Angus Macbain and the Island of Sleeping Kings

Angus Macbain #1

by Angela J. Townsend

Angus MacBain is unaware that his ancestral roots hail from an ancient sect of Scottish kings. When his dying grandfather gives him a dragon pendant, thirteen-year-old Angus learns of a legacy that will take him across an ocean to the island of Iona and thrust him into a heritage he did not know he had.

He soon discovers that his mother, whom he had believed dead, is really a seal fairy, in hiding from a dangerous enemy. To save her, Angus must undergo a perilous journey of destiny and power to battle an evil Dacian knight and those who serve him. With only his family shield and the advice of a wizened vampire hunter to protect him, Angus must navigate dangerous terrain and dark enemies, in a land where the past and the present mingle, and sleeping kings wake.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Science Fiction Fantasy

250 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 24, 2013

Reviews

[K.C. Finn · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you loved Harry Potter, say hello to Angus MacBain!

I listened to the audiobook of this novel via audible and I am so glad I chose to spend December's credit on it! The American narrator does her absolute best with the English and Scottish accents, though being a Brit myself it took me a while to get used to her BBC style pronunciation. The character's voices are well delivered and it was a thoroughly enjoyable way to hear the story told.

As for the story itself, I was thrilled from start to finish by the fast paced action set in a cleverly crafted world of Celtic mythology. Angela J. Townsend has taken familiar and favourite fantasy concepts and reworked them into her own version of Scots myth that is inventive and totally enthralling. The story constantly keeps you guessing as to what Angus is going to uncover next and there was never a dull moment in the whole journey.

The character I enjoyed the most was Fane. He is enigmatic and charming, perfectly filling the role of the exposition character with whimsy and amusement. Every time he re-emerged into the story I was thrilled to see him and he never let me down for entertainment value. Also fabulous was Vanora, an uppity girl who befriends Angus right from the off and sticks by him with a thirst for adventure. She was an excellent addition to the plot and their affection for each other was endearing and sweet.

Angus himself holds a special place in my heart because he is not a perfect hero by any means. He is a sweet boy who's well aware of his faults and being privy to his innermost fears was heartbreaking and wonderful to read. Out of character for me, actually, to get teary over books, but in the last two chapters of the tale I really found myself choking back a little sob because I had connected so much with him during the story.

My only regret is that there isn't another book to carry straight on with, although this tale was wrapped up perfectly at the end to keep you satisfied as you wait for more. If you're a fan of Harry Potter then the spirit of this book will definitely enthral you, though I dare say it's a much faster ride to enjoy and the Celtic flavour gives it a cultural value that I would prize far higher than 'The Philosopher's Stone'. In terms of a first book in a series, I enjoyed Angus MacBain and the Island of Sleeping Kings more than Harry Potter, so when Angela J. Townsend continues this series I can only anticipate with glee how much more fabulous it can get!

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Angus Macbain's grandfather passes away, he is sent to Scotland to live with an aunt he does not know about who treats him like dirt and uncovers a mystery about his family history. Can he find out what happens to his family before it is too late and find out why his aunt's been spying on him? Read this book and find out.

This was a pretty good YA fantasy novel I got for free on Smashwords. If you like Harry Potter and the Secret of Kells, then definitely check this book out.

[Ginny Gallagher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great title! Great cover! Great story!

With a title like "Angus MacBain and the Island of Sleeping Kings" you know that you're in for a grand adventure when you decide to start reading this exciting coming of age story.

The story begins with young Angus MacBain standing at his dying grandfather's bedside.

"You're thirteen now, almost a man. You've got to be brave. Remember, you're a MacBain." -- "The arrangements have already been made. There will be no funeral. I'm sending you to Scotland."--Duncan MacBain

Angus's grandfather warns him that strange things will happen and cautions him to be careful. Angus should listen to his grandfather but in his anger decides that....

"There was no such thing as vampires and other magical creatures. Life wasn't about fairy tales, only heartache, despair, and death."- Angus MacBain

Angus has a lot to learn about the "strange things" that his grandfather warns him about and the Island of Sleeping Kings awaits the return of a MacBain.

Five words: Adventure, legend, growth, magic, friendship

I think that anyone that loves Celtic myths and legends paired with a wonderful coming of age story will love Angus MacBain and the Island of Sleeping Kings. I look forward to reading book 2, Angus Macbain and the Agate Eyeglass soon.

Was this review helpful? If so, please consider voting for it on Amazon!

Book 1, Angus MacBain and the Island of Sleeping Kings is currently available for FREE download.

[Joood Hooligan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a fan of Celtic mythology, so I was very interested in reading this book to see how the author used it in her story - and I was impressed. She used the mythical creatures in a way that explained them to those who have no knowledge of them, and kept them enjoyable for those that do.

I was quickly drawn into the story and felt a connection for Angus almost immediately. He was written well and believably, enough so that I wanted to reach into the book and smack him upside his head a few times.

This was a quick and easy story to get into, and worth the read. I highly recommend it to fantasy and mythology lovers.

5/5 platypires

http://onemorechapterreviews1.blogspo...

[Heather Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, I wanted to say thank you to Juniper Grove Book Solutions and Angela Townsend for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. It was fantastic!

It’s been a little while since I’ve read a YA book and to be honest it took me a little bit to adjust…but once I did…Angela took me on a ride filled with magic, wonder and adventure! When I first saw that Juniper Grove Book Solutions was hosting a blog tour for Angus MacBain and the Island of Sleeping Kings, I immediately thought of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. I absolutely adore these books and Harry Potter was a HUGE part of my teen years. So naturally, I thought Angus MacBain would be right up my alley. Another young boy is going on magical adventures…I would never forgive myself if I didn’t check it out.

At the beginning of this story, Angus is faced with a devastating loss. After losing his parents, he has been living with his grandfather who assumed a parenting role for him and Angus had become extremely close to him over the years. On his death bed, his grandfather informs Angus that he will be going to Iona, a Scottish isle, to live with his aunt and gives him a beautiful dragon amulet to keep safe. Not long after his grandfather’s passing, Angus finds himself on a flight to his aunt’s house in Iona. A flight that is far from normal might I add. After trusting Fane, an unusual man who claims to be a vampire hunter, as well as his ride to the Ferry, Angus starts to see that many people/creatures want his amulet. But why? After meeting his aunt, an absolute horror of a woman, Angus begins to see some unusual things; thus opening the door for many magical adventures to unravel.

I don’t want to go into detail about Angus’ adventures in this review because I really think you need to let the book take you on a magical adventure. It’s always better when you don’t know what’s going to happen :) However, I will complement the author as I feel she did a wonderful job of writing a book that appeals to not only YA readers but to adults as well. It’s been a long time since I read a YA book that captivated me like this one. I’ve been on a New Adult kick for a while and have thrown a few YA Mature books into the mix over the past year, but I haven’t found a classic YA book that appealed to me…until now. I feel like Angus’ adventures are some that anyone could enjoy. Not once did I feel the story was too slow or too simple. To be honest, I was caught up in this story from the beginning and found myself unable to put it down a few times.

All in all, I thought Angus MacBain and the Island of Sleeping Kings was very well done. I enjoyed that the characters were just ordinary children, thrust into a world filled with magic and adventure and I found them to be endearing. Angela also did a wonderful job of painting a realistic picture of the scenery for me. I’ve never been to Scotland, unfortunately, but as a result of reading this book, I want to go even more now! I will admit, there were a few times that the sentences seemed choppy to me but it wasn’t distracting. I really thought this book was well written and can’t wait for the next in this series! I will definitely be reading it!

[Melanie's · Rating 5 out of 5]

**I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review**

Angus MacBain is a beautifully written YA book that will appeal to children and adults alike. Anyone who enjoyed the Tales Of Harry Potter will devour this adventure of a young boy in Scotland that is filled to the brim with magic and intrigue, yet is described in such a way that younger members will appreciate and get swept up in the story too.
The descriptions are outstanding, the characters easy to relate to (not an easy task to get a grown woman to identify with the situations of a young lad), and the story is fast paced enough to keep you interested without you feeling rushed through information that you need to know. Certainly a great deal of research has gone into the creature mythology and as someone who reads a lot about that I was extremely pleased to see how well done it was.
One of the best younger novels I have read in a long time.
V""V

[Toni Kerr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angus MacBain is a wonderful coming-of-age adventure for young and old readers. It follows two young teens as they explore the magical world of Iona—with all its myths and legends—and do a little growing up as well. It was really hard to put this book down! Not only because of the super fast pace and great characters, but because the Celtic mythology was fascinating and the author has such a beautiful writing style. Loved it!

[Boo Vickery · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never read a book with the Main Character being a male before. This book though was amazing. I have never read a book with so many creatures! It made the book very interesting and exciting! I kept waiting for the next creature to pop up to know what it was/what it was like.

I've read all of Ms. Townsends books, and I can say creature/adventure wise, this one nailed it! The ending...... made me wanting the second book! :O Dang it!

[Cara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't really care what happened to the characters. I also think the story could've done with a better editor. There were parts that felt pretty unnecessary and the end felt crazy rushed.

[Guy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic read

Travel through ancient Gaelic history. Share the tears and joy of young boy and a friendly neighbor in search of your missing mother.

[Laurie P · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author is a great story teller!

Fantastic story!! Keeps you entranced to the very end. You see, hear, smell and feel every part of the story

[Lyndsey Nicole Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is awkward but I kept thinking this was about Magnus from the Cassandra Clare books. Not sure if the author got inspiration from them or what. This book is about Angus Macbain. He ends up being a from a royal family. His father and all those other generations were kings. You can tell he has magic in him. I don't remember if the author came out and said what he was. His mom is a selkie. Of course in all magical stories, there's someone with a greater power who wants to kill you. You need to defeat them with a little help from friends along the way.

Lots of creatures in this; vampires, wolfhounds, dwarfs, crows that spy on people and lots of other things.

I wish it was longer and gave more details. Easy read. I looked at another review which made me notice that the book kept 'telling' us what was happening rather than 'showing' us. You don't really get the big picture with this. It is a bit choppy in certain areas of the book.

[Kristen B. · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 54%, and I don't know why I continued to read that far. Poorly written, this book seems as though it might be YA (is it? I'm not sure), but it's bad even for a younger audience. There's no "showing," only "telling." The sentences are choppy and simplistic, and nearly every noun is preceded by an awkward adjective. It reads as a second grader's first story writing exercise. I really wanted to read it all and love it, because I'm all about Scotland, and I've actually recently visited all the places where this book is set. But even my undying love for Scotland couldn't save this book for me.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love finding little known hems like this book. One reviewer said if you love Harry. I have respectfully disagree. This book should stand on it's on merit but if you HAD to companies I would say more Percy Jackson. The author takes you into the world of Scottish lore and does a great job of explaining each new creature without changing the flow of the book. Very child appropriate but still fun for adults. I'm going to buy the second book so I can continue this fun. I see this book rising to the top soon.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as an ebook. I didn't have any expectations, and ended up greatly pleased with this first book in the Angus MacBain series. The reader is transported from New York to the Scottish isle of Iona. Angus discovers his aunt isn't who or what he thought. He is quickly transported into the history of Scottish kings, and learns that he has been given a quest to defeat evil and save the world he knows from evil, including his mom who is a Selkie. Excellent read with short chapters. Definitely worth finding volume two of the series.

[Sharon Hughson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun middle grade adventure in the vein of Brandon Mull's Fablehaven series.
There were a few "too convenient" moments for me to find it plausible, but it's a fantasy after all. The ending was also predictable.
The writing was strong, encouraging me to pick up other books by this author (but not this series). I just didn't fall in love with Angus MacBain the way I need to if a story rates five stars from me.

[Mary Quire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a wonderful tale. I love the mystery which shrouds Angus's family and the author did a great job creating such a fantastic journey. I found myself sucked into it at the first page and I look forward to more of Angus's adventures.

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

The plot of this was interesting, but the writing was poor. There was a major lack of description and build-up. It killed any sense of anticipation or excitement.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Probably great for young readers. Rambling and disjointed for an adult who usually loves kids' books. I lost interest early on and gave up at 81%.

[Margot M. Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read

Good story line. Clean free of explicit content. Great read for teens. Would be a good story for a group read.

[Jazlyn Unbedacht · Rating 2 out of 5]

Needs some work.

[Jessica Cowgill · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off.. Love that cover!!