Customer Reviews

Mariah Mundi: The Midas Box

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Mariah Mundi: The Midas Box by G.P. Taylor is a young adult novel set in rather dark and gloomy England. Mariah Mundi, the hero of the story, is a Colonial Boy-a graduate of the Chiswick Colonial School. He is sent off with a first-class suit and a third-class ticket to work at the Prince Regent, the world's finest hotel and the brainchild of inventor Otto Luger. It isn't long before Mariah meets a mysterious stranger who gives him a magical deck of cards for safekeeping. He meets people on the train who make him wonder what dangers working at the Prince Regent will bring.

Soon after he arrives at the hotel and is set to helping the Great Bizmillah, a magician who wants to do more than just stage magic. His new friend Sacha is a mischievous girl who knows the hotel well. She is worried about her friend Felix who disappeared abruptly like the boys before him. Mariah realizes quickly that all is not what it seems at the luxury hotel, or in the little town below it.

The Midas Box has a lot going for it. While the beginning is a bit slow, once the action starts it is relentless. It is full of people who may be friends, or perhaps enemies. There is magic and monsters and a puzzle to be figured out. The book is written in a straightforward style that allows the story to come through. The characters are likable though there is plenty left to learn about them. This is a good thing since I suspect that this is the first in a series.

Armchair Interview says: Mariah Mundi: The Midas Box is a fun read.

Mariah Mundi, fresh out of Chiswick Colonial School, is on his way to work at the Prince Regent Hotel. That was his first mistake. Second was not realizing that the hotel's many dark secrets weren't content to stay that way...

First and foremost, this book is ridiculously creepy. The impossibly sinister villains, mixed with the darkest of magic, all set in a dreary 1800's England makes for very interesting, and fast paced, gothic horror. In his previous novels, G. P. Taylor's pacing was severely hindered by his lengthy descriptions of the not-so-interesting scenery. No longer. Somewhere between writing Shadowmancer and Mariah Mundi, Mr. Taylor must have discovered how to make his descriptions advance the plot, keeping the pacing at a breakneck speed.

I only have two complaints. First is the fact that I didn't feel like I really knew the two main characters as much as I would've liked. Through all the creepiness and horror, I think I kind of missed most of the character development. Second is Mariah's name. It kept making me think of Mariah Carey. But I suppose this is a horror novel, after all.

I noticed an ad for this book in Realms of Fantasy magazine. The cover caught my eye and the Amazon preview hooked me. I really enjoyed this book. The characters were interesting and the action was fast-paced. Readers of all ages will enjoy the adventures of Mariah Mundi. I look forward to reading more books from this author.

This is another book by G.P. Taylor that is a wonderful read ! It holds the readers interest right from the beginning and keeps one captivated and searching with the characters. I am always thrilled when I learn of a new book published by G.P. Taylor and would never hesitate to purchase any of this authors publications. C. Pekkala