By Sarah Prineas
Reviewed by TFK Kid Reporter Jair Massie

Genre: Fantasy/Adventure

Number of pages: 400

Conn is a former thief who has some very different ideas about the magic of his city, Wellmet. He is different from most magister's apprentices. He saved the city in the first book, The Magic Thief, and drew criticism from the other magisters. In the second book, he gets into even more trouble. He begins experimenting with pyrotechnics, the craft of making and using fireworks, to get closer to the magic. He discovers that the magic can speak to him during these explosions. His master, Nevery, warns him to stay away from pyrotechnics, but Conn is inclined to continue experimenting. When the people of Wellmet are endangered by a mysterious foe, it's up to Conn to save them. Although very few people believe in him, his decides to embark upon a dangerous quest to save Wellmet. Along the way, he learns about courage, wisdom and the power of magic. He also learns about himself.

The characters are very believable. I could see a little bit of myself in most of the characters. The few that I couldn't, I could really understand their points of view. The curiosity of Conn, the trust of Nevery and the toughness of Captain Kerrn are in all of us. It was easy to connect and sympathize with all of the characters. The characters are so well developed that the reader even feels bad for the villain!

I would say that this book is a 9. The author does a superb job of explaining the complicated world of Wellmet, and I was hooked from the first chapter. There are also many unexpected twists and turns. I would definitely recommend reading the first book before the second, due to many references made between the books. This book shows a different side of fantasy, without armies of huge beasts or paranormal kids with weird powers. It's pure magic and a great novel about how determination, confidence and willpower help a boy to save his city. Do not shy away because of the length of the book. You will enjoy it as much as you would any 100-page book because it doesn't feel long and the print is large. I also loved the nice addition of the bonuses at the end of the book. Overall, I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys books about magic and likes a book that is unpredictable and intense, but easy to understand.