Reviews:
Book One: Sebastian and the Afterlife
"I can't be dead...that's ridiculous."
Sebastian finds himself standing in front of an imposing archway surrounded by forest in the afterlife...well, sort of.
Seventeen year old Sebastian's soul has decided that he still has a purpose to fulfill and leads him to away from the archway to the afterlife and into Sapientia school, a high school for other souls still trying to finish their business. While at the school Sebastian and his new found spirit friends, Jack, Onyx and Patricia are guided by spirit teachers who help them find their purpose by using special compasses that will guide them back and forth between the mortal realm and spirit realm. The teachers and Special Agents of the Grim Reaper also keep keep the students away from the outer edges of the spirit realm where 'pirates' roam, trying to steal spirit student's energy.
Sebastian must navigate his new spirit world, try to finish his business in the mortal world and deal with the encroaching threat of a new pirate scheme.
This series is aimed at the YA crowd and is written from a highschooler's point of view which gives us a fresh perspective on death and the afterlife. Sebastian's character is interesting and very true to a seventeen year old male. His choices in the afterlife may not be the best, but he is still able to fulfill his purpose. The adventure aspect of the story adds fun and intrigue. Sebastian is quite the unlikely hero, but those are the best.
Book One: Sebastian and the Afterlife
"I can't be dead...that's ridiculous."
Sebastian finds himself standing in front of an imposing archway surrounded by forest in the afterlife...well, sort of.
Seventeen year old Sebastian's soul has decided that he still has a purpose to fulfill and leads him to away from the archway to the afterlife and into Sapientia school, a high school for other souls still trying to finish their business. While at the school Sebastian and his new found spirit friends, Jack, Onyx and Patricia are guided by spirit teachers who help them find their purpose by using special compasses that will guide them back and forth between the mortal realm and spirit realm. The teachers and Special Agents of the Grim Reaper also keep keep the students away from the outer edges of the spirit realm where 'pirates' roam, trying to steal spirit student's energy.
Sebastian must navigate his new spirit world, try to finish his business in the mortal world and deal with the encroaching threat of a new pirate scheme.
This series is aimed at the YA crowd and is written from a highschooler's point of view which gives us a fresh perspective on death and the afterlife. Sebastian's character is interesting and very true to a seventeen year old male. His choices in the afterlife may not be the best, but he is still able to fulfill his purpose. The adventure aspect of the story adds fun and intrigue. Sebastian is quite the unlikely hero, but those are the best.
Book Two: Agents of the Reaper
This review contains spoilers for book one
"This isn't life Onyx...that's over."
Sebastian and Onyx training to be Agents of the Reaper in the spirit realm. After helping to defeat two dangerous Soul Pirates and free the Grim Reaper, Sebastian and Onyx are training to be full agents and protect the spirit realm. The dangerous pirate that they have put in Darhkendin prison has escaped and is planning another ominous mission to take over the realm that involves Sebastian, a beloved teacher Sid and the headmaster of Sapientia. Meanwhile, Sebastian is still a little too tied to the mortal world, worrying about his sister, Kristen and the current Grim Reaper has announced his retirement.
Agents of the Reaper is a wonderful sequel that flowed well from the first book. I was glad to see more character development, especially in Onyx; she is a powerful female character that has her afterlife in control. It was also interesting to get to see more of Jack's journey to fulfilling his soul's mission. This book had a lot more action scenes and intrigue and left us on a cliffhanger that will make you want to start Forever Awakening immediately after
This review contains spoilers for book one
"This isn't life Onyx...that's over."
Sebastian and Onyx training to be Agents of the Reaper in the spirit realm. After helping to defeat two dangerous Soul Pirates and free the Grim Reaper, Sebastian and Onyx are training to be full agents and protect the spirit realm. The dangerous pirate that they have put in Darhkendin prison has escaped and is planning another ominous mission to take over the realm that involves Sebastian, a beloved teacher Sid and the headmaster of Sapientia. Meanwhile, Sebastian is still a little too tied to the mortal world, worrying about his sister, Kristen and the current Grim Reaper has announced his retirement.
Agents of the Reaper is a wonderful sequel that flowed well from the first book. I was glad to see more character development, especially in Onyx; she is a powerful female character that has her afterlife in control. It was also interesting to get to see more of Jack's journey to fulfilling his soul's mission. This book had a lot more action scenes and intrigue and left us on a cliffhanger that will make you want to start Forever Awakening immediately after
Book Three: Forever Awakening
This review contains spoilers for books one and two.
Delightful ending to the Sebastian and the Afterlife trilogy!
Starting and ending with action sequences, now full Agents of the Reaper Onyx and Sebastian are still fighting Soul Pirate Axis Red and his gang. Axis Red has a scheme to take over the afterlife along with the Grim Reaper to-be, Headmaster Gerard. The once-pirate Joey Charles is the only one who knows of this plot and has been kidnapped. Will the Agents be able to find Joey Charles in time to stop Axis Red's plan?
Jam packed with action, the final installment of Sebastian and the Afterlife is a wonderful ending to the Trilogy. Sebastian and Onyx grow even more as characters and we get to find out Onyx's soul purpose! The plot twists in Axis Red's conspiracy along with the well-paced action sequences keep this book fast-paced and exiting. Overall, the Sebastian and the Afterlife is a good trilogy for YA readers of middle-school age that are looking for something different.
Sebastian and the Afterlife series was provided as an Advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Net Galley and The Writer's Coffee Shop for letting me read this series!
This review contains spoilers for books one and two.
Delightful ending to the Sebastian and the Afterlife trilogy!
Starting and ending with action sequences, now full Agents of the Reaper Onyx and Sebastian are still fighting Soul Pirate Axis Red and his gang. Axis Red has a scheme to take over the afterlife along with the Grim Reaper to-be, Headmaster Gerard. The once-pirate Joey Charles is the only one who knows of this plot and has been kidnapped. Will the Agents be able to find Joey Charles in time to stop Axis Red's plan?
Jam packed with action, the final installment of Sebastian and the Afterlife is a wonderful ending to the Trilogy. Sebastian and Onyx grow even more as characters and we get to find out Onyx's soul purpose! The plot twists in Axis Red's conspiracy along with the well-paced action sequences keep this book fast-paced and exiting. Overall, the Sebastian and the Afterlife is a good trilogy for YA readers of middle-school age that are looking for something different.
Sebastian and the Afterlife series was provided as an Advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Net Galley and The Writer's Coffee Shop for letting me read this series!
Published by The Writer's Coffee Shop
Available from Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, and TWCS
Summary:
The spirit realm is buzzing; everyone is eagerly anticipating the Transitional Ceremony where Gerard will become the next Grim Reaper. But his dark alliance with Axis Red is still unknown to anyone, except Joey Charles, who is locked away in a pirate dungeon awaiting his demise. Agents have been searching diligently but they have yet to find him.
Things between Sebastian and Onyx are still awkward after she revealed her true feelings for him; however they are determined not to let that affect their agent duties. Sebastian must confront his own emotions and decide how he feels about her.
With his duties increasing in the realm, Sebastian can no longer be around to protect his little sister, Kristen, as she continues to spiral out of control. She learns of her boyfriend’s unfaithfulness, which sets off a chain of difficult events that change her life.
Tensions begin to rise among the pirates when a renegade spirit, loyal to an older evil, attempts to blackmail Axis Red. The pirate leader forms Axis’s Eight, a covert team of his top men to track down this new unknown adversary before they can throw a wrench in his plans.
The fate of the realm is hanging in the balance as the Transitional Ceremony approaches.
In this the final book in the series, agents and pirates square off in an epic conclusion that will settle the score between Sebastian and Axis Red, and decide the fate of the realm. Journey with Sebastian and his friends into the Forever Awakening where more than just the soul is at stake!
About the Author:
William j. Barry was born in Newton, New Jersey. He moved to Florida and then to Georgia at a young age. Ever since grade school, William enjoyed penning original short stories. They were a good outlet for his overactive imagination. William grew up in the Augusta, Georgia area before moving to Athens, Georgia where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in psychology from The University of Georgia.
After college, William returned his focus to writing. Sebastian and the Afterlife was his first novel. The book was signed by TWCS Publishing House and released in February of 2011. He followed that book with Agents of the Reaper, the second installment in the Sebastian and the Afterlife middle-grades/teen fantasy novels. It was released February 9th, 2012.
Besides writing, the author also enjoys writing and recording music and filmmaking. William is married and currently lives on the outskirts of Athens, Georgia.
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