This is a good story. I will definitely be reading the second one. I want to know what happens. The only reason I gave it four stars was how it dragged a bit. Now I did not expect back to back action. I don't really know how to say it. Anyway this is a really good book for teens or older.

I really liked this book. I felt for Danny before he went to White Island and after he arrived there!

This is a hard book to classify. I skimmed through a few reviews and apparently there were complaints that it was too derivative of the Harry Potter books. I think some of this is incidental to the kind of book it is, but some of it, such as the scene where the kids first reach the school, seem lifted wholesale from Harry Potter. For the most part, though, the story and the world are original enough to be interesting. There are times when it seems like the characters were assigned from a casting list, but that can happen all too often in a book that is setting up for a series. Over all, I would say that it was a good story with decent world-building.

Most of my problems with the book, and the reasons why I am unlikely to go on with the series in spite of the story, are myriad. The description said this was an edited second edition. I shudder to think of the nightmare it would have been to read the first. Here are a few of my complaints.

1) In an effort to make this a different world (?) the author inserts an entirely pointless time-keeping reversal; and then fails to follow his own rules. In this world, midnight is 24 bells and each hour after counts down so that 11:00 P.M. is one bell, but the author can't even stick to this system. An example: most of the squires have gone to bed, "the seventh bell is nearly upon us", which would be 5:00 in the afternoon. Another: "This particular evening" . . . "tone marked the first of ten bells." By the author's own construct, ten bells would be 2:00 in the afternoon. This problem occurs throughout the book and is absolutely maddening to anyone who automatically does the conversion in their head. Maybe the author is just bad at math, but then why switch the time around if he can't even bother to figure it out himself?

2) Descriptions are often poor, either just not well-done or using words that are just not quite right for the thing they are purporting to describe. This makes me think that the author has read little classic or even well-written literature, has a limited vocabulary, and takes a sloppy, close-enough attitude towards his writing. There is NO sense of his having taken any care to work at his writing as a craft. He has a story, but doesn't seem to think how it is told matters. Example: After their first day of training, the squires are described as having "bruised and calloused hands". Leaving aside the fact that this spelling, though accepted, is generally used to mean unfeeling and the hardened skin resulting from repeated hard work is usually spelled callus, anyone who has ever formed a callus knows that it does not happen after just one day of unaccustomed work. That usually results in blisters, the calluses come later.

3) Use of non-standard spelling drove me crazy. While it is common to make up words and spellings in fantasy, sometimes it is unnecessary and jarring. Use common spelling for common words. The non-standard spellings were like an itch I couldn't scratch. The same goes for using British spelling in an otherwise American English book.

4) This author (and editor) suffer from the same malaise seen so often in books today; relying too much on spell-check and seemingly having no vocabulary knowledge. Suite and suit are NOT synonyms. Someone who feints during a sword fight may be showing skill, but someone who faints will mostly likely be dead. ". . . poured through piles of books". Really? What did they pour through the books, water? wine? And how did that help them find the information they needed?

My bottom line is that although the author seems to have the imagination to come up with an interesting story, he needs to do some serious work on his writing craft and/or find a really good and ruthless editor. Such a shame, what could have been a good story was ruined by poor writing, editing, and proof-reading.

Loved it! The characters and settings were so real...like the author had been there.
The storyline was a typical good vs. evil but with wonderful new plays on the good and bad. Coolest "summer camp" ever!

This was awesome....I am ready to see where the next book goes...I think I have an idea!
This was from my son^
I enjoyed hearing him talk about this book and he is excited for the next one... he is 12 and he was glued to the book!