I’m part of this book list from BookBub. They send out offers to get books for free or cheap. I forgot to bring a physical book to work one day and thought I’d read on my phone instead. The Book of Chaos was in my most recent purchases. All I can say is I got hooked and so picked up the rest of the series using Kindle Unlimited. Thought I’d tell you about this lovely middle school fantasy series.
Some Basic Details
Title: Series: the book of chaos
One: The Book of Chaos
Two: The Guitar of Mayhem
Three: The Bow of Anarchy
Four: The Curse of the Warlock
Five: The Song of Embers
Author: Jessica Renwick
Series: Starfell
Publisher: Starfell Press
Pages: Averaging 350 pages
Intended Audience: middle school
Genre: fantasy, friendship, mystery,
Available formats: hardcover, paperback, audio, kindle
There is to be a sixth in the series that finishes off the entire story, but it hasn’t been written yet. The author wrote me a very nice email explaining family sorrow, and that the sixth is still on it’s way.
The Basic Story:
Fable, a 12 year old girl, living a sheltered life in a quiet village. She has magic but needs to keep it hidden. She gets stolen away by a magic book. Lands in a kingdom where magic is the norm, but an evil lich is causing a whack of trouble. This lich wants Fable because of her developing powers, and so a battle of wits and power ensues. Fable develops friendships with youth and adults as she engages in this battle for dominance.
The Author:
Jessica Renwick is from Alberta Canada where she loves to read mysteries and horror novels. She turns that love into novels for middle schoolers. She has chickens and dogs to help keep her busy in her garden when she’s not writing or reading.
So what did I think?
So I was abit taken aback that this series is considered horror. I didn’t find it scary at all. Some of the characters are mean and get into doing nasty stuff, but it’s not overly scary. I suppose if I was in upper elementary school I might consider it rather scary though… It’s hard to say, I’m an adult and can’t really remember what would have scared me back then. 🙂
So what did I like?
I loved the core group of friendship that formed fairly quickly. Fear for one’s life can create bonding instances can’t they? 🙂
I loved that the older folks, the adults in the picture, were very willing to help the children out. They were protective (sometimes overly) but their concern was for the safety and well-being of the youngsters in their charge.
I am currently very intrigued (and wanting to read book six) by the changing character of one of the “bad guys”. My curiosity is stoked about what is going on with this individual.
The characters weren’t static. They grew and changed, sometimes through developing confidence, sometimes because hard things happened to them, and sometimes just because new skills emerged.
What didn’t I like?
Fable was very persistent in thinking she was a bad, horrible, untrustworthy person just because her grandmother was. It got to feel very repetitive despite her friends reassuring her frequently.
The lack of patience in the youth, never wanting to wait for the adults to help them out and taking things into their own hands. Granted, the team of friends was basically what the story was about, not about the adults. So from a story perspective it makes sense that they acted as they did. But as a parent reading, I found myself disliking the “we are right and they are wrong” persistent attitudes.
I do get disappointed by the persistence in middle school fiction of having a same-gender relationship of some sort going on. Granted the one in this read feels like a natural extension of who the people are, but could easily have been written without it.
Final thoughts
BUT because I am so invested in this story, I actually wrote the author and asked her when the sixth book is coming out. She wrote me a lovely letter in response speaking to family tragedy causing a delay. And I’m sorry she’s had to deal with such sorrow. BUT!! I hope she recovers from her family concerns soon and book six comes out!
I mostly enjoyed this series and really hope book six comes out soon. The story is good and continues from book to book. I love the gradual reveal of new talents and the confidence that grows in each of the youth, some more quickly than others eh? So give The Book of Chaos series a read eh? ONLY if you like magic, and mildly scary stuff though! 🙂
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