The Curse of Arkady: The Magickers #2 [Mass Market Paperback]

Emily Drake (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 3, 2003 | Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: The Magickers (Book 2)

Jason Adrian and his friends survived Magic Camp. But can they survive the beastly minions of the Dark Hand. . .who seem to have followed them home?

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8-Overwritten and full of awkward prose, this sequel to The Magickers (DAW, 2001) does not stand on its own. Jason Adrian is the principal protagonist, though the point of view switches among many characters. His pleasure in making the soccer team is muted not only by a bully at school and a sinister school counselor, but also by the sense that the Dark Hand is after him and that he and his Magicker friends might be vulnerable to the Curse of Arkady. No one seems to know what that Curse is, but it's bound to be bad. The reappearance and sudden death of a long-lost elder Magicker indicates that the Curse may cause rapid aging and death in those who use mana, or magical energy. The good versus evil battle is not presented as a terribly cosmic one-it's more that the bad guy employs dirty tricks and ugly beasts ("wolfjackals"), and is possibly committed to an ecologically unsound coastal development project. Despite the occasional humorous moment and a few scenes of creepy excitement, the text is rarely rewarding, and details about critical plot elements remain unclear to the end. Undiscriminating readers who liked the first book, however, will want to read the continuation of the first adventure.
Kathie Meizner, Montgomery County Public Libraries, Chevy Chase, MD
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 376 pages
• Publisher: DAW (June 3, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0756401038
• ISBN-13: 978-0756401030
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 7.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,580,837 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Especially recommended for Harry Potter fans of all ages, July 12, 2002

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Curse of Arkady: The Magickers #2 (Hardcover)

Curse Of Arkady is the second book in Emily Drake's 'Magickers' series, and is especially recommended for Harry Potter fans of all ages; even those not previously familiar with the Magickers prior publication. Here vacation has ended and his summer at a magic camp perfecting his talents is over, but he's still learning to use his skills and must still face the fact that home is no longer a safe refuge from the Dark Hand. Tension and action abound in this fastpaced, well crafted fantasy.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars reminiscent of the early teen fantasies of Andre Norton, June 7, 2002

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Curse of Arkady: The Magickers #2 (Hardcover)

Once upon a time two powerful magicians fought a bloody (magically speaking) battle to determine how magic would be used in the world. Neither side really won as magick was ripped out of this world and the elder practitioners moved forward into our time. The forces of light led by Gavan want to establish a school so fresh recruits could have a safe haven to learn how to use the magick.

The followers of the Dark led by Brennard don't want this to happen and will go to any lengths to stop it. They successfully infiltrated and destroyed the summer camp but not before a group of powerful young adult magickers were discovered and partially trained. Twelve-year-old Jason is the most powerful fledging discovered and now that he is back in the mundane world, the forces of Brennard are doing all that they can to capture him and drain his magickal powers.

The Magickers is America's answer to the Harry Potter series. Young adults, teens, and even geriatric boomers will enjoy THE CURSE OF ARKADY because there are characters of all the age groups thrust into the main story line. There are many threads left dangling so that the readers will be eagerly awaiting the next installment in this enchanting series. Emily Drake's series is reminiscent of the early teen fantasies written by Andre Norton.

Harriet Klausner

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not A Curse at All...Lots of Reading Fun!, May 10, 2003

By 

"liaden" (Somewhere Over the Rainbow) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Curse of Arkady: The Magickers #2 (Hardcover)

Okay, the prequel was good. Okay, really good. And the sequel does everything to live up to its predessor. If you haven't read The Magickers, pick it up before you have a go at this story.

Student Magickers Jason, Bailey, Trent, and Ling have left their beloved camp Ravenwyng and returned to their old lives while their Magickal Teachers struggle to create a Haven where they can safely teach the children. But in the mean time, life is much more complicated for the teens. They must adjust to the differences in themselves and struggle with their families' ignorance of their Magick. Not to mention, the Dark Hand of Brennard hovers ever closer and the students are plagued by the mysterious Curse of Arkady. (Drake never really tells us what exactly the Curse is...perhaps saving it for a later book?)

While my writer's instincts tell me the style of this piece is a mess, I can't help but be terribly excited by the prospect of the story; I was CAPTIVATED the entire time! Something about the characters and the story is downright fascinating. I literally couldn't stop thinking about it.

But, this could just be what I like to call Potter Deprivation Syndrome and I am just using this similar book to fill my empty days as a Harry Potter fan. It is true that the Mackigers seem to be oddly like the old Hogwarts crew. But Drake, instead of pretending she took none of her ideas from the Potter books, acknowledges their existance! CLEVER AND WISE MOVE! The characters make several references to the "fictional books" which makes the book all the more intriguing, especially since this book is so recent, and the last HP was published nearly three years ago.

So please...I'm telling you. Read this book. And its prequel. And Arkady's sequel which is going to be available in July. (Ack, again, nice timing: readers will be finished with Order of the Phoinex by that point and will need some serious recuperation time.)

(Alas, another failed attempt to keep Harry Potter out of my reviews. Sorry it didn't work.) Anyway, Happy Reading! A Highly Recommended book!