DNF - chapter 4

The blurb for this book intrigued me. And while others may enjoy it, this book just isn’t for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for providing an ARC for The Locke Institute.

This story was not for me. All the characters felt one-dimensional but also like I was dropped into the middle of a sentence. Hard to get into and then hard to follow. The Fantasy elements were there, but there was something missing.

3 out of 5 stars

This has spiders in it. Big venomous spiders. Stop here if you are not a fan of spiders.

I came into this series not having read The Legend of Black Jack or knowing anything about what I was getting into; including not knowing this is a trilogy.

The Locke Institute trilogy begins with The Crimes of Rooker Flynn and is followed by The Trial of Rooker Flynn. The first two books follow Jack Swift, a young man from Chicago who is dragged into another world and forced to attend the Locke Institute which is presented as a school but in reality, is a much darker place. Along with Jack is the pirate Rooker Flynn, who also finds himself a prisoner in the mysterious school.

This is an action-packed book that takes place in a jungle with an interesting cast of characters. It is easy to get sucked in to the story. However, even with the good writing, the book contains themes that are not to my tastes. The brutality and desperation the characters face is not for me, and it lowered my interest in these books. But I still enjoyed them, and I am eager to read the conclusion when it comes out.

One critique I have of this book is the lack of information about the book (or books) that came before. There is no mention at the beginning that this story follows a past book, and there is no explanation of the world Jack Swift is sent to. The author assumes the previous book has been read, and it is up to the reader to figure out the details presumably discussed in the first books. This omission does not take away from the story, but it does leave many questions left unanswered.

Overall, I did enjoy this book. I do think it is long and could have been done in one book rather than dragged out over three, but I like the characters enough to keep reading. If you like adventure books and don’t mind the giant spiders, you should check out this trilogy. I liked the writing enough to check out the other books in this universe.

I’m not sure what exactly I expected with The Locke Institute but I’m glad I took a chance! Great pirate adventure with the character you love to hate- Gerba Whipmarples. She plays by pirate rules although she pretends to be above them which means constant chaos. Great read!

Here's the thing about this book: I really enjoyed the writing style and the plot overall. However, I could not get past the alarming number of arachnids and their detailed descriptions. I likely won't be finishing the series because of that. I also have a little bit of trouble with some of the more violent content being recommended for an audience of 12-18. Due to the primary setting being a prison that is written relatively realistically in terms of crime and filth etc, I would only recommend it for the upper end of that range. I do recommend reading the author's previous work in this world first as well, I understood the plot, but frequently felt like I was missing information by not reading the previous book about Black Jack.

I will absolutely keep an eye out for this author in the future, because I think the writing style and the setting match well with the types of books I usually enjoy, This particular island overrun with spiders and spiderlike creatures just really didn't do it for me.

Witham crafts a narrative that is both fast-paced and richly imaginative. The world-building is intricate, blending elements of magic, mystery, and suspense seamlessly. Rooker's character is compelling; his rebellious nature and complex motivations drive the plot forward, making him a protagonist readers can root for. The supporting characters, particularly the young genius, add depth and intrigue to the story.

This version contains both book 1 & book 2.
Book 1- you get thrown straight in to the deep end with this and there aren't a lot of explanations. You stick it out and it starts to make sense instead. The world building is pretty decent but the consequences are immediate and not for the faint hearted.

Book 2- I'm sure book two is comparable to book one which means it's not really my flavor and I won't be reading that or.

This review is based on an advanced copy that I received free.

The Locke Institute by A.R. Witham is book one and two in the Locke Institute series. If you like fast paced, pirate adventures, fantasy, supernatural, YA, love to hate villains then you will love this book.

This book had book one “The Crimes of Rooker Flynn” and book two “The Trial of Rooker Flynn” and it was so captivating. Witham did an amazing job in this action packed story. The adventure was filled with colorful characters and lots of magic. The writing and world building were amazing. This book had it all bootlegs, pirates, murder, mayhem, crime lords, and dangerous beasts what more could you possibly ask for. Thank you to Nepenthe House and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions.

Book 1
Argh... 5 plus, what an ending.

This is a great action adventure portal adventure. This allows the author to explore different spheres, worlds, cultures, and lots of creatures, characters, humans, and non-intrigue actions with spiders. Lots of spiders. Two main Povs Rooker and Jack. Keymark is a place much more dangerous than Chicago (as Jack says for reference). I recommend the audio. I was reading a NetGalley, but someone told me the audio is awesome, the narrator makes the voices, and there are extra sounds. I love the covers, too. 7You won't go wrong with books as well. 

A lot is going on and the scenes are fast-paced and easy to visualize (including the giant spiders guarding the institute). 

Obeying the three rules of the institute is the least of their problems. 

It's quest after quest. 

I know you're lying cause your mouth is moving. Ahah. 

I wanted that ship too.
It's a pirates and thieves' world with sassy dialogue. Wasteka (ten curses packed in one haha).

Chunky boogers soaking in a chamber pot... and me without a spoon! Haha.

This is a world you can't turn your back to without being stabbed by a hatchet or chopsticks. Life is hard, and this prison (sorry...) school is a place of rehabilitation. 

It has nothing to do with it, maybe...it's an island, and there are pirates, but what I mean is that it's time it has the joy of Peter Pan with Treasure Island kind of relationships. A dangerous world, but I would go there (at least once, but when the spiders are asleep). 

One word: Xeusia. What an amazing scene.
T__T that ending. 

Book 2 soon

Fast paced at max speed. Rooker is a kick butt character that is so appealing. I so enjoyed these two stories. I definitely want more! Thanks #Netgalley and #Nepenthe House for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

4.5 stars

Based on the first book I read by the author, The Legend of Black Jack, I thought this book was going to be suitable for middle school and up, but after reading the first few chapters, I decided it would be too disturbing for younger or sensitive readers. This was definitely darker and more disturbing that Black Jack, and yet, I loved it.

In Black Jack, we learn about this magical world through the eyes of Jack, who is from our world. While it's not all fairies and flowers, it does seem like a wondrous world, and the story leaves us happy for Jack, and hopeful that he might someday be able to revisit the world and his friends. However, this story begins with a ballad about Rooker Flynn and whets our appetite with a story about his younger self. No, it's not happy, but it does give us a window into his soul and his reason for being. We also see Jack back in the real world, where he should be thrilled because he has his dad back and life should be totally normal, right? Except, it's been a rough transition. Yes, he is thrilled to have his dad back, but he's not exactly fitting in at school, partly because of his gift of memory, but partly because he's never made friends easily.

Fast forward (and it all moves very fast) and Jack and Flynn have somehow ended up in the same prison/"reform school" on a remote island in the other world. They are in a prison with some of the worst prisoners in the world, with one of the evilest wardens ever. She is definitely that criminal you love to hate.

As you can imagine, the setting is dire, and Jack and Flynn have to decide if they trust each other enough to get themselves out of this. I am so glad that my copy came with the second book, because this story absolutely leaves you on a cliffhanger, one that makes you despair for Jack and Flynn and their friendship.

My heart was torn out as I read the last words of the first book, The Crimes of Rooker Flynn. How dare he leave it on such a cliffhanger? But thankfully, he included the second book in this ARC so that I was able to continue reading past the cliffhanger. This story, if possible, is even more dark, as Greta and her crew ramp up the torture, the lopping off of fingers, removal of eyes, the constant bleeding for the strigoi, and the mental attacks on Jack and Rooker. We are often left guessing whether what Jack or Rooker see is in their imaginations or real--or perhaps only some can see what they see. The fact is, they should be dead many times over, if it were not for the bell. And yet, even if they are healed up physically, they continue to be torn down mentally and emotionally. This book also ends on a cliffhanger, but somehow, I had a little bit more hope, at least for Jack and Rooker's friendship. After the first book, I didn't see how their friendship could possibly survive, but I definitely shed tears near the end of this one. I cannot wait for the third book and hope it will be released soon!

I highly recommend this for YA and up, especially if you love adventure, action, and fantasy. Witham's imagination and storytelling abilities are wonderful, and at some point, I want to get the audiobooks for this trilogy (I have the audiobook of his reading of Black Jack).

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Book 1 of the Locke Institute Trilogy. The Crimes of Rooker Flynn. The book opens with the capture of Rooker just as he regains a special ship that had been lost to him. In the meanwhile his friend Jack Swift aka Black Jack is retrieved from our world by a bounty hunter paid to take him back to Keymark where he and Rooker find themselves imprisoned for crimes against humanity. Both find themselves guest of the Locke Institute, run by a Rhinoceros and her magic.

Book 2 of the Locke Institute Trilogy. The Trial of Rooker Flynn, We continue with the imprisonment of Rooker and his friend Jack Swift aka Black Jack. Both still themselves guest of the Locke Institute, run by a Rhinoceros and her magic. Jack is the keeper of a magic rod, divided in 7 pieces which he refuses to call from our world. Rooker is threatened with death if he doesn't get jack to call the rod and reassemble it. We find out that the two are not such great friends. Escape from the Institute?

Can't wait to get my hands on the 3rd book.

The Locke Institute is a bind up of two novels: The Crimes of Rooker Flynn and The Trial of Rooker Flynn. An epic portal fantasy about two characters, the roguish ship captain and pirate Rooker Flynn who has a unique bond with his vessel, and a young teen from Chicago named Jack who has a near-mythic reputation as Black Jack. Both are kidnapped and imprisoned in The Locke Institute, a place that is closer to a living nightmare than a traditional learning institution. Its headmaster has deep and troubling motivations for holding both Flynn and Jack captive, and a sadistic streak the size of an ocean. Can Flynn and Jack find a way out of the Locke Institute with their bodies, souls and sanity intact?

These books are riveting, exciting and unputdownable. Witham’s character work is exceptional, which is crucial for this kind of narrative. The reader gets to know both Flynn and Jack intimately, warts and all. The extreme circumstances they face, along with other inhabitants of the Institute’s re-educational program, demand growth and facing the parts of themselves they are deeply uncomfortable with. Rooker Flynn is the kind of character that isn’t a “good man,” but readers find themselves rooting for and feeling entirely sympathetic for him. His bad decisions and cringeworthy behavior clearly show his character flaws, but the reader is also able to see that he has his reasons for the selfish path he has followed in his life. Ultimately, Flynn learns the value of community and self-sacrifice. In the case of Jack, his previously sheltered life, naivety, and optimistic views of others are put to the test as he is subjected to viscerally harrowing experiences in the Institute. At the same time, he is refined by his suffering, learns and adapts to his circumstances, using his powerful intellect and his will to survive. Even the secondary characters are distinctive and memorable. The setting is in itself a lead character in these books. The world has its own rules, and the Locke Institute is situated on an island that is as voracious as a monster from nightmares. Magic has rules and consequences, and the characters have to navigate those twists and turns where it harms as much as it helps.

The two books in this bind up are equally good, both full of dramatic situations, edge of your seat setpieces, and cinematic imagery. Fans of classic fantasy and adventure, magic-filled stories or survival will find so much value in these books. While there are scenes that are very hard to read due to the extreme circumstances the characters face, at the same time, readers will be compelled to plow through the pages, wanting to know what will happen next. The next installment in the series promises to be unmissable.

4.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Nepenthe House for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this read, especially the characters!

The Locke Institute is two volumes in one - The Crimes of Rooker Flynn and The Trial of Rooker Flynn. They follow, in some degree, after The Legend of Jack Black; there are quite a few references to The Legend of Black Jack throughout these two volumes, and having read that first will enhance the details, but not having read The Legend of Jack Black will not keep the reader from understanding these two volumes.

The Locke Institute is, nominally, a school - or rather, a reformatory, intended to teach its inmates, called students, the skills necessary to rejoin society, and to be successful as something other than crooks. At least, that the claim of the Headmistress to her financial backers. But there are plots within plots here, not the least of those the many failed plots by the students to leave the confines of their campus - a place where they are in deathly danger from the spider-like native animals at night, and their peers and tasks during the day. Told from various viewpoints to encompass the plans and motivations of a range of characters, this is a fast-paced pirate novel, set in another world with a variety of intelligent species. Due to a fair amount of clearly-described violence, this book is recommended for older teens and adults.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided by Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. NOTE: this is a combined review because I was provided with both volumes in one.

4-Star Review for The Locke Institute

A. R. Witham delivers a thrilling, high-stakes adventure in The Locke Institute, blending elements of swashbuckling piracy, dark academia, and survival in a world where the rules are designed to be broken. The story follows Rooker Flynn, a rebellious pirate trapped on an island prison where obedience is mandatory and escape seems impossible. But with the help of a brilliant young student who knows secrets beyond the island’s borders, Rooker might just have a chance to outmaneuver the formidable Headmistress and reclaim his freedom.

Witham’s storytelling is fast-paced and immersive, full of sharp dialogue, unexpected twists, and well-crafted tension. The setting—a mysterious island ruled by strict laws and even stricter enforcers—adds a layer of intrigue that keeps the pages turning. Rooker is a compelling protagonist, full of swagger and defiance, and his dynamic with the kid genius adds both heart and humor to the narrative.

While the book delivers plenty of action and suspense, some parts feel a bit rushed, particularly in the world-building and character development beyond the main duo. A deeper exploration of the Headmistress’s motives and the island’s origins could have elevated the stakes even further.

Overall, The Locke Institute is an exciting, cinematic read that will appeal to fans of daring escapes, clever schemes, and morally gray antiheroes. If you’re looking for a gripping adventure with a rebellious streak, this one is well worth the journey.

I was given a release copy for review, and I can only hope these comments are listened to by the publisher before it goes to print.

If this was being published as a single book, this review would be very different. But the different covers, entry notes, and back pages, this is going to be released as two separate books, and in that scenario I must absolutely recommend against it. Book 1 is indeed interesting and engaging, but it has no end. Its only purpose is to coerce you to buy Book 2 in the hope it might have an ending, and I cannot support such deception.

Fast paced, action packed fantasy novels. Violent at times, full of surprises and twists. Recommend reading The Legend of Black Jack first for context, but can stand alone.

Thank you to the publisher for this ARC. This one wasn't for me, as mood reader, it didn't fit into my current mood.

I don’t think I read books very often where the Protagonist or “good guy” isn’t a very good guy, or even very likable at times! But the Author definitely wrote the character of Rooker brilliantly. Learning what happened to him as a child made things much more clear, but still not enough to excuse the selfish person he was. Without giving away too much more, I am happy to say that by the end of the book I appreciated his character a lot more.

Let’s not forget Headmistress Whipmarples, the embodiment of a true Villain. She is absolutely despicable and we love to hate her!

“Do you know what the difference is between animals and men, Mister Flynn?” She flashed a thin smile. “Absolutely nothing.”

The darker elements of this book include the violence, as well as the darkness from within ourselves that haunts us. Neither of which would be described as “too much”, but does add depth to the fantasy and magic.

This book made me chuckle, grimace, and even tear up a time or two. I encourage you to listen to the audio version the author narrates himself- it is incredible!
Thank you AR Whitam and NetGalley for the Advanced copy.