Book Review: Rise of the Magician

Rise of the Magician

By:  Collin Earl & Chris Snelgrove

Publisher:  SilverStone Books

Publish Date:  March 15, 2011

Format:  Paperback 256pgs; 6"x 9"

Genre:  YA Fantasy, Dystopian

Series:  1st in Harmonics series

Recommendation:  For a reader who likes to watch the pieces come together.

Book Synopsis:
Samantha Montgomery of Academy City 676 always dreamed of life outside of school.  Sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for...

A rogue weapons manufacturer, a ruthless killer, and a schoolgirl converge as a weapon so advanced it defies the laws of physics is a mere breath away from being unleashed on the world.  Now it's up to Sam and some unexpected allies to keep it out of the wrong hands or risk losing everything, and everyone, they hold dear.

A defense contractor on the rampage, an assassin out for blood, and Sam caught in the middle.

When the reality you know ceases to be, can you live with the reality yet to come?

First Sentence:
"'Gone'?  What do you mean 'gone'?"

Purchase At:

Amazon ~ Kindle & Print   /   Smashwords (eformat)

*note, the ebook version of this book is free at both venues.

My Thoughts and Summary:
Two projects, weapons of a sort but not titled as such, stolen from an impenetrable base and a magic bomb is left to remove any remains.  Five years later, Dr. Shu's guard is blindly attacked and someone takes the computer/human interface doctor.  Scott, the man on video security never thought he'd make this call that's out of proto-call as requested for a favor.  A voice tells him what to do.  Two days later Dirk, a relic hunter in a Sacred temple in the burning plains doesn't realize he's being followed by Roman.  Roman learns of Shu's death and try to warn another.  The other is trying to get information from a man that is assassinated.  The news marks the assassinations as being done by a magician.

Then we get to the meat of the story of Dr Thurman being brought aboard an interface lab and projects that are of his original theory work and was 'borrowed.'  Hoping to turn Recover of Project to a Termination of Project, along with those who stole and unleashed it.  Then we find ourselves with Samantha a simple girl from Partical Palace who's not fitting in with the High Track (rich) or Low Track (poor) kids.  She suddenly seems to become popular, or at least noticed by others after she finds a mysterious tin box floating in the lake on her way to class.  Something has changed, she has changed.  Then when the school goes on lock down with a potential threat, every corner could mean death without the help of one friend.

This story is well planned out with all the details and connections.  You see how the people over time that are assassinated are all connected in some way, not knowing that they all are affiliated with each other.  And the mysterious plan used with planted people, someone had been working on this idea for some time - the assassin.  We get a view from the victims and the special investigators of the lost project, and appretences to the crime and have no idea how the tiny pieces they assist with fit into the bigger plan.

We meet our current day characters Sam, Cammie, Richard, Coda, and Adam at school in Academy City 676.  We learn of the "classifications" based on money.  The world is different as it's broken up and reorganized into groups.  We have technology here as well.  There are holograms and computer/human interface.  A future world feel with a dash of dytopian past.  I'm curious how all fits together in the story to come.

This book feels like there is a broad story started here a the beginning.  I was nervous at the beginning with so much back story.  But by the end it's start to narrow in and connect.  We see the ties through out, but still want the narrower vision to who is what and what they are all after.  I'm left more curious about Richard, whom I've come to love, and Sam, who is more than we know and still want to know.  This of all the other kids too!

Shame on Collin and Chris leaving me with such burning questions in the end.  Good thing I have book two.  I'm looking forward to all the pieces coming together in the next books.

I don't know which versions have it, they may all have it, but in the print book I have there is an excerpt from Book 2, and I say go ahead and read it.  It'll answer a few questions for you at the end of this one.  I really like that this chapter was added to ease my mind some.

This is a Young Adult read, but with the depth of the story and connecting the characters and happenings I would say this is for older Young Adults.



**I read this book for an honest review from the author.
**This review is my own thoughts as I went through.