Exiled opens up a new world that Fantasy lovers will have a blast exploring. Here we are introduced to the "The Never", a place where people go who have been exiled from normal society. Mysterious islands, giant plants, man-eating reptiles, it all makes an appearance here. Couple this new world with the fact that the rest of the book is set in Europe circa the late 1800's, and you have a very fascinating setting to get lost in. Hands down, this was my favorite part of the book.

The characters are also very well done. J.R. Wagner takes ample time to make sure that the reader is not only immersed in the world the characters live in, but that they understand the characters in depth as well. By the time I was mid way into the book I was invested in the characters so wholly that I was rooting for them! That's a good feeling while reading a Fantasy novel, especially since the cast of characters is so large. I liked James a lot. Although he is impulsive, it's easy to see why. His spirit definitely makes him a great protagonist to follow.

What fell short for me was the flow of the story. Exiled is told in a way that alternates between different time periods and points of view. At the beginning I had no problem following along, and the story was moving nicely. However as things moved along it began to get pretty confusing. Flashbacks are common throughout the story and, although they are labeled with the date, after a bit I was lost as to what age the characters were at the time and who was speaking. My other problem was that there was no cliffhanger. I liked the story well enough, but what is to keep me reading on?

Overall, Exiled was a great read by the end. I wish the balance between description and interaction had been a little bit more equal, but I did enjoy the read! I'd love to see a little more development in the next book in the series and, perhaps, a little romance? I'm a sucker for that. Either way if you like Fantasy this is a read to give a shot! Let J.R. Wagner take you into The Never. ( )

Background: James is accused of murdering his mentor and as a punishment is sent to The Never to live out the rest of his life. The Never is an alternate world, an island really, that has a mind of its own. James has never had a simple life. Ever since he can remember his family has been running in order to keep him safe, and now he is stuck in a different world. James is determined to make it back to prove his innocence and save his real world.

Review: This was a pretty quick read for me; I only wish I had had the time to read it in one sitting. The book is broken up nicely; we jump back and forth from what is happening to James now and things that occurred in the past -- to him, his mother, and his mentors. The most interesting are the chapters about James on the island, as he learns how it responds to the people that inhabit it. His determination to return home was the push that this story needed, it even made up for the slower chapters about him and his mother on the run. I loved the settings that were described, but I think that the character development has a ways to go; we learned a lot about James and a little about his mother, but his comrades on the island are a total mystery. I look forward to more in The Never Chronicles.
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Exiled (#1) by J. R. Wagner
Pages: 312
Release Date: May 5th, 2012
Date Read: 2012, April 17th-30th
Received: ARC via NetGalley
Rating: 2/5 stars
Recommended to: 12+

SUMMARY -
James, a boy who has trained to become one of the greatest magicians who ever lived, has been falsely accused of murder - murder of the man who he loved as his own father. His sentence: Exile to the Never. Naked, powerless, and lost in a land where nothing is as it seems, James must find a way out - and the truth about the Black Castle that calls to him - and prove is innocence, before everything he worked for means nothing at all.

MY THOUGHTS -
Exiled began brilliantly. I'm talking breathtaking prose, exemplary characters, great dialogue, vivid world building... I'd just read some really average and/or disappointing books and was dying for something exceptional. Unfortunately, this book started going downhill about 5 chapters in.

CHARACTER NOTES -
James, James, James. Who are you? I kept hoping to find out, but his voice felt more and more impersonal with every new page, like the novelty of his character wore off for the author and therefore the reader suffered as well. I had such high hopes for him, but was let down. The people James meets in the village started out fascinating as well, but I soon lost interest in them. They never grew or changed. Especially Kilani. I wanted to love her but she fell flat.
The most realistic character, who I actually really liked, was James' mother, Margaret. She was strong and her actions and decisions progressed with the story.

STORY NOTES -
Things started out brilliantly, like I said. I was flying, happy, weightless, joyful - but that didn't last. I dropped like a stone. Or really, the wind on which I flew just stopped all together. Sucks to be me.

Where was the excitement, the adventure, the mystery?? Well, I suppose it was there, or at least trying to be, but I didn't get it. Too much description in the action scenes, and too many slow breaks between the action scenes.

And then there's the POV/time shift. I'm sorry, but when I'm pleasure reading, I don't like being forced to remember dates and events in order, just so I can understand the flipping back and forth. For example:
James - now
Margaret - 1894
James - now
James - 1889
James - now
Margaret - 1886

Yep. It's that bad. That's not exact, but it hopped around like crazy! How can you expect me to enjoy that? I would have rather read from just Margaret's perspective in chronological order - and then, in a 2nd book, about James. Something like that.

Last thing - what the heck was that romance?! Or, that totally creepy "16-year-old boy falls in love with a 26-year-old woman who may or may not be in love with but has a strange and possibly intimate relationship with the boy's tutor"? Just too weird. Sorry, don't force romance. If there are no age-appropriate girls for your MC, don't worry - not every YA novel has to have a romance!

SUMMING IT UP -
So strange. Not the enjoyable kind either. I'm just so bummed it didn't stay 5-star quality throughout. i'm sure I'll read book 2. Maybe I'll just wait for reviews first...

For the Parents -
Really nothing to report. A minor curse or two, but nothing that stood out to me. Recommended 12+. ( )

I want to thank the author, J.R. Wagner, for sending me a copy of his book to read and provide an honest review.

Blurb from Goodreads:
James has never known an ordinary life. As long as he can remember, he and his family have been on the run—moving from place to place, never settling down, never growing roots. Now, just when he’s on the brink of manhood, the very thing his family has been trying to prevent tears him from all he has ever known and thrusts him into a place where he is powerless and alone.

Bent on finding a way back, James must brave a place reserved for the worst of his kind. He quickly learns that the land itself poses a greater threat than its inhabitants and if he is to have any chance of returning, he must work with the very people he’s been raised to fear.

James has known magic since just after he was born. As a sorcerer, his skills are exceptional yet when he wakes in The Never, his abilities are gone. Armed with nothing but determination and the will to survive, he braves a land wrought with dangers, mysteries and temptations meant to ensnare both body and mind and prevent escape forever.

This book was an interesting mix between Harry Potter and The Hobbit! I was not expecting it to be so.

James is the main character, a young sorcerer accused of a heinous crime and banished to The Never after being accused of killing one of the greatest sorcerers, Akil. However, James insists that he is not the murderer. He is full of emotion and that seems to be his downfall, what gets him in trouble and ultimately gets him banished to The Never.

Wagner has created a world full of magic and fantasy. A world where things are never quite what they seem to be.

The book alternates between the present, where James is fighting to escape The Never, a feat never before accomplished (at least the the knowledge of those who are currently banished there) and to flashbacks of James' life as he grows to be known as The Annointed One (the one who will save humanity from the Epoc Terminus). The flashbacks provide the reader with a rich history of how James' father, Stuart, comes to know and acquire the abilities to do magic, and teach it to his son. It also provides us with clues of who James can and cannot trust. James' family does everything possible to keep him safe, including moving often from place to place, never settling down to become familiar with their surroundings and the people they meet.

I really enjoyed the world building that Wanger put into this novel. It's interesting to become familiar with the land of The Never, which never ceases to show James new and exciting things. It's also exciting to watch as James regains his magical powers (which were lost to him when first banished to The Never). Wagner's descriptions make you feel like you are walking right along side his characters.

James meets many new people while in The Never, including Luno, Kilani, Roger and William (all of whom become his partners in exploring the lands of The Never in the hopes of figuring out how to escape back to where they came from). Luno becomes a teacher to James, keeping him in the dark on many things so that James can ultimately understand he is the one meant to help others escape. I have to say that I do not trust Luno 100%. There is just something about him that makes me feel as if he will, in the long run, turn on James once he gets what he wants from him. Kilani is James' love interest. Although we do not see any romance in this book, you can feel the tension building between them. And several times it is mentioned how she makes James feel. I have to say that as I was reading this book, I had this flash of Ahsoka from Star Wars The Clone Wars, and I have no idea why! I suppose my knowledge that J.R. enjoys Star Wars may have some role to play in that. William and Roger are characters that aren't truly explored in this novel. We get a glimpse as to who they are and how they are willing to help, but I don't really get a deep sense of their characters and I hope to find out more about them in the futures.

I did find some discrepancies in the writing, mainly the ages given at the beginning of the flashback chapters not coinciding with the actual age of James during that chapter. I was told that this was an editorial mistake and has since been fixed. And I do have to say that I really don't have a sense of what James truly looks like. This bothers me as I really like to be able to picture my main characters in my mind when reading a book. Finally, I do understand the idea that James is the only one who can help them leave the never, but I question how Luno knows so much (although I know he's done his research) seeing as others have not been able to cross the water to the islands they visit during their adventures. I wonder why it is Luno believes that the islands hold the key to them being able to escape. I feel like I need a lot more background on this topic.

Wagner has definitely created an interesting world full of action, adventure, intrigue and mystery. I was captivated from start to finish. And what a cliffhanger of an ending! I have to say that I am not normally a huge fan of fantasy, but Wagner really weaves a delightful and entertaining story. I am truly looking forward to reading book 2 of this series.

3.5 out of 5 stars. ( )

, June 3, 2012Review:Exiled by J.R. Wagner
4 stars Exiled is a about a power fight,prophecy,magic and the boy it all falls around. This story jumps all around in time and place. I listened to it on my kindle and sometimes got lost because I did not realized it had jumped again. So I recommend just read it, don't listen to it. The story starts in 1989 in South America during a hearing. James Lochlan Stuart IV is on trial for murder. He is found guilty and sent to the Never. No one comes back from thier. James wakes up and has none of his powers and is in a strange and dangerous place. The 3 chapeter takes place in December 1894 England. the last chapter takes place in June 1626, Ireland. Akil Karanis wants to find the person who the prophecy says will save their people. For many years the ones who do not believe in magic kill those who do. While thier laws prohibt fighting back. The prophecy says the fourth of the name with strong magic will save them. James the third is told about it and shown the world of magic and tells him his son will be the one it speaks of. So James third learns magic so he can teach and protect his son. Anyone can learn magic if they believe in it. They can use this powder to go to anyland that they have been before. You can transport to a place you dont know. This tale is good but I hate when you finsh a book and the story is not done and you have to wait for it. James when he gets to the never he meets the people that have been banished to thier and when they hear his name recognized him as the one who can save them. No one can drink standing water without dying. They can't travel across the ocean it spits them back out or they drown. There are a lot of different creatures and dangerous plant life. But they believe James can change that. In fact they build a small boat and have him sail across the bay and he survives and give the people hope. So they build a bigger boat so a group and can try and gather the things they will need to leave. Thier is so many unanswered questions that I want answered. Oh well I will have to wait for the next book. I was given this ebook to read in exchange of honest review from Netgalley. 05/05/2012 PUB Greenleaf Book Group ( )