Reviewed by Cheryl Schopen for Readers' Favorite

The Tree That Grew Through Iron is the start of an adventurous journey by McKenzie Austin. We are introduced to the legendary Captain Kazuaki Hidataka, the fearless leader of a crew of outcasts with their own haunting pasts. We also get to know Nicholai Addihein, one of eight Time Fathers, who rules the Southeastern division of Panagea. Nicholai finds himself in quite the predicament when he commits an act of treason and soon joins forces with unlikely allies. Will Nicholai find the answers he is looking for? Will he be able to save Panagea from eventual doom? And how will Kazuaki’s band of criminals aid in this fight?

What a fantastic, unexpected ride this was! The whole time I was reading it, I thought about what an amazing movie this could be. I was hooked from the very first page. Every member of the ship’s crew felt like family; I didn’t want to end this book and let any of them go. Even though society may look at them as nothing more than thieves and murderers, their loyalty to each other and to their captain is incomparable. And the plot was just uniquely unlike anything I have read. It was unpredictable and exciting, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I have spent the last few nights awake and eager to find out what would happen next. The Tree That Grew Through Iron, with elements of the science fiction, fantasy, steampunk, and dystopian genres, has it all; it was action-packed, suspenseful, and mysterious, it even had a little romance, and it will pierce your soul. This is an epic story that will leave you wanting more. As I was nearing the end, I had trouble finishing the book because I couldn’t face the conclusion of a world I was so engrossed in. Then I remembered this is only the first book in the series, and I practically jumped for joy. There are no words to express how happy I am to continue on this journey with my new favorite fictional people.