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The Soulkeepers
An unlikely hero. A timeless adventure.
When fifteen-year-old Jacob Lau is pulled from the crumpled remains of his mother's car, no one can explain why he was driving or why the police can't find his mother's body. Made a ward of his uncle and thousands of miles from home, a beautiful and mysterious neighbor, Dr. Abigail Silva, offers to use her unique abilities to help him find his mom. In exchange, she requires Jacob to train as a Soulkeeper, a gifted warrior charged with protecting human souls. He agrees to her demands, desperate for any clue to the mystery of his mother's disappearance. But soon Jacob finds himself trapped in a web of half-truths, and questions Dr. Silva's motives for helping him.
When fifteen-year-old Jacob Lau is pulled from the crumpled remains of his mother's car, no one can explain why he was driving or why the police can't find his mother's body. Made a ward of his uncle and thousands of miles from home, a beautiful and mysterious neighbor, Dr. Abigail Silva, offers to use her unique abilities to help him find his mom. In exchange, she requires Jacob to train as a Soulkeeper, a gifted warrior charged with protecting human souls. He agrees to her demands, desperate for any clue to the mystery of his mother's disappearance. But soon Jacob finds himself trapped in a web of half-truths, and questions Dr. Silva's motives for helping him.
362 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 10, 2011
2381 people are currently reading
14334 people want to read
About the author
G.P. Ching
26 books984 followersG.P. Ching is a USA Today bestselling author of fantasy novels for young adults and not-so-young adults. She bakes wicked cookies, is commonly believed to be raised by wolves, and thinks both the ocean and the North Woods hold magical healing powers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,097 reviews
January 4, 2012
Ack, read another free book that ended up having way too strong religious overtones for my taste. I really don't know why booksellers can't make it more obvious, and I'm surprised this one slipped past me with all the checking I did about the genres and such but by the time I realized, it was kind of a trainwreck in progress and I couldn't stop. I think I'm going to stop reading free books, most of them are terrible at best.
Anyway. Book about a teenage boy trying to deal with the possible death of his last remaining parent. He starts with a sort of frustrated and cavalier attitude when it comes to believing in a God that didn't do anything for him in the very first chapters of the book (and this is where I start guessing as to what this book might actually be..). I'm sure you can guess what happens at the end. I give this a star because up until the very end, all the arguments and the storyline was ok for the YA audience this was written for.
I am seriously sick of picking up books that sound interesting and then end up focusing on religion. As if it wasn't frustrating enough to read books featuring weak and dependent women, this book and many others like it goes one step further and turns women into idiots, usually by punishing them for being strong in some way or not even giving them this opportunity at all. This book does it with the two main female characters. Makes me want to rip my hair out.
Oh, the reason for the second star: thanks for touching on racism, but no thanks for the token minority female. But I really don't know why I'm expecting so much from a YA book...
Anyway. Book about a teenage boy trying to deal with the possible death of his last remaining parent. He starts with a sort of frustrated and cavalier attitude when it comes to believing in a God that didn't do anything for him in the very first chapters of the book (and this is where I start guessing as to what this book might actually be..). I'm sure you can guess what happens at the end. I give this a star because up until the very end, all the arguments and the storyline was ok for the YA audience this was written for.
I am seriously sick of picking up books that sound interesting and then end up focusing on religion. As if it wasn't frustrating enough to read books featuring weak and dependent women, this book and many others like it goes one step further and turns women into idiots, usually by punishing them for being strong in some way or not even giving them this opportunity at all. This book does it with the two main female characters. Makes me want to rip my hair out.
Oh, the reason for the second star: thanks for touching on racism, but no thanks for the token minority female. But I really don't know why I'm expecting so much from a YA book...
March 26, 2011
While The Soulkeepers is GP Ching's debut novel, it reads like a seasoned author's current bestseller. Ching's lyrical style and masterful plotting will hold readers captive until they've read the final word.
April 7, 2011
The Soulkeepers by G.P. Ching is one of those rare stories that seizes your attention from the start and never lets it go. You quickly become wrapped up in this imaginative story and are transported into Jacob's world. You experience all of his confusion and frustration first hand and you simply must know what happens next.
There is so much packed into this story; it is incredibly easy to get swept up into it. I found myself gobbling up pages, desperate to know more about this new, exciting and terrifying world that Jacob is thrust into. The Soulkeepers has one of the most well-developed plots I've seen in a long time; Ching does an incredible job crafting the different story elements so that they fit and flow together. While there are definitely plot lines that are left open, the story does a great job pushing forward. Often times with series, the first book is basically just glorified world-building. While the author does put a great deal of time and effort into this, the story does actually move along at a decent pace.
It is obvious that Ching also put a great deal of care into the creation of the characters. Every single one of them is extremely dimensional - they all have their strengths and weaknesses; their flaws and attributes. Jacob has gone through a lot in his short life and it has left him jaded. He has a hard time seeing the entire picture and finds it difficult to place his faith and trust in others. This brings me to the character of Malini. Malini is Jacob's one true friend in Paris and she helps him work through his issues. What I love best about their relationship is that they both bring something to the table. They balance each other out beautifully; she is often the voice of reason when he wants to act on impulse.
The rest of the characters in the story are, like Jacob, dealing with their flaws. The book really emphasizes the point that nobody is perfect; it's what you do after your mistakes that matters. I thought this was an interesting theme and it made the characters a great deal more lifelike and easier to connect with.
The Soulkeepers by G.P.Ching is an intelligent, exciting and adventurous story that keeps you on your toes.We are treated to a new sort of young adult fantasy story that does not involve werewolves, faeries or vampires - Ching creates a new breed of heroes that readers are sure to love. The characters, although some possess fantastic qualities, are all incredibly realistic. This is a book that will surprise you; it roots itself in your mind and asks some very intriguing questions about forgiveness, trust and what it means to be a good person. I would highly recommend The Soulkeepers, it has everything a reader could ever want.
There is so much packed into this story; it is incredibly easy to get swept up into it. I found myself gobbling up pages, desperate to know more about this new, exciting and terrifying world that Jacob is thrust into. The Soulkeepers has one of the most well-developed plots I've seen in a long time; Ching does an incredible job crafting the different story elements so that they fit and flow together. While there are definitely plot lines that are left open, the story does a great job pushing forward. Often times with series, the first book is basically just glorified world-building. While the author does put a great deal of time and effort into this, the story does actually move along at a decent pace.
It is obvious that Ching also put a great deal of care into the creation of the characters. Every single one of them is extremely dimensional - they all have their strengths and weaknesses; their flaws and attributes. Jacob has gone through a lot in his short life and it has left him jaded. He has a hard time seeing the entire picture and finds it difficult to place his faith and trust in others. This brings me to the character of Malini. Malini is Jacob's one true friend in Paris and she helps him work through his issues. What I love best about their relationship is that they both bring something to the table. They balance each other out beautifully; she is often the voice of reason when he wants to act on impulse.
The rest of the characters in the story are, like Jacob, dealing with their flaws. The book really emphasizes the point that nobody is perfect; it's what you do after your mistakes that matters. I thought this was an interesting theme and it made the characters a great deal more lifelike and easier to connect with.
The Soulkeepers by G.P.Ching is an intelligent, exciting and adventurous story that keeps you on your toes.We are treated to a new sort of young adult fantasy story that does not involve werewolves, faeries or vampires - Ching creates a new breed of heroes that readers are sure to love. The characters, although some possess fantastic qualities, are all incredibly realistic. This is a book that will surprise you; it roots itself in your mind and asks some very intriguing questions about forgiveness, trust and what it means to be a good person. I would highly recommend The Soulkeepers, it has everything a reader could ever want.
September 24, 2012
I got this as a free download ebook. From the little synopsis that was presented it sounded like a decent book. Nothing special but something to read while on the go and not have to worry about stopping and picking back up later. Ok well maybe it is just me but the synopsis/description of the book and the actual book were totally different. Maybe its all the religion thrown in and seemingly forced down my throat each chapter. I don't mind a book that touches on religion or has it as a key component, but at least mention that when talking about the book! I didn't need to be reminded every few pages about how one character felt about religion or another. Also found the small town racist/bigot idea annoying and offensive. Especially with dealing with the main character's family. Found the characters themselves to be shallow in depth and annoyed by how they acted when confronted with problems. I only finished the book in order to know how it ended and because I wanted to see how this one would wrap up in order to continue into a series.
April 13, 2011
"The Soulkeepers" is guilty of stealing precious hours of sleep, but it is so worth every minute spent and more. This story has an original premise, beautiful scenery, lovable characters, jaw clenching action, and a book load of mystery to keep the pages turning until the very end. G.P. Ching’s writing is brilliant and some aspects of the "The Soulkeepers" are reminiscent of one of my favorite author’s work, Anne Rice.
I enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to everyone.
I enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to everyone.
July 29, 2012
First, let me point out that I am NOT the target audience. This is a YA title and for the record, my 13-year-old daughter read the entire book and pronounced it excellent. I am a member of the secondary audience that YA books seem to draw, that is, moms of tweens and teens.
This book has many plusses. Well-written, descriptive, imaginative, vast, ambitious. There are occasional typos but as I can attest personally, self-published authors don't always have the benefit of editors and proofreaders. They are one-man-shows. But that wasn't what bothered me. I stopped reading about 1/3 into the book because I didn't care about the characters. The protagonist was self-centered and obnoxious. He smashed up heirlooms of the family that took him in, presumably left by a dead grandparent and irreplaceable. I know he was upset, but what a jerk. And the anti-small-town bigotry was ham-fisted and annoying. (Unless, of course, you're talking about a small-town traditional society in another country - that is venerable and praiseworthy!) I am tired of that attitude in literature and quickly turned off by it. My daughter tells me the book redeems itself but it was too late for me - the damage was done and I couldn't be bothered to finish it.
This book has many plusses. Well-written, descriptive, imaginative, vast, ambitious. There are occasional typos but as I can attest personally, self-published authors don't always have the benefit of editors and proofreaders. They are one-man-shows. But that wasn't what bothered me. I stopped reading about 1/3 into the book because I didn't care about the characters. The protagonist was self-centered and obnoxious. He smashed up heirlooms of the family that took him in, presumably left by a dead grandparent and irreplaceable. I know he was upset, but what a jerk. And the anti-small-town bigotry was ham-fisted and annoying. (Unless, of course, you're talking about a small-town traditional society in another country - that is venerable and praiseworthy!) I am tired of that attitude in literature and quickly turned off by it. My daughter tells me the book redeems itself but it was too late for me - the damage was done and I couldn't be bothered to finish it.
July 8, 2011
This is a Must Read YA book!!!
Truly well-crafted. It's perfect for the Christian reader OR the non-Christian. It is rare in literature to finish a "Christian" book and not feel preached at. This novel does that. I still cannot determine if this IS a Christian book, per se...but it was fascinating. There's just enough truth in all the elements that were used [in the book] that it smacks of plausibility...
The gist of the story is (male POV; gotta love that!) Jacob is propelled on a journey (not of his making), after a tragic accident leaves lingering questions about his mother's whereabouts. Disturbing dreams ensue that cause him to doubt his sanity while simultaneously navigating the new familial minefield he now finds himself in. Far from home and friendless, in grief over the loss of his parent and essentially orphaned, he discovers Malini. In her...he finds solace and new hope as they "walk" the journey together.
This book has some of the best pacing I've ever read! Wow! Never a dull moment but not frenetic either. The whole work is like a slow-spiral, clues dropping at the perfect time to wrench the readers' interest firmly into the story. I love a book where I constantly ask myself, "What will come next?"
Ching does a *fantastic* job with a mixed-genre (blended) work. In this book you'll find the following elements: urban fantasy, paranormal, sorcery, parallel travel, romance, angelic themes, action and mystery. It's cleanly executed but not homogenized...I can't wait for whatever else Ching produces. Buy it now!
And...LOVE the cover~
Truly well-crafted. It's perfect for the Christian reader OR the non-Christian. It is rare in literature to finish a "Christian" book and not feel preached at. This novel does that. I still cannot determine if this IS a Christian book, per se...but it was fascinating. There's just enough truth in all the elements that were used [in the book] that it smacks of plausibility...
The gist of the story is (male POV; gotta love that!) Jacob is propelled on a journey (not of his making), after a tragic accident leaves lingering questions about his mother's whereabouts. Disturbing dreams ensue that cause him to doubt his sanity while simultaneously navigating the new familial minefield he now finds himself in. Far from home and friendless, in grief over the loss of his parent and essentially orphaned, he discovers Malini. In her...he finds solace and new hope as they "walk" the journey together.
This book has some of the best pacing I've ever read! Wow! Never a dull moment but not frenetic either. The whole work is like a slow-spiral, clues dropping at the perfect time to wrench the readers' interest firmly into the story. I love a book where I constantly ask myself, "What will come next?"
Ching does a *fantastic* job with a mixed-genre (blended) work. In this book you'll find the following elements: urban fantasy, paranormal, sorcery, parallel travel, romance, angelic themes, action and mystery. It's cleanly executed but not homogenized...I can't wait for whatever else Ching produces. Buy it now!
And...LOVE the cover~
April 21, 2011
Ever since he recovered from the car accident in which his mother went missing, Jacob has been suffering from disturbing nightmares. The doctors say it’s just his brain trying to recover from the trauma, but something about them feels too real.
Miles from his home in Hawaii, living with relatives that he never even knew existed, the dreams still come to him night after night. And now he’s having them about his neighbor across the street. A woman who appears to float more than walk and who doesn’t need shoes even in the dead of winter.
Already an outcast at his new school, all he wants is to find out what happened to his mom and go home. But with no money and no leads there will be no quick escape for him from the small town of Paris, Illinois. And when he is pushed to the limits one too many times, Jacob learns a secret about himself that makes him question who he really is and if his dreams are more than just fantasy.
With no one else to turn to, Jacob is tempted to accept the offer of help from his mysterious neighbor, Dr. Silva. But he has a feeling that she is keeping secrets from him and her help comes at a price. One that even for finding his mother just might not be worth paying.
***
The Soulkeepers is an utterly spellbinding, elaborate and spectacularly written young adult novel by author G.P. Ching. From its very first words – “Death lived up to Jacob’s expectations” – the story will pull readers in and take them on an adventure as Jacob discovers abilities he never knew he had and tries to uncover the truth about his mother’s whereabouts.
The story is equal parts paranormal mystery and epic adventure as Jacob learns about the importance of what he is and what his role is in the battle of good versus evil. The Soulkeepers will twist and turn, taking readers on a ride that will end way too soon in a place completely unexpected.
Author G.P. Ching delivers a book that is unequivocally unique, where both the story and characters are the stars. Her writing is simply magical and will enchant readers with its easy flow and moments of humor – especially in the chapter titles. The book talks of God and religion but in no way feels as if the reader is being preached to or as if being made to learn a lesson. Each point has relevance and is key to the story’s development.
The Soulkeepers is a must, must, must read. It’s a story that will be enjoyed and devoured by readers who want to be completely swept away by an adventure, who love a battle of good versus evil, who need a puzzle to solve and who can find excitement outside of a love triangle.
(On the blog I give this book my off-the-menu 6 star rating.)
On a personal note:
Holy wow! What a surprise! I was not expecting to get as caught up in the story as I did. When I finished reading this book I felt like I’d been on a huge adventure and it took me a long time to come back to reality. I was so completely absorbed.
I am totally hooked on this book now, which just better be turned into a series with a sequel coming out really, really soon, as I’ve only just begun to learn about Jacob’s abilities and desperately want to know more about what is expected of him. And there are other characters, which I will not name, that I really want to see have a happy ending, even if it’s several books down the road.
The Soulkeepers does not read anything like a typical self-published book. If I hadn’t been told it was when I read it I might never have guessed. It has that very polished, finished feel that traditionally published books have, where a content editor has gone through and eliminated the non-essentials.
Everything in this book felt necessary to the story, which was detailed and elaborate and so well thought out. And I was so transfixed by the story that there was one piece of the puzzle that I completely forgot about that really came back to surprise me at the end.
This story is a definite standout and a breath of fresh air and there is no way I will be forgetting all the different elements. Another thing I love is that it focuses so much more on building the story itself rather than by creating drama by adding in heartbreak or a love triangle.
Even though Jacob is very well developed and definitely likable, he is not nearly as much the focus as the story itself, which is absolutely addictive. And much to my surprise he is not my favorite character. I actually have two, but again I cannot say who or I will be totally spoiler-y.
I am so glad the author approached me to read her book. I will be buying this eBook for my nook so that I can read it again on whichever device I have with me at the time.
No question, this book is not one to miss. I just wish the second book (if there is one planned) will be out soon, as I feel like after that long read everything’s just gotten started and I’m so ready for more.
Favorite passage:
Jacob didn’t believe it. He’d accepted that everything would end in black nothingness and for him it did. What he didn’t expect was that the end was just the beginning.
Miles from his home in Hawaii, living with relatives that he never even knew existed, the dreams still come to him night after night. And now he’s having them about his neighbor across the street. A woman who appears to float more than walk and who doesn’t need shoes even in the dead of winter.
Already an outcast at his new school, all he wants is to find out what happened to his mom and go home. But with no money and no leads there will be no quick escape for him from the small town of Paris, Illinois. And when he is pushed to the limits one too many times, Jacob learns a secret about himself that makes him question who he really is and if his dreams are more than just fantasy.
With no one else to turn to, Jacob is tempted to accept the offer of help from his mysterious neighbor, Dr. Silva. But he has a feeling that she is keeping secrets from him and her help comes at a price. One that even for finding his mother just might not be worth paying.
***
The Soulkeepers is an utterly spellbinding, elaborate and spectacularly written young adult novel by author G.P. Ching. From its very first words – “Death lived up to Jacob’s expectations” – the story will pull readers in and take them on an adventure as Jacob discovers abilities he never knew he had and tries to uncover the truth about his mother’s whereabouts.
The story is equal parts paranormal mystery and epic adventure as Jacob learns about the importance of what he is and what his role is in the battle of good versus evil. The Soulkeepers will twist and turn, taking readers on a ride that will end way too soon in a place completely unexpected.
Author G.P. Ching delivers a book that is unequivocally unique, where both the story and characters are the stars. Her writing is simply magical and will enchant readers with its easy flow and moments of humor – especially in the chapter titles. The book talks of God and religion but in no way feels as if the reader is being preached to or as if being made to learn a lesson. Each point has relevance and is key to the story’s development.
The Soulkeepers is a must, must, must read. It’s a story that will be enjoyed and devoured by readers who want to be completely swept away by an adventure, who love a battle of good versus evil, who need a puzzle to solve and who can find excitement outside of a love triangle.
(On the blog I give this book my off-the-menu 6 star rating.)
On a personal note:
Holy wow! What a surprise! I was not expecting to get as caught up in the story as I did. When I finished reading this book I felt like I’d been on a huge adventure and it took me a long time to come back to reality. I was so completely absorbed.
I am totally hooked on this book now, which just better be turned into a series with a sequel coming out really, really soon, as I’ve only just begun to learn about Jacob’s abilities and desperately want to know more about what is expected of him. And there are other characters, which I will not name, that I really want to see have a happy ending, even if it’s several books down the road.
The Soulkeepers does not read anything like a typical self-published book. If I hadn’t been told it was when I read it I might never have guessed. It has that very polished, finished feel that traditionally published books have, where a content editor has gone through and eliminated the non-essentials.
Everything in this book felt necessary to the story, which was detailed and elaborate and so well thought out. And I was so transfixed by the story that there was one piece of the puzzle that I completely forgot about that really came back to surprise me at the end.
This story is a definite standout and a breath of fresh air and there is no way I will be forgetting all the different elements. Another thing I love is that it focuses so much more on building the story itself rather than by creating drama by adding in heartbreak or a love triangle.
Even though Jacob is very well developed and definitely likable, he is not nearly as much the focus as the story itself, which is absolutely addictive. And much to my surprise he is not my favorite character. I actually have two, but again I cannot say who or I will be totally spoiler-y.
I am so glad the author approached me to read her book. I will be buying this eBook for my nook so that I can read it again on whichever device I have with me at the time.
No question, this book is not one to miss. I just wish the second book (if there is one planned) will be out soon, as I feel like after that long read everything’s just gotten started and I’m so ready for more.
Favorite passage:
Jacob didn’t believe it. He’d accepted that everything would end in black nothingness and for him it did. What he didn’t expect was that the end was just the beginning.
April 18, 2011
** SOME SPOILERS MAY ENSUE! **
By the time I picked up The Soulkeepers, I had read a lot about it and couldn't wait to dive in. I wasn't disappointed!
From the moment Jacob wakes up in a hospital bed with a "damaged brain", he is a very relatable character, especially for me personally. My heart went out to him as he journeyed from not caring about anyone or anything to opening his heart and having faith. You can't help but root for Jacob to come around. A fantastic good vs. evil plot that will continue to grow as the story continues in subsequent novels.
One thing that I found entrancing was how Jacob was forced to trust Dr. Silva because he had no other choice. To not to meant having no chance of finding his mom. And when his powers became evident... I wasn't 100% sure about Dr. Silva until the very end, the epilogue actually and what we learn there. Very well done!
One more thing I loved is G.P. Ching's take on fallen angels. Gone are the sad, sorry beings who only want to be loved and find salvation for the ability to return to Heaven. Ching's fallen angels are gritty, edgy, and hedonistic. I LOVED IT! They indulge in everything sinful and self-indulging, very appropriate considering why they are fallen.
I would consider this book a contemporary Christian thriller. The creatures and activities of Jacob's world are brought to life in HD color - you can't help but get sucked in from the first words. I definitely can't wait for the continuation of Jacob, Malini, and Dr. Silva's journey.
By the time I picked up The Soulkeepers, I had read a lot about it and couldn't wait to dive in. I wasn't disappointed!
From the moment Jacob wakes up in a hospital bed with a "damaged brain", he is a very relatable character, especially for me personally. My heart went out to him as he journeyed from not caring about anyone or anything to opening his heart and having faith. You can't help but root for Jacob to come around. A fantastic good vs. evil plot that will continue to grow as the story continues in subsequent novels.
One thing that I found entrancing was how Jacob was forced to trust Dr. Silva because he had no other choice. To not to meant having no chance of finding his mom. And when his powers became evident... I wasn't 100% sure about Dr. Silva until the very end, the epilogue actually and what we learn there. Very well done!
One more thing I loved is G.P. Ching's take on fallen angels. Gone are the sad, sorry beings who only want to be loved and find salvation for the ability to return to Heaven. Ching's fallen angels are gritty, edgy, and hedonistic. I LOVED IT! They indulge in everything sinful and self-indulging, very appropriate considering why they are fallen.
I would consider this book a contemporary Christian thriller. The creatures and activities of Jacob's world are brought to life in HD color - you can't help but get sucked in from the first words. I definitely can't wait for the continuation of Jacob, Malini, and Dr. Silva's journey.
April 6, 2012
Sadly I had a hard time with The Soulkeepers. I really don't know if it was the religious parts or what but I can say I would have found it a bit more enjoyable if they had not been thrown in. I just don't think I needed to know every few chapters who believed what and who didn't. I just felt like it should have been mentioned in the synopsis somehow but instead when I read the above synopsis I had no clue about all the religious parts inside.
There were some other parts in the story that I really didn't get or see why they mattered either like what difference did it make if his mom was Chinese or why did the grandfather stipulate in his will that the family business could only be passed to a male heir when he knew nothing of Jacob and only knew his other child had a daughter? I also had a hard time wondering why Uncle John seemed to welcome Jacob with open arms but it was his wife and daughter who dissed Jacob?
Other than that Jacob's character was very fleshed out and it was interesting following him thru his many life changes and obstacles to find his mom and even fall in love. This was just not the book for me it would seem and I just don't see me continuing with the series.
There were some other parts in the story that I really didn't get or see why they mattered either like what difference did it make if his mom was Chinese or why did the grandfather stipulate in his will that the family business could only be passed to a male heir when he knew nothing of Jacob and only knew his other child had a daughter? I also had a hard time wondering why Uncle John seemed to welcome Jacob with open arms but it was his wife and daughter who dissed Jacob?
Other than that Jacob's character was very fleshed out and it was interesting following him thru his many life changes and obstacles to find his mom and even fall in love. This was just not the book for me it would seem and I just don't see me continuing with the series.
April 7, 2011
G.P. Ching is a fantastic writer, her imagery is so rich I can still picture the settings in my head. I really enjoyed the character relationships and felt that Jacob was someone I could really identify with. I loved the story and can't wait to see what comes next.
January 15, 2012
I downloaded this because I happened to see it as a free Kindle book and, at that time, I had only out of copyright books, so once I finished my one purchase, I moved on to this.
It was ok. It really took a different direction than what the teaser would have you think it would. For those complaining about it being too religious, I just have to say it's more fantasy than religion. This is not a Christian fiction book. The author chose to take a few items that do match up with what Christianity teaches and mix it with a bunch of made-up legend. Of course, that is the nature of a fiction book. However, calling this book Christian is not an accurate statement. Besides that, there were a lot of continuity issues and plot devices that didn't make any sense or were completely unbelievable (even within the realm of fantasy). Furthermore, to be calling herself a Christian, one of the main characters was pretty ignorant and, at times, Jacob, our main character, was just plain pretty stupid.
One thing that really got on my nerves, 'cause these things bother me, was the apparently lack of either an editor with half a brain or one that only used spell check. There were at least two counts of using "breath" instead of "breathe." One of my pet peeves. "Jacob could hardly breath." It really drove me crazy. There were also several spelling errors that I noticed and even at least one place where the complete wrong word was inserted, rendering the sentence unintelligible unless you could guess what word was supposed to go there. Finally, there was even a place where we were reading about "she" and it took me a bit to realize who "she" was - "she" was not introduced into the paragraph until the second or third sentence.
Oh, one other thing... "Watchers..." Really!? That makes them sound so helpless and ridiculous. Call them what they are supposed to be: demons. "Watchers" does not convey the evilness of the characters, it's really laughable.
Editing mistakes and continuity issues aside, I don't guess this was completely horrible, just very hard to swallow the newly-introduced and cliche legend. I found myself continuing to read just on the basis that I usually try to finish what I start, and I did want to see where the story went. At the end of the book, there was a preview of Book 2, the first chapter. It looks like it's going to be the same cliche stuff. So I would not call this horrible but I don't plan on reading any more of this series.
It was ok. It really took a different direction than what the teaser would have you think it would. For those complaining about it being too religious, I just have to say it's more fantasy than religion. This is not a Christian fiction book. The author chose to take a few items that do match up with what Christianity teaches and mix it with a bunch of made-up legend. Of course, that is the nature of a fiction book. However, calling this book Christian is not an accurate statement. Besides that, there were a lot of continuity issues and plot devices that didn't make any sense or were completely unbelievable (even within the realm of fantasy). Furthermore, to be calling herself a Christian, one of the main characters was pretty ignorant and, at times, Jacob, our main character, was just plain pretty stupid.
One thing that really got on my nerves, 'cause these things bother me, was the apparently lack of either an editor with half a brain or one that only used spell check. There were at least two counts of using "breath" instead of "breathe." One of my pet peeves. "Jacob could hardly breath." It really drove me crazy. There were also several spelling errors that I noticed and even at least one place where the complete wrong word was inserted, rendering the sentence unintelligible unless you could guess what word was supposed to go there. Finally, there was even a place where we were reading about "she" and it took me a bit to realize who "she" was - "she" was not introduced into the paragraph until the second or third sentence.
Oh, one other thing... "Watchers..." Really!? That makes them sound so helpless and ridiculous. Call them what they are supposed to be: demons. "Watchers" does not convey the evilness of the characters, it's really laughable.
Editing mistakes and continuity issues aside, I don't guess this was completely horrible, just very hard to swallow the newly-introduced and cliche legend. I found myself continuing to read just on the basis that I usually try to finish what I start, and I did want to see where the story went. At the end of the book, there was a preview of Book 2, the first chapter. It looks like it's going to be the same cliche stuff. So I would not call this horrible but I don't plan on reading any more of this series.
December 28, 2011
This was an interesting read and definitely out of my normal genre zone (as in, I usually don't dive into a pile of YA).
Jacob Lau is an intelligent teenage boy from Hawaii with a chip on his shoulder for understandable reasons. His father died in the war and his mother has gone missing with few real answers or leads from the police. He was present at his mother's disappearance but can only remember fantastic details that the doctors dismiss as faulty traumatized memory and his estranged and unknown uncle and family take him under their wings in a dreary beyond dreary tiny North Eastern town.
Experienced readers will find it easy to predict the events in this book but it was still a worthwhile read. Jacob does develop throughout the book as things get stranger and stranger. His relationship with his own relatives and the town provide no warmth and the feeling I had during this entire book was of his intense isolation.
-I love the angels and the back story of the supernaturals (which isn't heavy duty- which may not satisfy some people wanting something far more in depth and descriptive and heavy with history and lore).
-Although I liked and appreciated that Jacob's uncle seemed genuine in his affection for his nephew I almost felt like his "tone" as a character didn't quite ring authentic to me. I am happy that Jacob has someone in his corner however.
-I absolutely love Dr. Silva.
-There is romance in this book but lets just say the main romance is very YA and extremely appropriate for Jacob's age lol and the other love in this story is what really made me appreciate the book truthfully.
This is a simple, easy read. In fact this could be a decent teenage horror film.
Jacob Lau is an intelligent teenage boy from Hawaii with a chip on his shoulder for understandable reasons. His father died in the war and his mother has gone missing with few real answers or leads from the police. He was present at his mother's disappearance but can only remember fantastic details that the doctors dismiss as faulty traumatized memory and his estranged and unknown uncle and family take him under their wings in a dreary beyond dreary tiny North Eastern town.
Experienced readers will find it easy to predict the events in this book but it was still a worthwhile read. Jacob does develop throughout the book as things get stranger and stranger. His relationship with his own relatives and the town provide no warmth and the feeling I had during this entire book was of his intense isolation.
-I love the angels and the back story of the supernaturals (which isn't heavy duty- which may not satisfy some people wanting something far more in depth and descriptive and heavy with history and lore).
-Although I liked and appreciated that Jacob's uncle seemed genuine in his affection for his nephew I almost felt like his "tone" as a character didn't quite ring authentic to me. I am happy that Jacob has someone in his corner however.
-I absolutely love Dr. Silva.
-There is romance in this book but lets just say the main romance is very YA and extremely appropriate for Jacob's age lol and the other love in this story is what really made me appreciate the book truthfully.
This is a simple, easy read. In fact this could be a decent teenage horror film.
November 28, 2011
3.5 stars.
I usually try to stay away from books about fallen angles and religion. Not because I'm not religious myself, but because too many books seem to mock or contradict one religion or another in the process. I don't know if I would've read Soulkeepers had I known it was this kind of book but I ended up enjoying it. I think for me, it's best to ignore all the religious innuendos and just read it as a story. I can't do this with every book, but with Soulkeepers it was fairly easy to do.
The thing I enjoyed about this book was how easy it was to get into the story. It didn't slow down and there was always some mystery hanging in the air which kept me intrigued. I liked Jacob as a main character and found him to be a breath of fresh air. I don't always like reading about guys from their POV, mostly because I don't totally relate, but I liked Jacob's personality and it was easy to relate to him on some level and in turn like him.
I liked Malini and I'm certainly curious to find out what kind of role she'll play in the future. Overall, I enjoyed this story... don't LOVE the whole religious aspect of it (this is again my person preference) but as a story it was good.
I usually try to stay away from books about fallen angles and religion. Not because I'm not religious myself, but because too many books seem to mock or contradict one religion or another in the process. I don't know if I would've read Soulkeepers had I known it was this kind of book but I ended up enjoying it. I think for me, it's best to ignore all the religious innuendos and just read it as a story. I can't do this with every book, but with Soulkeepers it was fairly easy to do.
The thing I enjoyed about this book was how easy it was to get into the story. It didn't slow down and there was always some mystery hanging in the air which kept me intrigued. I liked Jacob as a main character and found him to be a breath of fresh air. I don't always like reading about guys from their POV, mostly because I don't totally relate, but I liked Jacob's personality and it was easy to relate to him on some level and in turn like him.
I liked Malini and I'm certainly curious to find out what kind of role she'll play in the future. Overall, I enjoyed this story... don't LOVE the whole religious aspect of it (this is again my person preference) but as a story it was good.
March 12, 2023
Not for me. I felt the pacing was to slow, and there were to many “unknown/unexplained” things happening at once. And after a certain point in the book it felt like God was the only thing talked about, and it came off kinda preachy.
October 1, 2016
Hmmm. Not really sure what to think about this book. I obviously liked it, as I gave it four stars, but there were some things that I really wasn't sure about, and for that I have to take off 0.5 stars and make it a 3.5 star rating.
The good:
Jacob was the main character, and at first I really didn't like him, but I definitely warmed up to him later. In addition, his relationship with Malinda was just super cute too. The other side characters were cool, and I think the book was pretty well written. I liked the idea about the horsemen, and the cool powers that Jacob had. Can't wait to see how he progresses throughout the story.
The bad:
The writing at first seemed too simplistic to me, and it was a bit hard to get into the book. However, once I did, things just kept rolling. Another thing that bothered me a bit was Jacob's relationship with Malinda. I know, I know. I just said that their relationship was cute, and it was, but I thought it progressed a bit too fast. Apart from that, their relationship really was great and I liked seeing how they interacted. But the biggest issue I had was concerning some theological topics. Now they weren't really issues, just things I was wondering about except for the issue I'm about to mention, for which I'm taking off 0.5 stars.
Firstly, there was a line in the book that said "I mean, who’s right? All of these religions on this Earth … you’ve been to heaven and back! Are you telling me that even you don’t know who is right?". Now here, the main character Jacob was talking to an angel about God, and the book said even the angels didn't know which religion was right which, to me seemed honestly weird and I definitely disagree with that. That's like telling me that all religions are either all right, which can't logically be true as all religions are fundamentally different, or are all wrong which also can't be true because there needs to be a way to reach God. I obviously hold to a Christian perspective, and I kind of assumed this was a Christian book due to the fact that the main character was dating a Christian, and so I thought that maybe more info would be revealed. However, that didn't really occur, as that sentence was given near the end of the book, which definitely gave me a pause. Despite that, I'll continue reading the series to see if the author changes what was said on that issue. If not, then I don't think I'll be able to finish the series, however enjoyable it is.
That was my biggest issue, but the other one is just something that I'm curious about, and that is concerning the role of angels played in heaven. The book certainly seems to imply that angels have a second chance at heaven (which if you read the book, you'll understand what I'm saying by this) or something of which I'm not entirely sure, but am curious about. The book also had an angel say [...]angels are servants of God. We don’t have any more answers than you. In fact, humans have been promised more from God than angels ever have." . Is the author implying that humans are more important than angels? I know Jesus didn't die for angels but for us humans, but does that mean that they are not also as loved as us by God? Those were just some questions I had floating around in my head. I find the whole idea of fallen angels interesting, although I am very sceptical of what I read concerning these issues, which is why I haven't yet touched any popular fallen angel books, simply because I don't know if I'd agree with their interpretations of angels and God.
Brief rant aside, the end of the book became really interesting, and I'm eager to follow Jacob's story. Withstanding the issues, I thoroughly liked it, and hopefully as the series continues, there'll be more closure given on the issues I raised in the above paragraph.
The good:
Jacob was the main character, and at first I really didn't like him, but I definitely warmed up to him later. In addition, his relationship with Malinda was just super cute too. The other side characters were cool, and I think the book was pretty well written. I liked the idea about the horsemen, and the cool powers that Jacob had. Can't wait to see how he progresses throughout the story.
The bad:
The writing at first seemed too simplistic to me, and it was a bit hard to get into the book. However, once I did, things just kept rolling. Another thing that bothered me a bit was Jacob's relationship with Malinda. I know, I know. I just said that their relationship was cute, and it was, but I thought it progressed a bit too fast. Apart from that, their relationship really was great and I liked seeing how they interacted. But the biggest issue I had was concerning some theological topics. Now they weren't really issues, just things I was wondering about except for the issue I'm about to mention, for which I'm taking off 0.5 stars.
Firstly, there was a line in the book that said "I mean, who’s right? All of these religions on this Earth … you’ve been to heaven and back! Are you telling me that even you don’t know who is right?". Now here, the main character Jacob was talking to an angel about God, and the book said even the angels didn't know which religion was right which, to me seemed honestly weird and I definitely disagree with that. That's like telling me that all religions are either all right, which can't logically be true as all religions are fundamentally different, or are all wrong which also can't be true because there needs to be a way to reach God. I obviously hold to a Christian perspective, and I kind of assumed this was a Christian book due to the fact that the main character was dating a Christian, and so I thought that maybe more info would be revealed. However, that didn't really occur, as that sentence was given near the end of the book, which definitely gave me a pause. Despite that, I'll continue reading the series to see if the author changes what was said on that issue. If not, then I don't think I'll be able to finish the series, however enjoyable it is.
That was my biggest issue, but the other one is just something that I'm curious about, and that is concerning the role of angels played in heaven. The book certainly seems to imply that angels have a second chance at heaven (which if you read the book, you'll understand what I'm saying by this) or something of which I'm not entirely sure, but am curious about. The book also had an angel say [...]angels are servants of God. We don’t have any more answers than you. In fact, humans have been promised more from God than angels ever have." . Is the author implying that humans are more important than angels? I know Jesus didn't die for angels but for us humans, but does that mean that they are not also as loved as us by God? Those were just some questions I had floating around in my head. I find the whole idea of fallen angels interesting, although I am very sceptical of what I read concerning these issues, which is why I haven't yet touched any popular fallen angel books, simply because I don't know if I'd agree with their interpretations of angels and God.
Brief rant aside, the end of the book became really interesting, and I'm eager to follow Jacob's story. Withstanding the issues, I thoroughly liked it, and hopefully as the series continues, there'll be more closure given on the issues I raised in the above paragraph.
June 19, 2013
I picked this book because it was on so many YA reading lists as a great book and it was a good price. I like the idea of good and evil, or light and dark, in juxtaposition. I’m okay with fallen angels and some religious conceptual framework. So, dove in.
I really enjoyed the book until about Chapter 15-19. From then on the primary problem was that there was more telling (through dialog—Malini telling Jacob, Dr. Silva telling Jacob, etc.) about the world, the magic, relating it to the Bible’s descriptions, than discovering. It was as if the author didn’t know how to put all of those things into actions of discovery by Jacob or Malini. It slowed down everything in the tension and the plot, as the author painstakingly filled in everything about the world, how it worked, its culture and various religious beliefs. I wanted to skip to the end. But I didn’t just in case there was some use for all of this.
There were plenty of action scenes, lots of magical spells, and plenty of opportunities for the hero to be killed which helped keep me turning pages. I enjoyed the adventure, but I felt gypped on the world-building. I wanted to moreslowly discover the world through the heroes experience, or Malini’s, rather than be told about it by Dr. Silva or Gideon or some other secondary character.
In the final chapters the deux ex machina use of magic, as well as the hero being saved more by others than by himself made me sigh in disappointment. I understand it is hard to build a complex world, with rules of magic and culture and religion. But I felt this book could have been so much better if the author had only let Jacob discover the world, discover his powers, and use them more specifically—instead of happening upon them, having someone else use her powers to find him and save him.
On the positive side, I did like Jacob and Malini. I felt that Jacob was realistically presented—though not necessarily likable in the beginning. He was pretty angry and showed it. I liked the juxtaposition of Jacob’s action and consequences be damned against Malini’s go-with-the-flow and be patient approach. Watching the two of them change and grow was well done, and I was hooked enough by their relationship to want to see it become stronger.
This is the author’s debut novel, and I am certain that subsequent novels will be better. I will likely try the next one just to see if it improves significantly enough to hook me into the entire series. Now that the author has gotten the whole world background out, I hope in subsequent books she won’t feel the need to do so much telling and instead let the reader discover along with the characters.
I really enjoyed the book until about Chapter 15-19. From then on the primary problem was that there was more telling (through dialog—Malini telling Jacob, Dr. Silva telling Jacob, etc.) about the world, the magic, relating it to the Bible’s descriptions, than discovering. It was as if the author didn’t know how to put all of those things into actions of discovery by Jacob or Malini. It slowed down everything in the tension and the plot, as the author painstakingly filled in everything about the world, how it worked, its culture and various religious beliefs. I wanted to skip to the end. But I didn’t just in case there was some use for all of this.
There were plenty of action scenes, lots of magical spells, and plenty of opportunities for the hero to be killed which helped keep me turning pages. I enjoyed the adventure, but I felt gypped on the world-building. I wanted to moreslowly discover the world through the heroes experience, or Malini’s, rather than be told about it by Dr. Silva or Gideon or some other secondary character.
In the final chapters the deux ex machina use of magic, as well as the hero being saved more by others than by himself made me sigh in disappointment. I understand it is hard to build a complex world, with rules of magic and culture and religion. But I felt this book could have been so much better if the author had only let Jacob discover the world, discover his powers, and use them more specifically—instead of happening upon them, having someone else use her powers to find him and save him.
On the positive side, I did like Jacob and Malini. I felt that Jacob was realistically presented—though not necessarily likable in the beginning. He was pretty angry and showed it. I liked the juxtaposition of Jacob’s action and consequences be damned against Malini’s go-with-the-flow and be patient approach. Watching the two of them change and grow was well done, and I was hooked enough by their relationship to want to see it become stronger.
This is the author’s debut novel, and I am certain that subsequent novels will be better. I will likely try the next one just to see if it improves significantly enough to hook me into the entire series. Now that the author has gotten the whole world background out, I hope in subsequent books she won’t feel the need to do so much telling and instead let the reader discover along with the characters.
October 23, 2012
ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I am here to say that the book the soul keepers is very good and keeping you interested in what will come next and just being an all around good book, however this book is not so great at showing true pain and sorrow.
Jacob is the main person in this story and all he wants is to find his mom, but she is somewhere that is nowhere. some of the things that keep you interested in the book are, "she is nowhere, you wont find her. she is no longer of this earth"-Dr. Silva His mother is not dead but in this statement is sated she is not living, so where is she? the next is "we are in the string wrapping around time and space and when we travel others can slide down are string"-Dr. Silva they can travel through this tree that can and will let others follow them through the tree back to there house, and this becomes a problem later in the book.
later in the book he meets a friend called Malini she is a very good friend and will help Jacob later on, one thing they have in common is this "the irony was both of them were robed from there culture" they both had not grown up in the proper culture and were kinda sad because of it. this is a common reoccurring statement thought the hole book. I think you might want to know how this all got started in the first place well here is how Jacob came to be who he is "when the pure of heart drank the water in changed the drinker...it gave them gifts or power they could use to fight the watchers" this makes you want to know who a watcher is and what did the powers do.
Now for the bad side of things, in this book it didn't really have emotion on the most terrible part, I mean it said he was sad but that was all oh yes I forget you didn't or haven't yet read the book well his mother vanished when he got in a car crash and she was taken there was no trail to follow they gave up the search for her. "yes there already a group coming through mona fall right now." this is what his uncle said to him to reassure him and he didn't say much more than that and sure he didn't give up of finding his mom but he still didn't show enough emotions.
In the end ladies and gentlemen, I found soul keepers to be a great book and I would say everyone should give this book a chance. It is for everyone it is a good read and it is not a "boy book" or a "girl book" it will suit everyone with a little romance and some action.
Jacob is the main person in this story and all he wants is to find his mom, but she is somewhere that is nowhere. some of the things that keep you interested in the book are, "she is nowhere, you wont find her. she is no longer of this earth"-Dr. Silva His mother is not dead but in this statement is sated she is not living, so where is she? the next is "we are in the string wrapping around time and space and when we travel others can slide down are string"-Dr. Silva they can travel through this tree that can and will let others follow them through the tree back to there house, and this becomes a problem later in the book.
later in the book he meets a friend called Malini she is a very good friend and will help Jacob later on, one thing they have in common is this "the irony was both of them were robed from there culture" they both had not grown up in the proper culture and were kinda sad because of it. this is a common reoccurring statement thought the hole book. I think you might want to know how this all got started in the first place well here is how Jacob came to be who he is "when the pure of heart drank the water in changed the drinker...it gave them gifts or power they could use to fight the watchers" this makes you want to know who a watcher is and what did the powers do.
Now for the bad side of things, in this book it didn't really have emotion on the most terrible part, I mean it said he was sad but that was all oh yes I forget you didn't or haven't yet read the book well his mother vanished when he got in a car crash and she was taken there was no trail to follow they gave up the search for her. "yes there already a group coming through mona fall right now." this is what his uncle said to him to reassure him and he didn't say much more than that and sure he didn't give up of finding his mom but he still didn't show enough emotions.
In the end ladies and gentlemen, I found soul keepers to be a great book and I would say everyone should give this book a chance. It is for everyone it is a good read and it is not a "boy book" or a "girl book" it will suit everyone with a little romance and some action.
March 6, 2017
DNF @ 16%
I picked this up for free with over a thousand glowing reviews. It had an Asian American protagonist and the promise of a great mystery! I've now spent 50 pages getting to hate everything about this kid and his life. We're left with a mystery that so far we haven't developed at all, instead focusing on the exact hue of his room and hinting that sometime in the next 200 pages maybe we'll address The Creepy House Down The Way. The dialogue is dry, the one discussion of bigotry was cringe-inducing, everyone around him seems to be Lemony Snicket evil without the comedy, and he himself is a jerk. I'm out.
I picked this up for free with over a thousand glowing reviews. It had an Asian American protagonist and the promise of a great mystery! I've now spent 50 pages getting to hate everything about this kid and his life. We're left with a mystery that so far we haven't developed at all, instead focusing on the exact hue of his room and hinting that sometime in the next 200 pages maybe we'll address The Creepy House Down The Way. The dialogue is dry, the one discussion of bigotry was cringe-inducing, everyone around him seems to be Lemony Snicket evil without the comedy, and he himself is a jerk. I'm out.
March 29, 2015
4.5 stars.
Warning, slight spoilers ahead. I recommend this book for JFi (and possibly Morgan), and this review will not ruin it for her. :-)
So, this is the only Christian author who's work I've been able to approach without scorn in the past 10 years. I did not know it was a Christian book when I started reading it - it's published as mainstream YA fantasy, and I picked it up on BookBub for cheap.
I admit that at one point I started being scornful (and there does remain one point on which I will continue to be scornful), but...well...it sucked me in by being a good story.
This first book in the six-book series has a climax in which the hero must either 'believe' or be crushed for all time and the world along with him...And he decides that he doesn't believe in God the way the Christians do, but he believes there is a force that is outside of himself and upon which he can turn to for power, and he thereby defeats evil.
And then the epilogue is very careful to point out that although his family is Catholic and his gf is born-again, he does not believe in that way and never will - it's not his path - but that God is okay with that.
I was intrigued by this amount of religious tolerance in a Christian book, so I and went and read the (female!) author's website. Her FAQ contains the question, "What religion are you?" To which she replies, "I am Christian and a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. Many times this question comes up in connection with Soul Catcher [fourth book in the series] and the fact I've included a homosexual character in a fantasy series with strong religious themes. It surprises many people to learn that there is no agreement among Christians about homosexuality, despite what you hear on TV. My denomination is progressive in this regard, and I am an advocate for LGBT rights and equality. I also believe that tolerance and open discourse among people with diverse religious beliefs is important if we are to have any hope of fostering a peaceful world."
I have continued reading this series with enthusiasm and am really enjoying it.
Warning, slight spoilers ahead. I recommend this book for JFi (and possibly Morgan), and this review will not ruin it for her. :-)
So, this is the only Christian author who's work I've been able to approach without scorn in the past 10 years. I did not know it was a Christian book when I started reading it - it's published as mainstream YA fantasy, and I picked it up on BookBub for cheap.
I admit that at one point I started being scornful (and there does remain one point on which I will continue to be scornful), but...well...it sucked me in by being a good story.
This first book in the six-book series has a climax in which the hero must either 'believe' or be crushed for all time and the world along with him...And he decides that he doesn't believe in God the way the Christians do, but he believes there is a force that is outside of himself and upon which he can turn to for power, and he thereby defeats evil.
And then the epilogue is very careful to point out that although his family is Catholic and his gf is born-again, he does not believe in that way and never will - it's not his path - but that God is okay with that.
I was intrigued by this amount of religious tolerance in a Christian book, so I and went and read the (female!) author's website. Her FAQ contains the question, "What religion are you?" To which she replies, "I am Christian and a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. Many times this question comes up in connection with Soul Catcher [fourth book in the series] and the fact I've included a homosexual character in a fantasy series with strong religious themes. It surprises many people to learn that there is no agreement among Christians about homosexuality, despite what you hear on TV. My denomination is progressive in this regard, and I am an advocate for LGBT rights and equality. I also believe that tolerance and open discourse among people with diverse religious beliefs is important if we are to have any hope of fostering a peaceful world."
I have continued reading this series with enthusiasm and am really enjoying it.
Read
December 28, 2012I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I first picked up the book. I had figured some supernatural or fantasy story judging solely on the cover and title - what I was *not* expecting were Christian elements to be woven into the story. On principle, I avoid books with real-world-religious-themes because it just feels uncomfortable but this one held some promise so I stuck to it.
The main protagonist, 15-year-old Jacob Lau, is a rather believable obnoxious, self-centered, attitude-ridden teenager. He's been through a lot and to be uprooted from everything he's ever known with the fear that his mother, currently missing, is presumed dead. There are no leads as to where she might be nor what happened to her so his surly attitude toward moving to Paris with family he's never even heard of after a near-death experience seems to be perfectly normal to me. Add to that getting picked on at school and home and I think Jacob's got good reason to be as angry as he is. But enter Malini whom I think was actually one of the book's saving graces. She's intelligent, an outcast, and not one to just go along with whatever Jacob says simply because she likes him. The girl's got a backbone and I very much appreciate her for it.
Dr. Silva and Giddeon (must say I really liked Giddeon even before his true identity was revealed) were interesting. The way the religious aspect of the book was handled is quite impressive as it wasn't overbearing nor was it shoving Christian beliefs down the readers' throats (at least I didn't feel that way throughout most of it). All in all, the plot held a great deal of promise although I'm not entirely sure where it's going given that Jacob alone cannot change the course of history that's been going on since the beginning of the world. I'm still quite curious though so that is enough to make me want to pick up the next book.
The main protagonist, 15-year-old Jacob Lau, is a rather believable obnoxious, self-centered, attitude-ridden teenager. He's been through a lot and to be uprooted from everything he's ever known with the fear that his mother, currently missing, is presumed dead. There are no leads as to where she might be nor what happened to her so his surly attitude toward moving to Paris with family he's never even heard of after a near-death experience seems to be perfectly normal to me. Add to that getting picked on at school and home and I think Jacob's got good reason to be as angry as he is. But enter Malini whom I think was actually one of the book's saving graces. She's intelligent, an outcast, and not one to just go along with whatever Jacob says simply because she likes him. The girl's got a backbone and I very much appreciate her for it.
Dr. Silva and Giddeon (must say I really liked Giddeon even before his true identity was revealed) were interesting. The way the religious aspect of the book was handled is quite impressive as it wasn't overbearing nor was it shoving Christian beliefs down the readers' throats (at least I didn't feel that way throughout most of it). All in all, the plot held a great deal of promise although I'm not entirely sure where it's going given that Jacob alone cannot change the course of history that's been going on since the beginning of the world. I'm still quite curious though so that is enough to make me want to pick up the next book.
December 24, 2011
I really enjoyed this novel, it's a real gem for the price. Although we once again had a teen with a previously unknown special talent and angels, both of which I'm a little sick of, the author managed to bring a different slant to the formula. Not only is it well written with great characters and a flawless plot, it has a bit more depth than a lot of popular fiction.
I'm the first one to run screaming at any hint of dogma, so I was a bit worried when I hit the quote from the bible and the resultant discussion of how to enterpret it, but I needn't have worried, the book didn't throw religion in my face even though it's firmly rooted in a Christian view point. I loved the comment on people made through the analogy of the fallen angels as being selfish, egotistical, materialistic and overly concerned with their appearance.
The problem with personifying God is that you have to give 'him' human qualities and I've read stuff that makes 'him' pretty rigid and unfeeling in 'his' rules that, for eg, keep angels and humans apart. G P Ching's God, however, has a refreshing flexibility in that 'he' finds a way for two star crossed lovers to be together and offers a way of redemption so they have some hope of a positive future together. I found this refreshing and showed the kind of compassion I would expect in a personaification of God. This love is only a small part of the story however.
All in all, I congratulate the author on doing a really fine job and being brave enough to have people's issues with religion in a YA book. I reccommend it for all lovers of YA fantasy no matter what their religion and even if they hate religion, they will find here just an excellent book.
I'm the first one to run screaming at any hint of dogma, so I was a bit worried when I hit the quote from the bible and the resultant discussion of how to enterpret it, but I needn't have worried, the book didn't throw religion in my face even though it's firmly rooted in a Christian view point. I loved the comment on people made through the analogy of the fallen angels as being selfish, egotistical, materialistic and overly concerned with their appearance.
The problem with personifying God is that you have to give 'him' human qualities and I've read stuff that makes 'him' pretty rigid and unfeeling in 'his' rules that, for eg, keep angels and humans apart. G P Ching's God, however, has a refreshing flexibility in that 'he' finds a way for two star crossed lovers to be together and offers a way of redemption so they have some hope of a positive future together. I found this refreshing and showed the kind of compassion I would expect in a personaification of God. This love is only a small part of the story however.
All in all, I congratulate the author on doing a really fine job and being brave enough to have people's issues with religion in a YA book. I reccommend it for all lovers of YA fantasy no matter what their religion and even if they hate religion, they will find here just an excellent book.
January 22, 2012
Okay, so first off this is really not what I expected this to be. I picked this up because 1. I read that it was so unique. 2. I read "complaints" about it being too religious and it talked about the Bible too much -- and since I'm a Christian - that is just gravy for me. 3. It was free and the first of a series so I thought it would be wonderful.
For a "young-adult" book and one that was supposedly "religious" I found too much objectionable material.
{sigh} This is full of foul language.
The hero and heroine (who are 15 years old) don't act like any good role models I've ever seen. They lie to their parents/guardians, sneak out & into bedrooms (of one another) where they have make out sessions on the bed ... then there are the plans to run away ...
It more or less puts down Christianity throughout the entire book. There is plenty of talk about how boring church is, how useless God is, a lot of talk about how all religions are the same ...
Sorcery is used. There is intense violence. Cannibalism, slavery ...
It also deals with other topics that are just uncomfortable like bullying and prejudice. These might not be too much on their own, but add them to the rest of the buffet and it isn't something I would suggest to any young people I know.
This may be a new take on fallen angels. They aren't wanting redemption and getting back to heaven. Some may rejoice in this darker, grittier version. I would just as soon take a pass.
For a "young-adult" book and one that was supposedly "religious" I found too much objectionable material.
{sigh} This is full of foul language.
The hero and heroine (who are 15 years old) don't act like any good role models I've ever seen. They lie to their parents/guardians, sneak out & into bedrooms (of one another) where they have make out sessions on the bed ... then there are the plans to run away ...
It more or less puts down Christianity throughout the entire book. There is plenty of talk about how boring church is, how useless God is, a lot of talk about how all religions are the same ...
Sorcery is used. There is intense violence. Cannibalism, slavery ...
It also deals with other topics that are just uncomfortable like bullying and prejudice. These might not be too much on their own, but add them to the rest of the buffet and it isn't something I would suggest to any young people I know.
This may be a new take on fallen angels. They aren't wanting redemption and getting back to heaven. Some may rejoice in this darker, grittier version. I would just as soon take a pass.
November 30, 2011
G.P.Ching is a beautiful storyteller with a vivid imagination. Not every author will manage to put together an angry half-Chinese boy, a mysterious Indian girl, strange powers, secret gardens, Fallen angels and one big vegetarian cat, and pull it off.
I really enjoyed this book, because it was that strange and eery. The concept of Fallen angels and those who protect humans from them is not unique, but the way G.P.Ching brings the story to life is enchanting.
The characters are really well done and have their own multiple layers, - Jacob and Malini opposing to prejudiced kids in a tiny American town, Dr.Silva in her haunted Victorian house and her weird herbal teas, creepy Fallen angels....
The writing is very engaging, I simply flew through the book. It gets pretty intense closer to the end and involves other dimensions and a fierce battle between Good and Evil. I am very much looking forward to book #2 Weaving Destiny, which I'll probably pick up sometime next year.
Great read and much recommended.
I really enjoyed this book, because it was that strange and eery. The concept of Fallen angels and those who protect humans from them is not unique, but the way G.P.Ching brings the story to life is enchanting.
The characters are really well done and have their own multiple layers, - Jacob and Malini opposing to prejudiced kids in a tiny American town, Dr.Silva in her haunted Victorian house and her weird herbal teas, creepy Fallen angels....
The writing is very engaging, I simply flew through the book. It gets pretty intense closer to the end and involves other dimensions and a fierce battle between Good and Evil. I am very much looking forward to book #2 Weaving Destiny, which I'll probably pick up sometime next year.
Great read and much recommended.
December 8, 2016
The writing was very well done and I did enjoy the characters. The plot also has potential to be interesting and these are why it got three stars.
The reason it would have gotten less if any of the above was sorely lacking -
The religious overtures were just too much. I understand the need to sometimes put in a few mentions or one or two scriptures but this book went from awesome to bible study by half the book. By the end, it was pretty much the focus and the rest of the good stuff was rushed through. Disappointing.
I'm sure this series will continue to get better but it's just not for me. I'd only recommend it to those that lean towards heavily religious books. I wish the main page genre on Goodreads had tagged it as Christian so I could have avoided it in the first place.
The reason it would have gotten less if any of the above was sorely lacking -
The religious overtures were just too much. I understand the need to sometimes put in a few mentions or one or two scriptures but this book went from awesome to bible study by half the book. By the end, it was pretty much the focus and the rest of the good stuff was rushed through. Disappointing.
I'm sure this series will continue to get better but it's just not for me. I'd only recommend it to those that lean towards heavily religious books. I wish the main page genre on Goodreads had tagged it as Christian so I could have avoided it in the first place.
March 26, 2016
I may have just finished this book, but I couldn't tell you what happened in it. Perhaps I've been too distracted and need to re-read but to be completely honest, I don't see that happening when it wasn't memorable in the first place O.o
February 5, 2012
I only downloaded this because it was free on Amazon. Very glad I did. What a great book. Can't wait to read the next one.
August 10, 2017
There were parts of this novel I enjoyed, but overall there was far too much telling and not showing. This made the writing come across as amateurish at times. There were also inconsistencies in both characterization and plot on occasion. However, what bothered me most were the times when the characters didn't behave like real people.
What did I like? I liked that the story was relatively unusual in terms of plot. I also liked that I was never really bored. The story kept moving forward and, for the most part, kept me involved. I just wish Ms. Ching would learn how to show us what the characters are feeling, rather than tell us what they're feeling. When she started doing that, she lost me.
Would I recommend it? Not really. There are much better books out there.
What did I like? I liked that the story was relatively unusual in terms of plot. I also liked that I was never really bored. The story kept moving forward and, for the most part, kept me involved. I just wish Ms. Ching would learn how to show us what the characters are feeling, rather than tell us what they're feeling. When she started doing that, she lost me.
Would I recommend it? Not really. There are much better books out there.
May 15, 2018
This is a must read it is so good you don’t want to put down good vs evil very descriptive and well written
February 8, 2019
Book 11 complete.
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