This was a very different fantasy book from what I typically read, and I enjoyed most of it. The story follows a man named Jason whose father has recently died. He then finds out his dad, who was never a part of his life, was actually part of a secret organization called the Invisible Hand and he was a Mage. The Invisible Hand recruits Jason, and inform him of another organization called the Golden Dawn, a group that represents chaos where the Invisible Hand represents order. Both sides have been at war with each other for awhile, and now each has clues as to where the Sphere of Destiny, and object that legend says can tip the balance one way or the other, is located. Now Jason is training to become the Mage he was meant to be while his new family tries to end a war that has been ensuing for decades, if not centuries.

I will say I was not a fan of the training scenes or scenes in which training or levels of aptitude were covered. I think the way in which a person trains and how they move from one level to another was just a bit too simplistic and basic. Also, Jason seemed to learn his skills a whole lot faster than anyone else and it seemed to be way too easy for him.

The writing was pretty good overall, though there were times in the book when it felt like something could have been described better or just wasn't as tight as other parts of the book. Basically, it felt like a debut novel at times and not the novel of a writer with a lot of books under their belt.

On a positive note, the action scenes were typically really well done. There's always a lot going on in these scenes, either because a lot is happening really fast or there are a lot of characters involved or both, but they tended to flow really well and give us a good view of what was happening. The action definitely kept the pace moving forward and made this a pretty quick read overall.

Also, the secrets and plot twists throughout the book were done well for the most part. There were one or two that I saw coming long before they were revealed, but most of them happened before I could figure them out due to the author's intentional omission of details and information. He doesn't tell you everything a character is going to do or what he/she has figured out right away, sometimes leaving you to wait and see how things play out.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read and if you're interested in a blend of secret organizations and magic, I think you'll enjoy this one.