The Society of Unrelenting Vigilance

Murder, mystery, and adventure aren’t your typical birthday presents . . .
But for Theo, anything that breaks up his ordinary routine is the perfect gift.
A mysterious “illness” and Theo’s guardians force him into a life indoors, where gloves must be worn and daily medical treatments are the norm. When Theo discovers a suspicious package on his birthday, one person from the past will unlock the secret behind Theo’s “illness” and change his life forever.
Molded into an exhilarating steampunk adventure that gives birth to the next great fantasy hero, Theo Wickland, Candle Man: The Society of Unrelenting Vigilance is the first book in a trilogy by debut author Glenn Dakin.

from amazon.com

Beth says 3.5 Stars...
I was really excited when I got this book in the mail. The premise sounded so great and interesting, plus it had the word steampunk in the description. Unfortunately it didn't live up to my expectation. This book wasn't bad. That all I can really say about it. The language, particularly in reference to the different organizations, really reminded me of Lemony Snicket. The premise for Theo's "disease" is really interesting, and revealed slowly throughout the novel. I felt like the rest of the plot didn't flow too well. This book crossed over the line from having an air of mystery to making me confused for large amounts of time. The writing wasn't great, but it was good. That is my main impression of this book. It was just mediocre. Nothing except the premise was that extraordinary. It sounds like I'm being really negative, but I'm really not trying to be. I did have fun reading it, and it isn't bad at all. The action kept on throughout the book, and moved things forward. For a reader who doesn't have a lot of time, though, I would pass on this one. However, this could be a really good read for a slightly reluctant middle grade male reader because of the action and interesting premise. Overall, this one is just in the middle, but could be a lot of fun for some readers.