Review: Guardians Inc.: The Cypher

Guardians Inc.: The Cypher by Julian Rosado-Machain

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Book Info: Genre: Urban Fantasy
Reading Level: Young Adult
Recommended for: Those who enjoy YA urban fantasy, an intricate storyline, great storytelling
Trigger Warnings: none

Disclosure: I won a copy of this e-book through the LibraryThing member giveaways. A honest review was requested. Later, not realizing I already had it, I also purchased it for myself through Amazon. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis: Guardians, Inc: The Cypher is two stories in one. A glimpse into a multinational company that is in reality the oldest of secret societies, one that spans close to seven thousand years of existence, weaving in and out of history, guiding and protecting humanity from creatures and forces that most of us believe are only mythology and fairy tales.

The other is the story of Thomas Byrne, a young man thrust into secrets he shouldn’t be aware of and dangers he shouldn’t face but, that he ultimately will, for he is a Cypher. The only one who can steer humanity’s future.

The ultimate conspiracy theory is that Magic is real. Kept in check by technology but, every five hundred years the balance can shift and, if it does, technology will fail and those creatures we’ve driven into myth will come back with a vengeance.

To protect the present, Guardians Incorporated needs to know the future.

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book—it builds up slowly but steadily. I could not help but be really jealous of Thomas and his work at the huge library hidden away by Guardians, Inc., with access to every book in existence. What a dream come true for a bibliophile like me!

The characters are wonderful. Thomas is the one we learn the most about, of course, but others are equally interesting: Tony, Tasha, the Butler, Dr. Franco, even Click. While some are only mentioned in passing, we are given at least a glimpse into their persona—it’s very well-done. I wouldn’t be surprised to find some folks complaining about the pace—it starts a little slow, but it’s all necessary. I think the second book will be a firecracker and I’m very excited to start reading it. I’m especially hoping that we will learn more about Magic and the various magical races. This one had mostly fauns, with some Wraith and the grotesques. I also hope we’ll learn more about how Lovecraft’s mythos fits in, because it is emphasized a few times that Thomas needs to read Lovecraft.

This is just the first book in the series. The second book is called Thundersword and was released in October 2012. I’ve added it to my wishlist, because this is a series I definitely want to continue; however, because I’m impatient, I have borrowed it using my Amazon Prime membership, so I’ll be reading and reviewing it next! According to the author, there should be five books, and book 3, The Four-Legged Prophet, is due out in April or May 2013. I recommend this book to readers, especially those who enjoy YA urban fantasy with intricate storytelling and strong world-building. I think most people will enjoy this book.



View all my reviews