The Zero Equation

The Zero Enigma, Book 3

By: Christopher G. Nuttall

Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld

Caitlyn Aguirre is no magician...but she’s still at the centre of the storm.

Caitlyn and her friends have returned to Jude’s Sorcerous Academy, but all is not well in the school. The Great Houses of Shallot are on the verge of going to war, and the conflict is spilling into the school; in the background, powerful and secretive forces prepare to finally reveal their plans to reshape the world.

Caught in the middle, torn between her family and her friends - and burdened with a secret she dares not share - Cat must unlock the secret of the Zero Equation...or watch helplessly as her family, friends, and school are destroyed by war.

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

Fine except for moronic main character.

I swear the main character gets worse every book, and the plot direction is so blatantly obvious that it makes them, and everyone around them, look like even bigger morons than they already are.

Of course, it's hard to expect more from an author who describes the main character as a girl so dark skinned you can't even see her blush (that example is in the book, I didn't make it up; forgot if it was this book or book two, but it's there), but puts a little white girl on the front of all of the book covers.

So either this author is derpy as hell, or they're using blatantly racist standards on their book covers. I don't really care, either way, I'm just here for the story. But the character stupidity is really annoying.

as usual this book it's an excellent example

as as usual this is an excellent example of the series it does have some areas where it drags on if it but ultimately it comes to a fulfilling end and set things up for the Nextbook

Creative imagination

This series is very creative. The only issue I have is at 12yo it's hard to imagine them doing the fighting but that's why I am not the author. lol. It is great creative writing full of imagination. I definitely love the series. Great content and we can always hope there is more to come.
The narrator is one of my favorites and she never disappoints at all. You can tell she pre-reads and does her homework and delivers with precision.
Absolutely Remarkable.

The series keeps getting stronger

This was quite a ride. Kat's ability to make objects of power upsets the balance of power between the great magical houses and between those houses and The king. She inadvertently makes matters worse by repairing a powerful magical sword that once belonged to a rival house. What had been basically scrap metal becomes priceless and the rival.family wants the sword back. The resulting feud escalates and powers great and small hockey to.take advantage of the feud.

Another winner by Christopher G. Nuttall

This book kept me guessing until the end. I loved the conflict between the sisters and how they coped with each other throughout the book

Good story, great performance, poor editing

I enjoyed this episode of the series very much, but, once again, was thrown out of the flow of the story by errors in the editing. There were too many simple mistakes in the use of object pronouns. Although a 12-year-old might do so, would Great Aunt Stregaria use incorrect grammar?

War has come to Shallot!!

Book 3 picks up not long after the events of Book 2, in which Caitlyn, Rose and Akin were taken by Fairuza and forced to make Objects of Power. However, there is a bigger issue that has also surfaced, and that is the Sword that belongs to House Ruben, the one that Caitlyn repaired and Akin picked up in Book 2 – the only person who was able to pick up the sword. On top of this, Caitlyn has learned that Wizards are technically not real. There is a magic field everywhere, and people just learn how to access it. But it can also be turned off. She can turn it off. She can make everyone powerless if she wants, removing all magic. But she doesn’t know the impact, or if she can turn it back on?
Nor does she know if magic is fading from the world?
There has been a significant shift of power in the Families with Caitlyn now able to produce Objects of Power, and this has caused a lot of the Families to become unhappy with her having this ability, feeling that it provides the Aguirre family too much power.
At the start of this book, there is an investigation at the Magus Court into the abduction of Caitlyn, Akin and Rose, but the Crown Prince has decided that he should oversee things at the last minute, and has come to Shallot. This has set everyone on edge, as it was very unexpected, and everyone is brushing up on Royal Etiquette.
During the proceedings, in a break, Lord Ruben demands the sword back from Caitlyn and her Father, saying it is theirs, and he is going to sue for it if they don’t hand it over. However, Lord Aguirre flatly refuses, saying their claim was broken when they lost it, and it is now Caitlyn’s to decide what to do with.
Without giving too much away, the sword is a spark that lights the fire. War has come to Shallot.
The Wizarding Families of Shallot choose sides, and this is used to reignite old feuds that are centuries old (there is some wonderful world building of the different tales and stories of all the Families and their different feuds going back over time – some so old that there are no living relatives and some don’t even remember what they are feuding over!).
Most though, choose between House Ruben and House Aguirre, knowing that one or the other will come out on top, and with both have a large majority of clients as well.
Jude’s is meant to stay neutral, it has ever since it was created as the Academy of Sorcery for students, there is to be no feuds brought on grounds, no conflict within its walls. However, with the abduction of Caitlyn and her friends, it appears that all bets are off, and now, students of the families are warring within the halls.
Soon Caitlyn, Alana, Bella as well as anyone with House Aguirre find themselves targets. Similarly, House Ruben are also targets. But Caitlyn and Akin refuse to be a part of this, and they continue to be friends in the face of this conflict, much to the disgust and horror of their siblings (well not Bella).
In the middle of all of this, Caitlyn is still terrified by what she learned in the Eternal City, and the impact this is going to have on Magic for everyone. As things start to spiral out of control, and the War ramps up so that people are dying, and her Family is at real risk of being hurt, not to mention that the entire school and all the students are at risk, Caitlyn must decide if she creates an Object of Power that can remove all Magic from the area, and stop the fighting, or if this will cause too much damage.
This is one of the best stories yet, full of intrigue, political motivations, the relationship that is forming between Akin and Caitlyn (in a very Romeo and Juliet fashion). There are so many different storylines that run through this particular book, with Isabella and not just her fight with Caitlyn, but her standing with her own Family and Akin. There is Rose, who has gone from being an unknown commoner, with some magical ability, to a known client of the most powerful Family in Shallot, and is now being sought after on her own accord. There are several sub-plots with the Masters, Tallyman with forging, Von Rupert and the Defences of the school, Niven and his training of Caitlyn in thinking about Magic as well as defending herself on a more psychological level. In amongst this is the ongoing investigation to the abduction, the Magus Court, and the Crown Prince, as well as the unwanted presence of Great Aunt Stregheria. Of course, Caitlyn has to contend with Alana as well, constantly berating and trying to impose her will on her.
There are so many brilliant parts to this story, it is a compelling and captivating book from the very first pages, right to the final pages, making you want to drop it and pick up book 4 immediately (and you will want to read book 4 once you get through this, book 4 is just as fascinating!!).
It is not just the characters in this book that are exceptional though, it is the world building that brings it to life. There is so much depth in every aspect of this book. Even though it is a Fantasy book, there is a certain realism to the story, in the settings, and even the magic system. The locations and buildings are all 18th century style period homes in Shallot, and in the country, the ‘commoners’ work the land, there is that look and feel to everything that has this depth and detailed realism to it that brings it all to life. It completely immerses you into the story.
This is a brilliant third book, and easily the best book so far in the series, with this frantic pace, suspense, and underlying tension to the story right the way through. Nuttall creates such a powerful edge to the storytelling you are utterly captivated from the start. If you have read the first 2, you will love this. If you haven’t started the series, it is a must read!!
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!!

Excellent

4.5 stars.

Excellent character work, a very strong plot, and a world design that's coming into its own.

The political plot is both twisty and believable and it's tense throughout. The action and magic system are credible within the context of the world that Nuttall has designed. And the characters are likable and sympathetic (or vile, as appropriate.)

Note: the half star is lost because I simply do not believe that 12-year-olds would ever react in the way they do in this book, so whenever the age is mentioned, it's a bit jarring.

Highly recommended as long as you can ignore the putative age of the protagonist.

Great story line continues!

This is a very interesting and to me original story line which I really enjoy. The manner in which the magic in this world has evolved to where it is is really fascinating!

Excellent story, descent narrator... but

Saskia Maarleveld, has a great voice, however, she really needs to look up words she is unfamiliar with, so that she can pronounce them correctly.