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When I read a book, I have to at least like the characters. If not, no matter how well-written the novel is, I cannot enjoy the story. Unfortunately, that’s what happened here—the main character of Reunion of the Untouchables ruined the rest of the story for me.
Five hundred years ago, a master magician created an invisible flying train. His goal was to bring average but gifted young teenagers on the train and turn them into world leaders. Such greats included Mother Theresa and Elvis Presley. The train would fly from destination to destination, where the students could experience different cultures and gain a world of knowledge.
Living a miserable life in Switzerland, Ethan thirsts for knowledge and power. When he’s invited on the Study Train, the conductor, Lord Althulos, takes him under his wing, because he believes that Ethan is special. Lord Althulos is also well aware that darkness dwells in Ethan, and if it’s not controlled, he could end up using his power and knowledge for evil purposes.
Not long after Ethan joins the Study Train, a group known as the Untouchables seeks him out. The leader, Krixit, thinks that Ethan is their Messiah, who will bring down Lord Althulos so they can take control of the train—and then the world.
Ethan is what my daddy refers to as “a young punk who needs a serious attitude adjustment with a few good swift kicks in the ass”—and I have to agree with that here. I simply could not stand Ethan. His lust for power—and his constant stepping on those below him to get it—makes him sound like a spoiled little brat. And what kind of message is that to send to young readers? I understand that the author was trying to show the struggle between the good and evil in Ethan, but the evil came out way more than the good—and, to be quite honest, I didn’t feel as though Ethan fought the evil hard enough.
Lord Althulos is also way too weak to be a 500-year-old magician. I was rooting for Lord Althulos to put Ethan in his place so many times, but it never happened, leaving me feeling frustrated with the story. It’s also unrealistic to portray a young, untrained magician as more powerful than an older and much wiser magician. In the end, the only reason I finished the book was to see if Ethan would get knocked down a peg or two—and he does, but not to my satisfaction.
It’s a pity that the characters lacked any likeability because Reunion of the Untouchables has a unique premise with great potential. Perhaps the next book in the series will be better, but I don’t plan on picking it up.
