Review: Simply a great book
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 14, 2014
This book has everything that I liked about A Life Less Ordinary but also everything I felt was missing and really none of that books faults. Of course, as soon as magic schools are on the menu the comparisons with Harry Potter comes flying like snowflakes in a winter storm. Well, if I should pick one of the two I would probably pick this book. This book is more hardcore action-fantasy and somewhat less childish that the Harry Potter books however I have to confess that, although I bought them all, I have only read the first three of the Potter ones yet.As the blurb states, Emily is drawn into a magic world against her will and not only does she discover that magic exists, as well as various things that go bump in the night, but there is no way back. She is stuck in a medieval world with lots of wonders but also no smartphones, computers or other modern conveniences (including sanitary ones) that we take for granted today. The fact that Emily really leaves the modern world behind makes me classify this book as Fantasy rather than Urban-Fantasy.Apart from the main bad guy Emily also have to deal with understanding her new world as well as the everyday school life which of course includes friends, studies and the obligatory school bully. Although the book starts quite quickly by throwing Emily and the reader in deep waters right from the start it then continues without rushing it. It follows a logical thread and takes the time it needs to develop Emily, let her go through her classes, learn how to handle magic etc. I find it quite disappointing when books rush over these parts just to throw some more action at the reader. This book gets it right.The parts in the school where Emily starts to learn magic and also learns about the various strange and magical creatures that roams the land is very enjoyable reading. Just as enjoyable as the more action-filled parts of the book. Of course there is also the bad guy, the Necromancer, and the plot steadily takes us towards quite a showdown at the end.The bottom line is that this is a great book. From the posts the author have made on his website it appears that this is book one in a new series. Damn it Mr. Nuttall now you have created yet another series that I just have to follow and I am already having a hard job keeping track of all the book series that I have in the air. And unfortunately I have no magic library, pocket dimensions or even a wand to help me. I have to resort to crude devices like computers and stuff.