ALA Booklist

Sands in the magical hourglass tick down to the hatching of the last Great Orm egg, while Septimus Heap and his ExtraOrdinary Apprentice, Alice "Tod" TodHunter Moon, seek to ruin sorcerer Oraton-Marr's nefarious plan for the orm hatchling. A long list of returning characters and complex plotlines dance on the pages of this sequel to PathFinder (2014), second in the TodHunter Moon trilogy. This exciting and accessible adventure tale rests solidly on Sage's appreciable skills as a story spinner and is supported by Zug's chapter-opening illustrations (final art not seen). Another great read-aloud choice for the young set and a delight for all ages.

Horn Book (Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2016)

Tod, wizard Septimus Heap's apprentice, needs to find sorcerer Oraton-Marr to stop him from gaining mass magical powers. But when the only clue runs away, Tod must choose between staying safe or risking her and her friends' lives. Once again, the number of cameos bogs down the plot, but Septimus Heap fans will enjoy the escapades and adventure in this second spinoff.

School Library Journal (Sat Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2015)

Gr 4-6 In this second series installment, Kaznim, a child of the singing sands, just wants her tortoise back. She knows that awful Egg Boy, who is watching the Orm egg for dastardly Oraton-Marr, has something to do with Ptolemy's disappearance. When she finally finds Ptolemy in the pit, she knows it is dangerous, but can't help herself from trying to rescue her beloved pet. She tumbles down and would have drowned in the sand had four hands not pulled her out of the sand fall. This chance encounter with Marwick and Sam brings Kaznim into Tod's world of the pathways and the Wizard Tower. Both girls want the same thingfor the Orm egg to hatch safely, but they want it for reasons as different as night and day. Can Kaznim and Tod trust each other? Told in 12 parts in short chapters, this adventurous romp will have readers turning the pages quickly. Zug's signature illustrations give the characters and settings life and add zest to the story. Tod is growing into her role as Apprentice, and Sage is giving her a depth that is fitting a life torn between loyalties. VERDICT A solid series entry for fans of the first book. Stacy Dillon, LREI, New York City