Ned has never been able to do magic in a world where literally everyone can do magic. His Uncle Kelver, a very famous and influential mage, sends him to a school where Ned assumes he will finally get to learn magic. But dark forces are at work and he discovers that children are being taken. Then one day he is taken and he learns that everything he knows about his world is backwards. Will he be able to save himself, his friends and his world? And does he want to? This was a great fantasy book and at only 182 pages it is not the tombs that so many fantasy books have become in the wake of Harry and Eragon. It reminded me a bit of Charlie Bone by Nimmo, but lighter and it is only one book, not a series. I thoroughly enjoyed this view of magic (the kids don’t read though, their magic reads aloud to them which I think is bad) and the cast of characters. My favorite item: the goosehorn. Read it and you’ll see what I mean.
