Review of The Magic Lantern

Post by **Anu Anand** » 12 Sep 2024, 15:09

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Magic Lantern" by Charles Townsend.]

5 out of 5 stars

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“The Magic Lantern” by Charles Townsend is the third book in the ‘Illusions of Power’ series. The author thoughtfully includes a summary at the beginning, titled “The Story So Far,” which recaps the events of the first two books. This feature is helpful for readers who haven’t read the previous installments. In this book, Delvin, Nippy, Princess Jarla, and Major Grybald embark on another adventure to stop the evil plans of the Magician's Guild. Their mission is to collect all the magician’s stones, which hold the power to control both people and animals. Will they succeed in defeating the magicians and restoring peace and stability? Meanwhile, a black magician is relentlessly hunting Delvin, determined to capture and eliminate him. How will Delvin protect himself and his country from this looming threat?

The author did a fantastic job with this book. The world-building is incredible, and I could easily visualize the entire story as if I were watching a movie. The book’s plot is full of dramatic turns and surprises that maintained my interest all the way through. The witty and clever banter between the characters was one of my favorite aspects. Townsend’s smooth writing style flows effortlessly, making it easy to get lost in the story. His subtle use of humor blends naturally into the narrative, bringing the characters to life and making the story even more enjoyable. The balance between action, suspense, and humor keeps the book lively and entertaining.

One minor issue I noticed was the distracting spacing in certain sentences, where unnecessary line breaks appeared in the middle of sentences. It would be much smoother without these gaps. Additionally, I found four minor typos, but overall, the book appears to be professionally edited. These small issues didn’t bother me enough to reduce a star, and there’s nothing I dislike about this book. I truly loved reading it. The story was captivating, and I loved all the characters. The engaging plot and vivid world-building kept me thoroughly entertained. So, I rate this book 5 out of 5. If you enjoy thrilling adventures with a rich, immersive world and well-developed characters, this book is a must-read. With non-stop action and surprises at every turn, this is the kind of book you’ll want to binge-read in one sitting.

******
The Magic Lantern
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

SunVixen · Post by **SunVixen** » 14 Sep 2024, 07:26

"The author did a fantastic job with this book. The world-building is incredible, and I could easily visualize the entire story as if I were watching a movie."

Sounds like a book written for me. That's what I like about sci-fi and fantasy books.

Thanks for the great review, by the way.

Post by **Stephen Christopher 1** » 14 Sep 2024, 19:54

I read the first book last year and was going to read the second before getting to this one. The 'story so far' is a clever idea. This sounds like it wraps up the trilogy nicely.

Lorna Kimondo · Post by **Lorna Kimondo** » 16 Sep 2024, 23:59

Your review of The Magic Lantern by Charles Townsend is excellent! You’ve done a great job highlighting the strengths of the book, especially the captivating world-building and the engaging, witty character interactions. The balance between action, humor, and suspense seems to make this a lively and entertaining read. It sounds like this book is a fantastic addition to the series!

NetMassimo · Post by **NetMassimo** » 17 Sep 2024, 14:43

I keep on suspecting that I might be old for this kind of story but all the reviews of this series' book gave me positive impressions about their contents, so I guess I'll have to give this series a try. Thank you for your great review!

Post by **Priya Murugesan** » 18 Sep 2024, 06:17

I have read the first book in this series and I absolutely loved it! Would surely pick this book up if I had a chance. A great review from you!

RJ Reviews · Post by **RJ Reviews** » 22 Sep 2024, 05:48

This series has been amazing so far and good to know that the third book doesn't disappoint. The spacing error you mentioned probably is due to kindle app mismatch. I face the same with several books.

It was a thoughtfully written review, with emphasis on the crucial plot points. A great review Anu, as usual.

Anaïs Quesson · Post by **Anaïs Quesson** » 24 Sep 2024, 14:54

Great review, Anu, as always! I love that the author included a recap at the beginning, it is always helpful for readers. I'm interested by Devlin's story.
Keep up the great work

Qwerty Writes · Post by **Qwerty Writes** » 28 Sep 2024, 06:18

Your review was sweet and the characters sound fun and life-like. It's something I expect in every book I read. Though it seems I won't need to read the other two books to understand the story, I'll pass. I tend to stray from books with magic systems that delve into real black magic or other.

Post by **Julie Marie Basil** » 29 Sep 2024, 16:18

This sounds like a very well-written story. I am not a big fan of books in this genre, but am happy to hear that you enjoyed this book so much.

Terry Kimble · Post by **Terry Kimble** » 04 Oct 2024, 07:05

This sounds like the perfect escapism novel. I love that the author includes a "recap" of the previous book(s). Thank you for spotlighting some of the book's captivating features!

Gerry Steen · Post by **Gerry Steen** » 21 Oct 2024, 06:03

Anu Anand wrote: ↑12 Sep 2024, 15:09 [Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Magic Lantern" by Charles Townsend.]

5 out of 5 stars
Share This Review

“The Magic Lantern” by Charles Townsend is the third book in the ‘Illusions of Power’ series. The author thoughtfully includes a summary at the beginning, titled “The Story So Far,” which recaps the events of the first two books. This feature is helpful for readers who haven’t read the previous installments. In this book, Delvin, Nippy, Princess Jarla, and Major Grybald embark on another adventure to stop the evil plans of the Magician's Guild. Their mission is to collect all the magician’s stones, which hold the power to control both people and animals. Will they succeed in defeating the magicians and restoring peace and stability? Meanwhile, a black magician is relentlessly hunting Delvin, determined to capture and eliminate him. How will Delvin protect himself and his country from this looming threat?

The author did a fantastic job with this book. The world-building is incredible, and I could easily visualize the entire story as if I were watching a movie. The book’s plot is full of dramatic turns and surprises that maintained my interest all the way through. The witty and clever banter between the characters was one of my favorite aspects. Townsend’s smooth writing style flows effortlessly, making it easy to get lost in the story. His subtle use of humor blends naturally into the narrative, bringing the characters to life and making the story even more enjoyable. The balance between action, suspense, and humor keeps the book lively and entertaining.

One minor issue I noticed was the distracting spacing in certain sentences, where unnecessary line breaks appeared in the middle of sentences. It would be much smoother without these gaps. Additionally, I found four minor typos, but overall, the book appears to be professionally edited. These small issues didn’t bother me enough to reduce a star, and there’s nothing I dislike about this book. I truly loved reading it. The story was captivating, and I loved all the characters. The engaging plot and vivid world-building kept me thoroughly entertained. So, I rate this book 5 out of 5. If you enjoy thrilling adventures with a rich, immersive world and well-developed characters, this book is a must-read. With non-stop action and surprises at every turn, this is the kind of book you’ll want to binge-read in one sitting.

******
The Magic Lantern
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

Charles Townsend is making a name for himself. Your review shows that he has written another great story. I have his books on my bookshelves. I can't wait to read about Delvin, Nippy, Princess Jarla, and Major Grybald's adventure to stop the mischief of the Magician's Guild. I am glad you mentioned that the author included a summary to recap the events of the first two books.

Samuel ogbu Ominyi 1 · Post by **Samuel ogbu Ominyi 1** » 09 Nov 2024, 19:53

The author real did a very nice job i really enjoyed the book while reading it it was as if i was there in person the way i was reading and imagining the whole thing as for me the story was topnotch

Post by **Seetha E** » 04 Jul 2025, 04:44

Having read the 1st one in the series, and familiar with Delvin and Princess Jarla, I am curious to find out what goes on in this one. But... not before I am done with the second in the series. Your review assures a promising read like the 1st one. Thank you for your informative and interesting review @Anu Anand