I'd like to thank NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK Children's for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

So, it took me an embarrassingly long time to read and review this. It did slip through the cracks of my Kindle mess and I apologize for it.

Now, moving on to the review. This has a pretty intriguing start. I liked Christopher and his world (honestly, a book that starts with a teenager making gunpowder is off to a great start). I also liked Blackthorne, the apothecary who is also Christopher's master. But then, about halfway through, I sort of lost interest. The book began to follow the trope of a lot of the middle grade books out there (that, coupled with formatting issues, made my interest wane a bit).

The ending was a bit lackluster and confusing for me (disclaimer: I did skim a bit), and not enough for me to keep reading the series.

A rip-roaring adventure perfect for middle grade child who like a bit of history in their fiction.

This was a great read, fast paced, packed full of action, a real page turner. I loved it.