Guardians Inc.: The Cypher SynopsisGUARDIANS 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.My Review
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.
As soon as I picked up Guardians Inc.: The Cypher by Julian Rosado-Machain I was hooked. The story begins with 15 year old Thomas Byrne getting ready to face Vice Principal Killjoy... ahem... I mean Khanna for a fight he got into in his new school. Immediately I was drawn into Thomas' tale and was curious about the Vice Principal whose school reputation seemed to cloud over some real secrets. Thomas is in a new school because his parents went missing on a vacation while Thomas was staying with his grandfather, Morgan. Since Morgan has to get a new job to help support his grandson he and Thomas look through the newspaper for job listings, which is when the real fun begins.
Both Thomas and Morgan are hired by a mysterious company housed in a mansion that appears two and half blocks away from Morgan's house. Of course, this mansion is not ordinary in any way and as we follow Thomas in his new job, we start to see how unique it is. This mansion was one of the most fascinating parts of the book. Just like the Percy Jackson and Harry Potter stories, Thomas' story is of a world that exists just beyond the reach of our own, but affects us all. I love this kind of story and, in that sense this book delivered. The cast of characters are also likeable (when they are supposed to be) and I can definitely see myself following this adventure through to its sequels.
If I had any criticism of this book it would be that it felt like a "first book." In other words, there was a lot of origin and world building which is, of course, necessary, but for that reason I felt like the book ended just when the action was truly escalating. This is a great hook to get me to read book two, but I wonder if the target audience - YA - will feel cheated while reading.
To Delve Further
For those who are captivated by the Guardians Inc. world, there is a Guardians Inc website and a Guardians Inc. Facebook page to learn more about the author, the characters and the universe they operate in.
My Final Word
I highly recommend this book to fans of Percy Jackson. While this story is completely unique in its conflicts, our teenage male protagonist learning of his secret powers that are needed to save the world is something Percy fans will gobble up!
Thinking only of books in a series, is there any "first book" that you think works well as a standalone?
If you lived in a world where magic was put up against technology, which side would you take?
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