Review: Captivating read at times
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 26, 2014
Story starts off quiet giving the back story of 14 yr. old  Asa Palmer, who is the Harry Potterish hero of this story.  Just when I thought it was safe to settle in and be sad for the kid, the “Academy” snatched me inside and I felt myself trying to escape alongside Asa. Lots of twist and turns, unlikely animal heroes, and a bad guy in good guy uniform that is so richly drawn it will scare the heck out of you. Intriguing mysteries all around this story that had me both - swiping - and –skipping - pages as this story stalled in a few places.  Nevertheless, I enjoyed the story because in the places were the story worked – it was really good. As a writer (not of this type of material), I saw some things that could be tightened and fixed, but hey… that’s with a lot of stories.  Also, as a writer I know how hard it is to write and then release your labor of love into the world….courage alone is worth 5 stars.