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The Code of Magic
There's a monster in Alex's backyard. He doesn't know how it got there, but with his parents refusing to help, Alex must capture it on his own. When he does, a monster hunting Keeper comes to claim it. Alex follows the Keeper to the world of Edin, a preserve for monsters run by magic-wielders. Aboard the Keeper's airship, and with his giant socket wrench-wielding monster companion, Alex must learn the art of magic if he hopes to stay in this wondrous world. But as he trains with the other children in the fortress of Babili, rumors begin that the Heretic Pharaoh has returned, and Alex's new home is in danger.
299 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2016
1 person is currently reading
244 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 4, 2017
Some books makes you believe in the beauty of magic. This is one such book.
The plot revolves around a pre-teen and his tryst with learning about magic. For details you need to read the book. And let me assure you, the storyline succeeds in subtly addressing the mind of a young boy. It is not easy to live with abusive parents and to remain determined inspite of a broken family is something that this story definitely teaches.
David weaves magic with his choice of words. The language is children friendly, hence this story can be read by any age group. The narration has no breaks or jerks and what actually makes it amazing is the twists and turns it introduces. The way the story takes a reader through an eventful journey, where every moment is thrilling, is something commendable. The storyline conjures up so many imageries in our minds. I felt I was watching a movie in my mind. And yes, I did feel involved as a reader. I felt I was silently present with the protagonist and was a part of everything that was happening around him.
Loved the way David crafted his protagonist. Alex not only took a reader through the storyline but it was he who brought in so many varied emotions in the readers. All the other characters justified their presence in the story as well. Kudos to the author for creating characters who are bound to leave an impact on minds and hearts.
To sum up, this story is amazing and excellently penned. A perfect must read if you are looking for inspiration. There is no age for learning and this story teaches you through a twelve year old that life is all about living, and living it well. This is a story that has a universal appeal and would make every reader feel happy in the end. What makes this story more endearing is the fact that it subtly hints thats that there is magic within us and its code is around us. We need to take time to understand and decipher the same to make our magic work. After reading Alex's story, every reader would start believing that when we seek magic within ourselves through our strengths we create magic around us that is positive and inspirational.
P.S - Thank you Clare for introducing me to the writings of David. He helped me discover the Code of Magic within me. This review is my honest opinion after reading the story.
The plot revolves around a pre-teen and his tryst with learning about magic. For details you need to read the book. And let me assure you, the storyline succeeds in subtly addressing the mind of a young boy. It is not easy to live with abusive parents and to remain determined inspite of a broken family is something that this story definitely teaches.
David weaves magic with his choice of words. The language is children friendly, hence this story can be read by any age group. The narration has no breaks or jerks and what actually makes it amazing is the twists and turns it introduces. The way the story takes a reader through an eventful journey, where every moment is thrilling, is something commendable. The storyline conjures up so many imageries in our minds. I felt I was watching a movie in my mind. And yes, I did feel involved as a reader. I felt I was silently present with the protagonist and was a part of everything that was happening around him.
Loved the way David crafted his protagonist. Alex not only took a reader through the storyline but it was he who brought in so many varied emotions in the readers. All the other characters justified their presence in the story as well. Kudos to the author for creating characters who are bound to leave an impact on minds and hearts.
To sum up, this story is amazing and excellently penned. A perfect must read if you are looking for inspiration. There is no age for learning and this story teaches you through a twelve year old that life is all about living, and living it well. This is a story that has a universal appeal and would make every reader feel happy in the end. What makes this story more endearing is the fact that it subtly hints thats that there is magic within us and its code is around us. We need to take time to understand and decipher the same to make our magic work. After reading Alex's story, every reader would start believing that when we seek magic within ourselves through our strengths we create magic around us that is positive and inspirational.
P.S - Thank you Clare for introducing me to the writings of David. He helped me discover the Code of Magic within me. This review is my honest opinion after reading the story.
March 1, 2016
There are so many things stuffed into this book--magic, monsters, a little bit of steampunk, different worlds and even a tiny glimpse at Egyptian history (very slight). It seems almost impossible that all of this can somehow slide together seamlessly, but it does...and forms a fantastic read.
Alex is a normal kid from Chicago, who happens to have a pretty miserable family life. But he doesn't let that get him down, and it's exactly this golden attitude which makes him easy to like from the very first page on. He spends most of his time in a tree house, and as the story starts, is dealing with monster attacks (not that anyone would believe him). The scary claw marks, macabre dead animals and huge furry sized shadow give a dangerous touch and catapult Alex's 'simple' life into a huge adventure.
I really enjoyed Alex's spunk. Even when faced with impossible situations and impending danger, he figures he might as well deal with things as best he can and never backs down. Although this does cause him some problems, the attitude brings him far. His bravery often surprised me, and his ingenuity is simply a delight to read about. He's the kind of character boys will root for and wish they could be like themselves.
The world Alex discovers is amazing, full of wonder and magic. The descriptions really bring everything to life, making it easy to picture despite all the new and strange surroundings. The author does a great job looking through Alex's eyes and never runs into the danger of dwelling on details too long. There's just the right amount of information to understand the surroundings, and then the imagination can take flight from there. The book almost feels like a rich and vibrant exploration to a world fantasy friends wish they could someday visit themselves.
Despite all of the magic and fantasy, there's enough thought behind things to make the world feel grounded. Even when Alex learns skills (like sword fighting and magic), the processes are explained with enough detail that the reader has the impression they might be able to learn the steps themselves.
The plot is quick paced and hits one unexpected turn after the other. From the very first moment that Alex runs into the head of the magical world, it's clear that not everything is as it seems, and that there's more at stake than anyone knows or is telling Alex. This adds a nice level of tension, which hangs in the background until the story really starts unfolding.
My favorite part of this story is the subtle humor and fun attitude of several of the characters. Alex's mentor has quite the personality, and even Alex himself faces dangerous situations, new monsters, life threatening moments and enjoys every moment of it. Neither are the type to sit and think about situations for too long, but want to go in head first. This energy is then mixed with a wonderful tongue-in-cheek and sarcastic humor. The dialogues are up-beat and often left me smiling. Despite this not always serious attitude, there's a nice depth as each faces their own, personal problems.
The other characters each have very distinct personalities, and good or bad, add the perfect spice at just the right times. Alex develops lasting friendships even when these don't seem possible in the beginning, and learns a lot about himself. In other words, there are messages middle graders will have no trouble relating to. . .when they aren't cheering Alex on while he's trying to fight/save monsters.
Summed up, this is a story which fantasy and adventure fans will not want to miss. There's tons of action, lots of amazing monsters and magic, and characters which one hopes to see again.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Alex is a normal kid from Chicago, who happens to have a pretty miserable family life. But he doesn't let that get him down, and it's exactly this golden attitude which makes him easy to like from the very first page on. He spends most of his time in a tree house, and as the story starts, is dealing with monster attacks (not that anyone would believe him). The scary claw marks, macabre dead animals and huge furry sized shadow give a dangerous touch and catapult Alex's 'simple' life into a huge adventure.
I really enjoyed Alex's spunk. Even when faced with impossible situations and impending danger, he figures he might as well deal with things as best he can and never backs down. Although this does cause him some problems, the attitude brings him far. His bravery often surprised me, and his ingenuity is simply a delight to read about. He's the kind of character boys will root for and wish they could be like themselves.
The world Alex discovers is amazing, full of wonder and magic. The descriptions really bring everything to life, making it easy to picture despite all the new and strange surroundings. The author does a great job looking through Alex's eyes and never runs into the danger of dwelling on details too long. There's just the right amount of information to understand the surroundings, and then the imagination can take flight from there. The book almost feels like a rich and vibrant exploration to a world fantasy friends wish they could someday visit themselves.
Despite all of the magic and fantasy, there's enough thought behind things to make the world feel grounded. Even when Alex learns skills (like sword fighting and magic), the processes are explained with enough detail that the reader has the impression they might be able to learn the steps themselves.
The plot is quick paced and hits one unexpected turn after the other. From the very first moment that Alex runs into the head of the magical world, it's clear that not everything is as it seems, and that there's more at stake than anyone knows or is telling Alex. This adds a nice level of tension, which hangs in the background until the story really starts unfolding.
My favorite part of this story is the subtle humor and fun attitude of several of the characters. Alex's mentor has quite the personality, and even Alex himself faces dangerous situations, new monsters, life threatening moments and enjoys every moment of it. Neither are the type to sit and think about situations for too long, but want to go in head first. This energy is then mixed with a wonderful tongue-in-cheek and sarcastic humor. The dialogues are up-beat and often left me smiling. Despite this not always serious attitude, there's a nice depth as each faces their own, personal problems.
The other characters each have very distinct personalities, and good or bad, add the perfect spice at just the right times. Alex develops lasting friendships even when these don't seem possible in the beginning, and learns a lot about himself. In other words, there are messages middle graders will have no trouble relating to. . .when they aren't cheering Alex on while he's trying to fight/save monsters.
Summed up, this is a story which fantasy and adventure fans will not want to miss. There's tons of action, lots of amazing monsters and magic, and characters which one hopes to see again.
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 31, 2016
Full Review is available at
http://bookplusheart.weebly.com/kids-...
This book is a suspenseful and funny page-turner for fans of
C.S Lewis, J.K Rowling, Rick Riordan, and all fantasy-lovers.
An absolute must-read!
After twelve-year-old Alex finds a monster in his backyard, he knows he can't just leave it there. But with his mother watching TV all day and his stepfather wishing that Alex never existed, he is forced to deal with it himself. When a strange swordsman named Zen takes it through a portal after Alex has captured it, he follows Zen into another world called Edin, where magic is everywhere and monsters are hardly surprising to anyone. Alex remains in Edin and begins to learn the art of magic. But when his new life is interrupted by Akhenaton, an evil pharaoh, and his army, Alex and his fellow magic trainees amass their own army to protect Edin. Can Alex and his recently acquired friends defend Edin from the opposing forces and defeat Akhenaton?
This book got off to a bit of a slow start, but once I kept reading, it was very good. Both the fantasy genre and the slightly boring beginning reminded me of Harry Potter, which is now my favorite book series.
The phrase "don't judge a book by its cover" doesn't apply to this book; the cover is as interesting as the story.
On the other hand, Alex shouldn't be judged by his cover; his ragged thrift-store-bought clothes and messy black hair don't exactly paint the picture of a monster-catcher or magic-doer. At the beginning, Alex is just a kid that scavenges for sustenance and lives in a scrappy tree house who's trying to gather enough courage to stop a mysterious creature from destroying it. But by the end, he's a hero in another dimension who's got the bravery to combat a dragon, if necessary. I admire that, despite the fact that he's got integrity, he refuses to kill anything unless he has to.
This book is a suspenseful and funny page-turner for fans of
C.S Lewis
J.K Rowling
Rick Riordan
and all fantasy-lovers.
April 2, 2016
Review originally posted at http://wp.me/p4Wvzn-1kC
Two Nerds Talking received a free review copy of Code of Magic by author David D. Hammons in exchange for a fair and honest review.
In the process of reviewing a book we're often asked the question "What drew you to this title?"
In the case of Code of Magic, I'd have to say t was a combination of factors. I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but the cover art of Code of Magic really intrigued me and once I read the book description my curiosity was peaked.
Code of Magic centers around the character of Alex, a twelve-year-old boy from Chicago with a particularly miserable family life.
Things are so bad that Alex pretty well fends for himself and lives in a treehouse in the backyard of the house belonging to his abusive stepfather and alcoholic mother.
When a strange creature invades his backyard and threatens the safety of his treehouse, Alex hatches a plan to capture the creature and in doing so is swept up into events that catapult him to the magical land of Edin where he meets the swashbuckling, magic wielding Zen.
I have to say I really loved the tone of this book, it's overarching sense of fun, even in more darker and dire points of the story.
The characters are wonderful and very well realised, particularly the characters of Zen and Alex.
On a personal note I have to say I really loved the character of Zen, who plays the fool a little but is hiding some serious issues and some deep-seated pain.
But it's not just the characters that are great, author David D. Hammons does a masterful job in creating the magical land of Edin, establishing the lore and rules of the realm in a way that fit beautifully with the overall fun tone of the novel.
Code of Magic is a wonderful book, reminiscent of classics like the chronicles of Narnia. I only hope there's more in the series.
Two Nerds Talking received a free review copy of Code of Magic by author David D. Hammons in exchange for a fair and honest review.
In the process of reviewing a book we're often asked the question "What drew you to this title?"
In the case of Code of Magic, I'd have to say t was a combination of factors. I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but the cover art of Code of Magic really intrigued me and once I read the book description my curiosity was peaked.
Code of Magic centers around the character of Alex, a twelve-year-old boy from Chicago with a particularly miserable family life.
Things are so bad that Alex pretty well fends for himself and lives in a treehouse in the backyard of the house belonging to his abusive stepfather and alcoholic mother.
When a strange creature invades his backyard and threatens the safety of his treehouse, Alex hatches a plan to capture the creature and in doing so is swept up into events that catapult him to the magical land of Edin where he meets the swashbuckling, magic wielding Zen.
I have to say I really loved the tone of this book, it's overarching sense of fun, even in more darker and dire points of the story.
The characters are wonderful and very well realised, particularly the characters of Zen and Alex.
On a personal note I have to say I really loved the character of Zen, who plays the fool a little but is hiding some serious issues and some deep-seated pain.
But it's not just the characters that are great, author David D. Hammons does a masterful job in creating the magical land of Edin, establishing the lore and rules of the realm in a way that fit beautifully with the overall fun tone of the novel.
Code of Magic is a wonderful book, reminiscent of classics like the chronicles of Narnia. I only hope there's more in the series.
March 17, 2016
Monsters, magic, and a whole lot more.... fills this book with a rip roaring adventure sure to keep your kids happy from cover to cover!! I thoroughly loved this story. Alex was a great character (reminded me of what my son and daughter would do) and his companions will win a spot in your heart for sure with their dynamite antics. From the capture of the monster to the air ship ride as well as the whole world of Edin, I was blown away by the lush details and the well developed story line. Besides all the magical goodness, the villain of the tale is satisfying and believable with enough scary to make him bad, but not too much to give younger or more sensitive kids nightmares. One of the best I've read in awhile!!
February 20, 2016
For full review please go to: 5girlsbookreviews.blogspot.com, Twitter @camartinez and Facebook "5 Girls Book Reviews"
REVIEW BY: Michaela, age 11 years, 8 months
MAY CONTAIN SPOILER:
This book is really amazing and I enjoyed it so much!
The Code of Magic has so much action packed into it.
My favorite character is Zen because he is an amazing teacher. He reminds me of my 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Smith, because she was so amazing. I'm not an easy student!
My favorite part is when Alex speaks to the dragon because it was really cool. I wish I could speak or even find a real dragon!
REVIEW BY: Michaela, age 11 years, 8 months
MAY CONTAIN SPOILER:
This book is really amazing and I enjoyed it so much!
The Code of Magic has so much action packed into it.
My favorite character is Zen because he is an amazing teacher. He reminds me of my 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Smith, because she was so amazing. I'm not an easy student!
My favorite part is when Alex speaks to the dragon because it was really cool. I wish I could speak or even find a real dragon!
January 15, 2017
A fun adventure!
This book is definitely one of fun and magic. Who could ask for more than magic and monsters, and in a kid's backyard? Kids that love adventure, imagination and fantasy would love this book. I really enjoyed it. Alex was a great kid and he was definitely full confidence and bravery. After all, he looks to capture a monster in his yard. A good read for anyone, but it is tailored to younger adults. Doesn't matter. Makes you believe in magic again.
This book is definitely one of fun and magic. Who could ask for more than magic and monsters, and in a kid's backyard? Kids that love adventure, imagination and fantasy would love this book. I really enjoyed it. Alex was a great kid and he was definitely full confidence and bravery. After all, he looks to capture a monster in his yard. A good read for anyone, but it is tailored to younger adults. Doesn't matter. Makes you believe in magic again.
March 11, 2017
Great magic adventure story for the middle school crowd. I am very much older than that, but still enjoyed the book. For more factual information on the characters who are taken from history and thrust into this book, please check out sources online or at your local library.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews