An excellent start to a new series. There were points where the plot felt a little thin and there was some padding with some of the family stuff but I think this series will get better and better. Looking forward to the next installment.

(This was one of the first reviews I ever wrote, back when I was just writing them so I would remember what I thought about the many books I read each year.  After I realized how much fun it was to get interaction with other readers through my reviews, I started writing them in a completely different style.)