The Specter Key

Bran Hambric #2

by Kaleb Nation

Kaleb Nation delivers an exceptional follow-up to his debut hit THE FARFIELD CURSE. In the SPECTER KEY magical hero Bran Hambric must choose to save his friend Astara, his father―and himself, if he possibly can. Bran Hambric believes that the Farfield Curse is over with. But when he discovers a safe-deposit box in his dead mother's name―in the very bank vault where he was discovered as a boy―Bran's past comes rushing back. Now he's on a frightening path that puts everyone he cares about in danger. When Bran's best friend, Astara, is kidnapped, Bran will do whatever it takes to save her and prevent the evil mage on his trail from claiming the power of the curse for herself. But will the magic destroy him the way it destroyed his mother? Praise for Kaleb "Kaleb Nation's wry sense of humor kept me smiling, even while the mystical sparks flew. Get ready for lots of surprises ..."― D. J. MACHALE , author of the Pendragon Series "Whimsy, magic, and suspense collide in this breathtaking tale. The Farfield Curse is a story you'll want to pick up, but not put down!" ― KAZA KINGSLEY , author of the bestselling Erec Rex series

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Magic, Fiction, Childrens

333 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2010

About the author

KALEB NATION is a producer and Internet personality. With the help of an online army known as the Nationeers, his writing and videos have been seen over 50 million times. A black belt in taekwondo, Kaleb lives in California with a cantankerous chinchilla named Chilla.

Reviews

[Will · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not good. Had low expectations after the first one. They were met. Meandering, nonsensical plot with no real conclusion. Glad I’m done with it!

[Alondra Duenas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really great book it had a the exitment and drama. now i am going to write a little about the book

Bran is and ordanary boy with a crazy imagination, but he has no memory from his past. He lives in a world were thers a curse but no one can stop it. one day Bran discovered a cure for it in his dead mothers deposit box. When he decided to open the box alll these crzy imaginations come running back into his head. He rememebers that there no one in the world that survived this curse and if you get everyone around you will die. He remeberd that he has the curse and all his love ones are in danger.

He trys to keep it from everyone because when they know that's the end of them too. His bestfriend Astra starts no notice something is going on with Bran. she edventually figuers it out. WHen nothing seems to be going wrong he tells her the hole story, and thats when everything went down hill. Bran will do whatever it taked to save her even risk his own life.

Days past no sign of his friend and evryone is acting as if nothing had happen. He goes on a dangerous journey to rescue her when he fiinds out whom has her. He is willing to fight and claim the power that belongs to him from the evil. But will magic win this battle and distroy him like wise thiis mother?

i think you would read this book because it makes you not want to stop reading. it is a very intresting way how his road changes in3 second!. please read this book if you like: action, drama, mystery, horror and more+

[Denae Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The humor is awesome. KN is a funny author (and vlogger, and blogger, and speaker), and his ideas are new and just fun.
The magic, though, doesn't seem well thought out. Or, at least, it's not presented as such. Sometimes the mages use wands. Sometimes they have to say words to do magic. Good thing is, I can't point to a part where a mage was in danger and could've used magic and didn't. A lot of authors make that mistake, conveniently "forgetting" that their characters can do magic just to escalate the tension. KN didn't, so that's a plus.
The action was also lacking. It was hard to follow. Maybe my imagination can't keep up with KN's. Maybe I was so excited I had to read too fast and missed things (most likely).
The characters were good. Bran's personality shows up a bit more in this book, and Sewey is, as always, one of the most unique and outrageously hilarious character I've ever met. The dialogue was also measured well, pretty character specific and not forced sounding.

All in all, good job for the second book of a twenty-two-year-old. (Though I might've been tempted to give it a 3 if I didn't like his vlogs so much.)

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed walking into the creative mind of Kaleb Nation when I flipped open Bran Hambric: The Specter Key. The world he created is colorful and rich in detail. The action was ongoing throughout the book and made me wonder what was going to happen next.

The story begins where Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse leaves off and jumps in with both feet. Elspeth & Joris share their evil plans by introducing the next challenge Bran will have to endure.

Kaleb Nation created interesting new characters that tugged at my heartstrings. While reading, I wanted to hug Gary, smack Thomas and tip Oswald. Gary has a deep secret Bran has to seek out and discover. Thomas is hard and unfeeling but the conversations with Bran are entertaining. Oswald, is just a cool character with a kind heart.

The conclusion had closure and didn't leave me hanging but left subtle hints of what we might see in the next book.

Bran Hambric: The Specter Key is a delightful read that is entertaining, exciting and clean for kids. I know my children will LOVE this book because of the magic, action and humor. I recommend it to all families who enjoy reading together.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here we are at the second Bran Hambric novel. As with the first, I felt that Kaleb Nation had particular strengths and weaknesses. The world-building is nicely done. The town of Dunce, with all its rules and nutty holidays, is fun to read about. The side characters are nicely made as well (especially like Sewey Wilomas, who is a jerk but can be talked out of serving eviction notices to poor widows), but... here is the crux of my problem.

I like the main characters alright (Bran, Astara, Adi, Gary) but I don't FEEL anything for them. Things happened in this book that should have greatly upset me or at least had me worried, and they didn't. Worry me, I mean. Or make me even remotely concerned.

That said, I'd still read book 3 when it comes out. The plot is okay if rather predictable (and yoinking a few elements from Another-Story-Which-Shall-Not-Be-Named). It's enough to keep me going, and I'd like to keep supporting a young writer who is doing a pretty bang-up job of it, overall.

[Mark Buxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

My name is Bran, and I've found a strange box that once belonged to my deceased mother. It's clearly protected by her magic, so I need to keep it a secret. I've been contacted by Specters, and I don't know if opening the box will be a good thing or if it will unleash evil. Plus, it projected a bright green energy that destroyed my house and took away my best friend Astara. Later, I met someone from my past, and I don't know if it should make me happy or angry. The bitterness is winning that battle right now, but I truly believe Astara is not dead. I need to keep my focus on rescuing her, even though some people say that may lead to disaster. I've still got to try.

I didn't read The Farfield Curse first, and I wish I had. Bran's mother had an important past, and I really needed to know what she'd done. She apparently was an evil woman, but she was also Bran's mother. It's hard to envision a mother being evil, but her use of powerful, dangerous magic didn't leave a positive impression. I also couldn't fully grasp Bran's relationships with other characters and didn't know the extent of his magical abilities. As a result, I was able to follow the plot but felt like I was still missing something. That's not the author's fault, since I didn't read the books in order. Bran's virtue carried the story, as he wouldn't give up hope for his friend. He was told several times that she was gone, and he knew his efforts might be futile with no chance of success. His relationship with his father was complicated but understandable. Genetics doesn't make someone a true father. It was nice to see another complicated man enter his life who offered some comfort and compassion. I plan to read the first book in the series next and then move on to the third one, once it gets published. Give the series a shot, but I suggest you read them in order!

[Alex C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book seems to continue right after the last one ended, so if you haven't read the first one in a while I recommend reading up. Having not read the first book in years I was very lost at first with no mercy on who characters were and what events had happened. Although, luckily it all came flooding back after a while. Kaleb Nation does a great job building off the world he's created, and the characters are as loveable as before. The strong point of this book isn't the system of magic, (I feel free to say this as there are times where they pick up a book with a two-word spell to open any lock, that's just as easy as saying two words), so much as the idea that there is magic and how it should be used and whether people can handle it.

Magic is the main problem in Bran's life, one can argue that if he never learned of magic that he would be better off, but then we wouldn't have a story. Nation, seemed to actually have this sequel in mind as in this book they reference seeds in the first book that seemed out of place then, but makes sense now.

I felt a little weird when they introduced Gary, and how much of a role he played in the grand story of it all but yet was never mentioned or hinted at in the first book, (maybe the one thing Nation didn't think ahead on), although the time with him plays as an expositional time where we finally get to understand how Bran's life came to be. All in all, it was a decent read and a good book for introductory fantasy readers as it doesn't hit too hard on the fantasy part.

[Ian Flores · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book Bran Hambric: The Specter Key is a follow-up book of the series Bran Hambric by Kaleb Nation. The series follows a teen named Bran who was found in a vault when he was 6 years old and has been raised by the banker who found him ever since. It’s hard to review the second book of the series without spoiling much but this book was a continuation of the last book that Kaleb published. I liked this book more than the last one because we learned more about Bran and his past. Bran is faced with challenges and battles of his past that he must overcome. This book also brought in many new characters that helped Bran throughout the book. I’d give this book a 3/5 stars because it’s not my favorite genre of books but it was still entertaining. I’d recommend this book if you like fantasy or books similar to Harry Potter.

[tasha.reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

To be fair, I don’t totally remember the first book as I read it about a decade ago but I did really enjoy its sequel. It saddens me to know there will probably never be a follow up book.

I really enjoyed the widening and deepening of the world. The stakes are higher and the danger is real. The plot felt really cohesive and dynamic. I loved the new characters introduced in this book: Nim, Gary, and Thomas.

The ending was so great and I’m dying to know what would of happened next!

[Rick Stuckwisch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun book, rather sweet in some respects, and a satisfying conclusion to the story that began with its predecessor (The Farfield Curse). The author's writing has improved, and he is far smoother in his storytelling; it is also less contrived and derivative than it was in the first book. The characters are endearing, and the plot is compelling. My listeners and I enjoyed it.

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

the beginning was hard to get through but i enjoyed this book once it got going.

[Dain August · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read 2020

It’s a fucking cute book with a plot i barely could predict. Nim is the best.

[Clare Shimerdla · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

[Lauren (Ink Feather Podcast) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review: Bran Hambric: The Specter Key
Author: Kaleb Nation
Author Kaleb Nation seriously ups the ante in the second book in his Bran Hambric series, Bran Hambric: The Specter Key.
While helping Sewey Wilomas clean out the bank vault one day, Bran Hambric and he stumble across an old safe-deposit box with his mother’s name on it. Dusty and long-forgotten, Bran takes it home to try and figure out what it is. Inside is a wooden box, sealed by magic, and though it seemingly can’t be opened, it begins to have an effect on all those around it, including destroying his house one night and killing his best friend.
But Bran doesn’t think Astara is dead. Before the disaster, specters spoke to him through a typewriter, talking about needing to be freed from their prison. Bran believes they are linked to the box and that they took Astara’s soul. So Bran sets off on a journey to discover the truth about what is in the box, all the while racing against an evil mage (the same one that killed his mother, incidentally) who wants the contents of the box for herself.
This book was leaps and bounds above the first one in the series. I enjoyed book one, but I loved book two. I found myself getting lost in Bran’s journey as he ventured to various places, near and far, looking for the truth about the box and its contents, all the while trying to save his friend’s life. Some very interesting characters appear, people I wasn’t expecting, and it added an entirely new level of awesome to the plot. I am always a sucker for mazes and labyrinths in stories, the need for the character to get from A to B, the things they encounter there, and the one Nation created for the climax of the book was thoroughly enjoyable. I breezed through this book and before I knew it I had finished. The writing is still not overly-complex, so it is a perfect story for the eight to fifteen age range, but I have a feeling that, if you like action-driven adventure stories with interesting characters and nice comic relief, you’ll enjoy this, no matter your age. One word of advice though: make sure you read book one first; Nation builds well on top of what he established in the first story, and I fear readers would be lost without it.

(written for lytherus.com)

[Aelvana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bran Hambric is back to his old life after his death-defying encounter with Baslyn. But things are a little different. Rosie is gone. He's aware of his own power, though he tries not to use it. And then the box turns up. The safety deposit box with his mother's name, and its mysterious contents. It doesn't take long for Bran to once again be fighting forces far vaster than he can comprehend, and for a far more dire cause.

The sequel to The Farfield Curse, The Specter Key picks back up with Bran and dumps him right into the action. Thankfully, the wild absurdities in the first book have been toned down, and the pace this time around is a lot more even. The mystery of the box is balanced with the growing sense that Elspeth's evil plans may be winding around Bran without his realizing it.

And then the unthinkable happens---but if you read the book's blurb on the inside cover it isn't nearly the surprise it should be. Really, that's my major irritation with the book. The blurb shouldn't give away something that happens at the halfway point, especially when that something was meant to be a horrible shock.

I enjoyed the first book. This one preserves the action, the powers, the grand conspiracies and the heroic efforts Bran puts forth to do what's right in the midst of an increasingly gray battle. The only thing missing was a "wow" moment similar to his conversation with Rosie about heroism in the first book. It felt like his conversation with Thomas about fate was aiming for a similar profundity, but I found Bran's appeal to a nameless fate a weak substitute for God. It puzzles me why something like fate would care enough to address the evils of the Farfield Curse. And the way the conversation runs, it feels like Bran himself doesn't even believe he's destined to do the things he's doing---he's just pressing ahead because he's desperate not to lose someone close to him, and if fate will give him an excuse he'll take it.

The book reads well, and quickly, as the story never lets up. There are enough dangling questions to make me anticipate a sequel and hope it arrives soon; but nothing major is left unsaid. I rate this book Recommended.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bran is back along with some old friends (Adi, Polland, and Astara), as well as some new ones. The old characters were still fabulous to read about. I savored every scene with Adi, Polland, and Astara because there were new characters for Bran to meet. Let's get into some of those, shall we? Thomas. Um no. He just...no. He's going to have to do a lot of redeeming to make him even remotely appealing to me. Gary was interesting, but I'm on the fence with him. I don't quite know what to do with him at the moment. If he returns in another book, maybe he'll be able to convince me he's a decent guy. My biggest problem with him was how much of a jerk he seemed to be to
Bran when Bran first met him. Maybe that's just me, but I'm keeping my eye on him. Then there's Nim. I didn't know if I was going to like her or not because of Thomas, BUT she turned out to be an interesting little character. And I mean little. She's a fairy...sprite...thing...? She's some fierce little something or other and I thought she was great. A very cute character.

Now let's talk story. The writing and the story itself was excellent, but really Kaleb? Why did you do that to Astara? I'm not going to say any more because I don't want this to be a spoilery review, but dang. I started making weird noises and my friends gave me odd looks. I didn't know how to contain all of the emotions I felt while reading this book. Once again, Kaleb blew me away with his storytelling. I'm very excited to see what Bran's next adventure will be. Even if it means I will once again be emotionally distraught by the end. So yeah, Kaleb, anytime you want to finish Bran's next book feel free. ;D

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent followup to "The Farfield Curse" with a lot more character development. Our favorite oddball wizard Bran Hambric comes to find out that his mother left a safe deposit box in her name right in the vault he was found in by Sewey Wilomas. Soon, Astara is kidnapped and Bran is being haunted by the specters- trapped souls who need something from him to move onward. In the mean time, there are a few other mysterious characters who are showing and have an unusual interest in Bran. What is going on in Dunce now?

This is a great followup. Nation is definitely developing as a writer. Bran is much more fleshed out and the entire world is a lot more vivid than the one we saw in Farfield.

[Alisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I know that this is the sequel to Bran Hambric: The FarField Curse. I loved the front cover of the book. I loved that the first book was all about Bran learning about who he really was and about his mother, where this one was all about his father but still digs deeper into the story. As Bran tries to find Astara and learns who is father is in the process. In the end he saves Astara and returns home safe and sound. The ending to me was good even though it is left open for the next book in the series. I really enjoyed this book, and I look forward to reading anything from Mr. Kaleb Nation in the future. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a magical adventure.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

I chose this book because of the Farfield Curse, the other book in the series. The book is about a boy named Bran Hambric who is a mage (magician) whose mom was notorious a criminal because of her misuse of her powers. In the book his friend Astara gets kidnapped by spirits and Bran desperately tries to save her. During his struggles he meets new allies and also finds dangerous enemies. Kaleb Nation's writing style is very creative and keeps throwing new information at you until the very end of the book. My favorite quote from the book is "Astara isn't dead." because it shows Bran's persistence and hope. I would recommend this book to people who are looking for a book filled with action and suspense.

[T 2Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the book Bran Hambric, Bran is a very strong person, but at times lets his emotion get the better of him. "My mother died trying to save me...You know nothing of her!" at this point in the book he met a man that is trying to stll BRan about his dead mother and Bran starts to get angry at the man trying to help him out. "Bran rolled over, ready to do whatever he must to keep fighting her." even though he allows his emotion to get the better of him at times, he also is very tough when it comes to fighting for something he is passionate about in life.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bran Hambric: the Specter Key is a thrilling novel that shows amazing promise. With its action packed yet humorous plot line, Bran Hambric is a must read for Harry Potter and Percy Jackson fans alike! This is a great book for all age groups, so it is an awesome book for the whole family. Kaleb Nation outdid himself in this amazing sequel, and I hope all "Bran Fans" will agree with me when I say his second novel was even better than his first!

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bran Hambric: the Specter Key is a thrilling novel that shows amazing promise. With its action packed yet humorous plot line, Bran Hambric is a must read for Harry Potter and Percy Jackson fans alike! This is a great book for all age groups, so it is an awesome book for the whole family. Kaleb Nation outdid himself in this amazing sequel, and I hope all "Bran Fans" will agree with me when I say his second novel was even better than his first!

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bran Hambric: the Specter Key is a thrilling novel that shows amazing promise. With its action packed yet humorous plot line, Bran Hambric is a must read for Harry Potter and Percy Jackson fans alike! This is a great book for all age groups, so it is an awesome book for the whole family. Kaleb Nation outdid himself in this amazing sequel, and I hope all "Bran Fans" will agree with me when I say his second novel was even better than his first!

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this sequel to Bran Hambric The Farfield Curse. I have to admit forgetting quite a bit of the first book, but didn't leave me too confused on the plot of this book. I enjoyed the new characters, but missed having more of Polluck and Adi. My favorite part of this book was seeing how deep of a friendship Bran and Astara share. I will definitely pick up the next book when it comes out. I think this would be a great series for 10 and up boys and girls.

[Catarina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and I have to say that while with most book series the first usually has a bigger impact, this one I'm actually pretty undecided which one I liked best: the farfield curse or the specter key.
You can definitely see an evolution in the writing and it's a very gripping book from start to finish with an unexpected plot.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the storyline, but there were some inconsistencies with how mature Bran is. one line, he'll be quite wise, and in the next, he'll be 14 again. There was still the fast-pace, which I ADORE. I loved every single character, and the "bad guys" were much better in this one. The Specters didn't play as big of a part as I thought they would, but they were still really creeptastic.

[Ham · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yet another book that I picked up (with nothing indicating it is part of a series) only to be annoyed by tons of exposition. Within the first few pages it hits me. This is book two. AAAAGHHH!! Just put the stupid number on the cover so I can look for the first one instead of wasting my time.
Still, it sounded pretty good. Maybe I'll get the first one and see if it's worth it.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kaleb Nation's sequel to The Farfield Curse clearly shows his development as a storyteller. The beginning of the story fetl a little long to me, but it moved much, much quicker than the beginning of his first book. I enjoyed the story enough to hope he will write a third book.

[Anthony Giancola · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book entertained me more than the first one did. Now, I loved the first one too I just liked all the new characters and progression of Elspeth as a villain. Gary was especially a cool character and I need his house. I cannot wait until the third book is released.

[Erin Pauley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like the first book is better an that this one really did not hold my attention as well but it was still an enjoyable read. I would recommend this to middle graders who like stories about friendship, magic and adventure.