When Sam and Ethan stepped through the Hedge, better known as the village eyesore, they didn’t realize the old man watching them would soon become their greatest ally—and change the course of their lives irrevocably. Neither would they understand the fierce battle they were soon to become a part of. Welcome to a day in the life of modern mages.

Set in modern times with a bit of a magical twist, An Opening Door plucks a pair of young men from their otherwise small spheres and places the weight of the entire world in their hands. Given only minimal direction and a stern command that the Guard Stones must be protected, Ethan and Sam must face whatever it is weakening the barrier between Earth and Myrrl.

Sam will learn that the struggles he faces with a demanding stepmother pale in comparison to a fight with creatures he’s never faced or even seen before. And while Ethan may be used to the odd way his mother behaves, maybe she’s on to more of what’s going on in the world than he’d like to admit.

An Opening Door hardly qualifies as your typical magic story. There aren’t pages of explanation or even a bunch of crazy names and terms to remember. But that’s what makes it so easy to read and come back to if you only have a few minutes to read a chapter or two. Now, grammar-focused readers may find it difficult to overlook the rough-draft nature of the piece. However, this reader found those quirks to be similar to the way in which someone would tell a story in person, out loud.

If you’re looking for an easy read and a fascinating series to get into, look no further than An Opening Door. Learn what mages are, who Golem is, and what exactly a Scooby face is in this lighthearted yet thoughtful beginning to what promises to be an exciting series. This reader will be looking for the second installment, so catch up and find out what happens to Sam, Ethan, their families—and the fate of the world as we know it.