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The Wolven Scholar #2
Pedigree Penitentiary
No good deed goes unpunished. Julien and his classmates have been arrested for murdering Victoria. Handed a heavy sentence despite their excuses, they are sorted into prison cells to begin serving time. It does not take long for them to discover they've entered a strange world of lies and brutal punishments. They must be liberated at all costs.
194 pages, Hardcover
First published July 26, 2019
5 people want to read
About the author
Nevelious Jordan
3 books63 followersThe self-proclaimed "Teller of Tyneside Tales" Nevelious Jordan (sometimes credited as "Nevelious Jourdan") spends his time between Newcastle upon Tyne and Washington D.C. A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, he has a deep appreciation for all things literary, especially those of the dark and quirky variety. His debut novel, School of the Wolven Way, is the first installment in an ongoing series.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 19, 2021
The magic system? Great
The fighting scenes? Fantastic
The characters? Full of personality. I was able to see a little bit of everyone I know in each character, which I really appreciated.
HOWEVER....
The over-flowery language takes away from the imagery. I had to constantly go back and reread parts over and over because something went over my head. Sometimes, by the time I get to another part, I forgot what I already read in a previous part so I would have to go back pages. It’s an action-packed fantasy with a lot of positive aspects, but sometimes, the heavy writing made this book begrudgingly slow.
I love a good literary fiction, which is how this book reads to me, but when I’m reading about a fight scene or a breakdown of Julian’s or Salvador’s powers, I just wanted quick and easy and not poetic-like prose.
Overall, It was a really good book and I can’t wait for the third.
The fighting scenes? Fantastic
The characters? Full of personality. I was able to see a little bit of everyone I know in each character, which I really appreciated.
HOWEVER....
The over-flowery language takes away from the imagery. I had to constantly go back and reread parts over and over because something went over my head. Sometimes, by the time I get to another part, I forgot what I already read in a previous part so I would have to go back pages. It’s an action-packed fantasy with a lot of positive aspects, but sometimes, the heavy writing made this book begrudgingly slow.
I love a good literary fiction, which is how this book reads to me, but when I’m reading about a fight scene or a breakdown of Julian’s or Salvador’s powers, I just wanted quick and easy and not poetic-like prose.
Overall, It was a really good book and I can’t wait for the third.
October 6, 2019
This is definitely an improvement from the first book, I'll say that. The author seemed to take a lot of the criticisms from the first story and improved them in this one. The biggest being the voice of the narrator and Julien. It was far to complex and filled with jargon to truly immerse oneself in the previous story. This installment doesn't suffer from that problem, and the author did a pretty good job addressing this change in a believable fashion within the story itself.
There are a lot more interesting characters in this installment such as Salvador and Dr. Jung. The allies and villains alike just seemed more compelling with backstories and ideals I found interesting. Which leads me to my third point, that exposition was brought up in the story much smoother this time around. In the previous book exposition sometimes came off as a school lecture, which I personally don't fancy.
Unlike the first book, this one has much more of an adventury feel to it. I prefer to learn about the world and different things in it as the characters travel and discover things as well. The first installment focused much more on setting the groundwork for the characters and the origin of their powers and the school. I definitely can't wait to find out what else this author has in store for us!
There are a lot more interesting characters in this installment such as Salvador and Dr. Jung. The allies and villains alike just seemed more compelling with backstories and ideals I found interesting. Which leads me to my third point, that exposition was brought up in the story much smoother this time around. In the previous book exposition sometimes came off as a school lecture, which I personally don't fancy.
Unlike the first book, this one has much more of an adventury feel to it. I prefer to learn about the world and different things in it as the characters travel and discover things as well. The first installment focused much more on setting the groundwork for the characters and the origin of their powers and the school. I definitely can't wait to find out what else this author has in store for us!
March 15, 2020
This book was sent to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions remain my own.
The author reached out to me to try out the sequel after not enjoying the first book. This was very admirable and I agree with some other reviewers that Jordan clearly took on board what reviewers were saying to make improvements (e.g. the overly complex language that felt unnatural for a bunch of teens had been shortened at least, if not entirely simplified). Yet it didn't dispel the barbaric and unnecessary descriptions used, such as "Jackhammeeing the chair's hind leg, he shredded her labia".
I was warned the prison setting was going to unearth some hard scenes, but I was disgusted by the rascist language and the disgusting descriptions of the 15 year old main character's genitals and this was only 23 pages in. If it was just characters speaking like this then okay, but the actual narration could be really unnecessarily disgusting, for example "Julian shadowed her, his nose all but penetrating her harlequin thong-adorned vagina." .... What on earth?
This was a sentence to describe a situation and it did not need to be described like this. Unfortunately the line "you went from speaking like an unrealistic, poorly written protagonist to a believable 15 year old" still did not ring true for me and I'm very sorry to say that.
When looking at actual plot/story, despite looking over my previous review of the first book to refresh my mind, I struggled to get into the plot as I was lost. As the story originally was quite confusing in book one, I think it would have been good to have a prologue of sorts just recapping the first book as it did take me a while to remember characters and what went down.
The Prison plot was over rather quickly, but I'm kind of glad because it was pretty dark and brutal during those scenes. I was intrigued when mention of Atlantis came up as I'm fascinated by that lost civilisation myth and legend, however it wasn't what I expected and left a lot to be desired. I do admire the unique take on it though, but it just wasn't a take I could get on board with.
I don't know how or why a sex scene came about but although it was a fade to black sort of scenario, I just found the whole thing vulgar and out of place in the sense that I didn't see how it sprouted out of nowhere. This is when I noticed my face had been twisted in a mixture of disgust and confusion for a while, because it ached.
Bestiality scenes made me very uncomfortable. Just another point I wanted to note.
Once again the "inspiration" of Ransom Riggs' series is a bit too obvious.... "Library Of Solstice" (... "Library Of souls") ... "brave new world"... to name but a few. It definitely became more of its own thing in this sequel, but some things or concepts still felt a bit too close to imitation, which is odd to say because Jordan's books really is it's own thing and lore, which could be incredibly fascinating if approached in a more, perhaps, tasteful way. I don't mean tasteful as in the writing isn't intricate (yet overly so), but it just doesn't flow, it's unnecessarily obscene and there's too many confusing sentences, scenes, etc spliced together for me to really ever make any sense of what is going on.
One thing I really did enjoy was the discussions of religion and science through the conversations between Julien and Salvador. It didn't come across preachy at all but very passionate and engaging.
Honestly, I think Jordan should dip his toes into adult fiction, following adult characters because I just found the use of language in general inappropriate and uncomfortable for this set of characters and the writing still too complex and confusing, for what I believe to be his target audience (YA).
The author clearly cares about his storytelling and the craft, but I think perhaps a suggestion on my behalf would be to explore other avenues within the world of literature, to find a genre that really makes his work shine, once he wraps up this series.
Pick it up, give it a go and enjoy! >(^_^)<
Gén
The author reached out to me to try out the sequel after not enjoying the first book. This was very admirable and I agree with some other reviewers that Jordan clearly took on board what reviewers were saying to make improvements (e.g. the overly complex language that felt unnatural for a bunch of teens had been shortened at least, if not entirely simplified). Yet it didn't dispel the barbaric and unnecessary descriptions used, such as "Jackhammeeing the chair's hind leg, he shredded her labia".
I was warned the prison setting was going to unearth some hard scenes, but I was disgusted by the rascist language and the disgusting descriptions of the 15 year old main character's genitals and this was only 23 pages in. If it was just characters speaking like this then okay, but the actual narration could be really unnecessarily disgusting, for example "Julian shadowed her, his nose all but penetrating her harlequin thong-adorned vagina." .... What on earth?
This was a sentence to describe a situation and it did not need to be described like this. Unfortunately the line "you went from speaking like an unrealistic, poorly written protagonist to a believable 15 year old" still did not ring true for me and I'm very sorry to say that.
When looking at actual plot/story, despite looking over my previous review of the first book to refresh my mind, I struggled to get into the plot as I was lost. As the story originally was quite confusing in book one, I think it would have been good to have a prologue of sorts just recapping the first book as it did take me a while to remember characters and what went down.
The Prison plot was over rather quickly, but I'm kind of glad because it was pretty dark and brutal during those scenes. I was intrigued when mention of Atlantis came up as I'm fascinated by that lost civilisation myth and legend, however it wasn't what I expected and left a lot to be desired. I do admire the unique take on it though, but it just wasn't a take I could get on board with.
I don't know how or why a sex scene came about but although it was a fade to black sort of scenario, I just found the whole thing vulgar and out of place in the sense that I didn't see how it sprouted out of nowhere. This is when I noticed my face had been twisted in a mixture of disgust and confusion for a while, because it ached.
Bestiality scenes made me very uncomfortable. Just another point I wanted to note.
Once again the "inspiration" of Ransom Riggs' series is a bit too obvious.... "Library Of Solstice" (... "Library Of souls") ... "brave new world"... to name but a few. It definitely became more of its own thing in this sequel, but some things or concepts still felt a bit too close to imitation, which is odd to say because Jordan's books really is it's own thing and lore, which could be incredibly fascinating if approached in a more, perhaps, tasteful way. I don't mean tasteful as in the writing isn't intricate (yet overly so), but it just doesn't flow, it's unnecessarily obscene and there's too many confusing sentences, scenes, etc spliced together for me to really ever make any sense of what is going on.
One thing I really did enjoy was the discussions of religion and science through the conversations between Julien and Salvador. It didn't come across preachy at all but very passionate and engaging.
Honestly, I think Jordan should dip his toes into adult fiction, following adult characters because I just found the use of language in general inappropriate and uncomfortable for this set of characters and the writing still too complex and confusing, for what I believe to be his target audience (YA).
The author clearly cares about his storytelling and the craft, but I think perhaps a suggestion on my behalf would be to explore other avenues within the world of literature, to find a genre that really makes his work shine, once he wraps up this series.
Pick it up, give it a go and enjoy! >(^_^)<
Gén
November 3, 2021
This is the sequel to The Woven Way. The authors style is still well in order. It's not a long tale, which I personally prefer. YA isn't usually what I like to read but just like the first book I found the writing very intellectual and well put together, for a YA novel it's a bit unexpected. There is a mixture of elements in this series, paranormal, a taste of horror and adventure as well. It has realistic subject matters... I myself don't particularly care for such in fictional stories I read but I am sure many a reader will like that element. I tip my hat to the author yet again for his clever writing style. I recommend this book to anyone looking for an adventure unlike any other I have read.
October 23, 2019
This review is from the perspective of a casual reader. For me, this book was both an improvement and a step back in developing this story's world. I read the first book, School of the Wolven Way. I was thrilled that the author decided to make the lead protagonist Haitian, had a mix of male and female characters, and had a compelling second half of the story. However, the way the characters spoke didn't feel natural and there were too many lengthy poetic descriptions that took away from any action that occurred. Those two issues were drastically improved in this book. The characters, Julien, Blair, Piper, and Noah, felt more like teenagers and more like a team. Also, compelling new characters like Salvador, the Atlanteans, and Dr. Jung created new dynamics to the story. I also loved the way the author played with time in this story.
I did like the various nods to Lovecraftian horror. However, while the adventure was more interesting and the stakes were raised, I thought the casual violence and various forms of "-isms" that were supposed to contribute to the world building were overbearing for the type of story I thought I was going to read and didn't fit the tone of a young adult fantasy fiction novel. This is especially because I don't think there were enough action scenes where everyone used their grace against enemies. As a result, I felt like the author setting the scene would disconnect me from the overall plot at times.
I wish I loved this installation of the series more, but I'm happy to stick with the story to complete the trilogy. There are some very promising aspects between the first book and this second one that I think the author will combine and keep in mind for a big finish!
I did like the various nods to Lovecraftian horror. However, while the adventure was more interesting and the stakes were raised, I thought the casual violence and various forms of "-isms" that were supposed to contribute to the world building were overbearing for the type of story I thought I was going to read and didn't fit the tone of a young adult fantasy fiction novel. This is especially because I don't think there were enough action scenes where everyone used their grace against enemies. As a result, I felt like the author setting the scene would disconnect me from the overall plot at times.
I wish I loved this installation of the series more, but I'm happy to stick with the story to complete the trilogy. There are some very promising aspects between the first book and this second one that I think the author will combine and keep in mind for a big finish!
January 9, 2020
The second book to the series showed major improvements from the first. In the first installment of this series, the author used vocabulary that was very difficult to understand and for the audience being targeted, it wasn’t a good fit. However, even with these problems, the first book showed great promise with an engaging storyline.
After reading the second book, I can see how the author took the reviews of his readers seriously and worked to improve his writing skills. The second book was much more readable and really kept me engaged throughout its entirety. The plot kept me reading from start to finish. I am very excited to see how good the 3rd book is after reading the first two. I’m sure the author will continue to improve and also continue to surprise his readers with a fantastic story.
After reading the second book, I can see how the author took the reviews of his readers seriously and worked to improve his writing skills. The second book was much more readable and really kept me engaged throughout its entirety. The plot kept me reading from start to finish. I am very excited to see how good the 3rd book is after reading the first two. I’m sure the author will continue to improve and also continue to surprise his readers with a fantastic story.
April 26, 2020
Pedigree Penitentiary by Nevelious Jordan is the sequel to School of The Wolven Way. I had looked forward to reading it as soon as I finished the first book. I liked that the cover style maintained the modern aesthetic of it's predecessor. Plus it hinted at the Wolven aspect of the Elehominum! I love wolves and the idea of familiars so I was excited to see the paws on the cover.
The sequel picks up with the arrest of Julien and his classmates who are charged with murdering Victoria. They are transported to a maximum security prison in Noyeur Atlantis where they encounter scummy, power hungry officers and an unrelenting cold judge. Immediately charged as guilty, the quartet begins their plan to attempt a jailbreak and determine who's behind their incarceration. The plot thickens as the characters meet new and interesting people at every turn, including a former envoy and student of Edensgire Academy. We also get a glimpse of a hidden society that is imprisoned underwater as well as a new threat to the Elehominum, Emily and Navi'el.
I feel like Julien, Blair, Piper and Noah all have clear strong storylines but I like the growth I see in each individual. It's also great to see how their team dynamics ebb and flow but constantly strengthen.
The story progressed quickly and held my attention with a mix of history and lore, including finding out about the Guardians of the Graces, and extreme action. I enjoyed the second installment of this series thoroughly and I think the author remedied a few of the issues with the debut novel. Nevelious Jordan has created several rich and vivid settings for a story ripe with creative and unique characters. His emphasis on detail and representation makes for a read unlike any other.
I gave it 5 stars because I enjoyed the characters and storyline. I think the plot was rounded out nicely and I can't wait to see what happens next!
The sequel picks up with the arrest of Julien and his classmates who are charged with murdering Victoria. They are transported to a maximum security prison in Noyeur Atlantis where they encounter scummy, power hungry officers and an unrelenting cold judge. Immediately charged as guilty, the quartet begins their plan to attempt a jailbreak and determine who's behind their incarceration. The plot thickens as the characters meet new and interesting people at every turn, including a former envoy and student of Edensgire Academy. We also get a glimpse of a hidden society that is imprisoned underwater as well as a new threat to the Elehominum, Emily and Navi'el.
I feel like Julien, Blair, Piper and Noah all have clear strong storylines but I like the growth I see in each individual. It's also great to see how their team dynamics ebb and flow but constantly strengthen.
The story progressed quickly and held my attention with a mix of history and lore, including finding out about the Guardians of the Graces, and extreme action. I enjoyed the second installment of this series thoroughly and I think the author remedied a few of the issues with the debut novel. Nevelious Jordan has created several rich and vivid settings for a story ripe with creative and unique characters. His emphasis on detail and representation makes for a read unlike any other.
I gave it 5 stars because I enjoyed the characters and storyline. I think the plot was rounded out nicely and I can't wait to see what happens next!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2021
Jordan's style of storytelling is very unique. I can tell that Ransom Riggs really is this guy's favorite author, because he borrowed some elements from him (like picking the story up right where the last book left off and Portman being one character's last name), but he's not a copycat. The new characters he introduced were fun for the amount of time we had them and pretty easy to sympathize with. I was wondering when we would get a fire user so I liked Salvador the most out of everyone. It's not often we see characters who use lava or magma, and I want to give Jordan props for using that to his advantage. I liked Ava being the new temporary envoy for the kids. She seemed much more capable of a leader than say, Sister Agnieszka. I was also really liking minor characters, like Nikita and the tractor driver. We get to see plenty of new, weird monsters doing horrible things and that's the type of stuff that really builds suspense in a book. The final battle with Emily had my heart pounding; I thought she was definitely going to kill everyone. I'm not sure if I liked her better than Victoria but the case is there because she was more fleshed out and her powers were more extensive. Overall, this book is vastly superior to School of the Wolven Way.
November 23, 2020
A brilliant follow up to 'School Of The Wolven Way'.
I thoroughly enjoyed the second book in this series, Pedigree Penitentiary' is a strong follow up to 'School Of The Wolven Way'. The original characters continued to grow and bond, some very good dialogue between them. A couple of new characters are introduced which freshen things up and keep your mind second guessing them. The story picks up the pace in this book, I felt the action was brilliantly written and exciting to read. It has some unexpected twists and turns which keep you wanting to read more. Some scenes have added emotional involvement which heighten the experience of continuing to read on.
Nevelious Jordan's writing has improved from his first book, and this book is well worth reading if you get the chance.
I thoroughly enjoyed the second book in this series, Pedigree Penitentiary' is a strong follow up to 'School Of The Wolven Way'. The original characters continued to grow and bond, some very good dialogue between them. A couple of new characters are introduced which freshen things up and keep your mind second guessing them. The story picks up the pace in this book, I felt the action was brilliantly written and exciting to read. It has some unexpected twists and turns which keep you wanting to read more. Some scenes have added emotional involvement which heighten the experience of continuing to read on.
Nevelious Jordan's writing has improved from his first book, and this book is well worth reading if you get the chance.
March 19, 2020
This is an excellent read. The characters are vibrant and the story captivates the reader from start to finish. A world indeed of oddities which take you on a vast journey. Fierce and exciting battles. The writing is phenomenal as the story feels as if its playing out right in front of you. I highly recommend grabbing a copy you will not be disappointed. The heart puts his heart and soul into his books and it clearly transcends across each page. Grab a copy and enjoy the ride through this adventure. Its absolutely a fantastic read.
October 14, 2020
I’m glad this story picks up right where the last one left off. Salvador was the coolest out of all the new characters; However, I wish he could've survived somehow. I also really liked the scenes where he used his magma. There was a very interesting take on Atlantis and its inhabitants. Lastly, the fight scene with Emily was the best in the series so far and I'm wondering how it can be topped! 5 Stars!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 3, 2022
Wow.
Wow. Wow. Wow. I didn't have any idea I was about to get so hooked on a series. I like this one even better than the first!
It is amazing to me that Nevelious hasn't fallen prey to the formula method of writing and create a second book that feels like it had the same challenges as the first. This was truly cool!
Can't wait for the next one!
Wow. Wow. Wow. I didn't have any idea I was about to get so hooked on a series. I like this one even better than the first!
It is amazing to me that Nevelious hasn't fallen prey to the formula method of writing and create a second book that feels like it had the same challenges as the first. This was truly cool!
Can't wait for the next one!
February 6, 2022
I really enjoyed the second installment of this series!
I feel like the characters are very much more in-depth and you are able to get to know more about them as a whole. Yes to new characters and a plethora of diversity!! I love that there is a strong black main character who is supremely intelligent. A natural born leader who’s main concern is helping his friend no matter what. The loyalty and love these characters have for each other is amazing. The plot was great especially the prison break and going to Atlantis!! I loved this book and can’t wait to start book 3!!!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I feel like the characters are very much more in-depth and you are able to get to know more about them as a whole. Yes to new characters and a plethora of diversity!! I love that there is a strong black main character who is supremely intelligent. A natural born leader who’s main concern is helping his friend no matter what. The loyalty and love these characters have for each other is amazing. The plot was great especially the prison break and going to Atlantis!! I loved this book and can’t wait to start book 3!!!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
March 3, 2022
I was anxious to see where the new novel would begin. No time was wasted getting back into the narrative; the story began where it left off in School of the Wolven Way. It didn’t take me as long to read this book compared to the first installment. I think the writing style is very much attributed to that. It was nice to see how the storytelling skills evolved without changing the lifeblood of the story.
This book definitely took readers deeper into the fantasy. The author truly did a great job bringing new worlds and new characters to life. The book is chalked full of scenes that my mind could only imagine given the descriptive style that is all the author’s own. The storyline definitely included some racy topics when compared to the previous novel. There were lots of jaw-dropping moments but, all of the moments added to the story's depth. This was an entertaining read from beginning to end.
This book definitely took readers deeper into the fantasy. The author truly did a great job bringing new worlds and new characters to life. The book is chalked full of scenes that my mind could only imagine given the descriptive style that is all the author’s own. The storyline definitely included some racy topics when compared to the previous novel. There were lots of jaw-dropping moments but, all of the moments added to the story's depth. This was an entertaining read from beginning to end.
November 14, 2019
After reading and enjoying the first book I couldn't wait to get stuck into this one. And I really wasnt disappointed, I was sucked into a world with more 'grace' and adventure than I could have imagined. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the new characters and their graces as well feeling the friendship and connection between Blaire, Piper, Julien and Noah grow.
Overall the fight scenes in this book are really gripping and more detailed than the first. They really had me on the edge about what way they would go and some parts actually had me in tears. The only thing I would like to see now is all of them use their graces together!
I'm really looking forward to finishing the trilogy!
Overall the fight scenes in this book are really gripping and more detailed than the first. They really had me on the edge about what way they would go and some parts actually had me in tears. The only thing I would like to see now is all of them use their graces together!
I'm really looking forward to finishing the trilogy!
September 13, 2019
This book was a lot darker than the first one. Some of the violence was a bit unnecessary but I liked a lot of the story elements, especially the bit about the Kindred Spirits (wish we got to see them in action.) Also, I enjoyed Emily and all her scenes. I thought she was a better enemy than Victoria from the first book even though they had the same grace.
November 16, 2019
There was absolutely nothing but good quality content from beginning to end. What amazes me about Nevelious is that he writes on topics quite common in the current world of fiction yet does it with such an incredibly fresh take one never feels he or she is reading the regurgitated. This is a series that is begging to be turned to the big screen! It is captivating through and through!
September 18, 2019
Another great book, absolutely loved it and would definitely recommend to others, I really enjoy this style of writing and truly enjoyed the book
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews