It was over 40 chapters into the book before I actually realized it was a young adult book. No matter to me, Loved this story! Although I would suppose that Authors would prefer not to be compared, for me, not since reading Anne Mccaffery "Pern" books have I been so thrilled with Sci-Fi again. Reading it throughly, enjoying it like eating a fabulous dessert, I was sad when it was over. Perhaps there will be another adventure by Perry Aylen.. Until then, it seems that I must read it again! ( )

Hexult is more of a sci-fi novel that takes place in a ice world setting. There are a bunch of islands in this world and some of the islands fighting for superiority.

Two 15 year old twin children turn up and create quite a stir by showing people their new "magic" which is really science.

I think this would be a good book for younger male readers.

The ending of the book left things quite open for more to be written about this world, and questions myself, as a reader, would enjoy finding out the answers to those questions. ( )

Hexult is a story for young adults, but will be enjoyed by adults who like fantasy books.

In the distant future, Hexult is an ice-covered land of islands surrounded by frozen seas. Aulf is the young mailman who sails his boat with his helper Ingar delivering the mail to the islands. Aulf and Ingar find twins Jacob and Elya shipwrecked on the ice, rescue them, and become friends. Jacob and Elya are from a land across the sea that no one from Hexult has ever visited or even knew existed. Their land is one of science and the four young people join together to bring that science to Hexult. Unfortunately, the islanders of Hexult are filled with suspicion and mistrust and view the science as magic.

The book is an enjoyable read--danger, science, wizards, prophecies, conflicts between the islands, raiders--everything needed for a good adventure story. The story is somewhat simplistic and I kept wondering why we didn't learn more about the land that Jacob and Elya came from earlier in the book. No one seemed to be interested in asking them, which seems unlikely. It was a quick read and by the middle of the book my interest was caught enough so that I am looking forward to reading the next book. ( )

Hexult, by Perry Aylen, is a quick read, enjoyable enough, by a promising author. The world he has created is intriguing and the story has the potential to be engrossing if the characters could just be developed more fully and the darker themes explored and allowed to have more of an effect. This book would be an ideal fit for young readers, perhaps in the 10 to 13-year-old range. However, teenagers and older will crave characters and themes with more complexity than those offered here. The fast-paced story only skims the surface of prejudice, superstition, political instability and war. The frenetic pace did not allow any kind of rapport to develop between the reader and protagonists. Key points in their back-stories, such as the questions of how and why the twins ended up so far from home, were not addressed early enough in the story and led to a sense of incredulous disbelief that none of the other characters thought to ask a single leading question for 28 chapters. Yet we are to believe that they invited them into their homes to live with them? A mature reader will be bothered by this lack of character development and bemoan the fact that no one grows or changes at all through the course of the story. However, the adventure and imaginatively envisioned world are a safe choice for children who are still cocooned in a world where good guys always win and nothing really bad ever happens. The author has potential - I will be interested to check in on future work to see if he can take the germ of a good story to the next level. ( )

Hexult by Perry Aylen is marketed as a young adult book, but don’t be fooled. While it took some time to orient myself in this new and chilly world, the world has much potential. Reading this book is like browsing in a foreign market; colorful and filled with a variety of remarkable people.
When a boat crash kills their father, Elya and Jacob, 15-year-old twins, are stranded in Hexult, a loose federation of island city-states on the brink of civil war. The two of them try better communication and new devices to reduce tensions between the islands.
The part I liked best in this book was the ice itself. Hexult is unique from other worlds; a series of islands set in oceans of ice. While there are many things that the reader is expected to take on faith (for instance, all he islands are heated from below) it has beautiful descriptions of the terrain. Moreover, the place has a personality, a “soul”, some of the characters considered it to have a name: Vajra.
I thought the ending was abrupt, perhaps not a cliffhanger, but certainly didn’t wrap up the problems completely. Perhaps this is to leave room for a sequel. Alternatively, like in real life, there always will be another adventure waiting. People who like the realms of Diana Wynne Jones and enjoy reading about enterprising young people taking on the problems of their world would certainly find Hexult a good read.

Lovely book with a great story and characters that you want to believe in and root for. I was sad when it ended because I wanted more and am hoping a sequel comes soon. ( )

A good book fold inside a new idea, so much as a Sci Fi book. It will consider brilliant if if it will include other kind of meanings. It will consider out standing this idea will keep your thoughts in every other moment.

Well you all can imagine to yourselves how the vast white plans of ice capture my mind. With this amazing idea of heat from the depth of the planet creating islands which people can live on. So it is really not important if because some kind of future catastrophe, or on other planet or universe.

Another thing that capture my mind is something with the color of Medieval- prejudices, superstitions, mistrusts and a lot of lot of hate. I know, sadly it is not exclude only to this time, but then the mixture was so very strong. Poor Elya.... how it happened at all? How dark and evil connected together? I can't imagine if Perry would try to insert some one really dark to this environment.

Sometimes it just made sheath with frustration, why Jacob wouldn't stop everything and demand that everybody will treat her properly.

But Jacob and Elya like the true scientists they are didn't let the ignorance to stop them from sharing their knowledge. this remind another scientist which i came to know just now and fell in love with:"I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting system, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in." George Washington Carver , also born when the times were dark and thick with hate - times when people enslave others and still he out shine and contribute to those who treat him as such. ( )

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this story. I think a sequel is in order, and I would definitely recommend this book to others. I was reading it to my 5 year old and he enjoyed it as well. ( )

A good YA coming of age story, although that part of it doesn't come across until the end. There are enough interesting characters and hints at possible relationships that this could easily be continued with a sequel. I would read that as well if there were... ( )

as you can see i really loved this book. will be looking for the sequel. So original and exciting. I was racing to turn the next page to see what was next..even had a feel good ending.thank you ( )

Hexult is a story of adventure in a world of ice, where much of science and technology has been forgotten. This perhaps looms in our future. The characterization reflects many all-too-human foibles as the four main characters Ingar and Aulf and the twins Jacob and Elya take on the always formidable task of overcoming evil with good intentions, youthful enthusiasm and creativity. Jacob and Elya's arrival in the islands brings change and challenge. There is underlying curiousity to be satisfied as we are prompted to think about geothermal activity, the making of steel, how flint and steel works, how compasses work and how Morse Code and other symbolic systems form the basis of communication. This is a good read for young readers and adults can be well entertained. The world Aylen has created is interesting and engaging. The society that inhabits it is simple with room for more development as the different islands of Hexult navigate the rocky waters of a new treaty and try to track down proof of evil doing. I, for one, look forward to further books in this series. It does us no harm to be reminded of a world where it is hard to start fires and where there is excitement in the creation of a small case for our flint and steel. There is room for further character development and a number of dramatic tensions to be resolved. While I don't this this will turn into an epic we must remember the initial shallowness of Robert Jordan's Conan and the ultimate complexity of the Wheel of Time.

The story may well be post-apocalyptic if you choose to view it that way but I certainly didn't find it dystopian nor did I think it should be categorized as fantasy, at least to this point. There is no evidence of magic, just superstition. It is quite well written and I found no internal inconsistencies and very few editorial errors. Suitable to its target audience. ( )

Hexult, a very good story, fantasy to the nth degree, is set in a frozen world where family and work roles are very important. In the book, these characters of Aulf, Ingar, Jacob, and Elya are extremely likable. The one concern is that the book is a part of a series, or set, and didn't end with the story completely wrapped up. Otherwise this is a super-good read. I recommend it. ( )

What a wonderful surprise! I thoroughly enjoyed venturing into this new, exciting, and dangerous world. The characters are well thought out and just downright likeable. You can’t help but be swept away by the action and the emotion of this story. I will admit I am a bit above the target age range of 12-15, but found the book both held my attention and made me wish the sequel was ready to read. I will be eagerly awaiting Hexult 2 and praise the author for creating a world that is fun to get lost in. Give it a try, you’ll be glad you did. ( )

An original premise, good character development, and lots of action make this a truly enjoyable read! You will love getting to know Aulf, Ingar, Jacob, and Elya in this unusual adventure! Great for teens and adults alike! ( )

This was an enjoyable read. The genre is only very loosely science fiction (I would hesitate to even call it as loosely). I would describe this as a YA fantasy adventure with suggestions of post apocalyptic and dystopian tones. Even though it wasn't the genre I was expecting, I enjoyed the story very much. I think this would be a great read for children as it should keep their attention but would also provide some very important lessons.

I was happy about the message but also pleased that the author created believable characters that were fairly well developed. It was also nice that the ending wasn't wrapped up in a nice tidy bow- yes the story took care of the bulk of loose ends but not specifically with an unrealistic "happy ever after".

How was this relatively short book able to encompass tones of dealing with politics, superstition, irrationality, science and prejudice all wrapped up in an adventure story? Well- to find out that I would recommend reading it. ( )