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Summoner
The Summoner's Handbook
"The ability to summon is passed down through the blood..."
Summoner: One who is gifted with the ability to summon demonic creatures that are emotionally connected to their human counterparts. As brought to life in the bestselling Summoner series, the magic of summoning is also an art, with a story of its own. The Summoner’s Handbook reveals the story of James Baker -- the epic journal that inspired the series hero, Fletcher, to discover his own summoning abilities. Along with a complete demonology, a guide to the basics of summoning, and glorious artwork from the world of the Hominum Empire, this is the volume that fans of the acclaimed and bestselling series must own.
Summoner: One who is gifted with the ability to summon demonic creatures that are emotionally connected to their human counterparts. As brought to life in the bestselling Summoner series, the magic of summoning is also an art, with a story of its own. The Summoner’s Handbook reveals the story of James Baker -- the epic journal that inspired the series hero, Fletcher, to discover his own summoning abilities. Along with a complete demonology, a guide to the basics of summoning, and glorious artwork from the world of the Hominum Empire, this is the volume that fans of the acclaimed and bestselling series must own.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published October 2, 2018
About the author
Taran Matharu
24 books4,365 followersTaran Matharu is the New York Times bestselling author of the Summoner series, which has been translated into 15 languages and has sold over a million copies in English. He was born in London in 1990.
Taran began to write the SUMMONER series in November 2013 at the age of 22, taking part in ‘Nanowrimo 2013’ and sharing his work on Wattpad.com. The shared sample of the story went viral, reaching over 3 million reads in less than six months. THE CHOSEN is his first book in his new CONTENDER series, out now.
His books are published by Hodder Children’s (Hachette) in the UK, Australia and Commonwealth, Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan) in the US and Canada, Hachette Jeunesse in France, Heyne in Germany, Planeta in Spain, Crown in Taiwan, Record in Brazil, EKSMO in Russia, Jaguar in Poland, Ecliptic in Bulgaria, Alpress in the Czech Republic, Ithaki in Turkey, Forlaget Forar in Denmark and Unieboek in the Netherlands.
Taran began to write the SUMMONER series in November 2013 at the age of 22, taking part in ‘Nanowrimo 2013’ and sharing his work on Wattpad.com. The shared sample of the story went viral, reaching over 3 million reads in less than six months. THE CHOSEN is his first book in his new CONTENDER series, out now.
His books are published by Hodder Children’s (Hachette) in the UK, Australia and Commonwealth, Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan) in the US and Canada, Hachette Jeunesse in France, Heyne in Germany, Planeta in Spain, Crown in Taiwan, Record in Brazil, EKSMO in Russia, Jaguar in Poland, Ecliptic in Bulgaria, Alpress in the Czech Republic, Ithaki in Turkey, Forlaget Forar in Denmark and Unieboek in the Netherlands.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
October 14, 2018
This has a couple of different parts, so I'll talk about each one briefly. (lol I wrote briefly before I wrote the review. Oops)
First, there is a short story told in diary format about a boy named James Baker who is whisked to Vocans Academy after he's discovered to have some (weak) summoning abilities. I liked James as the main character of this since he's different than Fletcher and Arcturus who have been the main characters of the trilogy and The Outcast respectively. Being so weak really affects his experiences at the school, and I liked seeing him have to work much harder and study outside of class to accomplish the same things as the other students. He's also just very limited in what he can do magically. A true underdog. I liked that his story isn't a very happy one, and it shows how many people are used as fodder in this war against the orcs. I also liked that the days between journal entries were inconsistent because I felt like that made it more realistic. Every time I've attempted to journal, I've been so inconsistent and random about it. I DO NOT recommend reading this story before reading the books that are already out in the Summoner world because this has a lot of overlaps and can spoil the books.
I was hoping that this would be an adventure of going around and learning about the different demons, but it wasn't really that. It's more of the same style of story that happens in the main series and the prequel. A young boy finds out he's a common summoner, goes to Vocans Academy, and spends some time serving in the war against the orcs, but I'll take anything I can get from this world.
Now I need an actual origin book. A summoner only has magic if they're linked to a demon. Without one, they're as powerless as anyone else. Someone had to be the first to link to a demon, but how did they do it if they couldn't open a portal because they wouldn't be able to without the demon first. Which came first?! The chicken or the egg!? I want to know about the ether's civilization mentioned in the third book. Is one of the species of people actually from the ether and brought the ability over to the "real" world with them? Why doesn't anyone in this world care about that?
After that there is a complete demonology of all the demons known in this world. I really loved the illustrations and the different stats given alongside them. It's really great to see what some of them look like after only having descriptions in the books. It's like a pokedex for the Summoner world! Some of this also has spoilers for the series, so just wait on this one till you finish the series! I still want a Zaratan!
Lastly, if this gets made into a movie, I want to play Connor Cavendish. My name is Connor. I have a little brother as well. My mom likes to claim she settled for my dad (jokingly). I give great advice but get ignored. I am Connor Cavendish.
First, there is a short story told in diary format about a boy named James Baker who is whisked to Vocans Academy after he's discovered to have some (weak) summoning abilities. I liked James as the main character of this since he's different than Fletcher and Arcturus who have been the main characters of the trilogy and The Outcast respectively. Being so weak really affects his experiences at the school, and I liked seeing him have to work much harder and study outside of class to accomplish the same things as the other students. He's also just very limited in what he can do magically. A true underdog. I liked that his story isn't a very happy one, and it shows how many people are used as fodder in this war against the orcs. I also liked that the days between journal entries were inconsistent because I felt like that made it more realistic. Every time I've attempted to journal, I've been so inconsistent and random about it. I DO NOT recommend reading this story before reading the books that are already out in the Summoner world because this has a lot of overlaps and can spoil the books.
I was hoping that this would be an adventure of going around and learning about the different demons, but it wasn't really that. It's more of the same style of story that happens in the main series and the prequel. A young boy finds out he's a common summoner, goes to Vocans Academy, and spends some time serving in the war against the orcs, but I'll take anything I can get from this world.
Now I need an actual origin book. A summoner only has magic if they're linked to a demon. Without one, they're as powerless as anyone else. Someone had to be the first to link to a demon, but how did they do it if they couldn't open a portal because they wouldn't be able to without the demon first. Which came first?! The chicken or the egg!? I want to know about the ether's civilization mentioned in the third book. Is one of the species of people actually from the ether and brought the ability over to the "real" world with them? Why doesn't anyone in this world care about that?
After that there is a complete demonology of all the demons known in this world. I really loved the illustrations and the different stats given alongside them. It's really great to see what some of them look like after only having descriptions in the books. It's like a pokedex for the Summoner world! Some of this also has spoilers for the series, so just wait on this one till you finish the series! I still want a Zaratan!
Lastly, if this gets made into a movie, I want to play Connor Cavendish. My name is Connor. I have a little brother as well. My mom likes to claim she settled for my dad (jokingly). I give great advice but get ignored. I am Connor Cavendish.
November 28, 2018
Absolutely necessary if you want to understand what the demons look like when reading the Novice series.
The short story was... meh? I was intrigued, and I read it, but who writes “dear journal” in their journal anymore? It also tied up more “loose ends” from the main storyline and served as an additional bridge to connect the three storylines (Fletcher, Arcturus, and James).
I guess I’d just say this is nice if you *really* digged the world and want the pretty extras, but maybe wait till it’s 50% off okay?
The short story was... meh? I was intrigued, and I read it, but who writes “dear journal” in their journal anymore? It also tied up more “loose ends” from the main storyline and served as an additional bridge to connect the three storylines (Fletcher, Arcturus, and James).
I guess I’d just say this is nice if you *really* digged the world and want the pretty extras, but maybe wait till it’s 50% off okay?
October 26, 2018
Naaah wat fantastisch leuk joh! Echt een toevoeging en super interessant.
Recensie binnenkort op myperfectbooklife
Recensie binnenkort op myperfectbooklife
December 2, 2018
4,5/5. Matharu does it again! Not this book isn't perfect, but it's a very good one. First, the demonology guide at the end of the book (which is almost half of it in fact) is just awesome, marvelously illustrated (like the novella as well) and really bring some of those demons alive with a visual representation that was often what I had in mind and some time a bit less. The novella was very good as well bringing a character we heard of but barely knew. He isn't really a great hero, being a bit weak and all, and that bring a different dynamic to it all, which is really great. My only minus is that, having read all the books in the summoners so far, (except The Outcast) including the short stories only available in e-book, I just think I had enough of origin story/introduction to the world stories. This is a small part of the novella, but we go through all the coming into school, class, magic system and all, which are explain in almost half of his book, and even if it's great, is very easy to understand it all, so no need for repeating it over and over. Yes that give multiple choice of story and way to enter this universe and that is good, but for those who read it all, it became repetitive. I would still recommend it because the story is good and the demonology guide will please every fans of this series. Entirely worth it!
January 5, 2021
Ik heb de Summoner serie met veel plezier gelezen. Het ene boek vond ik beter dan de ander. Dit boek vond ik wel interessant om te lezen. Je krijgt meer informatie over de wereld van de Summoners. Hier en daar vond ik het dagboek wat langdradig. Er zaten zeer korte stukken tussen. Dan had ik liever dat die weggelaten waren en dat je dan alleen de langere stukken had want die waren wel het interessantst. Al snap ik wel dat je in het algemeen niet altijd lange stukken schrijft in een dagboek. Dit was een leuke afsluiting van een leuke serie. Ik ben erg benieuwd naar de andere boeken die Taran geschreven heeft!
July 23, 2019
*** Spoiler free review ***
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟 (3/5 stars).
The summoner's handbook was one of my most anticipated books of 2018 but since it is a novella/companion book I wasn't really in such a hurry to buy and read it. But when I found it in one of my favorite bookstores in Amsterdam (ABC) in the sale section I knew I had to grab it. It's also exactly the edition I wanted which is a bonus too. Since I'm going to YALC in a few days and I'm going to see Taran again I knew I had to read this one before I met him and I'm really glad I did.
This was very fun to read and a very fast read. I also really liked how we got to know James Baker better. There was also such a plot twist which I truly didn't see coming Haha also Dame Fairhaven is so innocent😂😂 Thinking that Fletcher and Sylvia were soooo committed to their work that they looked out for orcs (which mainly have been defeated) all day long, while they in fact probably would be making out😂 Such an innocent soul. I also thought that the spell and demonology was a nice bonus too. I even found 3 new favorite demons which would hopefully have been mine if I was a summoner and had been a student at Vocans. The demons being: Will-O-The-Wisp (level 1 demon), Halcyon (level 7), & Enera (level 8). Let's hope for my dreams sake that I am a level 16 summoner.
I really thought that this was a nice addition to the summoner's series. Not 100% completely necessary (although we get Baker's history) it is still a very fun addition. Besides it's definitely a recommendation for the die-hard fans of this series.
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟 (3/5 stars).
The summoner's handbook was one of my most anticipated books of 2018 but since it is a novella/companion book I wasn't really in such a hurry to buy and read it. But when I found it in one of my favorite bookstores in Amsterdam (ABC) in the sale section I knew I had to grab it. It's also exactly the edition I wanted which is a bonus too. Since I'm going to YALC in a few days and I'm going to see Taran again I knew I had to read this one before I met him and I'm really glad I did.
This was very fun to read and a very fast read. I also really liked how we got to know James Baker better. There was also such a plot twist which I truly didn't see coming Haha also Dame Fairhaven is so innocent😂😂 Thinking that Fletcher and Sylvia were soooo committed to their work that they looked out for orcs (which mainly have been defeated) all day long, while they in fact probably would be making out😂 Such an innocent soul. I also thought that the spell and demonology was a nice bonus too. I even found 3 new favorite demons which would hopefully have been mine if I was a summoner and had been a student at Vocans. The demons being: Will-O-The-Wisp (level 1 demon), Halcyon (level 7), & Enera (level 8). Let's hope for my dreams sake that I am a level 16 summoner.
I really thought that this was a nice addition to the summoner's series. Not 100% completely necessary (although we get Baker's history) it is still a very fun addition. Besides it's definitely a recommendation for the die-hard fans of this series.
June 12, 2021
4.5/5 stars
I typically don’t go for these “gimmicky” books that go with some (usually middle grade or YA) book series, but I found The Summoner’s Handbook to be a pleasant surprise. The first half features the Journal of James Baker, the tragic young summoner whose book is what starts Fletcher in his journey in The Summoner trilogy. The novella is written as journal entries that are quite insightful with its descriptions as well as giving us a look into the thoughts and experiences of a young (and relatively weak) commoner summoner. It also gives us a surprise ending. The second half is the complete Demonology and features beautiful drawn illustrations of the demons that did and did not appear in the series. I do recommend reading this short “extra” entry into The Summoner series.
I typically don’t go for these “gimmicky” books that go with some (usually middle grade or YA) book series, but I found The Summoner’s Handbook to be a pleasant surprise. The first half features the Journal of James Baker, the tragic young summoner whose book is what starts Fletcher in his journey in The Summoner trilogy. The novella is written as journal entries that are quite insightful with its descriptions as well as giving us a look into the thoughts and experiences of a young (and relatively weak) commoner summoner. It also gives us a surprise ending. The second half is the complete Demonology and features beautiful drawn illustrations of the demons that did and did not appear in the series. I do recommend reading this short “extra” entry into The Summoner series.
December 29, 2021
Deels een dagboek verslag van de jonge summoner James Bakker, deels een soort lexicon van bestaande demonen en diverse bezweringen. Het lijkt meer op een begeleidend boek dan op iets anders
Een deel van dit boek gaat over de belevenissen van James Bakker, die zijn verhaal in dagboekvorm doet, en dat is wat mij betreft het enige goede deel van dit boek. Ik wil zelf kunnen bedenken hoe een bepaalde demon er uit ziet, of hoe een bezwering gemaakt wordt.
Een deel van dit boek gaat over de belevenissen van James Bakker, die zijn verhaal in dagboekvorm doet, en dat is wat mij betreft het enige goede deel van dit boek. Ik wil zelf kunnen bedenken hoe een bepaalde demon er uit ziet, of hoe een bezwering gemaakt wordt.
December 1, 2018
Had to buy this a few days ago! This was a very fun read that added just another, additional topping to the story: the first half being James Baker's Journal--the journal that started it all, with the second half being drawings of each demon and summon. A very fun book to flip through every now and again.
(Ignatius is sooooo cute!)
(Ignatius is sooooo cute!)
November 16, 2021
It was a nice little backstory but the timeline felt off sometimes. I mean, Jeffrey was a big deal in the last books but if Fletcher had read the journal so many times, he should have known from the beginning right?!
Still nice to read but not completely believable that Fletcher known it by heart.
Still nice to read but not completely believable that Fletcher known it by heart.
December 18, 2018
Part Harry Potter, part Hunger Games, part LOTR, and part Magic The Gathering card game, The Summoner's Handbook is a YA novella padded with excerpts on elves, orcs, dwarves and a compendium of demons and spells at the back. The book is padded even further with an excerpt from another book in the series (Squick. Publishers: Please stop doing this.) The writing is clean and simple, written in journal-style. Small but nice illustrations throughout. The coming of age plot is clipped short with no real resolution. This is not so much a 'story' as it is a character and world intro.
Clean, YA world-building with no sex, no swearing and very little violence. Unfortunately, the world has already been built. Anyone vaguely familiar with Hogwarts and Rivendell will be bored. The only thing more boring than the world is the protag, who is king of Basic and not particularly memorable.
All in all, a fair introduction to the writing, the world and the series, (and the eventual card game, I expect.)
Clean, YA world-building with no sex, no swearing and very little violence. Unfortunately, the world has already been built. Anyone vaguely familiar with Hogwarts and Rivendell will be bored. The only thing more boring than the world is the protag, who is king of Basic and not particularly memorable.
All in all, a fair introduction to the writing, the world and the series, (and the eventual card game, I expect.)
October 14, 2018
Hier geht's zur Rezension auf meinem Blog.
Rezension
Kann Spoiler bezüglich der Reihe „Die Dämonenakademie“ enthalten!
Ich habe mich riesig gefreut, mit diesem Buch noch einmal nach Hominum zurückkehren zu können. Auch wenn es sich hierbei nicht um eine weitere Geschichte, sondern um eine Sammlung diverser Informationen handelt, hat mir das Buch sehr gut gefallen. Es ist ein toller Zusatzband für Fans mit (fast) allen Informationen, die ich schon immer gerne haben wollte. Dabei ist das Buch aufgebaut wie ein Nachschlagewerk für künftige Schüler der Dämonenakademie mit Vorworten und Anmerkungen einer Lehrkraft, sodass es trotzdem auf der Ebene der Geschichte läuft und die Charaktere anspricht statt den Leser.
Inhaltlich fand ich das Buch richtig interessant. Es beginnt mit dem Tagebuch von James Baker, das Fletcher im ersten Teil der Reihe in die Finger bekommt. Dieses Tagebuch las sich zum Teil wie ein kleine Geschichte, sodass ich es gebannt verfolgt habe. Über die Kurzauftritte bereits bekannter Personen habe ich mich dabei besonders gefreut. Außerdem werden über das Tagebuch Hintergrundinformationen geliefert, woher die Informationen über die verschiedenen Dämonen überhaupt stammen und welche Art und Gefahren mit der Sammlung dieser Erkenntnisse verbunden ist. Eingeschoben zwischen die Einträge sind diverse Essays einer ebenfalls bereits bekannten Figur zu den verschiedenen Völkern Hominums. Darin werden zusätzliche Informationen geliefert und bekanntes Wissen wird zusammengefasst und strukturiert.
Im zweiten Teil des Buches finden sich ein Index der Dämonen sowie nützlicher Glyphen. Dort sind die gesammelten Informationen mit wunderschönen Illustrationen versehen. Viele Dämonen sehen so niedlich oder so mächtig aus, dass ich sie gerne als Begleiter hätte. Es gab bereits in den Anhängen der Bücher der Reihe immer wieder Seiten, die der Dämonologie gewidmet waren, aber hier gibt es noch einmal alle Dämonen mit ihren Fähigkeiten und weiteren Informationen auf einen Blick. Besonders gefreut hat mich auch, dass es Abbildungen der Glyphen gibt, die zum Wirken der Magie in die Luft geätzt werden müssen. Dadurch kann ich sie mir besser vorstellen. Auch dieser Teil des Buches hat mich so begeistert, dass ich jetzt die ganze Reihe noch mal lesen möchte.
Fazit
Das Buch ist ein toller Zusatzband für Fans der Reihe. Es strukturiert das bereits vorhandene Wissen zu den Völkern Hominums, den Dämonen sowie den Glyphen. Außerdem werden einige neue Informationen geliefert. Das Tagebuch ist spannend, die Essays sind interessant und die Illustrationen der Dämonen wunderschön. Da ich jetzt außerdem die gesamte Reihe nochmals lesen möchte, bekommt „The Summoner's Handbook“ alle fünf Schreibfedern.
Rezension
Kann Spoiler bezüglich der Reihe „Die Dämonenakademie“ enthalten!
Ich habe mich riesig gefreut, mit diesem Buch noch einmal nach Hominum zurückkehren zu können. Auch wenn es sich hierbei nicht um eine weitere Geschichte, sondern um eine Sammlung diverser Informationen handelt, hat mir das Buch sehr gut gefallen. Es ist ein toller Zusatzband für Fans mit (fast) allen Informationen, die ich schon immer gerne haben wollte. Dabei ist das Buch aufgebaut wie ein Nachschlagewerk für künftige Schüler der Dämonenakademie mit Vorworten und Anmerkungen einer Lehrkraft, sodass es trotzdem auf der Ebene der Geschichte läuft und die Charaktere anspricht statt den Leser.
Inhaltlich fand ich das Buch richtig interessant. Es beginnt mit dem Tagebuch von James Baker, das Fletcher im ersten Teil der Reihe in die Finger bekommt. Dieses Tagebuch las sich zum Teil wie ein kleine Geschichte, sodass ich es gebannt verfolgt habe. Über die Kurzauftritte bereits bekannter Personen habe ich mich dabei besonders gefreut. Außerdem werden über das Tagebuch Hintergrundinformationen geliefert, woher die Informationen über die verschiedenen Dämonen überhaupt stammen und welche Art und Gefahren mit der Sammlung dieser Erkenntnisse verbunden ist. Eingeschoben zwischen die Einträge sind diverse Essays einer ebenfalls bereits bekannten Figur zu den verschiedenen Völkern Hominums. Darin werden zusätzliche Informationen geliefert und bekanntes Wissen wird zusammengefasst und strukturiert.
Im zweiten Teil des Buches finden sich ein Index der Dämonen sowie nützlicher Glyphen. Dort sind die gesammelten Informationen mit wunderschönen Illustrationen versehen. Viele Dämonen sehen so niedlich oder so mächtig aus, dass ich sie gerne als Begleiter hätte. Es gab bereits in den Anhängen der Bücher der Reihe immer wieder Seiten, die der Dämonologie gewidmet waren, aber hier gibt es noch einmal alle Dämonen mit ihren Fähigkeiten und weiteren Informationen auf einen Blick. Besonders gefreut hat mich auch, dass es Abbildungen der Glyphen gibt, die zum Wirken der Magie in die Luft geätzt werden müssen. Dadurch kann ich sie mir besser vorstellen. Auch dieser Teil des Buches hat mich so begeistert, dass ich jetzt die ganze Reihe noch mal lesen möchte.
Fazit
Das Buch ist ein toller Zusatzband für Fans der Reihe. Es strukturiert das bereits vorhandene Wissen zu den Völkern Hominums, den Dämonen sowie den Glyphen. Außerdem werden einige neue Informationen geliefert. Das Tagebuch ist spannend, die Essays sind interessant und die Illustrationen der Dämonen wunderschön. Da ich jetzt außerdem die gesamte Reihe nochmals lesen möchte, bekommt „The Summoner's Handbook“ alle fünf Schreibfedern.
June 8, 2019
Lubię dodatki do książek, które stanowią uzupełnienie głównej serii. Szczególnie, jeżeli mamy do czynienia z serią, gdzie autor stworzył własny świat oraz magiczne istoty o charakterystycznej aparycji. W przypadku Taran Matharu są to demony, które dla mnie zawsze stanowiły kartę przetargową w ocenie Zaklinacza. Dlatego też nic dziwnego, że po tę książkę sięgnęłam z ciekawością!
Almanach Zaklinacza można podzielić na trzy części. Pamiętacie tę książkę, która wchodzi w posiadanie Fletchera na początku pierwszego tomu? Oto ona! Teraz sami możecie przeczytać dziennik Jamesa Bakera, ucznia Akademii Vocanów, który wniósł bardzo dużo do poznania demonów przez Zaklinaczy. Zatem w pierwszej części dostajemy opis ponad roku z jego życia, kiedy to opowiada o tym, co mu się przytrafiło oraz skąd właściwie wziął zwój z Ignatiusem.
Nie zawsze jest to porywająca historia, ale też nie o fabułę się tutaj rozchodzi. James opisuje niektóre wydarzenia trochę jak rozgoryczony nastolatek, co można uznać za nieco frustrujące. Ważniejsze jest jednak to, jakie smaczki niesie za sobą ta niedługa historia: widzimy postacie, o których wiele razy czytaliśmy w pozostałych książkach. I przyznaję, że choć nie jest to najlepszy fabularny utwór Matharu w ramach Zaklinacza, to i tak byłam z niego całkiem zadowolona.
Następnie mamy do czynienia z „Kodeksem Demonologicznym‟ stworzonym właśnie przez Jamesa Bakera. To była dla mnie najbarwniejsza część, ponieważ oprócz rysunków demonów (o których za chwilę), dostajemy również ich krótkie opisy oraz, nazwijmy to, statystyki. Dowiadujemy się zatem, jak Matharu wyobraził sobie demony, jakie mają poziomy, jakie posiadają zdolności oraz co jedzą. Mi jedynie zabrakło tutaj dopisku w stylu „znani posiadacze‟, ponieważ kojarzyłam, że niektóre demony pojawiały się na kartach Zaklinacza, ale nie potrafiłam przypisać ich do postaci.
Z kolei ostatnia część to „Wykaz zaklęć elementarnych‟, gdzie możemy prześledzić, jakiego rodzaju zaklęciami posługują się uczniowie i absolwenci Akademii Vocanów. Jest to najmniej interesujący element Almanachu, ale dla ogromnych fanów może stanowić niezłą gratkę. Mogą oni nie tylko zobaczyć, jakich symboli używają w książkach postacie, ale też, jak wymagające jest dane zaklęcie.
Największą zaletą tej książki jest jej wykonanie. Ujmując wszystkie moje zachwyty w żołnierskich słowach: Almanach jest po prostu ładny. Strony są odpowiednio zabarwione, aby sprawiały wrażenie starych, wybrano kilka ozdobnych czcionek oraz ramek, które dodają wybranym stronom dziennikowego charakteru. Oprócz tego ta niedługa książeczka przepełniona jest grafikami! Praktycznie na każdej stronie znajdziemy jakąś ilustrację, obrazującą przedstawiane wydarzenia.
Ale nie na ich koniec: nieco dalej znajdą się również ilustracje przedstawiające demony. Dziwne istoty, o których zaledwie czytaliśmy na stronach Zaklinacza w końcu zostały zobrazowane i możemy się przekonać, czy te grafiki sprostały naszym oczekiwaniom. W moim przypadku je przerosły! Rysunki są ładnie wykonane i co jakiś czas wzdychałam pod nosem, myśląc sobie, że sama mogłabym mieć takie stworzenia w domu.
Podsumowując, książka ta jest niezwykle estetyczna, co już stanowi dla mnie powodów do polecenia, biorąc pod uwagę jej charakter. Ale nie tylko o to się rozchodzi: Almanach Zaklinacza wnosi nową historię, przedstawia kawałek historii Akademii Vocanów oraz pozwala nam lepiej poznać świat stworzony przez Matharu. Zatem wszystkim fanom Zaklinacza, gorąco polecam!
Almanach Zaklinacza można podzielić na trzy części. Pamiętacie tę książkę, która wchodzi w posiadanie Fletchera na początku pierwszego tomu? Oto ona! Teraz sami możecie przeczytać dziennik Jamesa Bakera, ucznia Akademii Vocanów, który wniósł bardzo dużo do poznania demonów przez Zaklinaczy. Zatem w pierwszej części dostajemy opis ponad roku z jego życia, kiedy to opowiada o tym, co mu się przytrafiło oraz skąd właściwie wziął zwój z Ignatiusem.
Nie zawsze jest to porywająca historia, ale też nie o fabułę się tutaj rozchodzi. James opisuje niektóre wydarzenia trochę jak rozgoryczony nastolatek, co można uznać za nieco frustrujące. Ważniejsze jest jednak to, jakie smaczki niesie za sobą ta niedługa historia: widzimy postacie, o których wiele razy czytaliśmy w pozostałych książkach. I przyznaję, że choć nie jest to najlepszy fabularny utwór Matharu w ramach Zaklinacza, to i tak byłam z niego całkiem zadowolona.
Następnie mamy do czynienia z „Kodeksem Demonologicznym‟ stworzonym właśnie przez Jamesa Bakera. To była dla mnie najbarwniejsza część, ponieważ oprócz rysunków demonów (o których za chwilę), dostajemy również ich krótkie opisy oraz, nazwijmy to, statystyki. Dowiadujemy się zatem, jak Matharu wyobraził sobie demony, jakie mają poziomy, jakie posiadają zdolności oraz co jedzą. Mi jedynie zabrakło tutaj dopisku w stylu „znani posiadacze‟, ponieważ kojarzyłam, że niektóre demony pojawiały się na kartach Zaklinacza, ale nie potrafiłam przypisać ich do postaci.
Z kolei ostatnia część to „Wykaz zaklęć elementarnych‟, gdzie możemy prześledzić, jakiego rodzaju zaklęciami posługują się uczniowie i absolwenci Akademii Vocanów. Jest to najmniej interesujący element Almanachu, ale dla ogromnych fanów może stanowić niezłą gratkę. Mogą oni nie tylko zobaczyć, jakich symboli używają w książkach postacie, ale też, jak wymagające jest dane zaklęcie.
Największą zaletą tej książki jest jej wykonanie. Ujmując wszystkie moje zachwyty w żołnierskich słowach: Almanach jest po prostu ładny. Strony są odpowiednio zabarwione, aby sprawiały wrażenie starych, wybrano kilka ozdobnych czcionek oraz ramek, które dodają wybranym stronom dziennikowego charakteru. Oprócz tego ta niedługa książeczka przepełniona jest grafikami! Praktycznie na każdej stronie znajdziemy jakąś ilustrację, obrazującą przedstawiane wydarzenia.
Ale nie na ich koniec: nieco dalej znajdą się również ilustracje przedstawiające demony. Dziwne istoty, o których zaledwie czytaliśmy na stronach Zaklinacza w końcu zostały zobrazowane i możemy się przekonać, czy te grafiki sprostały naszym oczekiwaniom. W moim przypadku je przerosły! Rysunki są ładnie wykonane i co jakiś czas wzdychałam pod nosem, myśląc sobie, że sama mogłabym mieć takie stworzenia w domu.
Podsumowując, książka ta jest niezwykle estetyczna, co już stanowi dla mnie powodów do polecenia, biorąc pod uwagę jej charakter. Ale nie tylko o to się rozchodzi: Almanach Zaklinacza wnosi nową historię, przedstawia kawałek historii Akademii Vocanów oraz pozwala nam lepiej poznać świat stworzony przez Matharu. Zatem wszystkim fanom Zaklinacza, gorąco polecam!
September 27, 2018
As a long-term fan of the series, I was so eager to see what this book would be like. I deliberately didn't read anything about it so it would all be a surprise. In fact I was so eager to read it that I over-ran my lunch at work and almost forgot to prep for a meeting.
Although I got it yesterday I have already finished it. True it's not a long book and the formatting is very easy to read. There are different parts to it, and particularly when you get to the demonology you can get through it quite quickly. That being said, it was amazing to read.
So, first off: James Baker's journal. I was delighted to actually read the journal. I didn't know what to make of James at first; at times I thought he was a bit arrogant and thought himself better than the other commoner summoners, and at other times you could just see his drive and determination to be the best he can in the situation he never expected to find himself in. It was a shame none of the other commoner summoners acknowledged him, and we never found out the reason why. I was pleased with the conclusion of the diary, and what we learnt about James in the end.
The reports by Edmund Raleigh were absolutely delightful. Aside from a deeper insight into Edmund (which I had longed for), just reading about the different races was so interesting. Taran Matharu really put so much work into how his book's world works: the interaction and hostilities of the races, the landscapes, and even the ether had so much work. I still feel a flush of anger at the discrimination the elven and dwarvish races suffer at the hands of humans--and even the orcs really since Edmund's reports acknowledge there are peaceful settlements. It makes me wonder for the future of the world following the main series' conclusion--there was some resolution for the elves and dwarves, and I wonder (and hope as well) that perhaps some co-existence and peace can be found with the orcs too?
The Demonology Codex - my word. It was so well-written and detailed. The artwork was fantastic. Though I am glad I remembered just as I started reading it that the Arach was a thing... I totally didn't gently flip through the pages to find it so I could be braced for it, especially since the artwork was so detailed! If I was a summoner and was gifted an Arach I would be terrified of my own demon! Even if you weren't interested in the codex as a whole, just having it as a reference when you're reading to help you picture the demons is good.
Then the spells: another good addition. We only really saw the key symbols in the main series, so seeing all the others was great. You can see why they're hard to etch, and so many different variations too.
Obviously James made another addition to the handbook with his notes on summoning too. When you've read the series you know it already, but if someone picked this up first before reading the series it'd be a great insight (plus it's interesting anyway).
I think I covered it all. It was a great supplement to the series. I daresay there was one point I noticed potential for a sequel too, but I won't share that here. Definitely recommended if you love the books!
Although I got it yesterday I have already finished it. True it's not a long book and the formatting is very easy to read. There are different parts to it, and particularly when you get to the demonology you can get through it quite quickly. That being said, it was amazing to read.
So, first off: James Baker's journal. I was delighted to actually read the journal. I didn't know what to make of James at first; at times I thought he was a bit arrogant and thought himself better than the other commoner summoners, and at other times you could just see his drive and determination to be the best he can in the situation he never expected to find himself in. It was a shame none of the other commoner summoners acknowledged him, and we never found out the reason why. I was pleased with the conclusion of the diary, and what we learnt about James in the end.
The reports by Edmund Raleigh were absolutely delightful. Aside from a deeper insight into Edmund (which I had longed for), just reading about the different races was so interesting. Taran Matharu really put so much work into how his book's world works: the interaction and hostilities of the races, the landscapes, and even the ether had so much work. I still feel a flush of anger at the discrimination the elven and dwarvish races suffer at the hands of humans--and even the orcs really since Edmund's reports acknowledge there are peaceful settlements. It makes me wonder for the future of the world following the main series' conclusion--there was some resolution for the elves and dwarves, and I wonder (and hope as well) that perhaps some co-existence and peace can be found with the orcs too?
The Demonology Codex - my word. It was so well-written and detailed. The artwork was fantastic. Though I am glad I remembered just as I started reading it that the Arach was a thing... I totally didn't gently flip through the pages to find it so I could be braced for it, especially since the artwork was so detailed! If I was a summoner and was gifted an Arach I would be terrified of my own demon! Even if you weren't interested in the codex as a whole, just having it as a reference when you're reading to help you picture the demons is good.
Then the spells: another good addition. We only really saw the key symbols in the main series, so seeing all the others was great. You can see why they're hard to etch, and so many different variations too.
Obviously James made another addition to the handbook with his notes on summoning too. When you've read the series you know it already, but if someone picked this up first before reading the series it'd be a great insight (plus it's interesting anyway).
I think I covered it all. It was a great supplement to the series. I daresay there was one point I noticed potential for a sequel too, but I won't share that here. Definitely recommended if you love the books!
February 7, 2024
A supplement to Taran Matharu's Summoner series, The Summoner's serves as both its own prequel and informative guide to the creatures of the ether. Written as a diary by a certain James Baker, Baker records his experience at attending Volcans and delving religiously into his studies. He perfects himself to become an excellent swordsman and battlemage, upon a secret request to research the orcs. His diary details his time in both his school and on the battlefront, showing many similarities to the issues Fletcher would face years later. Once his diary ends, comes a documentation of all notable demons and spells that would be helpful for summoners, should they ever come across them.
Since this book has three different concepts in them, being that they are a diary, demonology, and spellcasting. I liked the diary portion of James Baker, his saga was interesting, and yet, so tragic as he was not as lucky as Fletcher to end up in good hands while at Volcans. Perfectly showcasing the prejudice that is ever so present in the main series as well as the schism that lies even in people of the same rank. The demonology portion was just as good, seeing the many creatures that were mentioned in the series appear and a decent amount of info on them. Many of them were based around real mythological creatures, and others were a combination of different animals combined. The spells were also interesting, but I do not recall most of them being used in the main series, but that's okay. Overall, while it gives a decent expansion of the Summoner universe, there's not much else going on in this book. Although, I would love to have a bigger background on some of the events mentioned both here and in Fletcher's story, as it seems a lot had happened that would lead to that eventual orc war.
Since this book has three different concepts in them, being that they are a diary, demonology, and spellcasting. I liked the diary portion of James Baker, his saga was interesting, and yet, so tragic as he was not as lucky as Fletcher to end up in good hands while at Volcans. Perfectly showcasing the prejudice that is ever so present in the main series as well as the schism that lies even in people of the same rank. The demonology portion was just as good, seeing the many creatures that were mentioned in the series appear and a decent amount of info on them. Many of them were based around real mythological creatures, and others were a combination of different animals combined. The spells were also interesting, but I do not recall most of them being used in the main series, but that's okay. Overall, while it gives a decent expansion of the Summoner universe, there's not much else going on in this book. Although, I would love to have a bigger background on some of the events mentioned both here and in Fletcher's story, as it seems a lot had happened that would lead to that eventual orc war.
April 25, 2019
Summoner's Handbook is a prequel to The Summoner, a fantasy novel written by Taran Matharu. The Summoner's Handbook is the diary of James Baker; a summoner at Vocans Academy. James, like all other commoners was given a mite as their first demon, but Jame's mite is rarer and more powerful species of mite, so he had an advantage over his peers from the start. The diary continues to narrate throughout Jame's experience at Vocans, as well as James fighting into the war against the orcs. Summoners Handbook does exactly what a prequel should: explain how the inciding incident of the main story happened. In fact, this book is actually directly in the story, and is given to Fletcher, the main character in The Summoner. In fact, not only does The Summoner's Handbook explain how the inciding incident happened, it IS the inciting incident. I give this book a 10/10 for the exact reasons I gave The Summoner a 10/10. Great character arcs, great world building, engaging action scenes, and little pause between important events. However, Summoner's Handbook gets extra because it does its job as prequel right. If you've read The Summoner, I suggest you read this book before you continue to read the other books in the series, just so you don't get confused.
February 15, 2019
The book is split into three parts. The first part is a journal written by the summoner James Baker, the second part is a demonology codex which is filled with pictures of different demons and facts about them and the last part is a list of spells complete with the symbols for the spells and some facts about them. I really enjoyed this book. It was easy to get through and the pictures were nicely drawn. I really like fantasy books that are written like nonfiction and I love learning about different magic systems and magical creatures so this book was perfect for me. I think James was a surprisingly good character considering the format and length of it. The demonology codex was also really interesting and the drawings were nice. It was a bit like the fantastic beasts book. The spell list was a lot like demonology codex except with spells.
All in all, I enjoyed the book. It was short and easy to get through, can be read in a couple of hours. I also think it's a book you can go back to just to look at the demons or read about the spells. You can definitely read this without having read the Summoner series, I haven't read it but I'm planning to after reading this book.
All in all, I enjoyed the book. It was short and easy to get through, can be read in a couple of hours. I also think it's a book you can go back to just to look at the demons or read about the spells. You can definitely read this without having read the Summoner series, I haven't read it but I'm planning to after reading this book.
March 12, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. I read it in-between reading the origional series and reading The Outcast, which I highly suggest this order. The books style makes it seem as though you could read it at any point, but this isn't really true. You can tell that the author wrote this book to be read as a sequel, even though within the timeline the diary comes first. You could read this book on its own but I think it looses a lot of its value if you do.
The book overall is pretty short but adds a lot to the worldbuilding of the other books. The book has drawings of the different demons and settings. Especially with the demons it is difficult to describe them in a way that everyone can imagine, so this was a smart move. The drawings really help to polish what the other books try to explain.
Overall the diary part is pretty good. The book fits in with the series well. There are little details that really help tie them all together. And the book actually adds and has its own value. I don't really see anything wrong with the book so I give it five stars. I would just not pay a lot for it.
The book overall is pretty short but adds a lot to the worldbuilding of the other books. The book has drawings of the different demons and settings. Especially with the demons it is difficult to describe them in a way that everyone can imagine, so this was a smart move. The drawings really help to polish what the other books try to explain.
Overall the diary part is pretty good. The book fits in with the series well. There are little details that really help tie them all together. And the book actually adds and has its own value. I don't really see anything wrong with the book so I give it five stars. I would just not pay a lot for it.
March 26, 2021
I really enjoyed the Summoner series, so I was excited to see this on the shelves at my library. Unfortunately, it had been so long since I read the trilogy that the encyclopedic nature of the book just wasn't interesting to me anymore because I was no longer fascinated by the world and characters. It wasn't terrible though. I enjoyed the later half of the book because the illustrations and descriptions were very satisfying to flip through, but I only made it about 50 pages in to the actual story. Because it's written in diary form, there was an odd disconnect between the events of the story and the readers. It made the story a little tedious to get through. I don't like giving up on books without finishing them, but I completely stopped reading for a while because I was so opposed to fighting my way through the story. Still, the book was nice to look at and flip through in a world building sense, but I just wouldn't recommend the novella. It's something to read if there's nothing else around, but it just wasn't for me.
November 23, 2018
I ABSOLUTELY adore the Summoner series by the talented Taran. His first novel gripped me and have now read every single piece of his published work.
If, like me, you really wanted to see what all of his wonderful imagined beasties looked like - then you are in luck as this hardback is filled with them! Aside from its gorgeous cover, the book is overflowing with the ins and outs of spell casting and demons. It also covers the journey of James Baker during his time at Vocans - and the battlefield - through detailed journal entries.
I was not expecting the diary entry section at all and it was a welcome addition as it added some much-needed meat to the book. The artwork in the demon bestiary is gorgeous but, where it is used in the story section, it fails to bring Taran's words to life. There were also a few typos dotted throughout the book, but these are minuscule enough and is easily glanced over.
This book reminded me a lot of the original Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them book as it too is a bestiary with a small tale about the protagonist. This one, however, has a meatier story with far more artwork of the beasts. If you're a fan of the Summoner series, or a newcomer, this is a definite must for your book collection.
If, like me, you really wanted to see what all of his wonderful imagined beasties looked like - then you are in luck as this hardback is filled with them! Aside from its gorgeous cover, the book is overflowing with the ins and outs of spell casting and demons. It also covers the journey of James Baker during his time at Vocans - and the battlefield - through detailed journal entries.
I was not expecting the diary entry section at all and it was a welcome addition as it added some much-needed meat to the book. The artwork in the demon bestiary is gorgeous but, where it is used in the story section, it fails to bring Taran's words to life. There were also a few typos dotted throughout the book, but these are minuscule enough and is easily glanced over.
This book reminded me a lot of the original Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them book as it too is a bestiary with a small tale about the protagonist. This one, however, has a meatier story with far more artwork of the beasts. If you're a fan of the Summoner series, or a newcomer, this is a definite must for your book collection.
October 16, 2018
With a love of real-life animals and wildlife, ever since I first read Deltora Quest I've had a love of reading about the monsters and creatures in fantasy books, so this was undoubtedly a treat for me.
Honestly I think I would have loved this book even more if it was nothing BUT a large collection of different demons and spells in the summoner world, but that's not to insult the other parts of this book. The story of James Baker and little tidbits about the other races living in Hominium were nice, I just love the monster stuff so much I prefer the idea of those sections being replaced with more demon species info.
Nonetheless it was a lovely little look into the fantasy world Taran Matharu has created and I just enjoyed the quick read a lot. Would definitely recommend if your a huge monster nerd like I am.
Honestly I think I would have loved this book even more if it was nothing BUT a large collection of different demons and spells in the summoner world, but that's not to insult the other parts of this book. The story of James Baker and little tidbits about the other races living in Hominium were nice, I just love the monster stuff so much I prefer the idea of those sections being replaced with more demon species info.
Nonetheless it was a lovely little look into the fantasy world Taran Matharu has created and I just enjoyed the quick read a lot. Would definitely recommend if your a huge monster nerd like I am.
December 4, 2018
This is a "non-fiction" companion to the Summoner series. It's partly the journal of James Baker, which inspires Fletcher in the main series, partly a type of encyclopaedia about the demons and their powers, and partly a guide to the spells (how to draw them and what they do).
It gives background on the other characters, and the summoner "world", including the orc war and the treaty with the dwarves.
I would recommend this to read AFTER you've read the other 4 books (or at least after you've read the 3 books in the main series). It's not essential to understand the story, but it does give additional information if you are the type of reader who likes knowing more about the world of a series (e.g. if you liked Pottermore Presents short stories as a companion to the HP world, you may like this as a companion to the Summoner world).
It gives background on the other characters, and the summoner "world", including the orc war and the treaty with the dwarves.
I would recommend this to read AFTER you've read the other 4 books (or at least after you've read the 3 books in the main series). It's not essential to understand the story, but it does give additional information if you are the type of reader who likes knowing more about the world of a series (e.g. if you liked Pottermore Presents short stories as a companion to the HP world, you may like this as a companion to the Summoner world).
October 4, 2018
NOT worth 9.99: Short story, reference, no real characters
This is a diary, and as such each “chapter” is a day. Some are very short.
It is well written, but there are a few things I didn’t like.
1. There is a feeling of “reading” about events after they have already happened. You don’t feel in the action as much.
2. As this is a diary, you don’t typically record dialog word for word, which is consistent here. That means you have almost no dialog (maybe none).
3. There wasn’t anything new revealed about summoning or the world mechanics. It seems to be a step back in knowledge from the other books along with the step back in time.
Might be worth a read if you didn’t have anything else to read.
This is a diary, and as such each “chapter” is a day. Some are very short.
It is well written, but there are a few things I didn’t like.
1. There is a feeling of “reading” about events after they have already happened. You don’t feel in the action as much.
2. As this is a diary, you don’t typically record dialog word for word, which is consistent here. That means you have almost no dialog (maybe none).
3. There wasn’t anything new revealed about summoning or the world mechanics. It seems to be a step back in knowledge from the other books along with the step back in time.
Might be worth a read if you didn’t have anything else to read.
October 25, 2018
The Summoner's Handbook by Taran Matharu is a great addition to the Summoner Series. It provides details of each and every found demon and more. It also contains the journal of James Baker, whom was mention throughout the first three books. And was owned by our guy, Fletcher. Who then gave it to the librarian at Vocans. I sped through the entire handbook because it was that amazing. I don't know what it is about this book, but it was just so interesting to read. I mean well with all the amazing drawings, who wouldn't enjoy it. Overall, this book is a must if you enjoyed the rest of the books. It seems like a closure, but isn't at the same time. That is because there is always something new to discover.
July 8, 2019
This was a fabulous companion to the Summoner books! With how much I loved the series though, I was so excited to read anything else set within that world so I snapped up a copy of this as soon as it came out!
The first half is set in the format of James Baker’s journal, which Fletcher found at the start of The Novice and which was responsible for him acquiring Ignatious and discovering his summoner powers.
It was great to find out more about James and about his own introduction into the world of summoning. We see him struggle through Vocans as a commoner and get tricked by adults who seek to use him for their own advances. It also gave a wonderful glimpse at the history of the world and the early war against the Orcs.
The second half of the book features a beautifully illustrated demonology showing all the known demons that can be summoned - including those native to the Orc’s side of the Aether. As well as a list of spells and further information on each of them. It was utterly fascinating and I spent hours pouring over all the clever little details that I hadn’t known until now.
Honestly reading this just reminded me how much I adored the Summoner books and made me want to just dash right off and read them all again!
The first half is set in the format of James Baker’s journal, which Fletcher found at the start of The Novice and which was responsible for him acquiring Ignatious and discovering his summoner powers.
It was great to find out more about James and about his own introduction into the world of summoning. We see him struggle through Vocans as a commoner and get tricked by adults who seek to use him for their own advances. It also gave a wonderful glimpse at the history of the world and the early war against the Orcs.
The second half of the book features a beautifully illustrated demonology showing all the known demons that can be summoned - including those native to the Orc’s side of the Aether. As well as a list of spells and further information on each of them. It was utterly fascinating and I spent hours pouring over all the clever little details that I hadn’t known until now.
Honestly reading this just reminded me how much I adored the Summoner books and made me want to just dash right off and read them all again!
December 9, 2019
Before starting this, I was worried (but prepared) this would read like a text book. However, the journal entries at the beginning were quite interesting and part of me want an book that goes more in-depth into Baker’s life.
The demon portion was awesome. Beautiful artwork to accompany each entry. The amount of demons surprised me, even though I have read the series already. Didn’t know what ones I’d want to have as my own...lying; Coatl & Felid. :P
The spells were just as interesting. I feel like there needs to be a TV series already, given the abundance of source material. Fingers crossed.
The demon portion was awesome. Beautiful artwork to accompany each entry. The amount of demons surprised me, even though I have read the series already. Didn’t know what ones I’d want to have as my own...lying; Coatl & Felid. :P
The spells were just as interesting. I feel like there needs to be a TV series already, given the abundance of source material. Fingers crossed.
June 9, 2022
I normally don't read companions to series or novels but I wanted to complete my Summoner series book collection. I am actually happy I got this since it seems to be a reference book discussed and referenced several times in all the Summoner series books (except The Outcast). It was an entertaining short read. I loved the creature art in the back of the book about the different daemons that could be summoned because not all of them are really discussed in the books. It was an added bonus to imagining what sort of daemon you could summon if you were a part of this world. My personal favorite was the caenid and the ones that looked like an otter or fox. So cute!
November 6, 2018
We finally get to read the mysterious journal of James Baker! His story was intense and slightly heartbreaking, but has an incredible surprise at the end of his journey.
This book also contains a complete glossary of all the known demons, which includes absolutely gorgeous illustrations of each one. We also get a look at many of the summoner’s spells, and the symbols used in etching them.
This book is definitely a must read for fans of The Summoner Series, packed full of all the information you could want about this amazing world.
This book also contains a complete glossary of all the known demons, which includes absolutely gorgeous illustrations of each one. We also get a look at many of the summoner’s spells, and the symbols used in etching them.
This book is definitely a must read for fans of The Summoner Series, packed full of all the information you could want about this amazing world.
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March 22, 2023Taran Matharu's "The Summoner's Handbook" is a great tool in understanding the rest of "The Summoner Series." it is a comprehensive guide in the demons mentioned throughout the series, however, arguably more importantly, this handbook also includes a short story written in diary format that provides insight as to the social and economic dynamic among classes of Matharu's created society. Although reading this book before the rest of the series could be helpful in understanding and appreciating the series, I doubt it will be interesting unless the reader has read the rest of the series.
August 14, 2022
3.25
It was a quick read, and while it provided some backstory on James Baker, I didn't feel like it added any new information from the world to the reader, even with the demon encyclopedia at the back.
However, it only took me an hour and a half to read, so I don't feel like I wasted any time on it. If you're an avid fan of the series you might enjoy it, otherwise you're probably okay without reading it :)
It was a quick read, and while it provided some backstory on James Baker, I didn't feel like it added any new information from the world to the reader, even with the demon encyclopedia at the back.
However, it only took me an hour and a half to read, so I don't feel like I wasted any time on it. If you're an avid fan of the series you might enjoy it, otherwise you're probably okay without reading it :)
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