiting on my TBR shelf. Gifted for review, I usually let the books in a series wait some time between other books but I realised very quickly that Gabe, Gwyn, Eddie, Merry and Scarlett were not leaving my imagination and this second book was calling out to me every time I walked past it in the hall. And so I allowed it to have its way and I’m so glad I did. This story had me on the edge of my seat and wishing I could steal more time to get back to it whenever I could. Gabe is the keeper of the book and as he runs - away and towards trouble - he knows that its secrets must be protected at all costs. And now? Well now I need the lovely A L (or Allison for her adult books) Tait to WRITE ME THE NEXT ONE because I’m already missing Gabe and his lovely, clever friends. In the meantime, I’m off to get my hands on her other series, The Mapmaker Chronicles. Highly recommended.
January 12, 2020
An enjoyable end to the duology. It didn't grip me from the start, but the excellent climax and resolution was worth the wait.
January 13, 2025
One instance of profanity.
June 13, 2021
Gabe is a novice from a monastery who is on the run, accused of stealing a book that powerful men would kill to possess – but that, apparently, no one can read. He has been joined on his adventure by a band of merry men who are secretly girls: sisters Merry and Gwyn, who rob the rich and give to the poor while plotting to spring their wrongly imprisoned pa; their cousin Scarlett, a runaway child-bride; and tiny Midge, who has an uncanny ability to communicate with animals. Then there's Eddie, who claims to be a royal prince, victim of a conspiracy to replace him with an impostor. Together they've had some thrilling adventures before this book even begins, but their perils have only just begun.
After traveling to the furthest edge of the kingdom with their enemies in pursuit, the youngsters only learn enough about the book Gabe carries to be really concerned. Apparently, if it falls into the wrong hands, it could unleash terrible powers on the world. And now, it's Gabe's responsibility to protect it. Gabe finds all his certainties, moral and otherwise, put to the test as he, Eddie, and the girls do what seems necessary to survive and fight back against bad people who hold all the game pieces. There's the crooked Prior Dismas, from the abbey that was all Gabe knew until recently, who will abuse all that is holy to seek the book. There's Whitmore, the captain of the royal guard, who has turned against the king and his rightful heir. There's the ruthless Lord Sherborne, who controls the district around Gabe's abbey, and whose heavy taxes are reducing the peasants to starvation. And there's the cruel sheriff, Ronan, who salivates at the prospect of torture and death.
These are bad enemies to have against you, but Gabe also finds he has more friends in his corner than he expected, and they're the ones who really count. Gwyn can go wherever she wants, undetected. Merry laughs at danger and can shoot an arrow with legendary accuracy. Midge can get her trained hawk to do anything she wants with just a whistle. And even the pampered Scarlett and the royal Edward have their qualities, now and then – qualities that, in the end, will be needed to keep the kids' necks out of nooses and to stop the bad guys from making off with the kingdom.
It's a youthful yet old-fashioned adventure, set in medieval times, featuring kids who (mostly) aren't cut out to accept the way their world is rigged to work. Gabe, who of the lot of them has the most difficulty turning rebel against the values he was raised under, discovers unexpected resources within himself while remaining essentially faithful to his values. And the appealing young heroes are really put to the ultimate test before it becomes apparent how, or if, they will prevail.
This is the second of two "Ateban Cipher" books, the sequel to The Book of Secrets. Australian writer A.L. (Allison) Tait has also published four "Mapmaker Chronicles" books and The Fire Star.
After traveling to the furthest edge of the kingdom with their enemies in pursuit, the youngsters only learn enough about the book Gabe carries to be really concerned. Apparently, if it falls into the wrong hands, it could unleash terrible powers on the world. And now, it's Gabe's responsibility to protect it. Gabe finds all his certainties, moral and otherwise, put to the test as he, Eddie, and the girls do what seems necessary to survive and fight back against bad people who hold all the game pieces. There's the crooked Prior Dismas, from the abbey that was all Gabe knew until recently, who will abuse all that is holy to seek the book. There's Whitmore, the captain of the royal guard, who has turned against the king and his rightful heir. There's the ruthless Lord Sherborne, who controls the district around Gabe's abbey, and whose heavy taxes are reducing the peasants to starvation. And there's the cruel sheriff, Ronan, who salivates at the prospect of torture and death.
These are bad enemies to have against you, but Gabe also finds he has more friends in his corner than he expected, and they're the ones who really count. Gwyn can go wherever she wants, undetected. Merry laughs at danger and can shoot an arrow with legendary accuracy. Midge can get her trained hawk to do anything she wants with just a whistle. And even the pampered Scarlett and the royal Edward have their qualities, now and then – qualities that, in the end, will be needed to keep the kids' necks out of nooses and to stop the bad guys from making off with the kingdom.
It's a youthful yet old-fashioned adventure, set in medieval times, featuring kids who (mostly) aren't cut out to accept the way their world is rigged to work. Gabe, who of the lot of them has the most difficulty turning rebel against the values he was raised under, discovers unexpected resources within himself while remaining essentially faithful to his values. And the appealing young heroes are really put to the ultimate test before it becomes apparent how, or if, they will prevail.
This is the second of two "Ateban Cipher" books, the sequel to The Book of Secrets. Australian writer A.L. (Allison) Tait has also published four "Mapmaker Chronicles" books and The Fire Star.
January 3, 2023
In "The Book of Answers," the adventure continues for the band of kids. Hot pursuits, trial after trial, and the pressure of responsibility leaves readers perplexed as to how the story ends.
As mentioned in volume #1, this book was decently well written. I do have to say however, that despite the title of this book being The Book of Answers; I was left with more questions about the character Gwyn at the end of the book. Gwyn is such a complete master in her craft. What makes her so much more special than the rest of her band of girls, how did she learn her skills that seem almost "magical" as Gabe put it? She is no god; so why the importance of her and her alone at the end of the book? I would have liked more background on Qwyn. Gabe is so trusting with Gwyn in her ability to hide the book and keep it safe, I would have really liked to know how Gwyn became as good as she was even though, it seemed from the beginning, that she had just the same amount of rebel experience as the rest of her band of girls.
Dispit the ending, I would definitely re-read this book. There are so many "out of the frying pan and into the fire," scenarios, that it keeps readers wondering what will happen next.
As mentioned in volume #1, this book was decently well written. I do have to say however, that despite the title of this book being The Book of Answers; I was left with more questions about the character Gwyn at the end of the book. Gwyn is such a complete master in her craft. What makes her so much more special than the rest of her band of girls, how did she learn her skills that seem almost "magical" as Gabe put it? She is no god; so why the importance of her and her alone at the end of the book? I would have liked more background on Qwyn. Gabe is so trusting with Gwyn in her ability to hide the book and keep it safe, I would have really liked to know how Gwyn became as good as she was even though, it seemed from the beginning, that she had just the same amount of rebel experience as the rest of her band of girls.
Dispit the ending, I would definitely re-read this book. There are so many "out of the frying pan and into the fire," scenarios, that it keeps readers wondering what will happen next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2020
I definitely enjoyed this concluding tale in The Ateban Cipher duology. Although this book did not seem to be as much of an action-packed page-turner like first one, Tait kept the reader’s attention by revealing clues that answered Gabe’s (and the reader’s) questions and led to a satisfying (albeit surprising) conclusion. I really appreciated the themes presented in the conclusion of this book. Tait includes a heartwarming message designed to bolster the confidence of struggling readers, as well as encouragement about doing hard things and discerning the difference between right and wrong. I would definitely recommend this book to adolescents (age 8-14) who enjoyed the first book of the duology, as well as those who enjoy historical fiction, adventure, and mystery.
July 20, 2024
The Book of Answers exceeded my expectations as a follow-up and last book in this series, and it was a fabulous read. Many cliffhangers and mysteries were solved, but still a good base to perhaps write a continuation of this series if the author was ever interested. Definitely enjoyed all the characters and their developments throughout the story, as well as the animal characters like all the horses and Albert the peregrine falcon.
January 28, 2019
This book is an awesome read for young lads and ladies alike as the main character may be a boy, but it’s his supporting cast of leading ladies who steal the show at every turn. This is a satisfying conclusion to the Ateban Cipher duo, despite there being a few breadcrumbs that could lead to a third.
April 2, 2022
While I enjoyed the first book, I really enjoyed this one! There was a lot more action and twists and turns. I enjoyed how everything was wrapped up nicely at the end. I found myself sneaking in times to read the book when I could. I’m thankful it was only two books, but know AL Tait could have kept going..or really, pick it up later.
April 23, 2020
This was SO good. But ugh, couldn’t there have been just a little romance? I mean, come on, a squad of 2 guys and 4 girls who are all, you know, teenagers. Just little? A teeny tiny bit? Not just hints? But good, all the same. I recommend it.
April 16, 2021
I bought this book, and the first one, for my son to read. He couldn't get into them, so I picked them up. As an almost 30-year old, I have to say I enjoyed a break from "big books" and enjoyed the story of Gabe, his friends, and their adventures.
August 3, 2021
Review by H.D. : "This book was a wonderful ending to the first. The plot was brilliantly played out and there were perfect consequences for each event. Definitely recommended for those who appreciate humorous mysteries."
April 16, 2018
LOVED that the boys came into their own in book II. A great, fast read (kept me up way too late!).
February 1, 2019
Review coming soon.
May 9, 2019
Good book! I hope there’s another one coming!
May 25, 2019
Better than the 1st book
December 6, 2019
This is a really great series, highly recommend for 8-10s who like adventure stories
April 1, 2020
Loved the themes and resolution to this series.
April 14, 2020
PROS:
Interesting story, creative, doesn’t stay boring for long before picking up again
CONS:
Lack of character development and character flaws
Interesting story, creative, doesn’t stay boring for long before picking up again
CONS:
Lack of character development and character flaws
May 20, 2020
Thoroughly enjoyed this duology as a read-aloud with my tweens, but it was hard to keep myself from reading ahead! Great cast of characters with a good mix of narration and action.
May 29, 2020
This was a fun book to read with my kids. It was full of adventure and excitement. We thoroughly enjoyed it!
December 15, 2020
Easy, clean middle grade book. Solid enough vocabulary for challenge.
Read
January 1, 2021Good book, although I don't know how surprised I am at the ending....
January 5, 2021
I was hooked right from the start. Gripping, entertaining and with a great cast of characters, this was a great book to start off my year.
March 14, 2021
Enjoyed this book as it wrapped up the series... Had been a while since I read book one, so it took a little time to get my head around the story again...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews