The Natural Order

This book is a book for all ages. It is well written and keeps you turning the pages. I found it hard to put down. There is a lot of mystery in this story as you follow Tristan, Amber and the others through their instruction about the world of magic.

R J Vickers put together a great story with "The Natural Order". The plot progresses consistently and plausibily within the world she created. I loved the characters. Vickers apparently has a talent for bringing to life realistic multidimensional characters. And Vickers addresses real human issues with subtlety and finesse. Once I began The Natural Order I couldn't put it down.

Few people trust juvenile delinquents. Even fewer are willing to give them a second chance.

Tristan’s character development was phenomenal. My first impression of him wasn’t very positive because he came across as someone who has always found a way to blame other people for his problems. It didn’t take me long to realize just how complicated he was. While he definitely had his share of personality flaws, I quickly grew to like this character and can’t wait to find out what happens to him and his friends in the sequel.

I will admit to feeling disoriented by the first ten percent of the plot. Tristan and the reader are plunged into a completely unfamiliar environment with almost no explanation about what’s going on around them. The author had excellent reasons for writing it this way, though, so I’d strongly encourage everyone who tries this novel to not worry too much about straightening everything out in their minds right away. There will be answers, and I found them to be well worth the temporary confusion of the first few chapters.

My favorite scenes in this story were the ones that showed how Tristan and his classmates learned about magic. The author had some unique ideas about magic that fit in really well with everything else that was going on in this universe. It’s hard to discuss the specific details of it without giving away spoilers, but I really enjoyed seeing how everything fit together so seamlessly.

The Natural Order has kicked off an exciting, new young adult series. I, for one, am eagerly anticipating book two!

originally posted at long and short reviews

I bought this for my daughter who’s in 6 th grade. She really enjoyed it and couldn’t put it down. However, found it to be confusing at times. I would reccomend this for middle school students (6-8 grade).