The Black Reckoning

Book Title: The Black Reckoning

Author: John Stephens

Series: The Books of Beginning #3
Date Started: May 7th 2015

Date Completed: May 8th 2015

Genres: Fantasy, Adventure
Quality Rating: Three Stars
Enjoyment Rating: Four Stars

Final Rating: Four stars

Review:

After waiting something like two years (if not more) for this last instalment of The Books of Beginning, and having grown quite a bit in my reading tastes, I was scared that the series wouldn't end up being as great as I remembered. But The Black Reckoning exceeded my expectations and I'm both crestfallen and proud of how the series ended.

I quite like Stephens' writing: it's not the most beautiful thing I've ever read in a children's book, but it definitely has a kind of flair to it. The biggest issue I have with writing aimed at younger readers is it's sometimes oversimplified or just silly, when it doesn't need to be. And though there are times when it does feel a little stupid, and a couple of instances where information is given in short but lengthy chunks, overall there's a good balance between entertainment and serious scenes.

I would've liked perhaps some kick ass moves from the girls, or some quieter moments from the boys - I really appreciate the subtle strengths and weaknesses the protagonists have (they're in no way the stereotypical portrayals of gender abilities), but a part of me feels that it's important to make these things a bit more obvious for younger readers.

This book throws you straight into the middle of the action, picking up pretty much right where the last book ended. This was fortunate considering it had been such a long time since the second novel; I managed to fall into the cacophony of magical creatures and talented children again pretty quickly. In fact the world is so reminiscent of the folklore/fairytale character and creatures from my childhood that it was only a few pages before I fell in love with the series again. I also thought that this book, perhaps more than it's prequels, had a brilliant diversity and balance of action: there were parts where we followed the siblings as a group, and then an equal balance of them individually once they were split up. But we also got to follow some others character at times to reveal something new for the plot. Because this was sustained throughout the book it worked really well - I've often read books that try to do this but then end up with one chapter in the middle told from another perspective that just sticks out as strange from everything else.

The non-typical storyline was really entertaining. There are good twists and turns, and the characters go through an awful lot before the end, which in itself was quite a feat.

The ending itself was quite fantastic. Stephens is talented in making his climaxes drawn out just as long as they need to be to have the best tension, at times the best cliffhangers, and definitely the best resolutions. But The Black Reckoning's ending was better than that of the previous books: there was a climax, but then there was the resolution. The latter of these was more than I could have hoped for from the series. Avoiding spoilers, I can only really say that it took the difficult, unavoidable reality and solved it in a sensitive and sincere way. Not everyone could be saved, and Stephens didn't try to wriggle out of the prophecy he had set up, but instead tentatively took it and played it out in a way that was just right for the audience. And even after this, the aftermath didn't let everything fall into place straight away: it was difficult for the protagonists, as it should be.

Overall, I loved the message of the book: love is important. And not just romantic love (or if it is, then it doesn't always work out, and that's okay), but also brotherly/sisterly love. Parental and friend relationships. It wasn't a conventional happy ending, but you know that the characters are moving towards better things despite having lost so much. That, in my opinion, is exactly what a children's book should aim to convey.

The development of these characters since the first book still amazes me, and the effect it has on the story is very well written: the children have grown so much and Stephens uses that to highlight how they can now do things they never would've thought about two books ago.

Kate's storyline remains to interest me the most. I think from an older perspective, watching her as the elder sister come to terms with not having to look after her siblings anymore, but also work out how to deal with her own issues around her power and the relationships with others, just stuck out to me. I also really loved her romantic plot, and think it was very well written: you could tell Kate and Rafe cared about each other, but he really was a threat but Kate still reacted sensibly. Sure she was conflicted and upset about it, but at the end of the day, even when she did give in to him, her brother and sister were still important to her and not just thrown to the side because now she had a boy she loved.

I feel like Michael's changed the least since the start of the books, and so his storyline didn't strike me as the most amazing - however I still really love his character and he played just as important a part as his sisters.

Emma, on the other hand, has grown so much, and there's a part of me that's really proud of her for it (I've built up sentimental bonds with these kids, and I think that's part of why I love this series so much). In The Emerald Atlas, Emma mainly just annoyed me: I liked that she was headstrong and reckless, but she was headstrong and reckless to the point where she just interfered with the plans and the safety of her siblings rather selfishly. But then you read this book, and she's headstrong and reckless still, but it drives her to protect her siblings, and she realises that it isn't always a good thing.

The Black Reckoning is really quick to read: I did it in less than 24 hours with revision and college on the side. Though the writing is easy to get through, I literally couldn't put the book down: I have so much love for the characters and the story, and the sheer entertainment it provides. Even with the fast paced writing, this book goes through a staggering amount of events, and none of them feel rushed or unnecessary.

The Books of Beginning series is absolutely brilliant for any younger readers that love fantasy or want to find an easy way to get into it. At times it does feel a little silly, but I think that's why it's so perfect as an introduction into the genre. The whole trilogy just reminds me of the classic fantasy adventure books I read as a kid, and seeing the characters grow up throughout the series made me really sentimental. I also think that, if like me, you grew up around stories of orphans running around magical worlds filled with elves and dwarfs and giants and wizards and ultimately having to put their family first, then you'll enjoy reliving aspects of it through this book.

Image Source - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23346768-the-black-reckoning