Liamâs life changes forever when he discovers that his mother entrusted him with a dangerous mission: to protect Earth and its twin planets across seven parallel universes, known as the Megaverse. As Earth faces destruction, Liam sets off on a perilous journey into the Eerie Forest, ruled by the Erlking. With the fierce Ada, mage apprentice Benji, and the mischievous witch twins Zac and Zoe by his side, he must find the Pandoraâs Boxâan artifact capable of restoring balance between good and evil.
But the journey will test far more than Liamâs powers. As creatures unlike anything heâs seen challenge him, he must navigate the true cost of friendship, the price of inner growth, the meaning of love, and the sting of betrayal.
A mix of folklore, myth, and RPG-inspired magic, The Pandoraâs Box invites readers into a world where every choice has consequences, and the battle between light and darkness tests the true limits of sacrifice and power.
Liamâs life changes forever when he discovers that his mother entrusted him with a dangerous mission: to protect Earth and its twin planets across seven parallel universes, known as the Megaverse. As Earth faces destruction, Liam sets off on a perilous journey into the Eerie Forest, ruled by the Erlking. With the fierce Ada, mage apprentice Benji, and the mischievous witch twins Zac and Zoe by his side, he must find the Pandoraâs Boxâan artifact capable of restoring balance between good and evil.
But the journey will test far more than Liamâs powers. As creatures unlike anything heâs seen challenge him, he must navigate the true cost of friendship, the price of inner growth, the meaning of love, and the sting of betrayal.
A mix of folklore, myth, and RPG-inspired magic, The Pandoraâs Box invites readers into a world where every choice has consequences, and the battle between light and darkness tests the true limits of sacrifice and power.
Oh, summer! Who doesnât love summer? Well, maybe Floridians. One, in particular, was having even less of it that day. It was Liam Haleâs birthday, and he was lying in bed without a single motive to get out of it.
Liam Haleâs world had been turned upside down. Two weeks prior, his mother, Ms. Bree, had passed away unexpectedly, just before what should have been a day of celebration. Now, as the end of the season approached, Liam was preparing to start high school. Unfortunately, the school he was about to attend, McGuireâs High, was infamous for its bullies, and Liam didnât exactly fit the mold of a star athlete. To make matters worse, the girl he had a crush on was due to stop by later, but Liam knew it was a lost cause - he was stuck firmly in the friend zone.
As if all of that wasnât bad enough, the Florida heat was oppressive, even in the beginning of June. The only respite Liam had was the working air conditioning in his home. However, there was another downside to being at home - Liamâs father, who was usually away on business trips, was present this time. And, as expected, he had forgotten Liamâs birthday yet again.
But despite the tumultuous events in his life, Liam found comfort in his home. The house was a grand construction, situated close enough to the water to see the waves but far enough to avoid the crashing sound. Liamâs bedroom, which was located at the end of the second-floor hallway, was his favorite place in the entire house. It was filled with all sorts of things that spoke to his interests: calculus scrawled across a large whiteboard, a plethora of school honors and recognitions, scattered snacks on his desk, drafts of homework assignments, science projects in various stages of completion, building block sets waiting to be put together, books neatly arranged, and action figures meticulously placed on shelves. Liam was a typical teen in every sense of the word.
However, there was one thing in Liamâs bedroom that stood out from the rest. A massive telescope was positioned by the window, pointing out at the stars. This had been a gift from his mother, who had a fascination with astronomy. Every year on his birthday, she would give him a new astronomy book and encourage him to explore the universe beyond our planet. Liam missed her lessons dearly.
Liam himself was tall for his age, with big hazel eyes, finger-brushed-up light brown hair, and facial features that greatly resembled his motherâs. He was slim but not too much, and had a pointy little nose. However, he was somewhat clumsy and had been struggling with acne for some time. He was also overly conscious about the size of his feet, which he felt were too large for his stature. Liam was the epitome of a nerd, but he didnât mind the label. At least he hadnât had to deal with the social hierarchy of high school yet.
Getting more popular could potentially help Liamâs situation, but he knew it wouldnât be easy. Liam had an exceptionally small circle of friends - strictly one, to be exact. They had been friends since elementary school, and Liam had no interest in expanding his social circle. âTheir loss,â he would often say. Liam was also the type to avoid conflict at all costs and had a hard time trying new things. Becoming popular was not going to be an easy option if he chose to pursue that path.
It was nine in the morning when Liam finally dragged himself out of bed. He went to the kitchen and brewed a mug of Brazilian coffee, just like his mother used to make. The bold and rich aroma filled the entire house, bringing back memories of happier times. Liam missed his motherâs voice more than anything. He took the mug upstairs to his room and turned up the volume on his rock music, drowning out the world around him.
Liamâs fingers clutched tightly around the ceramic green mug, bringing it closer to his chest. The round vessel, almost like a soccer ball cut on top, had purple lines twirling from the bottom to the top, creating an image of a fat green hurricane. It reminded him of Ms. Bree, the one person who had always been there for him. Liam received the mug when he was in second grade after the entire school was devastated by a category four hurricane, and the whole community came together for weeks to help each other, volunteer, and rebuild it.
Ms. Bree, an artist in essence, split her busy time between her paintings in the house atelier, organizing her gallery on the pier, and preparing local exhibits. Her thin, straight, light-brown hair was always kept two or three inches below her shoulders, and the beach-bronzed layer on her pale skin added to her overall charm. Liam would spend his free time with her every Friday, and she would take him and Ada to Sorbet, an ice cream shop near her curatorâs house on the shore. Wise, well-traveled, and proficient in Math, Physics, and Chemistry, Ms. Bree was a significant influence on Liamâs academic success, and he graduated 8th grade with honors, as well as all the other grades before it.
But now, Ms. Bree was gone, and there was a gaping hole in Liamâs life that nothing could fill. He couldnât see any positive side to her absence. The mug, however, was a reminder that even the worst events could bring good moments.
Liamâs thoughts shifted to his father, Mr. C. He was barely ever around, but when he was, he was loud and inconsiderate. Mr. C would either complain about something, point fingers at the housekeepers for not meeting his expectations, or watch hockey matches at an unnecessarily high volume as if his sole intention was to show the entire neighborhood he was there. When he was at work, he wasnât any different. Mr. C was identically loud, inconvenient, and inconsiderate of other peopleâs personal spaces and feelings. Liam couldnât tell if he was trying to fulfill a desperate need for attention or if he was plain rude and selfish.
Mr. C was a short man with a pale, round face, fine grayish hair, and a pompous Elvis hairstyle that looked out of place in the business world. He often wore a blue suit and pants that he claimed âmatched his beautiful eyes perfectly,â but Liam knew it was just an excuse to avoid shopping for larger sizes. Liam couldnât believe his mother was once in love with Mr. C. He worried if any of Mr. Câs traits could be genetic and had even fantasized that they werenât blood-related.
Liam sat on the couch, feeling a mix of comfort and unease. He held onto the mug, a gift from his beloved Ms. Bree, and let its memories soothe him. He longed for the sense of peace it brought him, but the thought of Mr. C, with all his chaos, made Liam anxious. He couldnât wait to leave this house, this town, and start a new life far away from the chaos.
As the day dragged on, Liam felt the weight of boredom settling in. He wished for nothing more than to do nothing for hours on end, and maybe even have the whole world to himself. As the clock ticked closer to 5 pm, he heard a knock at the door. It was Ada, his closest friend, and Chaos, her cat.
Ada burst into the house, wearing an extravagant neon green poncho to protect herself from the rain. Liam was surprised to see it was raining outside, but he was more concerned about Adaâs soaked appearance and Chaosâ terrified expression inside her travel bag.
Despite her loud and boisterous personality, Liam trusted Ada with his life. She was his confidante, his partner in crime, and the only person who truly understood him. Ada was shorter than Liam and had shiny black skin, straightened hair that cascaded down her back, and a round face that exuded both intelligence and sass.
Ada was bold and unapologetic, unafraid to speak her mind or make decisions for Liam. She loved gossip, and always had the latest scoop, but never to hurt anyone. Her clothes were a testament to her vibrant personality, always featuring a diverse mix of colors or her catâs face.
As friends, Liam and Ada had an inexplicable bond. They grew up in the same community until they were five years old, when Ms. Breeâs paintings gained attention and the family moved to a wealthier area. Despite the distance, they attended the same school and saw each other every day.
Adaâs detail-oriented nature and fantastic memory made her the perfect candidate for gossip. Liam used to tease her, saying she only gained these skills to better talk about other peopleâs lives, and Ada didnât deny it. Her favorite way to start the day was to share the latest hot topics, usually involving the newest guy she had a crush on.
At first, Liam found Adaâs crushes amusing. He laughed when she talked about Steve in 7th grade, but as time passed, he grew more and more hurt by her infatuations with other boys. He tried to hide it every time Ada talked about Jeff, Ricky, Mathieu, and even Steve, who used to be Liamâs friend.
One day, Liam joked that the only person Ada hadnât fallen in love with from their entire school was him. Her response was a resounding âEw, Liam!â He was devastated. He couldnât understand why Ada was attracted to every boy in their class, but him. He watched as she fell for boys of every height, looks, and personality, and he couldnât compete.
âWhat is wrong with me?â he would ask himself.
That was a question he never asked her, though. Obviously, he never got an answer to it, either.
âSurprise!â Ada yelled, making her way through Liamâs bedroom door after barely knocking for a second time. âI got you a present, and Chaos!â
Chaos was a big caramel ball of fur whose hobby was to roam around, throwing everything it could touch from the shelves onto the floor. That cat had more self-esteem than Liam by the hundreds. And it was a fat cat! Chaos gave the catwalk name its real sense. She would move her fat butt and wiggle her fluffy tail while exhibiting her shiny crystal collar - a gift from Ms. Bree. From time to time, she would approach Ada and Liam for some brief cuddles. Extremely brief!
Ada adopted Chaos from an âadopt a petâ event they went to at Inlet Park when they were 9. Liam named her âChaosâ after the kitten - back then, little - scratched the entire back seat from Ms. Breeâs car, bit his hand, and threw up on Adaâs lap. The name stuck like goo, almost as much as the vomit on Adaâs shorts. All within a 30-minute drive.
âThanks for the present!â Liam said. âWhat is it?â
âOpen it, lazy!â she said, handing him a box with a big purple ribbon full of glitter.
Liam didnât love glitter, but everything Ada crafted had loads of it. He looked inside the box. There was a flashy card and another box â a small one - inside of it. He took out the card and read it.
âHappiest birthday to my beloved best friend ever. The only one that hears me for hours. The only one that helps me study. The only one that doesnât mind that I talk too loudly or when I have food on my teeth. The only one of my friends that my mom truthfully loves. The one that buys me chocolate when Iâm down. The one that shares his food even though I wonât share mine. The best of the best, the greatest of the greatest, Liam Hale! I love you to the moon and back, âbestieâ!â
Liam blushed. He had mixed feelings. With all that, how come she was still talking about Steve, Jeff, Jamal, Mike, Jacob, and all the others that didnât even know she existed? He thanked the card and rushed to open the box, not letting her notice his blushed cheeks and uncomfortable expression. Inside the little box, there was a pendant in gold with the letters LA.
âLA?â Liam asked.
âYes! Amazing, right?â Ada asked.
âBut why LA?â
âWell, it actually stands for Los Angeles. I bought it in the gift shop on the trip I did with my parents to California right before our finals.â
Liam kept looking at her without any reaction.
âOKâŚâ he said, waiting for the explanation of why Liam would want to wear a Los Angeles pendant.
âWe can say that it stands for Liam and Ada,â she said, with a big smile.
Liam blushed. Maybe Ada wanted to say something there. Finally! He continued staring at her without much to say, almost waiting for her to take some action. He wondered if something inside of her had changed too.
âBecause we are best friends, Liam!â Ada yelled. âLook, I got myself one too!â
Ada showed the pendant on her golden necklace, identical to the one she bought Liam.
âOh, right!â Liam exclaimed. âBest friends, of course! Thanks, Ada. I loved it!â
No, he didnât. He hated it. So much! That was absolutely not the outcome he wanted from all that interaction. Liam hugged her awkwardly. His hands were sweating and almost trembling. That was when Aemelia barely knocked on the door and opened it, coming into the bedroom with a giant cake in her hands and two paper bags on her arm. Chaos jumped to the bed, scared by the sudden entrance.
âOh, sorryâŚâ Aemelia said.
âNo!â Liam yelled nervously. âItâs, I⌠Iâm thanking AdaâŚâ
Liam was embarrassed. Now what would Aemelia think? Ada didnât seem to bother at all, nor to understand why Liam was so agitated and gagging. Aemelia, though, had been there before. She made her way through the door, staring at Chaos, trying not to make Liam more uncomfortable.
âCake!â Ada yelled.
Aemelia Katz used to make the best cakes in town. She was a tall woman, way taller than anyone else in the house. She was a little older than Ms. Bree, had a slim posture, a stunning shiny chocolate skin tone, dark-brown almond-shaped eyes, and wavy black hair that she always kept in a bun on the top of her head.Â
She used to wear those happy-colored clothes with lots of green and orange, but in a fashionable way, not like Adaâs flashy way. Aemelia was a beautiful person, inside and outside. She had been in that family since before Liam was born.
Aemelia was more than a house manager. She was Ms. Breeâs best friend. The most loyal one, as Ms. Bree would always say. From time to time, she would join Ms. Bree in the atelier and talk with her for hours. For Liam, Aemelia was more of a family member than Mr. C ever was.
âHappy birthday to our favorite boy in the world!â Aemelia said, showing Liam his cake. They sang to him, then he made a wish and blew the candles. Aemelia gave him the presents.
âThis one is from me, and this⌠this was from Ms. Bree,â Aemelia said with a desolate semblance. âShe had been saving this one for a while. There is a card too.â
Liam rushed to the bag while Aemelia served them a slice of cake. He gave Aemelia a hug and thanked her before opening the presents. Chaos got down from her favorite shelf, getting way too close to the cake. Food was one of the little things that got Chaosâ attention, but, of course, no one gave her any slice.Â
âIâll let you kids be,â Aemelia said. âWatch Chaos on this cake. There will be more in the kitchen if you want it,â she said, leaving through the door without looking back.
Aemeliaâs present was a stunning white backpack with the elements of the periodic table all over it, colored by the group it belonged to. It also had his name printed in gold and blue letters.
âNice!â Liam said. âAemelia really knows me.â
âYes, now the guys in high school can say your name while stuffing you in the locker. Great touch!â Ada joked. âOpen Ms. Breeâs gift!â
Liam was skeptical and nervous to see what it was. He read the card:Â
    To my beautiful boy, as the timeÂ
   has come. Iâm so proud of you.Â
   Happy 14th!Â
         Love, Mom.
Liam stared at that piece of paper for a while, looking at his motherâs handwriting, the most beautiful cursive in the entire world. It was like he could hear her voice reading it for him. And that smell! The note had her perfume notes, so subtle but so present.
He looked at Ada, and she seemed anxious to see what was inside the box. He opened it, trying not to let her see the sadness in his eyes. Inside, there was a little device, much like a cell phone.
âOh, nice, a new phone. You can give me your old one now,â Ada said, looking overjoyed she would also get a present that day.
âI donât think itâs a cell phone; I never saw this one before,â Liam said, analyzing the device in his hand and looking for the button to turn it on.Â
Chaos looked at the empty box on the bed and jumped right into it, making herself comfortable for a nap.
âWhat did Mr. C give you?â Ada asked, curious to know if, now that Mr. C was home, he would finally get Liam something for his birthday.
Liam didnât answer.Â
âWhat? Nothing? Really? Again?â Ada asked, incredulous. âHe is home; what is the excuse this time? Did he, at least, wish you a happy birthday?â
Liam, again, didnât answer and looked at the floor.
âYou are joking, right?â Ada asked. âIâm sorry, Liam, but I canât understand your father.â
âAda, I donât care. I really donât! I donât care about him. I wonât care when I leave this house, either. It will be a left-behind past. Not even a memory,â Liam said. His eyes, though, were watery.
Ada knew he cared, somehow. She tried not to make a more significant thing out of it and changed subjects:
âJust turn it on!â she said, referring to the device.
âIf I knew howâŚ,â Liam was clueless; he couldnât see any buttons.
âMaybe you have to rub it,â Ada said.
âNow you are joking, right?â Liam asked.
âNope, not even a little. It worked with Aladdin. Give it a try!â she said.
âIâm notâŚ,â Liam was going to refuse to do it, but he gave it a deeper thought and gently rubbed a tiny part of the device.
âSee?â Ada asked.
âNo, I didnât see anything. Nothing happened!â Liam responded, confused.
âI meant: See? It didnât hurt to try, did it?â Ada said with a sarcastic tone.
âNot funny,â Liam said.
Both Liam and Ada kept trying to turn on the device at all costs for what must have been a whole hour. Looking for a button, rubbing it, shaking it, pinching it, and even hugging it. Well, at least Ada hugged the device. She also sang a full-length song to the device and poked Chaos with it. Liam didnât get impressed. Itâs Ada, and she does these things.
Liam didnât want to give up on his motherâs present, but he couldnât find a solution and was running out of ideas.
âMaybe itâs broken,â Liam said, with a desolate face.
âOr⌠Maybe itâs a piece to improve something, like your telescope⌠Isnât it one of your favorite hobbies? Do you think it goes there?â
âThis makes no sense. My telescope is great. There is nothing that can improve it. Itâs literally the best in the market,â Liam said.
âBetter than NASAâs?â Ada asked.
âOf course not, Ada!â Liam answered, not able to tell if she was joking or not. âIâm not a professional astronomer either. Why would I need a NASAâs telescope, anyway? I donât want to see the entire infinity of the universe. I barely want to see outside my bedroom.â
While Liam was saying that, the device shook in his hand.
âDid you see that?â he asked. âDo you think itâs something I said?â
âLike a password?â Ada asked, excited. âMs. Bree was really a genius, wasnât she?â
âMy telescope is great!â Liam repeated, ruling out what it was. Nothing happened.
âHm⌠I donât think it was that,â Ada said. âGo on, try all the other sentences. Repeat whatever you said.â
âBest in the market? NASAâs telescopeâŚâ he tried again, a little in disbelief. No luck, either.
âUniverse! Or maybe, âinfinity of the universeâ!â Ada yelled, but the device wouldnât move. âHm, that is all you said. Maybe you have to say it instead of me.â
âSay what? Infinity of the universe?â Liam said, and the device shook again.
âOh my! So cool!â Ada yelled. âI was right! It is a password! And it just works with you saying it! I was right! But what now? It didnât seem effective. Maybe louder?â
Liam stopped for a while. He remembered all the times he was little and afraid of something, like when he was fearful of going to school for the first time or sleeping with the lights off; or when he had a bad dream and went to his motherâs bed; or when he was afraid of that surgery when he was seven years old; or when he took his first surf class and didnât want to go deep in the ocean. His mother would always say, âDonât worry, my loveâŚ.â
ââŚIâll be with you until the infinity of the universe!â Liam exclaimed.
Liamâs heart was pounding in his chest as the mysterious device began to shake violently in his hands. He could feel the heat emanating from it, making him nervous about getting burned, but he was even more afraid of dropping it and damaging whatever that was. Desperately, he tried to pass the device from one hand to the other, hoping to find a safe place to put it down.
With a sudden burst of energy, the device shook harder and harder until Liam was forced to place it on the bed, hoping it wouldnât cause any damage. As he backed away, Chaos suddenly leaped from the box with a terrified look in her eyes. She darted around the room, knocking over books and other items as she sought refuge on the highest shelf.
The device continued to make strange noises, rattling, and humming like a creature from another world. Liam and Ada watched with a mix of fascination and trepidation as they waited for something to happen. Suddenly, the device stopped moving, and the room fell silent.
As the teens cautiously approached the box, a piece of paper was ejected from the device. Chaos, who had been watching from afar leaped down to investigate the strange object. Liam and Ada looked at the paper, unsure of what to make of it. The paper felt like it was filled with a powerful energy that pulsed beneath Liamâs fingertips.
âWhat is it?â Ada asked, her voice filled with wonder and excitement.
âI donât know,â Liam replied, his heart racing.
âThatâs it?â Ada asked, perplexed. âAll our Sherlock Holmes brainstorming for a piece of paper? Is that some sort of secret printer? Why didnât she just give you a piece of paper?â
âI donât knowâŚâ Liam said, a little disappointed too, reaching for the paper on the bed while Chaos tried to touch it with her little fluffy paw.
It was a tiny acceptance letter from âSorcerwood Academy / Kiltford Academyâ on the original paper with the logo and all. Kiltford Academy was a university some miles away from Liamâs house. Liam looked at it, a little confused. Not only had he never heard of Sorcerwood Academy, but he was about to start high school in a couple of months, not college.
âYou were accepted into college? With middle school curriculum only?â Ada was baffled. âHow did you even? When did you apply for college that you didnât tell me?â
âI didnât!â Liam said. He was brain fogged. âIt says here I was accepted to start 9th grade in August now. I didnât know Kiltford had a high school curriculum, nor that they were, apparently, bought by this Sorcerwood Academy.â
âYou canât go to a different school than me,â Ada complained. âI canât go alone to McGuireâs High. All those snob people⌠Iâll be the one stuffed in lockers if you donât go with me!â
Suddenly, the device started shaking again and beeping.
âItâs printing something else!â Ada yelled, pointing to the device. âHope it is a letter saying the first one was a mistake.â
Liam and Ada watched in awe as the device on the bed started to shake more aggressively. Liam carefully tried to pick it up, but it was too hot to hold onto for more than a few seconds. With a sudden jolt, the box exploded with a bright flash of light, and Liam quickly set it down on the bed, afraid it might set something on fire.
As the light slowly faded, a three-dimensional hologram emerged from the device, depicting Ms. Bree in all her glory. She appeared to be floating in the middle of the room, her image so lifelike that it seemed as if she were really there. Liam and Ada stared in amazement, hardly able to believe their eyes.
Ms. Breeâs holographic form was almost perfect, down to the tiniest detail. Her face was illuminated with a warm glow, and her outfit was perfectly tailored as always. She looked exactly as she had the last time Liam had seen her.
For a moment, no one said a word. Liam felt his heart racing as he stared at the image of his mother, his mind struggling to process what he was seeing. He felt a mix of emotionsâfear, excitement, and disbelief all jumbled together.
Finally, Liam found his voice.
âMom?â he asked, his voice trembling.
When I received the request to review this book, what immediately caught my attention was its title, The Pandora's Box. Instantly intrigued by the title alone, I proceeded to read the synopsis and the sample chapters, and I knew that I needed to finish this book. Since reading many similar books of this nature several years ago, I was always drawn to books in the genre of fantasy and mythology, so I felt like I would enjoy this book immensely.
The Pandora's Box revolves around young Liam Hale who has just inherited an important mission from his mother. He must protect Earth and its twin planets across seven parallel universes known as the Megaverse. He must find the Pandora's Box, an artifact that has the capability to restore the balance between good and evil. All this comes as a huge shock to Liam; he is only 14 and he must now save the world. Of course, like any young hero, he has his friends to help him. His best friend, Ada, and his new friends, Benji, Zac, and Zoe. Together, they all navigate the perils that lie before them.
Liam, as any young boy thrust into a world he has never heard of before often feels unsure of himself, but rises to the occasion. I feel like he feels he needs to do more, but he has limited knowledge and guidance in this new world. Ada sometimes strikes me as easily excitable and she often displays overexuberance to the point that it could get annoying. Benji seems like that steadfast, loyal friend while Zac and Zoe are the sidekicks with the knowledge to navigate the new world Liam has found himself in.
Personally, I really enjoyed the book. The writing style flows easily, hence making the book an easy-to-read one. There are many characters and events, so the reader needs to pay attention as they go along. I won't say the book is a fast-paced one; it's more of a medium pace so that it's not too confusing as you read. I feel like this book is most suitable for young children and teenagers, but I am sure that adults who enjoy mythology would like this book also. I would recommend if you enjoy adventure and fantasy, and in the mood for something a little light, get this book.