"young adult novel.."
Had I read the synopsis more carefully I would have realized this was a young adults novel. Having said that ( as I'm an old dude ) I was impressed by the narration. It was well time and delivered. The plot, while juvenile, has good depth and pacing. I will definitely recommend this to my teenage sons.
"Worth the wait"
Enjoyed Hoffman's second installment. Great pacing, nice character development and a plot that truly evolves in a second novel rather than just being a transitional book setting up a conclusive third. Steve West's narration was as enjoyable as the first. This rating fell short of 5 stars due to some irritating inconsistencies with the protagonist's abilities ( ex: his mentor reaches out and connects with a surprising backhand....this sort of martial blow is supposed to be impossible to land according to the first book) and some illogical blindness of the characters. But all in all, I'm looking forward to the next book. Enjoy