Sol Invictus! Macky Reads The Tapestry Series

The Tapestry series is a modern middle-grade epic that throws all caution to the wind the moment you strap in for the ride. It starts when young Max McDaniels barely escapes being attacked by some foul otherworldly creature on the very same day he was approached to join an elite and exclusive school for individuals with mystical gifts.

Read on and you realize that this story takes a turn for the completely unexpected, at least in terms of scale and breadth. No three to four book wind up before absolute mayhem erupts here. No waiting until the fifth or sixth book for some valuable reveals that setup the great finale. No, this series goes straight into overdrive and beyond any comfortable boundaries by the end of book two.

Not that it doesn’t have any of those great plot twists. There are a few and they serve more to enrich the characters and story, while also providing a "wow" moment for the audience. These books however are pure plot and action, with stakes getting higher and higher.

Personally, one thing that does keep it up on the top shelf is that the very beating heart of this story are its characters and their bonds. As I write this, I cannot wait for you all to meet Max, David, Nick, Sarah, Cynthia, Lucia, Connor and so many more. They have joined the Camp Half Blood campers and Hogwarts students of the world, at least as far as I am concerned.

In Max McDaniels, I have found yet another hero I can love as much as I love characters like Lady Knight Alanna of Trebond, Sabriel the Abhorsen, Percy Jackson the Son of Poseidon and Eragon, first of the new Dragon Riders. Max and his found family are, in fact, right up there with the Golden Trio, the Weasley’s, the Lightwoods and Blackthorns.

And did I mention how much I love how this five book epic and beyond has tastefully created a whole closed universe drawing on world myths and legends? It’s so subtle how the implication of how most, if not all the lore in all the world are tied together, with Rowan as the center point.

Let the Hound of Rowan bare its teeth and start things off for you. If you survive until The Red Winter and want more, you can always jet off into Impyrium. Brace yourselves for tales of heroes and monsters and the unkillable human spirit that will survive even the darkest of times. Sol Invictus, friends. We hope to see you all at Rowan.

The Hound of Rowan / The Second Siege / The Fiend and the Forge / The Maelstrom / The Red Winter by Henry H. Neff

Series: The Tapestry #1-5 | Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Publication Dates: September 25, 2007 / September 23, 2008 / November 23, 2010 / October 23, 2012 / November 25, 2014

Source: Paperbacks + Kindle e-book bought

Buy the (first) book: Book Depository | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Amazon