MWSA Review
Author Bill Riley in his book Ashur's Tears has introduced us to a new world of magic and magical creatures. From a goddess disguised as a cat to demons the size of a car with gnashing teeth to octopus-like tentacles, Ashur's Tears will stretch your imagination and have you reading all night. The book, aimed at the Young Adult audience, is an easy, fast read. As young Toby and his sister strive to find out what happened to their missing father, they find themselves thrust into a world of deceit, magic, and danger. Evil magic has found its way to Earth and has possessed one man already. Now, it's only a matter of time before it will take over the world. That is unless Toby, his sister, and a cat can stop it. I think any fan of Young Adult fantasy will enjoy this book.
Review by Bob Doerr (March 2023)
Author's Synopsis
Toby Cypher has it pretty good. He’s on the cusp of success with his mimics (programmable morphing robots advanced enough to be indistinguishable from humans), he’s got a side gig volunteering in the Air Force Museum, and a new job tutoring the coolest girl in school, Rachel Majeski. Toby’s world falls apart when he learns that his father, Dr. Erasmus Cypher, a scientist who runs a mysterious lab, has gone down in a plane crash over Iraq. But then Toby’s sister, Katie, uncovers a secret message… one sent after the plane crash that draws Toby and Katie into a dizzying world of untold danger and profound betrayal, where the two siblings will need all their wits, dark magic, and help from an unlikely feline to survive and maybe save the world.
Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle
Review Genre: Children & Young Adult—Young Adult (fiction or non-fiction)
Number of Pages: 320
Word Count: 87,000