Book Review: Deception of the Magician by A.L. Tyler

Deception of the Magician by A.L. Tyler is the second book in the Waldgrave trilogy. I highly suggest reading the first book, Arrival of the Traveler, before delving into the second so that you can fully understand the dynamics of the social conflicts and between the characters. Lena Collins is struggling to forge and maintain relationships. Not only with her uncle and the human born servants who she feels a kinship with, but also her best friend Hesper and the exasperating Griffin. She is also trying to gain the trust and respect of the Council and just trying to keep up with the secrets and conspiracies that seem to rise around her. A search for the artifact that seems to separate the Silenti most is Lena's solution to gain her own freedom, and to put an end to the fighting. However, nothing is as simple as it seems. Just when Lena thinks she has the perfect solution, she discovers that her actions could be causing more danger and harm than staying home. Everyone and everything is at risk, and no one can be trusted. 

After reading Arrival of the Traveler, I was eager to read Deception of the Magician. I am thrilled to say that I was not disappointed. Often times the second book in a trilogy feels more like a place holder, or time to figure out plot problems before a conclusion is reached. Deception of the Magician avoided that trap, and was even more intense than the first book. There were gunshots, deep dark secrets revealed, and unexpected answers. The character development and interplay ramped up even more than in the first book, and while some questions were answered those answers raised new, even more complicated questions. There was a satisfying ending which gave readers a conclusion, but also a need to read the next book. I am even more excited now to read the third book in the series, however I dread it at the same time because I am not sure I want the story to end. 

I highly recommend Deception of the Magician to readers that read and enjoyed Arrival of the Traveler. If you have not done so yet, I suggest reading it now. This series will appeal to fans of young adult books, fantasy, coming of age, mysteries, and character driven plots that are well written. I have high hopes that the third book and conclusion of the series, Secrets of the Guardian, will continue the trend of high quality and intriguing reads.