The Zero Curse

By: Christopher G. Nuttall

Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld

Caitlyn Aguirre is no magician - but that doesn't make her useless.

After discovering her true talent and uncovering the long-lost secret behind Objects of Power, Cat returns to school - intent on showing everyone what she can do. But her mere existence is a threat to the balance of power, convincing some to befriend her, some to try to use her...and some to remove her.

And when she and her closest friends become the target of a deadly plot, she must use all her wits to save them and escape before she becomes the first casualty in a deadly war.

©2017 Christopher G. Nuttall (P)2018 Podium Publishing

Great stuff

It took me a while to get into this one, but had trouble putting it down once it got going. Quite well done.

Cliffhanger

I definitely enjoyed the first two books, but both have extreme cliffhangers and I had to wait for the second to come out and now wait until... when? For the third to come out. Another issue for me is that the main characters are 12, but the storyline and how they behave is meant clearly for teens rather than children of 12 years old. It kept throwing me off and making things complicated when they didn’t have to be had the author adjusted the story to make the characters even a couple of years older. I know it probably sounds like a difficult thing to do, but I don’t think it really would have been especially given the way that the too young ages affect the storyline and the way a reader has to battle in their own mind to try to accept the impractical ages to fit the storyline.
Something that drove me crazy was the CONSTANT “and yet...” that the protagonist would think to herself. It’s not difficult to change it up instead of driving readers to distraction from something so small. (Likened to a mosquito that is buzzing about and biting you continually, but you can’t seem to squash the little sucker...)

Loved it

I liked the story but the book is too short! lol now I have to wait for three more months to get the next on.. and the schooled in magic books I am waiting on, keep up the writings

Zero curse unusual and fascinating adventure into a new world. Characters are unique and you do not know what will happen next

I enjoyed the characters and appreciated that the main characters cared about those different than themselves. The story line is unpredictable
Blue and fun

Exceptional Sequel – Outstanding Series!!

Book 2 starts with the interesting tale of when Aunt Stregheria turned the three girls into frogs, and only Caitlyn could break the spell, this being the point at which he believed that she had some magic, but of course she was a Zero.
As the story starts, we see Caitlyn starting to fully embrace her powers as a Zero, and forging at her Family home, her Father having set up a full workshop for her (feeling guilty for how he has treated her for the last several years of her life). However, Caitlyn’s actions at the end of book 1 have come with a huge cost, everyone now knows she can create objects of power, objects that have not been created in over a 1000years, and are the most valuable items in all of the kingdom. She has just become the most valuable and sought-after person in the Kingdom, possibly more powerful than the King himself.
And with this comes a price, as everyone now wants a piece of her. At the start of book 2, Her great Aunt Stregheria has arrived at the Family home, and been allowed to enter, even after she was banned for life after previously hexing the children. They have allowed her to come because of the Caitlyn situation, and the advice she can offer, as she has so many connections in “High Society”, and may be able to offer Caitlyn some protection. Of course, Caitlyn would prefer to be turned back into a frog again.
Without giving too much away, the story progresses and Cat returns to Jude’s, it having been decided that this is the safest place for her, given that supposedly, no one will touch her on the school grounds as it is neutral territory, and none of the wizarding families would breach this.
Caitlyn returns with Rose, and she is greeted to a completely different school to the one she went to first time around. People are nice to her, want to be her friend. The teachers all want to talk to her, even the upperclassman seem to know who she is. But Caitlyn doesn’t really want all the attention, she just wanted to be normal and learn. She still can’t do magic.
All of her classes have been altered, and it is fascinating looking at how they have adapted the different lessons for her, such as potions setting up some space at the back of the class, away from other students, so their magic doesn’t interfere with her potions. She is also given different tasks to the rest of the class, with the understanding that she both already understands the basics they are doing, and she can achieve something so much more. This is the same in all of her classes, and especially in Forging, in which Master Tallyman has created her own separate forge for her to work at in isolation, everyone else is banned from entering. He gives Caitlyn the broken sword of power to fix, telling her that if she by some miracle fixes it, she can keep it.
Caitlyn starts to receive countless requests for favours to create objects of power from Upperclassman and thinks it is great as she can create this network of favours for herself, and potentially Rose as well for their future. However, things are not all that they seem, some have nefarious goals, and before Caitlyn knows what has happened, she, Rose and Akin have been taken.
I don’t want to give too much away, but the story suddenly takes a very dark turn part way through, when the three of them are kidnapped by unknown people. Caitlyn has no one to fight them, as she is just a Zero without her objects of power, she can do nothing against magic. Unfortunately, Rose and Akin are put under spells that make it impossible for them to help or respond in anyway (I’ll let you read about that). As a result, Caitlyn is trapped, with no way out.
Until she is told she has to create Objects of Power for her captors, and this gives her a desperate chance, but will it be enough?
This story is a multi-faceted story arc, we get to see the start, in which there is the fallout from the discovery of Caitlyn’s abilities, and her duel, as well as her return to school, and Nuttall does a brilliant job of describing the impact this has on each of the characters. There are so many exceptional characters in this story, from the sisters (Alana is just wonderful as well), to the other siblings, Akin and Isabella, and their rather complex family. Isabella is a fascinating character, trapped in a family that is a Patriarchy, but easily the more powerful heir, and the one that wants it, as Akin is happy with forging, and just doing other things, he has no interest in running the family. The politics of this and other aspects of this story makes for outstanding world building.
Rose continues to be another wonderful character, she is growing all the time, and she has so much depth, she really grounds Caitlyn in reality and gives he so much perspective. But she also gives Akin some to. The character work is just outstanding, I could fill pages on just how brilliant the characters are in this story.
Allowing these characters to be so captivating, is the outstanding world-building, which is just masterful. The backdrops, these locations, from Aguirre Hall, to Jude’s to the multiple other locations (no spoilers) in this book, they are just so well done, and provide this quality to the story, making it so realistic and gritty.
This is an extraordinary sequel, in a series about a young girl growing up in a world in which everyone has magic but her. She is not just blind in the world of the sighted, but almost without the 5 senses in a world of those with them. And she has just found out, that she doesn’t need them, because in this world, she can create objects that allow her to have all of those senses and more. This book is almost better than the original, and shows that the series is just going to be beyond exceptional, and an absolute must read!! This is a series that is for those that either liked Harry Potter, or liked it and wanted something a bit darker and deeper, for this takes the story to a new level. It is an absolute must read. Nuttall is brilliant.
Saskia Maarleveld has such a beautiful voice, you can listen to it endlessly without tiring of it, it is just so easy to listen to. She does a stunning range of both Male and Female voices, and within each of the genders, she is able to create a range of character voices so that you can clearly tell who is talking without having to be told.
On top of this Maarleveld captures the emotional state of her characters with perfection, so that you can clearly understand how the characters feel at the time they are speaking, whether than be angry, sad, happy, elated, shocked, frightened, etc. Maarleveld really uses this to bring the story to life, adding a whole extra dimension to her storytelling.
Saskia Maarleveld is one of the truly exceptional Narrators, and she is just a pleasure to listen to, this is an absolute must listen to as it is so good as an audiobook!!

Great read!

I enjoy listening to this series, fun books! I would reccomend it. . .

agh love it!!!

I didn't even know it was ending lol. the first book is pretty slow but if you stick with it it get so good.... I'm only on book three now and I can't wait

well yes!

must read the next book! must know what happens as she gets older. really good voice actor as well.

Decent story and writing and yet...

And yet, and yet, and yet, and yet the author needs to learn some new Segways.

AMAZING

We’ve been listing to the whole series and my 10 year old daughter is enraptured.

The world created by the author is wonderfully layered and nuanced. It’s engaging for adults and our 10 year old.

The narration - just incredible. I am so impressed with Saskia Maarleveld. She manages to create distinct voices and does credible male voices too (although her best are the older female characters). She is truly talented.

Can’t wait to listen to all the books!