Just by chance I picked up this Young Adult trilogy at a Library Book Sale. They had a Harry Potter-type vibe. The series title, The Books of Beginning, intrigued me because I love fantasy novels about books (my favorites involve The Necronomicon).
Abandoned by their parents, three children–Kate (the eldest), Michael (the smartest), and Emma (the fighter)–find themselves at the Edgar Allan Poe Home for Hopeless and Incorrigible Orphans operated by the mysterious Stanislaus Pym.
In Book One, The Emerald Atlas (2012), Kate, Michael, and Emma find they’ve been transported 15 years into the Past where the evil Countess seeks one of The Books of Beginning: The Emerald Atlas. The Books of Beginning can enhance the Countess’s already impressive magic powers. Only Kate can stop her acquisition of the book and its unique power to manipulate Time. GRADE: B
In Book Two: The Fire Chronicle (2012), is my favorite book in The Books of Beginning trilogy. Michael is tested in his quest to find The Fire Chronicle, the magic book that controls health and Life. Where Harry Potter had He-Who-Must–Not-Be-Named (aka, Lord Voldemort), Kate, Michael, and Emma have the evil Dire Magnus to contend with. The The Books of Beginning have the power to change the world…or destroy it. I love the section where Michael has to deal with a dragon! GRADE: B+
In Book Three, The Dark Reckoning, Emma finds out she’s the only one who can become the Keeper of Reckoning (aka, The Book of the Dead). Emma has to travel to the Land of the Dead to find the book, learn how to use it, and together with Kate and Michael and their magic books, save the world. All in all, The Books of Beginning are a satisfactory fantasy trilogy. If you enjoyed the Harry Potter series, you’ll enjoy The Books of Beginning. GRADE: B
His name rang the faintest bell…turns out he’s been involved with tv series as a writer and producer, including GILMORE GIRLS, GOTHAM, GOSSIP GIRL (since he clearly likes a Hard G sound) and THE O. C….the latter two I barely looked at, but did mostly enjoy the first two. Apparently Philip Pullman’s HIS DARK MATERIALS series sparked a desire to write YA fantasy…a somewhat more original inspiration than Pottering about.
https://www.pomona.edu/news/2011/10/10-romp-through-time
Todd, I’m a big fan of Pullman’s HIS DARK MATERIALS. There’s plenty of darkness in THE BOOKS OF BEGINNING. I love magical books and Stephens concocts some impressive powers.
Never heard of him or (obviously) this series before, though it does sound somewhat interesting.
Jeff, John Stephens wrote THE BOOKS OF BEGINNING aimed at a Young Adult audience. But, I’m young at heart so I enjoyed it!