About the Book

Author: Victor Kloss
Genre: Teen/Young Adult Fantasy
Number of Pages: 245
Synopsis: Two years ago, Ben Greenwood's parents walked out the door and never returned. The police have all but given up finding them when Ben stumbles upon a peculiar letter addressed to his dad. “You are the most wanted man in the Unseen Kingdoms. Unless you come to us, we cannot help. For your child's sake, tell us what you know.”
The letter is from an organisation called the Royal Institute of Magic and is dated a day before his parents disappeared. Like most people, fourteen-year-old Ben hasn't the faintest idea what the Royal Institute of Magic is, but he has his first clue: the logo on the letter.
Armed with nothing but his wits and the help of his good friend Charlie, Ben sets out to find the Institute and, through them, his parents. To succeed, he will have to navigate a land filled with fantastic creatures and Spellshooters, where magic can be bought and sold, to unravel an ancient family secret that could hold the key to defeating an evil the Institute has been fighting for the last five hundred years.
My Review
It's been two years since Ben's parents vanished yet he knows they are still alive and he is determined to find out what happened to them. Armed with very few clues, Ben and his best friend Charlie find an old treasure box among the police evidence from the day of the disappearance. A logo sparks Ben's memory and the pair set out to locate the building with the matching symbol. Their wildest dreams could not have prepared them for what they are about the encounter.
Elves, trolls, spellshooters, and subway cars powered by dragons are just a few unbelievable sites, but their greatest discovery is the Royal Institute of Magic. Ben may finally get the answers he's been searching for, but at what cost?
This is an absolutely spellbinding fantasy. The author creates a magical world within the real world where his main character, Ben begins to piece together the secrets that surround his life. Ben is outgoing and easily likable. He tends to act before he thinks, which works out most of the time. Charlie, Ben's best friend, is sensible and usually sides with reason This makes them the perfect team. Readers will enjoy the few times when Charlie acts spontaneously to escape sticky situations. The setting is imaginative and the author's attention to detail help readers visualize the Unseen Kingdoms as Ben and Charlie experience them. I like how the Kingdoms exist all around the world, but remain undetected by the human world. Although the story is fantastical it is believable which, in my opinion makes it all the more entertaining. Well done!
I highly recommend picking up a copy. Available on Amazon.