The Ancillary's Mark

This is truly something!

Be careful when buying this book. I let my wife borrow it and she's literally unable to stop reading it until it's finished. This is exactly what happened to me after I bought it. A very very entertaining, nonstop adventure. However, I want my wife back!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

You Must READ THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!

This book gets you hooked from the start; once your in your hooked. From the moment the journey begins you never want it to end. Its a bittersweet book, you want to know what happens but hate when there is nothing left. An instant classic!!!!

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Interesting and Surprisingly Funny - A Book for Anyone and Everyone

To start, Jacob Deer is possibly the most endearing character I have ever read. He's full of quirks and eccentricities that make him weird to most, but he's really just a young man who is trying to be happy. He doesn't conform to everyday behavior, instead, he marches to the beat of his own drum; or better yet, he's the drummer.

Daniel Cohen has created this fantastic journey for Jacob, the gorgeous Sophia, and bodyguard Diego. The three of them travel across the world to Tibet on belief alone (Diego doesn't believe, but he's raking in the big bucks by going). Their search for the Ancillary flower is both thrilling - Cohen changes perspective every few chapters, so I was on the edge of my seat, waiting to get back to these three, or Mr. Maddock (Sophia's grandpa/librarian), or bad guy Marrow - and the search is hilarious. Cohen keeps the mood light the whole way through with Jacob's insistent 'humor in every situation' nature and with Tibetan boy Clark (who worships Superman).

The setting becomes a character itself with Cohen's vivid descriptions - I could almost feel the mud squishing underneath my feet and the power rustling through the air. Cohen takes his characters on quite the adventure and it was great to see the development. Some go from non-believers to believers, others crack open their shells so we can see their real selves, and then there's Jacob, who never wavers despite all the trouble he encounters.

My only issues with the book are the overuse of ellipses and the somewhat corny ending. I get how the ending comes to fruition, but it kind of reminds me of the ending to Harry Potter. It's sweet, but corny nonetheless. Aside from that, I loved everything about the book.

The Ancillary's Mark is a great book for anyone and everyone because it doesn't rely on one factor to draw readers in. It's interesting because of the story, but mostly because of the characters. For those of you seeking a good thrill, this is the one for you. I was captivated from the first sentence and surprised by every twist. If you have the chance, be sure to pick this one up.

Opening line: There was no conclusion, just a feeling of finality. ~ pg. 5

Favorite lines: The doctor told his mother that it was a painless death, but the doctor was a liar.
The pain never went away. ~ pg. 12

And this one:

Diego removed his fingers from the earth. "Souls come in different sizes?"
"Of course. Haven't you felt yours growing?" ~ pg. 118

4.5 - Fantastic doesn't do it justice

Great Adventure!

This book had me at colored-coded bookmarks. I knew from right then that Jacob Deer and I are kindred spirits. Jacob Deer is like your average teen. He likes to read, loves animals, and is the 'chosen one'. Actually he's nothing like your average teen. After all his best friend is an elderly librarian, Mr. Maddock. Mr. Maddock has been keeping secrets, the most important secret is that Jacob is the key to a mythical flower that is said to illuminate the potential in all that it reaches. Mr Maddock sends Jacob, his granddaughter Sophia, and military trained Diego, in search of this flower. The adventure begins here because they are not the only ones looking for this flower. They travel to Tibet with a crazy pilot named Rosie. The characters are great each in their own way. Even the evil characters are great. My favorite character, besides my kindred spirit Jacob, is Clark. Clark is a comic book loving genius. I loved the story line. It was adventurous, humorous, and exciting to the very end. It has a few twists and turns that keep you guessing. I really enjoyed this book.

A great read!

This book is a great and entertaining read. It reminded me of the movie The Librarian, where ancient stories come to life. I really enjoyed the whole researching and searching for the flower. What I mostly loved was watching Jacob become who he was meant to be and fulfill his destiny.


This book was one that I enjoyed because of the whole researching and following along. I just love to figure out clues and the mysteries of the story. Plus the story about the blue flower and the sun was really intriguing.

The adventure of traveling from place to place was one that took me on a great ride.


My only grip was the fact that things weren't fully explain well. I had some trouble putting pieces together. I had to re-read some parts and then come back to what I was reading. The MC Jacob was one adored heartily. He was sweet and kind and just blubbered on when he was nervous. He made me laugh frequently over his dorkiness. Sofia was a nice touch for him. Although she seemed a little mean in the beginning, she certainly did warm up to Jacob and his dorky ways.


The ending was good. I like how Jacob was able to figure out everything on his own. The epilogue was one that I like and to see his success was fulfilling.

This book changed my life

I think it's fair to say without hyperbole that this book is why Guttenberg invented his printing press, why Amazon made the kindle, and why George Washington Carver loved peanuts so much.

Before I read this book, I was a Scrooge-esque miser, content with counting my piles of money and kicking homeless people for sport. One lonely Thanksgiving night I was awakened by the ghost of my childhood sled and presented with The Ancillary's Mark. I spent the next four days and nights reading and re-reading this masterpiece nonstop. I'm happy to say that I have now given up my evil ways and currently reside in a monastery, having devoted myself to the well-being of others. Bravo, Mr. Cohen. Bravo.

All kidding aside, this is a very entertaining book, delightfully written by a newcomer. It has a sense of humor and heart that are rare to find in works of more profilic authors. I look forward to reading more of Daniel A. Cohen in the future.

Absolutely riveting

While reading this book i found myself aching to pick it back up every time i had to put it down. The characters, storyline, and writing style were absolutely smashing. My only question is WHEN IS THE NEXT MASTERPIECE!!

An intensive page-turner

This novel has given me a reason to live: my adventurist spirit has been kindled and I must go to the nether regions of this world to help acculturate those who do not understand the lessons that this story has bestowed upon me.
A must read for those in search of an adolescent truth!

JAI HO(LD) UP WE HAVE A CLASSIC!!!!

This is a MUST READ. Me and Shaleem Bet, another fan of this book, are in love with this novel. Cohen seems to have made a book that fulfills our every last need of a wery good read. I hope that there are warious wolumes of this novel and more to come from Mr. Cohen. Keep em coming Dan!!!

0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

COGNITIVE EUPHORIA!!!!!

Two Words : PU LIZTER. Me along with my friend Cletus cannot stop reading this. This will take you through an emotional rollercoaster. A Six Flags of the human mind. Mr. Cohen manages to engage the reader and create empathy towards the characters throughout the novel. If you are looking for some holiday goodness, this is the perfect present for someone or yourself.

0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

MOVE OVER CHARLES DICKENS

This young author out of Binghamton, NY has given the world one of the best books of the year. I had never heard of him and was randomly browsing books at my local book store yesterday when I came across this book. I have not put it down since. The story is imaginative and whimsical, yet manages to be relatable for readers of almost any age. Young Cohen writes in a style that far surpasses his years, in a way that makes William Shakespeare look like a mentally handicapped schoolchild. I cannot wait for Cohen's next book, and you can expect to see me at the front of the line when it comes out.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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