Candle Man by Glenn Dakin

Rating: 4.3/5.0

Re-read? I'll definitely need to re-read this a bit before I read book 2.

Recommend? I think anyone who enjoyed the tales of the Baudelaire orphans would like this. It's meant for younger teens, but I think anyone could enjoy it.

Release Date: September 22, 2009
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Pages: 320

Synopsis:

Murder, mystery, and adventure aren’t your typical birthday presents . . .
But for Theo, anything that breaks up his ordinary routine is the perfect gift.
A mysterious “illness” and Theo’s guardians force him into a life indoors, where gloves must be worn and daily medical treatments are the norm. When Theo discovers a suspicious package on his birthday, one person from the past will unlock the secret behind Theo’s “illness” and change his life forever.
Molded into an exhilarating steampunk adventure that gives birth to the next great fantasy hero, Theo Wickland, Candle Man: The Society of Unrelenting Vigilance is the first book in a trilogy by debut author Glenn Dakin.

My Thoughts:

Candle Man is an exciting tale about a boy named Theo who doesn't really know exactly who (or what) he is. Dakin creates a world where superheroes exist, and where there is a super hero, there are, of course, villians.

I have to say I really enjoyed Candle Man. I haven't really read any steam punk themed books before, but I think I like it. I love how it brings the old and the new together in an interesting combination of cogs and victorian clothing. Having that steam punk flare is really what made this book stand out to me and I actually plan on learning a bit more about it after this. I'm interested!

Candle Man had a good pace without being boring, but it was very much meant for the younger reader. Not that older readers won't enjoy it, but I believe the target age is in the lower teens. Personally I love reading MG as well as YA, so I didn't mind a bit.

Candle Man kept me surprised throughout the whole novel. Maybe I'm horrible with guessing, but there were several twists that I never saw coming! I can't wait to delve into the next one, because Candle Man is a series!

Details:

Cover: 5.0
Plot: 4.0
Characters: 4.5
Writing: 3.5