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The Company of Eight Series
The Conspiracy of Magic
The dazzling exploits of The Company of Eight continue in this rich fantasy adventure…
In a world where magic is so powerful it has been outlawed, Cass is a rare creature – an obtuse, someone who is unaffected by magic. But what has always felt like a handicap becomes a strength when sorcerers and magicians begin to perform magical deceptions with malicious intent. The Queen of Minaris is in grave danger and it’s up to Cass to protect her. But how can Cass defeat the sinister magician behind it all with no powers herself?
A thrilling tale of bravery and ingenuity from Harriet Whitehorn, author of the VIOLET series, for fans of COGHEART, NEVERMOOR and THE GIRL OF INK AND STARS.
In a world where magic is so powerful it has been outlawed, Cass is a rare creature – an obtuse, someone who is unaffected by magic. But what has always felt like a handicap becomes a strength when sorcerers and magicians begin to perform magical deceptions with malicious intent. The Queen of Minaris is in grave danger and it’s up to Cass to protect her. But how can Cass defeat the sinister magician behind it all with no powers herself?
A thrilling tale of bravery and ingenuity from Harriet Whitehorn, author of the VIOLET series, for fans of COGHEART, NEVERMOOR and THE GIRL OF INK AND STARS.
320 pages, Paperback
Published October 3, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
August 5, 2020
If you saw my review of The Company of Eight, you know I loved it, & wanted more but didn’t think there would be more. Then the author let me know in the comments that there WAS a sequel-this book! & I owned it already! Lol I was so happy! I finished it last night, & I loved it so much! Still definitely higher upper MG for sure. Cass is even more mature & wordly, & independent in this one. She is so strong, smart, brave, determined, & loyal. She gets assigned a job of protecting the Queen. There are magical forces at work in this one, & her being an obtuse(immune to magic)is just another strength of hers. There is a twist though, & things are crazy from there! It is such a wild ride of an adventure, full of suspense & danger. I love Dacha w/my whole heart & soul(also love that name!). He was such a great character! Most of the book is in a cold setting, & I found myself actually feeling cold at times. Everything was described so well & the details were perfect. There is a political feel to the story too, & I actually enjoyed the way it was done in this book. Grief is touched on, & I think it was handled in a very real way. Very well done. I read the last 40% in a couple of hours last night. The suspense & wanting to know what will happen...will it work out...how can this be avoided...who will win...who will lose....I just couldn’t put it down. There was a part at the end that leads me to believe(& desperately hope) that there will be more. I highly recommend this book & the 1st book. I loved them so much. Definitely filled the place in my soul that loves a a kind of darker upper MG. Another beautiful cover of course, that brings to life the cold setting you are going into, & the back cover that shows some amazing things from inside as well.☺️☺️ There is another amazing map that shows the part of the world we will experience in this book-the North! There are also still beautiful illustrations before each chapter showing location/time, & around every chapter heading. 😍😍
Synopsis of book 1: Cass has always wanted to audition as an acrobat for the famous Circus Boat that sails the warm seas of the Longest World. But when her chance is snatched away, she comes up with a new plan. Soon she has secured a job on the Palace Boat, following the circus around the islands. Yet Cass has been invited on the boat for a very different reason - and it's not long before she is embroiled with thieves, sword fighters and a mysterious group of women called The Company of Eight...
Synopsis of book 1: Cass has always wanted to audition as an acrobat for the famous Circus Boat that sails the warm seas of the Longest World. But when her chance is snatched away, she comes up with a new plan. Soon she has secured a job on the Palace Boat, following the circus around the islands. Yet Cass has been invited on the boat for a very different reason - and it's not long before she is embroiled with thieves, sword fighters and a mysterious group of women called The Company of Eight...
October 26, 2021
Ahhh I really wanted this sequel to be as good as The Company of Eight but I felt strangely lost in this world, and it didn't feel like the same world as the previous book. While Company was set on sea, stopping off at different towns along the way, this story was travelling by land, with a strangely generic fantasy feel.
The characters in this story didn't make up for this. We didn't get to see much of Idaliz or any of Rip, and even Cass herself felt like a stranger to me. All this story did was throw up a lot of questions about how Cass's world even works, and it never goes into depth about magic being outlawed and the effect it has has on it's citizens.
The ending made little sense to me and was wrapped up too quickly, but one main character's senseless death really threw me and made me question which age this book is aimed at. It reads too young for YA but this death felt like too much for a Middle Grade novel.
The characters in this story didn't make up for this. We didn't get to see much of Idaliz or any of Rip, and even Cass herself felt like a stranger to me. All this story did was throw up a lot of questions about how Cass's world even works, and it never goes into depth about magic being outlawed and the effect it has has on it's citizens.
The ending made little sense to me and was wrapped up too quickly, but one main character's senseless death really threw me and made me question which age this book is aimed at. It reads too young for YA but this death felt like too much for a Middle Grade novel.
February 14, 2020
Cass is an obtuse - a person that cannot be affected by magic in any way - she is one of the only obtuse's left in The Longest World, but to her it doesn't like much.
This amazing story is about how Cass travels around the cities of The Longest World While protecting the Queen of Minaris- the Queen of her home town. But when magical forces, bandits and kidnappers try to ruin their royal tour by making illusions to stop the royal party, Cass finally realises how useful being an obtuse is. I loved this book so much, but I found it very sad near the end. I hope their will be a third book, because both of the books are perfect!!!
This amazing story is about how Cass travels around the cities of The Longest World While protecting the Queen of Minaris- the Queen of her home town. But when magical forces, bandits and kidnappers try to ruin their royal tour by making illusions to stop the royal party, Cass finally realises how useful being an obtuse is. I loved this book so much, but I found it very sad near the end. I hope their will be a third book, because both of the books are perfect!!!
November 25, 2019
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I have thoroughly enjoyed this world! Cass continues to be a great main character and I loved getting to see a different part of the Longest World this time, plus more politics.
I really loved the trip with the queen and how we get to see how Cass has grown since the end of a Company of Eight. Her bravery and detective skills are fun! Plus once the action kicks off, there are actually serious consequences in place and that seems rare for middle grade.
In places I felt that things were resolved a little too quickly or that certain characters didn’t really project the menace I would have liked, but that’s really it for my quibbles, it is too fun to get bogged down by them!
I’m dying to see what happens next as there’s some great foreshadowing going on!
I have thoroughly enjoyed this world! Cass continues to be a great main character and I loved getting to see a different part of the Longest World this time, plus more politics.
I really loved the trip with the queen and how we get to see how Cass has grown since the end of a Company of Eight. Her bravery and detective skills are fun! Plus once the action kicks off, there are actually serious consequences in place and that seems rare for middle grade.
In places I felt that things were resolved a little too quickly or that certain characters didn’t really project the menace I would have liked, but that’s really it for my quibbles, it is too fun to get bogged down by them!
I’m dying to see what happens next as there’s some great foreshadowing going on!
November 18, 2019
Full review to come.
November 13, 2019
What a fantastic sequel loved it even more than the first one. The world-building is amazing and so different from the previous book setting. A must-read!
March 19, 2020
The Conspiracy of Magic by Harriet Whitehorn is not the first in the series but reads quite well as a stand-alone novel, which is good since I haven’t yet read the others. In this MG fantasy adventure, the heroine, Cass, is an obtuse: a person immune to magic. What could be interpreted as a curse turns out to be a blessing when powerful magicians attack the queen Cass has vowed to protect.
There is so much about this book to love, the setting being one. The story unfolds in a magical, winter wonderland, vividly brought to life through skating, sledding, hot drinks, chats around the fire and warm furs. Yet winter, like magic, also has its dark side of heat-stealing winds, treacherous ice, sombre forests and blizzards. I could hear the snow plop off the trees and boots crunch through ice as I followed Cass on her quest to stop the attacks on her queen.
After the setting I loved Cass herself. What a heroine! What an inspiration! What she lacks in magic she makes up for in powerful sword wielding; fighting off the strongest warriors with intelligence and dextrous moves. She’s accompanied by a cast of strong characters, from childhood friends belonging to powerful magical families to love interests met during her travels.
Though this is for children, the book doesn’t shy away from the themes of romance and death, which are touched upon with tact and grace. To be read by all children who love a solid adventure.
I purchased this book from a bookshop, all opinions are my own.
There is so much about this book to love, the setting being one. The story unfolds in a magical, winter wonderland, vividly brought to life through skating, sledding, hot drinks, chats around the fire and warm furs. Yet winter, like magic, also has its dark side of heat-stealing winds, treacherous ice, sombre forests and blizzards. I could hear the snow plop off the trees and boots crunch through ice as I followed Cass on her quest to stop the attacks on her queen.
After the setting I loved Cass herself. What a heroine! What an inspiration! What she lacks in magic she makes up for in powerful sword wielding; fighting off the strongest warriors with intelligence and dextrous moves. She’s accompanied by a cast of strong characters, from childhood friends belonging to powerful magical families to love interests met during her travels.
Though this is for children, the book doesn’t shy away from the themes of romance and death, which are touched upon with tact and grace. To be read by all children who love a solid adventure.
I purchased this book from a bookshop, all opinions are my own.
January 26, 2020
We are back with Cass, who is with people she considers family, in Minaris. There is a map at the start of the book, which shows another part of the world from the first book, which was in the lovely warm Islands. This time we go north!
Harriet Whitehorn's style of immersing you in the landscape continues to delight. Now it's warmth and furs and icicles and snowstorm in dark brooding forests. Not all the snowstorms are real... There is a magician at work in a land where great magic has been outlawed. Fortunately, Cass is a rarity, a person who does not see magical tricks and is therefore immune to most tricks.
This is a beautifully constructed world which builds together well. The story has twists and turns and adventures just right for most middle grade readers, although there is a death of a major character. This is sensitively handled in that we see Cass's grief and how she handles it, and indeed some time is spent dealing with the aftermath. On balance I think it still fits in MG.
It was a joy to read and I throughly recommend it. But as a sequel to The Company of Eight, it might be helpful (although not essential) to read the books in order.
Harriet Whitehorn's style of immersing you in the landscape continues to delight. Now it's warmth and furs and icicles and snowstorm in dark brooding forests. Not all the snowstorms are real... There is a magician at work in a land where great magic has been outlawed. Fortunately, Cass is a rarity, a person who does not see magical tricks and is therefore immune to most tricks.
This is a beautifully constructed world which builds together well. The story has twists and turns and adventures just right for most middle grade readers, although there is a death of a major character. This is sensitively handled in that we see Cass's grief and how she handles it, and indeed some time is spent dealing with the aftermath. On balance I think it still fits in MG.
It was a joy to read and I throughly recommend it. But as a sequel to The Company of Eight, it might be helpful (although not essential) to read the books in order.
December 16, 2019
In this thrilling sequel that was somehow even better than the Company's of Eight, which I enjoyed immensely last year, we follow Cass as she is tasked with protecting the Queen of Minaris as she tours part of their world, and how things go very wrong due to a sinister plot that threatens not just them, but everyone in the Longest World. Cass is amazing, and I love how capable and clever she is, but also the fact that there are moments where she doesn't quite know how to handle things yet always keeps going until she does. My other favourites in this book was Dacha, who was a new addition and just the absolute sweetest, and Arden, who was very different to what I had been expecting. I also love the world building in these because it's such an interesting concept and I really like that this showed a completely different side of it to the Company of Eight; given she is with the queen for a lot of it there are some scenes in quite luxury places but we also see more of the darker side in different ways and it's so well balanced and all so well described that it just forms a really brilliantly written world. The plot itself is pretty impossible to describe without giving anything away, so all I'll say is that it was incredibly exciting and I thought the twists and shocks in various places were great. I'm very hopeful after the ending that this isnt the last I see of Cass! 4.5/5
November 23, 2020
The book was ok.
There did seem to be pages that didn't interest me
There did seem to be pages that didn't interest me
December 18, 2019
Loved this book, so full of magic and surprises throughout. I really enjoyed The Company of Eight so couldn't wait to start this sequel. Cass is a fab lead character, so strong and brave. Even though this book is aimed at older children, i found myself hooked throughout. Highly recommended
December 14, 2019
Woah! I wasn't expecting these books to be as good as they were! They follow a young girl called Cassandra, or Cass, who is an obtuse. Meaning that she is immune to magic and does not possess any magical powers. I love her character. She's funny, sassy, brave and caring. I loved learning about her journey (I won't say where😉) and everything that came her way! Harriet Whitehorn... your books are beautifully written!😍
November 24, 2019
This is the perfect novel for this time of year - I mean just look at that cover! This is a brilliantly classic adventure novel with - as desired by so many - a strong female lead, as well as a collection of strong female characters. There is magic, adventure, friendship and action with the final page making it clear that there are more adventures to come.
This is sequel but works as a stand alone story too and has just made me want to read to the book that comes before...and those that I hope are yet to come!
This is sequel but works as a stand alone story too and has just made me want to read to the book that comes before...and those that I hope are yet to come!
November 22, 2019
The Conspiracy Of Magic is a GREAT MG read, full of Magic and adventure, perils and travels! Seriously, I think I read this book in like a couple of hours, it was just that hard to put down. I couldn’t believe how well developed this book was, or the first, The Company Of 8. Not to mention this book could easily be read as a stand-alone or as the sequel to ‘Company of Eight.’ Cassandra is back after her swashbuckling adventures, this time this adventure has more snow and magic! The snow seemed perfect given this time of year and I love that this book isn’t afraid to get a bit dark (but appropriately so) as Mg aged children can handle this and the tackling of grief and death when they occurred were handled very well.
Cassandra is to protect the queen but what if things go wrong, what is the queen isn’t the one who needs protecting? And what can Cassandra do to help the kingdom she’s grown up in? Being obtuse (not magical or able to see conjured tricks) May have its advantages for Cassandra, and for the longest world. Four stars for me, and five stars to ‘The Company Of Eight.’
Cassandra is to protect the queen but what if things go wrong, what is the queen isn’t the one who needs protecting? And what can Cassandra do to help the kingdom she’s grown up in? Being obtuse (not magical or able to see conjured tricks) May have its advantages for Cassandra, and for the longest world. Four stars for me, and five stars to ‘The Company Of Eight.’
October 26, 2019
The Conspiracy of Magic is a perfect fantasy story for readers age 9 and up.
I started The Conspiracy of Magic within days of finishing The Company of Eight - neglecting the other novels I was part way through to do so. I couldn't wait to return to Cass's world of magic and sword fighting.
In The Conspiracy of Magic, Cass leaves behind the islands of The Company of Eight, travelling North of Minaris to visit foreign lands on a diplomatic mission with Queen Arden. When magical foes keep attacking their convoy, Cass is the only one able to see through the magic's deception, but Cass's status as an obtuse may prove more crucial to what is going on than she realises.
As with The Company of Eight, the cover and map work are beautiful and I kept flicking back as I progressed through the story to see exactly where we were (and to try and guess where the story was going next!)
Here are three reasons I loved The Conspiracy of Magic:
1) The world building from the first novel is expanded on in interesting and exciting ways. I loved that there was an entirely new setting for this story, which was rich in history and had some interesting parallels with real-world wars and politics. Veraklia, with its post-war poverty, was depicted with sensitivity and nuance; despite Queen Vegna's role as the story antagonist, the people of Veraklia are overwhelmingly helpful and kind.
2) The events of this novel take a heavy emotional toll on Cass. What she goes through affects her greatly, and it was nice to see this addressed in the text, rather than glossed over to move the story forward.
3) The plot is really twisty and unexpected! There were plenty of moments where I felt like I knew what was going to happen next, or understood how the plot was progressing, only to have the narrative take a completely unexpected turn.
Thank you Stripes Publishing for sending me a copy of this fantastic fantasy adventure. I can't wait to find out what Cass does next!
I started The Conspiracy of Magic within days of finishing The Company of Eight - neglecting the other novels I was part way through to do so. I couldn't wait to return to Cass's world of magic and sword fighting.
In The Conspiracy of Magic, Cass leaves behind the islands of The Company of Eight, travelling North of Minaris to visit foreign lands on a diplomatic mission with Queen Arden. When magical foes keep attacking their convoy, Cass is the only one able to see through the magic's deception, but Cass's status as an obtuse may prove more crucial to what is going on than she realises.
As with The Company of Eight, the cover and map work are beautiful and I kept flicking back as I progressed through the story to see exactly where we were (and to try and guess where the story was going next!)
Here are three reasons I loved The Conspiracy of Magic:
1) The world building from the first novel is expanded on in interesting and exciting ways. I loved that there was an entirely new setting for this story, which was rich in history and had some interesting parallels with real-world wars and politics. Veraklia, with its post-war poverty, was depicted with sensitivity and nuance; despite Queen Vegna's role as the story antagonist, the people of Veraklia are overwhelmingly helpful and kind.
2) The events of this novel take a heavy emotional toll on Cass. What she goes through affects her greatly, and it was nice to see this addressed in the text, rather than glossed over to move the story forward.
3) The plot is really twisty and unexpected! There were plenty of moments where I felt like I knew what was going to happen next, or understood how the plot was progressing, only to have the narrative take a completely unexpected turn.
Thank you Stripes Publishing for sending me a copy of this fantastic fantasy adventure. I can't wait to find out what Cass does next!
December 23, 2019
Simply magical!
The sequel to the company of eight and I really felt that Harriet Whitehorn hit her stride in this one! Cass continues her journey, cant wait for the next book!!
The sequel to the company of eight and I really felt that Harriet Whitehorn hit her stride in this one! Cass continues her journey, cant wait for the next book!!
October 24, 2019
The Conspiracy of Magic follows on from The Company of Eight, taking the story and its characters in a totally new direction.
Where most of the first book was set at sea, on a collection of fascinating ships and islands, this one is pretty much landlocked. We head north into new territories, of dark forests and castles. There's a beautiful queen on a diplomatic mission and Cass is there to keep her safe.
I love the political slant to this book, it's not something I've seen used very often in middle grade fiction though it's a staple of adult fantasy, and it worked very well here. There's plenty of intrigue, betrayal and twists to keep things very exciting.
It was also really interesting to see more of the magic of this world, and I particularly liked seeing how Cass, who is immune to magic, reacted to magical tricks and illusions being used against her party.
The adventure roars along, the peril feels very real at times and there was plenty of intrigue to keep me fully gripped by this excellent book.
Where most of the first book was set at sea, on a collection of fascinating ships and islands, this one is pretty much landlocked. We head north into new territories, of dark forests and castles. There's a beautiful queen on a diplomatic mission and Cass is there to keep her safe.
I love the political slant to this book, it's not something I've seen used very often in middle grade fiction though it's a staple of adult fantasy, and it worked very well here. There's plenty of intrigue, betrayal and twists to keep things very exciting.
It was also really interesting to see more of the magic of this world, and I particularly liked seeing how Cass, who is immune to magic, reacted to magical tricks and illusions being used against her party.
The adventure roars along, the peril feels very real at times and there was plenty of intrigue to keep me fully gripped by this excellent book.
October 1, 2019
I was excited about this book for over a year & when I got my copy I was overjoyed! The Conspiracy of Magic was different from the first book but not in a bad way; Cass has definitely matured & it was awesome to learn more about the world that Harriet has created! The plot was exciting, though was wrapped up just a little too quickly for my liking, however the last chapter has made me very excited for the next book & I desperately hope this is more than a trilogy. I love Harriet’s writing & can’t wait for more of Cass’ adventures.
⚠️ This book contains mild violence ⚠️
I was sent this book by Stripes Publishing in return for an honest review.
Extended Review to follow.
⚠️ This book contains mild violence ⚠️
I was sent this book by Stripes Publishing in return for an honest review.
Extended Review to follow.
November 7, 2019
I received a free copy of this book through Darkroom Tours and the publisher.
A cute MG fantasy read. Set in a fascinating world, this story follows Cass who isn't the heroine you expect and her friends. It takes some dark turns but overall its a wonderful story that kids and adults alike can enjoy.
Full review to come on Instagram.
A cute MG fantasy read. Set in a fascinating world, this story follows Cass who isn't the heroine you expect and her friends. It takes some dark turns but overall its a wonderful story that kids and adults alike can enjoy.
Full review to come on Instagram.
October 10, 2019
It's the first book i read in this series and fell in love with the characters and the world building.
It's an engrossing and entertaining read, with a cast of interesting and well thought characters, and a well crafted plot.
I look forward to reading other books in this series.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
It's an engrossing and entertaining read, with a cast of interesting and well thought characters, and a well crafted plot.
I look forward to reading other books in this series.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
October 13, 2019
Conspiracy of Magic is the second book in the series and is just as wonderful as the first, if not more so.
In this adventure Cass is off fighting for good, making friendships and becoming a hero. This book is easy to get into, has great characters (good and bad) and a fast paced storyline. It's a great read and one that myself and my daughter highly recomend.
In this adventure Cass is off fighting for good, making friendships and becoming a hero. This book is easy to get into, has great characters (good and bad) and a fast paced storyline. It's a great read and one that myself and my daughter highly recomend.
November 23, 2023
Cried.
October 27, 2020
I found this book quite long winded and thought it took ages for anything to happen
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews