Wrath of the Caid: Red Hand Adventures, Book 2 (Red Hand Adventures, 2)

It is very well written and tells a great story. Once I started reading the "Rebels of the Kasbah" (book one), I could not put it down until I finished it and the "Wrath of the Caid" (book two). Now I can't wait for book three to be released. This is a series of books that the entire family can enjoy reading.

I love how this book brings the adventures from Morocco Where the story started and it brings in the stories of other characters like Charles Owen and Zijuan.

Where's book four?

Friends Tariq, Aseem, Fez and Margaret have escaped from the Caid’s Kasbah. With the help of the assassin Sanaa, Margaret gets back to her home in England but is finding it hard to fit back into social life after being a slave and having her father kidnapped by pirates. Tariq, Aseem and Fez decide to get information for the rebel forces in Morocco to be used against the Caid. The boys get into trouble and get separated and Tariq meets up with an unusual character, Melbourne Jack, a treasure hunter all the way from Australia. Things get worse as Margaret gets shipped off to France after releasing bees in her school master’s office (with Miss Cromwell in it), Tariq and Melbourne Jack get cornered by the Caid’s men, the French have teamed up with the Caid and will supply him soldiers and guns, and the Caid has released the Black Mamba, a terrible thug who is feared in all of Morocco, to destroy the rebels. Somehow the friends have to find a way to help the rebels and defeat the Caid before it’s too late.This is the second book in the Red Hand Adventure series. I really enjoyed the first book, Rebels of the Kasbah and even though there is a lot going on plot-wise in Wrath of the Caid, Mr. O’Neill introduces each character and history in a great way that you can read this book as a stand-alone (but don’t because Rebels is a great book ;) ). The adventure is amazing and I love the setting of Morocco in the early 1900s. It’s cool to learn about the French involvement in Morocco and the British involvement with piracy. There are a ton of characters in this book, all the ones from the first book, plus some new ones. Each character is really developed and you get to know them very well. The publisher rates the age level at 9-12 years (or at least that’s what’s on Amazon) but because the plot switches back and forth a bunch and there is some violence in the book (more than a typical 9 years + book) I’d say this book is great for kids 12+ (my opinion). Mr. O’Neill packs a huge story in these 225 pages, but it is written so well that the reader follows along, quickly turning the pages to find out what happens next. There was one part of the story with a gypsy and another with a ghost that I thought broke the flow of the story up but that was a minor part. The bad guys in Mr. O’Neill’s story are terrifying (don’t we all want our bad guy to be really bad?) and the good guys are amazingly heroic. The ending of the book left me a bit frustrated. With all the different parts of the plot going on, none of them ended. The ending was a complete cliff-hanger (MAJOR cliffhangers) in every part of the story. Even with the slightly disappointing ending, this series has made it to my “I can’t wait for the next book” list. I think boys and girls will both like the exciting story and the great mix of characters.*NOTE I got a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Can we get up and cheer for this one? This one lives up to the first novel in the series, and brings the original characters back and expand with new and delightful characters. From Melbourne Jack the treasure hunter and the assassin known as Black Mamba to Miss Cromwell, the tyrannical headmistress at Margaret's school, O'Neill draws in new characters to round out the cast, and brings the adventure to life. This one begins where Rebels left off, as the four friends adjust to the aftermath of their escape from the Casbah. the writing is bold and maintains that "hero" feel that O'Neill created in Rebel's.This novel reminds me of the famous series written by J. K. Rowling, no...there are no wizards or broomsticks, but the battle of good versus evil continues in O'Neill's writing and you can't help but get caught up in this story, and would totally adapt to big screen. The four main characters have solid ethics and morals and put themselves in harms way to stand for what is right, in the face of danger. The evil Caid and his minion Black Mamba are an apt match to the rebels and while there is little to like about the reprehensible Caid, one does find a soft spot for Mamba, as his story unfolds and his relationship to the young Jawad develops.Another favorite in this piece, are the antics of Margaret and new found friend Alice, as they try to fit in at a school that isn't tolerant of Margaret's new found rebel heart. This friendship forms when the following occurs, and is one of many feel good moments in this novel.""Without another thought, Margaret picked up her lunch and began racing after Hillie. Her lunch consisted of warm shepherd's pie, milk and an apple crisp.Hillie was only six feet behind Alice, with her milk jug raised in the air, about to pour it on Alice's head when...Margaret dumped her entire lunch on Hillie!The shepherd's pie landed on her head and the gravy covered her whole scalp. Milk dripped down the entire front of her face and body, and the apple crisp splattered all over her perfect school uniform.There wasn't a spot anywhere above her neck that wasn't covered in gravy, chunks of lamb, apple crisp or farmer's milk. Hillie looked as if she had gone bobbing for apples in a pig trough.""This novel is brilliant, and already has this reviewer wanting the third book in the series Legends of the Rif. It has everything you'd hope for in a second novel, and carries the original story forward while developing new aspects to the adventure, to keep your interest piqued all the way to the last page.If you've read Rebel's of The Kasbah, and feel in love with this tale from 1912 Morocco, then Wrath Of The Caid is a definite must have book. O'Neill, brings to life an adventure that has the bells and whistles you'd look for in a series of this nature. He captured my interest in book one, and book two has captivated my interest even more

Book 2 is absolutely just as intriguing as the first book. It held me captive as I traveled with adventures with these characters. I appreciate the morals and the determination of the characters to do what is right. I always like when good triumphs over evil. I would recommend this to all who are over 16. Thank you for allowing me to read this.

After finishing Rebels of the Kasbah and desperately needing to find out what happens next, I dove right into Wrath of the Caid. The action-packed adventures continued at a rapid speed and took me for a wild ride! Once again, I found myself cheering for the children on their journeys and wishing for their safety. I loved the surprising encounters in this story and the inclusion of the new characters. Book three simply can not come fast enough!! I need to know what happens next!

Sometimes sequals or second books in a series are a disappointment. Not the case at all for Wrath of the Caid! This installment was equally intriguing and suspenseful as the first. I cannot wait to find out the fate of Tariq and his friends in the upcoming third book. Keep up the great work Mr. O' Neill!