The Society of Unrelenting Vigilance

Candle Man #1

by Glenn Dakin

Murder, mystery, and adventure aren’t your typical birthday presents. . . .But for Theo, anything that breaks up his ordinary routine is the perfect gift.Theo’s guardians and a mysterious “illness” force him into a life indoors, where gloves must be worn and daily medical treatments are the norm. When Theo discovers a suspicious package on his birthday, he begins to unlock the secret behind his “illness” that will change his life forever.Molded into an exhilarating steampunk adventure that gives birth to the next great fantasy hero, Theo Wickland, Candle The Society of Unrelenting Vigilance is the first book in a trilogy.

Genres: Fantasy, Steampunk, Young Adult, Mystery, Adventure, Middle Grade, Fiction

310 pages, Library Binding

First published September 8, 2009

Reviews

[Patricia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. The title definitely hooked me, and I was interested to see why the main character, Theo, was being imprisoned by the clearly evil Dr. Saint. Unfortunately, the plot quickly slowed to a series of random events which did not mesh seamlessly (or really at all) into a whole plot. Theo himself is completely unlikeable, spending most of the book scared, unsure of himself, and not understanding what is going on around him, making his a very poor narrative point of view. His sidekick, Chloe, is mainly used as a deus ex machina. Each time the author writes himself into a corner--SURPRISE! Chloe is a double agent with secret connections, Chloe has memorized the secret system of tunnels, Chloe has been fighting the evil Society of Good Works since she was six! I can tell the author wants me to find Chloe funny, exciting, and awesome--mostly because Theo spends the whole book telling me she is--but I never found a good enough reason to care about her. I also spent most of the novel confused about the time period. The narrative had a very steampunk feel, but at one point someone hands Theo a laptop. Dakin's attempt at world-building seems haphazard at best. At the end, a very minor character dies, and we're told by a tearful Chloe that this character "was the real hero of the story". Unfortunately, this is true, as this character--appearing in probably two scenes at most and doing nothing in either--was by far my favorite, since she hadn't appeared often enough to be annoying. What was she like? I have no idea, but almost anything would be better than the "heroes" we have. Hopefully some of these issues are cleared up in the sequel, but I can't see myself attempting to slog through more of Dakin's uninspired prose to read.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed by Lauren Ashley for TeensReadToo.com

Theo has never been around more than three people in his life: his guardian, the butler, and the maid. He has been told he has a serious illness, having to be put inside the Mercy Tube every day, always having to wear gloves, and he's never allowed to do anything too exciting for fear of over-stimulation.

The truth is much creepier. Theo soon realizes that his guardian is not the good man he believed him to be, and that Theo himself is quite powerful in ways he never knew.

CANDLE MAN is a new steampunk series for middle grade readers, with the second book just recently released. Theo is a fun narrator, finding himself as the reader goes along. It's interesting to see how The Society of Good Works is actually a bad group, and just how they disguise their plots as good deeds. It's definitely a lesson in manipulation and secrecy, but good old creepy fun for younger readers!

I loved that the book is set in London, as it fits the atmosphere really well and it makes sense that the various creatures, like Gargoyles, could come to life there. One of the most interesting characters was the butler, as he's a bit conflicting. You can't say he's perfectly good, but you can't say he's truly bad like other characters, either. He's certainly a fascinating man to think about.

THE SOCIETY OF UNRELENTING VIGILANCE is a quick read overall, and sure to excite fantasy fans!

[Phoebe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Theo Saint has been kept away from the public for his entire life. He drinks hot water, eats millet and greens, and is thin and pale and must ALWAYS wear gloves. The night two burglars break into Empire Hall is the night Theo discovers he has a terrible power: one touch of his bare hands makes people melt like wax. He doesn't know it yet, but he is the descendant of one of the most feared people in London's history: The Candle Man. And his guardians are not his friends: he must escape. Set in modern day society, this is an adventure-filled read with plenty of gruesome detail, cryptid-like creatures, and a really cool gargoyle. A very promising series that kids will enjoy. 5th grade and up.

[Adrienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: The Society of Unrelenting Vigilance (Candle Man Book #1)
Author: Glenn Dakin
Publisher: Egmont USA
Publication Date: September 22, 2009
Pages: 300
My Edition: ARC Paperback
Reading Level: Ages 9-12
Where I got it: Good Man Media

Summary from Amazon:
Murder, mystery, and adventure aren’t your typical birthday presents . . . But for Theo, anything that breaks up his ordinary routine is the perfect gift. A mysterious “illness” and Theo’s guardians force him into a life indoors, where gloves must be worn and daily medical treatments are the norm. When Theo discovers a suspicious package on his birthday, one person from the past will unlock the secret behind Theo’s “illness” and change his life forever. Molded into an exhilarating steampunk adventure that gives birth to the next great fantasy hero, Theo Wickland, Candle Man: The Society of Unrelenting Vigilance is the first book in a trilogy by debut author Glenn Dakin.


Review:
The Society of Unrelenting Vigilance was altogether pretty good. It had lots of action, adventure, and mystery. It starts of pretty intriguingly, and once I hit the middle I couldn't stop reading. I read about half the book without stopping because I wanted to know what would happen with Theo. There are lots of twists and turns that make you wonder what will happen, and even some shockers. I really liked the different but weird characters, and the story is unlike anything I've never read.

The cover is really good for the story, but I think it could have been a little more attractive. I probably wouldn't picked this up at the store or library, but I'm glad I read it because I really enjoyed it! My only complaint with the story would be, at points I became confused at some of the mythical creatures and would often not know who some of the characters were. I would recommend this to younger middle school readers, but if you older, you would probably like it too. Candle Man book one is Glenn Dakin's first novel for children, and I think he did an excellent job. I'm looking forward to reading the next books in the Candle Man trilogy.


Rating:
4/5

[Kristen Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book definitely lived up to my expectations. Theo is a boy who has grown up rarely leaving his room and only knowing 3 people - Dr. Saint, Mr. Nicely (the butler), and a deaf maid named Clarice. He has an illness that forces him to wear gloves and submit to treatments that involve a machine called The Mercy Tube.

One night, two robbers knock out the butler and force Theo to show them around. They discover a secret room with articles and a poster of a man that looks exactly like him - called The Candle Man. The older robber gets afraid after seeing the poster and they start to leave, when they decide Theo cannot live to tell of what they looked like. Just as the younger man is about to kill Theo, Theo grabs him and he is not wearing his gloves. The man melts away before his eyes and the other robber runs away.

Theo becomes more curious and when he receives an anonymous note that he is in danger, he tries to escape, to be added by a strange creature. He meets the remaining members of The Society of Unrelenting Vigilance who tell him of the evil deeds of those who had held him captive - The Society of Good Works. Theo learns that his touch is not an illness, but a gift - to help rid the world of criminals. His arms glow anytime a criminal is near.

This book was filled with interesting characters, the likes of which I can only compare to Lemony Snicket. Theo takes a while to catch on to how the world works, but finds that having friends makes him feel more confident in himself and his abilities to fight against The Society of Good Works - whose works are never really "good" - even though they pretend they are.

Full of thrilling adventures, Candle Man pulls you into the story and makes you crave more. I would definitely suggest picking up this book when it comes out in September.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

The back jacket blurb says that this is like Percy Jackson and Septimus Heap... I'd say it's more like A Series of Unfortunate Events meets Neverwhere/Un Lun Dun and The Mysterious Benedict Society.

Theo is one of those unfortunate/fortunate orphans - unfortunate in that he's basically a prisoner, kept separate from the world because of a mysterious disease, fortunate because Dr. Saint, Mr. Nicely and Clarice are all there to protect and care for him. On his birthday (I'm guessing 15th, but it's never stated), he's allowed a visit to the nearby graveyard where he finds a mysterious package: a snowglobe that "snows" dark soot and the message that he's in danger and needs to get out.

The conceit of a Candle Man ridding the world of dangerous criminals with Batmanesque names, of smoglings and garghouls, and a Society of Good Works battling the Society of Unremitting Vigilance is well constructed. Theo's life takes some unusual twists and by the end you wonder if Book Two's adventures will live up to Book One. We'll see.

[Tanja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though the beginning is quiet exciting - a boy with unique powers, locked away from the outside world, suddenly in need to defend himself not just against some burglars but the people that seem to be his only family - it took me some time to really warm up to the story. This might have been due to the fact that I had trouble keeping track of the many different characters popping up all over the place. Sometimes I wished for a "field guide", as provided for the Spiderwick Chronicles, to get a better understanding about who is who. As the story progressed, I was drawn into it and will definitely look out book two to find out what happens next to Theo. Will he be able to make use of his special powers in a positive way? Will he grant the Dodo his wish? Which of his new found friends (or guardians/allies?) will he see again? I am convinced that the fantasy fans among my students will get hooked!

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I described the book to my roommate who immediately said "oh, Steam Punk" which seemed like a reasonable name for the genre - and one I'm not crazy about though I seem to read a number of them. There is a League of Extraordinary Gentlemen quality - steam-powered super hero, basically. Young person (generally male) raised isolated from the world, unaware of his gifts/curses and then used by a secret society for...either destroying the bad guys or attempting to destroy the good guys but then the good guys rescue him. There is a strong-willed young woman who helps him and often a painfully awkward romantic thing that happens (and possibly what I don't like). I liked this one enough to finish it and since I read the first because I found the second, its possible I'll even read #2. I did like the modern day aspect - it happened now, but was steam punk because all the plans were drawn up a hundred-plus years ago.

[Liviania · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am enjoying the current popularity of steampunk, even as it confirms that cyberpunk is truly dead. Likewise, I am enjoying Egmont USA's debut on the scene. Imprints seem to start with an impressive list, and I'm definitely looking forward to what this one will put out in the next year or so based on what I've read. (Check out Egmont USA titles I've read since.)

CANDLE MAN is a nice middle grade/young adult crossover title. It's written for a younger audience, but contains a complexity that will keep adults entertained. Plus, it's good for kids to read books that revel in shades of grey. CANDLE MAN has few characters that are true evil, despite resembling Saturday morning cartoon villains. In addition, the forces of evil speak only of kindness and doing good works. It's a nice introduction for kids to the use of rhetoric to conceal what's really going on. (The adventure story is pretty good too.)

[Lily Moritz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an easy read, and one that I really enjoyed. DON'T BE FOOLED: the reading level claims to be for ten years old and up, but the themes are extremely adult, dark and gory.

Spoilers:

1) A child grows up in captivity, raised in isolation by a sinister society, to be used for scientific experimentation and emotionally abused on a daily basis.

2) As a teenager, the child learns that his "disease" is actually a death-touch.

3) The child is abducted by another society as a rescue mission. This rescue is still technically an abduction.

4) Because he was raised in isolation for a sinister plot by the first society, they neglected to report the kidnapping to the police, though the robbery from the night before was reported.

5) Major themes include pursuit of the child by multiple villains, death, murder, death by self defense, contemplation of suicide and suicide by (asking an) acquaintance, lies and deception, emotional and physical abuse, and more.

This is not for children.

[Stacy Mozer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I enjoyed this odd but exciting book. I agree with another reader who compares the book to The Mysterious Benedict Society. At the beginning all of the Mr. this and Mr. that were a bit hard to follow and even a child of ten may have trouble keeping track of it all. However, once the book got moving and we met characters who have real names, the whole thing picked up and became hard to put down. My favorite part of the book was the main character, Theo, who was raised in isolation so his views of the world are a bit... uninformed to start. Seeing the world through his eyes adds humor to an otherwise action packed story. The only thing I still haven't wrapped my head around is the description of Theo's power. Some of the details reminded me of a Stephen King novel.

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved it! This book is fantastic, and I can't wait to get my hands on the next one!
Reading it the second time, I still found this book really enjoyable. The mysteries of the past haunting everyone, the suspenseful magic being revealed, the ghoulish setting with steam punky elements everywhere... I loved it all!

I found the main character, Theo, to be an enigma, and that kept my attention throughout the book. Due to his secluded upbringing, he is weird and has strange ideas. He doesn't know how to act in society, so he is deliciously awkward and doesn't even know it. Watching him rediscover the world provided so much comedic relief in this book.

I was grossed out by the slime and the melting eyeball faces towards the end, but I'll bet boys would love that kind of thing.

[Keir Bridges · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is a promising beginning to Dakin's Candle Man series. Fans of superheroes, fantasy and Neil Gaiman will enjoy the adventures of Theo, a sheltered young man who, after uncovering some sinister secrets about himself and his guardians, leaves his home in search of answers and learns about the world, his past and his destiny along the way. The novel may be too dark and frightening for younger readers or those who do not like scary stories. However, Dakin creates a unique world with fascinating characters that readers will be reluctant to leave upon finishing this novel. I'm really looking forward to the rest of the series!

[Peggy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This author has a clever, although at times overdone, writing style that uses word play for names and description that would probably be quite enjoyable for younger readers. Theo has been kept confined to a small part of his guardian's house all his life and has been told that he has a rare disease and cannot be around people. When two unlucky crooks try to break into the house, Theo is abducted by the so-called maid and discovers that he is a descendant of the Candle Man and has his same powers. The story follows the good vs. evil plot with its own twists and turns and although somewhat shallow in writing skill, it still manages to be enjoyable with plenty of adventure, too.

[Kanoa Stabe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing. It's primarily for ages 9-13, I would say. I think all ages would enjoy this book. the beginning starts off boring, but not as boring as other books I've read, surprisingly. Once I got about 80 pages into the book it got me hooked. I coudnt stop reading it. I would find myself coming home everyday reading it. And today I have finally finished it. Anyone who enjoys mystery and suspense will love this, but I feel other people will as well. I overall recommend this book, as you will find yourself reading it often. I might even even read it again.

[Max · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought this book was horrible. I had to stop reading this book. This book was to challenging for me. It was to hard to understand while reading it. I could not comprehend what I was reading. I recommend this book for older teens rather then little kids. The only thing I liked about this book is it had a good story. It was about a boy with a mystery about his family. Overall I did not like this book.

[The Library Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

People have compared this to Lemony Snicket and I won't because I HATE Lemony Snicket and its arch,phony style.

This I did like. It's fast moving but allows for a bit of character development--it has a hero whose growth pulls you right along with him.
And while it's obviously going to have several more sequels,this leaves you feeling satisfied for now. Well done.

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad. It was very interesting and different but the pace was so fast that there was very little character development.

Still, not a bad read though a lot of death and dismemberment for youngins.

[Mary Z · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was reading it and thinking, "Wow, this is modern, but it has great steampunk feel." Then I look at the back of the book when I finish and the description says almost the exact same thing. Weird.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

One Sentence Review: Quite fun, but a better high concept book in theory than in execution, I'm afraid.

[Yami · Rating 3 out of 5]

three stars and a half..
this was a very VERY weird novel, it is a mixture of Sci-fi and fantasy , as we have magic and science entwined together
an advice, if you ever wanted to read this novel, you need to be patient, cos you will be kept in the dark and you would be confused till the very end of it, but by the end you will find yourself actually enjoying the reveal ,I think that was made deliberately , so we can fell Theo dilemma throughout the novel, cos we wont know more than he does, and everything will be revealed for the reader along with Theo...
about the plot Summery

we meet Theo a child who is kept ignorant about the world all his life, kept by Dr.Saint and Mr Nicely as their warden and patient, Theo was told he has a disease and was forced to go into some sort of a tube for treatment, later we will know there is a society "of unrelenting vigilance sth" that tries to actually rescue Theo, Chole is his number was savior and later friend, Magnus and Sam who also member, and they tell Theo about him being a descendant of someone called the Candlemas, who has powers to actually melt people and disfigure him,
now we have the Dodo which is a side character who will end up as an ally to Theo, he is a zoologist turned by the original candleman into a disfigured bird like shape , and who controls extinct group of animals, Theo made a deal with him that in exchange of helping Theo to understand his powers to use it wisely, Theo would kill the Dodo , as it was the later's wish, cos he is an eternal creature

as for Dr.Saint, he was killed by Theo who tried to raise an army of gargoyles.

we have Tristus which is a gargoyle and another ally of Theo, he was a friend of original candleman, and has a sort of story of the past, still not shared.....

[Gillie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the idea of a magical man who fights crime in historical London, and I thought the author di a very good job of executing it. I was a little disappointed in the characters thought. I thought they were very original, but that we somehow didn't get to see enough of them or get to know them very well other than Theo. Other than that, I liked this very much.

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I bought this at a thrift store I didn't realize this was a book for teens. I was in the mood for something different so I read it anyway. This fast paced adventure has magic, mystery, monsters, and secret societies, plenty for any teen to enjoy. I will pass this along to my grandkids, and they should like it.

[Brianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember really enjoying this when I was younger, but this time around I couldn't find that same enjoyment. To a younger audience, I could see how it would be a fun read. It was still entertaining, but also annoying and cheesy at times

[Igodgirl13 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book ever! Found it at Goodwill of all places, and if it was a food, it would have hit the spot!

[Sean Harding · Rating 2 out of 5]

It started out interesting enough but soon got fairly dull and more and more difficult to persevere with.

[Tammy Schilling · Rating 1 out of 5]

I gave it 50 pages, then I quit. Deadly dull and with puns and word play that are too dull for an adult to find amusing and too obscure for a kid to understand. Blah.

[Sonja · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, even though it's a YA book it easily held my interest.

[Isabella · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok in the beginning I really enjoyed it but I just kinda got lost mid way through and didn’t know what was going on. Not my type of genre I think so maybe it’s yours!

[Grant Alston · Rating 5 out of 5]

GOATed and underrated. Both books are awesome and deserve more attention/acclaim