Review Detail

The Books of Magic series by Carla Jablonski is based on a graphic novel series originally created by Neil Gaiman (Coraline) and John Bolton. If you've read any of my past reviews, you know that I just adore Neil Gaiman.

This series is only now loosely related to him, but it is enjoyable. Carla Jablonski is a very interesting person and author in her own right (she was once a trapeze artist!) and she does the series justice.

In the first book, we meet Timothy Hunter. He's just been accosted by four mysterious men dressed in trenchcoats. They offer to introduce him to the intricacies of magic because Tim may just be the most powerful wizard ever.

This means that everyone, not just the Trenchcoat Brigade (as Tim likes to call them) are after him. Danger lurks at every turn, including a meeting with Death herself.

Each of the four takes Tim on a past, present, fairyland, future tour (A-la-A-Christmas-Carol). Tim meets a young Merlin and the Queen of Fairyland among other interesting characters.

The story is quick-paced and keeps your attention, though I sometimes found it lacking a bit in detail. Tim was visiting some very interesting places and each "stop" on his journey could have been a book in itself, so the novel almost seems too short as it is.

If you or your child are looking for a good fantasy read that goes fast and draws you in, this is an excellent choice. And, it's a chance to get deep into a series (great for those of you who feel lost without another Harry Potter on the near horizon).

Recommended for ages 12 and up (though could definitely be enjoyed by those as young as 8).

As an added bonus, a film called Constantine starring Keanu Reeves is scheduled to be released this year. Constantine is one of the "Trenchcoat Brigade" and Tim's favorite among them. So, there's a great movie tie-in as well.