A review by chwaters
Amelia Cole and the Unknown World by D. J. Kirkbride, Adam P. Knave
3.0
Amelia Cole is one of the only people in the universe who can cross between the two known worlds. There's the world we're familiar, the one based in science and then there's the magical world where everyone has the ability to use magic. The portal between these worlds resides in her aunt's shop where Amelia and her aunt are able to protect the boundary between the two. One day, Amelia finds herself fighting a Persuasion demon in the scientific world, which raises all kinds of red flags for her and her aunt. As it turns out, there's a breach in the portal and magical beings are slipping through to our world. In an effort to seal off the breach, Amelia's aunt must close the portal for good, a process which kills the aunt and sends Amelia to a world previously unknown to her. This world is a hybrid version of the other two worlds. Magic exists, but only a fraction of the population is endowed with magic. Those that do have magic are severely restricted in its use. Not only is this new world confusing to Amelia, she's stuck there for good. Naturally, she creates a large metal golem to help her fight bad guys, which is sort of a compulsion for her, and replaces her broken wand with a wrench. The authorities in this new world aren't thrilled about this vigilante crime-fighter in their midst, but Amelia can't seem to let old habits die out, no matter where she currently calls home.
Amelia Cole and the Unknown World is a fun read with lots of action sequences and a charming metal golem sidekick, but it feels like there's a lot more to uncover in this new world that Amelia has found herself in. There's very little backstory for our protagonist in this volume, but there are hints that her origins will be played out in more detail in later volumes (I hope, anyway). Overall, a clever and colorful series that just needs a bit more substance to make it truly great. The potential is there; let's hope someone waves a magic wrench and fleshes out the intriguing world(s) presented here.
Amelia Cole and the Unknown World is a fun read with lots of action sequences and a charming metal golem sidekick, but it feels like there's a lot more to uncover in this new world that Amelia has found herself in. There's very little backstory for our protagonist in this volume, but there are hints that her origins will be played out in more detail in later volumes (I hope, anyway). Overall, a clever and colorful series that just needs a bit more substance to make it truly great. The potential is there; let's hope someone waves a magic wrench and fleshes out the intriguing world(s) presented here.