Oracles of Delphi Keep

Many books intended for young teens have cropped up in the last few years, trying to emulate the popular story of a certain young wizard. You might think this one of those books after reading the first few pages: the setting is an English orphanage near a castle, the main character is a young orphan named Ian, and one of the antagonists is an evil sorcerer. Luckily, this is where most of the similarities to the Harry Potter series end. In some caves, Ian discovers a small silver box containing an ancient scroll, foretelling of "vile evil" caused by a mythological being and a quest that must be taken in order to counter it. As World War II looms, Ian, his sister Theo, and his best friend, Carl, are compelled to follow the prophesy in hopes of saving England and possibly the entire world. Well written, the book successfully straddles the divide between history and fantasy in an original and detailed way. Teens and adults will surely be enthralled and eagerly await the next installment in what the author hopes will be a six-part series.