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The Voyages of Jake Flynn #1
Destiny's Gambit
In this character driven sword and space series, a boy searching for his long-missing parents is transported by flying tallship to the other side of the galaxy where he finds himself in the center of a conflict between good and evil.
Twelve-year-old Jake Flynn’s parents disappeared when he was a baby. On his twelfth birthday the mystery of why his parent’s disappeared begins to unravel when he discovers a glowing talisman with a message from his father.
Jake is directed to a derelict sailboat, and he watches in awe as the talisman magically knits ropes and sails for it out of golden energy. Awash in light, the boat sails up into space, and the voyages of Jake Flynn begin.
During the quest to find his parents, Jake will encounter space pirates in tall sailing ships, channelers that can wield energy like magic, and evil cabalists led by a sinister snake-woman. Assisted by a young healer and her aged protector, a spirited cabin girl and salty space captain, Jake learns that he can too channel, and that he is central to stopping the cabals evil agenda.
Puzzles, a pirate asteroid, walking the plank, fantastic magic, trapped treasure caves, multiple planets, and great ship battles – Jake must experience them all on this epic adventure. By the end, he will discover the truth of his destiny, understand that family transcends blood lines, and find that his own needs are sometimes less important than those of others.
This is a fantasy space and sword story, not true science fiction.
Like other popular fantasy series, The Voyages of Jake Destiny's Gambit can appeal to the young and old alike.
Twelve-year-old Jake Flynn’s parents disappeared when he was a baby. On his twelfth birthday the mystery of why his parent’s disappeared begins to unravel when he discovers a glowing talisman with a message from his father.
Jake is directed to a derelict sailboat, and he watches in awe as the talisman magically knits ropes and sails for it out of golden energy. Awash in light, the boat sails up into space, and the voyages of Jake Flynn begin.
During the quest to find his parents, Jake will encounter space pirates in tall sailing ships, channelers that can wield energy like magic, and evil cabalists led by a sinister snake-woman. Assisted by a young healer and her aged protector, a spirited cabin girl and salty space captain, Jake learns that he can too channel, and that he is central to stopping the cabals evil agenda.
Puzzles, a pirate asteroid, walking the plank, fantastic magic, trapped treasure caves, multiple planets, and great ship battles – Jake must experience them all on this epic adventure. By the end, he will discover the truth of his destiny, understand that family transcends blood lines, and find that his own needs are sometimes less important than those of others.
This is a fantasy space and sword story, not true science fiction.
Like other popular fantasy series, The Voyages of Jake Destiny's Gambit can appeal to the young and old alike.
249 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 24, 2015
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156 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 31, 2018
***Actual Rating: 4/5 Adventurous Stars***
All right, to begin with, Destiny’s Gambit (The Voyages of Jake Flynn #1) is probably the second middle grade story I’ve read after binge reading the entire Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House) series when I was young. Seriously, I’m not exaggerating at all; I didn’t make reading a habit until a few years ago so anything other than young adult novels is pretty new to me. Nevertheless, I’m still going to try writing a short review for this book.
Apparently, Jake Flynn is the main character here. He’s a 12-year-old kid who discovers an abandoned ship near his house and he goes on an adventure with his friends afterwards. During their journey, they travel to many interesting places, meet new friends and encounter all sort of exciting yet nerve-wrecking challenges. Among all the mysterious characters, the one that stands out to me is probably the snake lady. Although she has nothing in common with Medusa from the Greek mythology as I initially pictured her, the snake lady’s presence in the book never fails to give me chills. I mean, it doesn’t happen all the time when someone flicks their black tongue at you while talking.
In order not to give away too much detail about Jake’s adventure, I’ll skip to the end instead. Let me warn you first: There is a cliffhanger in the end. Gladly, the cliffhanger in this book isn’t as unbearable as most cliffhangers are. Jake’s determined to find his missing parents in the following instalments, I believe, and he’s continuously learning something new in this magical world. With the help of his friends, he’s able to break through all the barriers in between. Therefore, I’m looking forward to his future experience as well as the difficulties he’s about to face.
What I like most about Jake’s story is the well-thought-out plot and how action-packed it is. The author’s writing style makes the entire book so easy to consume and my overall reading experience is pretty good. However, the only reason I find it hard to give this book a solid five star is that middle grade stories don’t seem to be my favorite genre at this moment. I’m sorry but this is purely my personal preference and it has NOTHING to do with the story itself! Hence, I’ll still recommend The Voyages of Jake Flynn series to anyone who normally enjoy reading middle grade stories or those who like to have a quick, adventurous read! Jake’s story is totally worth your time. :)
***Thanks to the author for providing me with an e-copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.***
All right, to begin with, Destiny’s Gambit (The Voyages of Jake Flynn #1) is probably the second middle grade story I’ve read after binge reading the entire Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House) series when I was young. Seriously, I’m not exaggerating at all; I didn’t make reading a habit until a few years ago so anything other than young adult novels is pretty new to me. Nevertheless, I’m still going to try writing a short review for this book.
Apparently, Jake Flynn is the main character here. He’s a 12-year-old kid who discovers an abandoned ship near his house and he goes on an adventure with his friends afterwards. During their journey, they travel to many interesting places, meet new friends and encounter all sort of exciting yet nerve-wrecking challenges. Among all the mysterious characters, the one that stands out to me is probably the snake lady. Although she has nothing in common with Medusa from the Greek mythology as I initially pictured her, the snake lady’s presence in the book never fails to give me chills. I mean, it doesn’t happen all the time when someone flicks their black tongue at you while talking.
In order not to give away too much detail about Jake’s adventure, I’ll skip to the end instead. Let me warn you first: There is a cliffhanger in the end. Gladly, the cliffhanger in this book isn’t as unbearable as most cliffhangers are. Jake’s determined to find his missing parents in the following instalments, I believe, and he’s continuously learning something new in this magical world. With the help of his friends, he’s able to break through all the barriers in between. Therefore, I’m looking forward to his future experience as well as the difficulties he’s about to face.
What I like most about Jake’s story is the well-thought-out plot and how action-packed it is. The author’s writing style makes the entire book so easy to consume and my overall reading experience is pretty good. However, the only reason I find it hard to give this book a solid five star is that middle grade stories don’t seem to be my favorite genre at this moment. I’m sorry but this is purely my personal preference and it has NOTHING to do with the story itself! Hence, I’ll still recommend The Voyages of Jake Flynn series to anyone who normally enjoy reading middle grade stories or those who like to have a quick, adventurous read! Jake’s story is totally worth your time. :)
***Thanks to the author for providing me with an e-copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.***
April 14, 2018
Even though this book is geared toward the middle school age set, I enjoyed it a lot myself. It reminded me a bit of "The Chronicles of Narnia", but in outer space and with pirates. It was a mix of fantasy with steampunk, and I look forward to getting more into the series to see where it goes. I felt it had a good pace, plot with just the right amount of action and would capture the imaginations of children. I liked Jake, and the cast of characters as well as the many adventures they found themselves in on Jake's journey to try to find his parents and his destiny. I received this book for review from Lola's book tours. Thank you!
Read for twogalandabook.com
Read for twogalandabook.com
April 17, 2018
*** Note: I received review copy of this book as a part of blitz tour organized by Lola’s Blog Tours. Many thanks to author and Lola for giving me a chance to read the book. ***
-4.5 Stars-
Destiny’s Gambit is science-fiction fantasy steampunk novel that take place in outer space. It’s a story about 12-year-old Jake who was searching for answers about his parents who disappeared when he was too young. The story is about good vs bad, friendship, growing up and taking responsibility, accepting destiny and never giving up hope. This book adventurous involving Magis, pirates, ship battles and puzzles set by Jake’s parents and lot of space surfing.
Characters-
Jake Flynn had fascination for ships and loved everything about them and so was a great captain when he sailed on the voyage of finding his parents. He never came to terms with his parents disappearance, he had lot of questions about them but no answers from his grandma or uncle. When he received a mysterious signal and then locket with a message from his father he left to find them to unknown world occupied by pirates and different species. I liked the way his turmoil was showed in the book with all emotions. His fears, courage and conscience was presented realistically. I liked his gradual development and the way he took decision and accepted fate.
Starla– I liked this calm nonviolence natured life Magi. Her wisdom in the book were inspiring for both characters and readers of the book. She was very supportive to Jake and I liked the way she handled tantrums of Jehn.
Jehn had seen lot worse in slavery of pirates. She was short tempered and had some problems with Starla. She was smart and had a good survival instinct.
Otto, the old Magi and captain Goldbar both were good fighter and likable characters.
What I liked-
World, planets, and descriptions of the places was unique, detailed, and structured creatively with all logics and justifications that a middle grade/young adult readers can easily understand. The voyage, floating of ship, magic and powers, looks of different species were imaginative. The book gave the feeling of Chronicles of Narnia. This was just the first book of the series so there was sufficient overview of the world and I have feeling as the series will progress there will be more to know about this world.
Book was third person narrative. I liked the view point of main character and voice of all other characters, they acted according their age and role which made characters reasonable. They all had their story. Oh I wish there was more mention of Jack’s grandma, she was wonderful lady.
There was right amount of suspense, adventure, and thrill with many unpredictable twists and turns. Most of the time I couldn’t guess characters’ next step. I specifically loved the explanation of characters’ power, their skills and magic in the book.
Climax was full of riddles, exploration, revelations and tense gripping battles. End was great with new friends, responsibility, and purpose; with development of characters and cliffhanger. I wonder what the mystery of Jack’s parents and powers was, where his ship will head next, and what kind of enemies are waiting out there in his next voyage. I would love to continue this series.
why 4.5 stars-
Can’t exactly point out any negativity in book but it felt like there was something missing or I wanted something more. As it is first book in the series and I have many questions regarding world and mystery so I’m holding back the full rating for next books of the series.
Overall, Destiny’s Gambit was fast paced, enjoyable adventurous sci-fi with creative world and smooth writing that all young reader would love to explore.
-4.5 Stars-
Destiny’s Gambit is science-fiction fantasy steampunk novel that take place in outer space. It’s a story about 12-year-old Jake who was searching for answers about his parents who disappeared when he was too young. The story is about good vs bad, friendship, growing up and taking responsibility, accepting destiny and never giving up hope. This book adventurous involving Magis, pirates, ship battles and puzzles set by Jake’s parents and lot of space surfing.
Characters-
Jake Flynn had fascination for ships and loved everything about them and so was a great captain when he sailed on the voyage of finding his parents. He never came to terms with his parents disappearance, he had lot of questions about them but no answers from his grandma or uncle. When he received a mysterious signal and then locket with a message from his father he left to find them to unknown world occupied by pirates and different species. I liked the way his turmoil was showed in the book with all emotions. His fears, courage and conscience was presented realistically. I liked his gradual development and the way he took decision and accepted fate.
Starla– I liked this calm nonviolence natured life Magi. Her wisdom in the book were inspiring for both characters and readers of the book. She was very supportive to Jake and I liked the way she handled tantrums of Jehn.
Jehn had seen lot worse in slavery of pirates. She was short tempered and had some problems with Starla. She was smart and had a good survival instinct.
Otto, the old Magi and captain Goldbar both were good fighter and likable characters.
What I liked-
World, planets, and descriptions of the places was unique, detailed, and structured creatively with all logics and justifications that a middle grade/young adult readers can easily understand. The voyage, floating of ship, magic and powers, looks of different species were imaginative. The book gave the feeling of Chronicles of Narnia. This was just the first book of the series so there was sufficient overview of the world and I have feeling as the series will progress there will be more to know about this world.
Book was third person narrative. I liked the view point of main character and voice of all other characters, they acted according their age and role which made characters reasonable. They all had their story. Oh I wish there was more mention of Jack’s grandma, she was wonderful lady.
There was right amount of suspense, adventure, and thrill with many unpredictable twists and turns. Most of the time I couldn’t guess characters’ next step. I specifically loved the explanation of characters’ power, their skills and magic in the book.
Climax was full of riddles, exploration, revelations and tense gripping battles. End was great with new friends, responsibility, and purpose; with development of characters and cliffhanger. I wonder what the mystery of Jack’s parents and powers was, where his ship will head next, and what kind of enemies are waiting out there in his next voyage. I would love to continue this series.
why 4.5 stars-
Can’t exactly point out any negativity in book but it felt like there was something missing or I wanted something more. As it is first book in the series and I have many questions regarding world and mystery so I’m holding back the full rating for next books of the series.
Overall, Destiny’s Gambit was fast paced, enjoyable adventurous sci-fi with creative world and smooth writing that all young reader would love to explore.
June 11, 2018
Destiny’s Gambit is the first book in R.J. Wood’s The Voyages of Jake Flynn series, and it’s an enjoyable quick read.
In truth, my rating is more of a three-point-five-star rating rather than the three-star rating I gave it. The rounding down is a reflection of my reading mood as of late, where I’m enjoying things yet nothing seems to be blowing my mind in the way I had hoped. I’m sure many will enjoy this much more than my weird reading mood allowed me to.
Destiny’s Gambit is a fun science fiction read, one that introduces us to an exciting new universe. There is so much introduced in this one, leaving us with so many possibilities for the future books. There really are so many things I cannot wait to see more of, so many elements I’m excited to dive deeper into, leaving me more than willing to dive straight into book two. It’s not just the possibilities that had me excited to dive into the second book, though. The characters were really enjoyable, and I was more than willing to continue watching their growth.
An enjoyable little read, one I’m sure many will really enjoy.
In truth, my rating is more of a three-point-five-star rating rather than the three-star rating I gave it. The rounding down is a reflection of my reading mood as of late, where I’m enjoying things yet nothing seems to be blowing my mind in the way I had hoped. I’m sure many will enjoy this much more than my weird reading mood allowed me to.
Destiny’s Gambit is a fun science fiction read, one that introduces us to an exciting new universe. There is so much introduced in this one, leaving us with so many possibilities for the future books. There really are so many things I cannot wait to see more of, so many elements I’m excited to dive deeper into, leaving me more than willing to dive straight into book two. It’s not just the possibilities that had me excited to dive into the second book, though. The characters were really enjoyable, and I was more than willing to continue watching their growth.
An enjoyable little read, one I’m sure many will really enjoy.
February 10, 2018
Destiny’s Gambit is an exciting tale featuring an eclectic blend of old fashioned pirate ships, space travel and magic. In it, a young boy struggles to find his lost parents all the while learning of a fate he’d never expected.
I thought this was a rather well done and unique story. The idea of space ships being literal seafaring ships encased in bubbles of air caught my imagination. Jake’s abilities and that of his new companions were equally intriguing. I particularly enjoyed the riddles and puzzles he and his new friends had to solve to track down Jake’s father and the hints at a greater destiny that leave plenty to the imagination and future installments.
The author took great pains to ensure the nautical terms and activities were accurate. And Jake himself is often called to explain them to others in the story. His knowledge is explained as a result of a long-standing fascination with seagoing vessels, which comes in handy throughout the story. It seemed a bit much for an average 12-year-old, but I grant that if a kid had an obsession with a topic, such a degree of knowledge would be possible.
Overall, I really liked this story. There’s a cool blend of exotic locations, historical seafaring, and science fiction. Added to that, the characters are interesting and diverse, and the puzzles they face draw you in. I think younger readers, in particular, will really dig this story.
I received a review copy of this ebook from the author via Lola’s Blog Tours.
I thought this was a rather well done and unique story. The idea of space ships being literal seafaring ships encased in bubbles of air caught my imagination. Jake’s abilities and that of his new companions were equally intriguing. I particularly enjoyed the riddles and puzzles he and his new friends had to solve to track down Jake’s father and the hints at a greater destiny that leave plenty to the imagination and future installments.
The author took great pains to ensure the nautical terms and activities were accurate. And Jake himself is often called to explain them to others in the story. His knowledge is explained as a result of a long-standing fascination with seagoing vessels, which comes in handy throughout the story. It seemed a bit much for an average 12-year-old, but I grant that if a kid had an obsession with a topic, such a degree of knowledge would be possible.
Overall, I really liked this story. There’s a cool blend of exotic locations, historical seafaring, and science fiction. Added to that, the characters are interesting and diverse, and the puzzles they face draw you in. I think younger readers, in particular, will really dig this story.
I received a review copy of this ebook from the author via Lola’s Blog Tours.
March 18, 2018
This is an exciting space adventure with a huge twist of pirate ships and seafaring adventure. . .just in space.
Jake's parents disappeared when he was a baby, leaving him to grow up under the care of his grandmother and somewhat strict uncle. On his twelfth birthday, he discovers a talisman with a note from his father. Determined to find his parents, he heads off into space with a ship and must face all sorts of adventures, dangers and excitement on his quest.
This is an delicious mixture of space and all things nautical. The idea of a ship sailing out into the galaxy grabs right away, and the descriptions make it easy to get drawn in and lost in the adventure. Jake's a brave boy with tons of determination, a lot to learn, and a good heart. He's a great character to relate to and cheer for. . .and inspire readers to dream of such adventures of their own.
The length and language make this a good fit for the upper end of middle grade readers, ages ten and up. The author uses nautical terms richly and whenever they fit the situation, considering everything takes place in space. This might be a little overwhelming to readers, although ship fans are sure to enjoy it. It's an enchanting weave of science fiction, fantasy and steampunk, making it hard to categorize, but a treat to read. The pacing holds tight and steady the whole way through, insuring a read that The ending leaves off with tons of questions still open for the rest of the series, and it is an ending which leaves the reader wanting to know more and continue. That this was published in 2015, I'm hoping that the next books will appear soon, though.
I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed it enough to want to leave my honest thoughts.
Jake's parents disappeared when he was a baby, leaving him to grow up under the care of his grandmother and somewhat strict uncle. On his twelfth birthday, he discovers a talisman with a note from his father. Determined to find his parents, he heads off into space with a ship and must face all sorts of adventures, dangers and excitement on his quest.
This is an delicious mixture of space and all things nautical. The idea of a ship sailing out into the galaxy grabs right away, and the descriptions make it easy to get drawn in and lost in the adventure. Jake's a brave boy with tons of determination, a lot to learn, and a good heart. He's a great character to relate to and cheer for. . .and inspire readers to dream of such adventures of their own.
The length and language make this a good fit for the upper end of middle grade readers, ages ten and up. The author uses nautical terms richly and whenever they fit the situation, considering everything takes place in space. This might be a little overwhelming to readers, although ship fans are sure to enjoy it. It's an enchanting weave of science fiction, fantasy and steampunk, making it hard to categorize, but a treat to read. The pacing holds tight and steady the whole way through, insuring a read that The ending leaves off with tons of questions still open for the rest of the series, and it is an ending which leaves the reader wanting to know more and continue. That this was published in 2015, I'm hoping that the next books will appear soon, though.
I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed it enough to want to leave my honest thoughts.
February 4, 2018
Overall, I liked "Destiny's Gambit". While I thought the details were bogging down the reading at first, it came in handy later to keep the action fast paced. So, it was a worthwhile trade off. The characters are fantastic and fun to read. The plot is solid and keeps with familiar beats while managing to feel fresh. The writing itself was accessible without being over-simplified. It didn't feel like the author was dragging anything out for page count - which I sincerely appreciate. So, if you like a new fantasy/pirate/space adventure, give this one a shot.
The one thing that makes me sad is that the book itself was published in 2015 and no #2 in the series has been published yet. I hope the author releases another one soon!
The one thing that makes me sad is that the book itself was published in 2015 and no #2 in the series has been published yet. I hope the author releases another one soon!
February 8, 2018
It's a little difficult to categorise this very original and gripping story. It's part Science Fiction Adventure, part Fantasy and has a very Steampunk feel as well. The protgonist is a twelve year old boy so I guess it's intended for older children and young adults. Anyway, as a 'much older' adult I enjoyed it very much although the occasional incident of 'telling' rather than 'showing' and the odd 'headhop' drew me out of the story at times, but not enough to spoil what is actually a 'rattling good yarn'.
Briefly, the story concerns the boy, Jake, whose parents have mysteriously disappeared, and he lives with his rather stern Uncle and kindly grandmother. When, on his twelfth birthday, he finds a talisman and a message from his father he sets off immediately to find them. His adventures take him into space, where he encounters an evil snakewoman, makes some interesting friends, and becomes involved with pirates, space battles and visits various strange and dangerous planets
I loved the idea of an old time sailing ship being able to travel through deep space, thanks to Jake, the young hero's newfound ability to 'chanel' his special talents to power the ship. It's not without a scientific 'rationale' either as some of the companions he meets on his first visit to another planet are also able to 'chanel' and they are able to form a bubble of air around the ship and also to control the pressure and temperature so they don't freeze to death. The author clearly has a very thorough knowledge of all things nautical and the descriptions of the ships, their weaponry and handling are put across in a way that makes the reader feel he or she is taking part in the voyage themselves.
I was sorry when the book ended - I'm not too keen on books that aren't actually complete, and I had expected Jake to conclude his search for his parents - but it seems I have to wait until the next book to find out if he is likely to be successful. It wasn't exactly a 'cliff hanger' ending though but there is obviously more of Jake's story to come in what looks like being a very enjoyble and entertaining series.
Briefly, the story concerns the boy, Jake, whose parents have mysteriously disappeared, and he lives with his rather stern Uncle and kindly grandmother. When, on his twelfth birthday, he finds a talisman and a message from his father he sets off immediately to find them. His adventures take him into space, where he encounters an evil snakewoman, makes some interesting friends, and becomes involved with pirates, space battles and visits various strange and dangerous planets
I loved the idea of an old time sailing ship being able to travel through deep space, thanks to Jake, the young hero's newfound ability to 'chanel' his special talents to power the ship. It's not without a scientific 'rationale' either as some of the companions he meets on his first visit to another planet are also able to 'chanel' and they are able to form a bubble of air around the ship and also to control the pressure and temperature so they don't freeze to death. The author clearly has a very thorough knowledge of all things nautical and the descriptions of the ships, their weaponry and handling are put across in a way that makes the reader feel he or she is taking part in the voyage themselves.
I was sorry when the book ended - I'm not too keen on books that aren't actually complete, and I had expected Jake to conclude his search for his parents - but it seems I have to wait until the next book to find out if he is likely to be successful. It wasn't exactly a 'cliff hanger' ending though but there is obviously more of Jake's story to come in what looks like being a very enjoyble and entertaining series.
August 9, 2017
I edited 'Destiny's Gambit,' a middle-grade book for R. J. Wood and had a great time in the process. I loved the idea of a boy discovering his ship, his own nature, and a circle of good friends. Vocabulary grew organically from a nautical theme and the universe he created offers surprises yet gives homage to a few classic fantasies. Expect R. J. Wood's next book in the Jake Flynn series, 'Beyond the Moon,' within a few months.
June 6, 2015
A very imaginative YA read. It's part 'Fellowship of the Ring', part 'Return of the Jedi' and part "Pirate's of the Caribbean'. While the nautical terms are thick at first, I found that by the end I could really imagine myself immersed in ship-life. I look forward to finding out what awaits Jake, Jhen, Starla and the rest of the crew on Destiny's Gambit.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews