Ayoh - Shop now
Add Prime to get Fast, Free delivery
Amazon prime logo
$20.00
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Wednesday, June 4 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or Prime members get FREE delivery Monday, June 2.
Arrives 13 days before Father's Day
In Stock
$$20.00 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$20.00
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
30-day refund/replacement
30-day refund/replacement
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Ian Cadena
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Nexus: Samhain (Unlocking The Nexus) Paperback – August 5, 2015

by Ian Cadena (Author)
4.6 out of 5 stars 33 ratings
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$20.00","priceAmount":20.00,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"20","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"00","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"dKR1Eq%2FpI80tmTKc2j8r3rBLjuWlCl4LEOwn2lpd%2FXR7Hy1wCq7N2OofuQKECjRkVN95GEw%2BVucj%2BHdvCjfG7jKRFbmhIab3y1KsUI6cTWDku9ONZTknKSOAqHwwyXcfUMKOoBOh9zh9W3ekyrvb4w%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

“Sometimes you read a book and by the time you reach the end, your jaw is on the floor and you cannot pick it up. This is one of those books.” --Sean Kerr (author of the Dead Camp & The Last Child series)

Welcome to Ravencrest, where the paranormal is the norm!The Nexus is the realm of magick, located between Death and the Afterlife, and has been sealed for centuries. Max Dane, an eleven-year-old boy turning twelve on Samhain, now known as Halloween, may be the only key to opening it. But maybe it should stay sealed.As if moving to a new town isn’t scary enough, Max has epileptic seizures that cause hallucinations, but his new friends try to convince him he’s having psychic visions via the Nexus. Max’s visions keep taking him back to Samhain during the middle ages, where he meets a tortured soul in the form of an eight-year-old boy named Jack. Max decides he’s going to help release Jack from his torment, even if it costs him his own sanity. His only chance at doing that is to traverse the Nexus and brave a fierce entity known as the Knightmare. And to traverse the Nexus he must explore mystical and spiritual practices like drumming, fire ceremonies, meditation and tarot, which launch him not only through the Nexus but on a journey of self-discovery that he may regret.Book 1 of 4—Autumn. This book series is set within a year span of Max’s arrival to Ravencrest, Vermont. Inspired by Celtic, Norse, and Native American mythology.
Read more
Previous slide of product details
  1. Book 1 of 2
    Unlocking The Nexus
  2. Print length
    465 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    August 5, 2015
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 1.05 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1515353826
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1515353829
Next slide of product details
"All the Little Raindrops: A Novel" by Mia Sheridan for $10.39
The chilling story of the abduction of two teenagers, their escape, and the dark secrets that, years later, bring them back to the scene of the crime. | Learn more

From the Publisher

Yggdrasil, The World Tree, The Universe

The Universe and The Nexus in Balance

Representation of The World Tree, The Universe, The Nexus, and The Material plane/Earth in balance. This is all before the Valhalla Wars.

Yggdrasil, The Wall, Valhalla, The Nexus

After the Valhalla Wars

After the Valhalla Wars the Nexus came out of shift/alignment with the Universe and the Afterlife.

Wodan, Huginn, Muninn

Wodan's Ravens

The ravens of Wodan, meaning thought and memory are able to traverse Yggdrasil and the otherworlds. Glenda now has Muninn.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Sometimes you read a book and by the time you reach the end, your jaw is on the floor and you cannot pick it up. This is one of those books." --Sean Kerr (author of the Dead Camp & The Last Child series)

About the Author

Ian Cadena started writing when he was a kid. Instead of paying attention in school he wrote out scripts to act out later with his action figures. Later, he discovered Dungeons & Dragons and as a Dungeon Master wrote out his own stories for his fellow players and gave them their own unique backgrounds and history.

He accomplished a degree in Theater and Writing. He is a Reiki Master and enthralled with all things mystic and paranormal. He possesses numerous tarot decks and has had at least one out-of-body experience... maybe two.

When he's not concocting a new story, he's brewing up some eats or drinks in his cauldron (kitchen).

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 5, 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 465 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1515353826
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1515353829
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.36 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.05 x 9 inches
  • Book 1 of 2 ‏ : ‎ Unlocking The Nexus
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 33 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Ian Cadena

Ian Cadena

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Ian Cadena started writing when he was a kid. Instead of paying attention in school he wrote out scripts to act out later with his action figures. Later, he discovered Dungeons & Dragons and as a Dungeon Master wrote out his own stories for his fellow players and gave them their own unique backgrounds and history.

He accomplished a degree in Theater and Writing. He is a Reiki Master and enthralled with all things mystic and paranormal. He possesses numerous tarot decks and has had at least one out-of-body experience... maybe two.

When he’s not concocting a new story from his secret lair, he’s brewing up some eats or drinks in his cauldron (kitchen).

Ian loves to stay in touch with his readers. Here is where you can conjure him up:

Website: iancadena.com

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
33 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find the book's story engaging, with one review highlighting its blend of religious beliefs and medieval druid themes. The characters are well-developed, and customers consider it an excellent read.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

8 customers mention "Story quality"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the story engaging, with one review highlighting how the author blends religious beliefs to create a tale, while another describes it as a perfectly structured narrative about medieval druids.

"...building and dialog to pull readers into a perfectly structured tale of medieval druids, magick, and modern denial that magick exists...." Read more

"...I'm a big fan of the Sisters Grimm. This book is myth and magick but still a story about a boys self discovery and wanting to do the right thing...." Read more

"...This book is an adventure that explores the paranormal, spiritual and inner workings of the human psyche...." Read more

"great book and I also have the audio too I was very interested in this story...." Read more

4 customers mention "Character development"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book.

"...Ian has used discriptions, character building and dialog to pull readers into a perfectly structured tale of medieval druids, magick, and modern..." Read more

"...Well developed characters draw you in to their world; even if you do love hate some of them. I can't wait for book two!!!" Read more

"...The fantasy novel includes charismatic characters with a touch of history, and a thrilling surprising twist...." Read more

"...resulting in such an entertaining story with a varied and likable cast of characters...." Read more

3 customers mention "Readability"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book to be an excellent read.

"...Cadena a while to write this novel but the results were definitely worth the time ...." Read more

"great book and I also have the audio too I was very interested in this story...." Read more

"This book was an excellent read...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Cait Perez
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wow
    Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    It may have taken Ian Cadena a while to write this novel but the results were definitely worth the time .

    It took me a bit to read this book, and every page was a fantastic journey through space, time, and dimensions.

    Ian has used discriptions, character building and dialog to pull readers into a perfectly structured tale of medieval druids, magick, and modern denial that magick exists.

    Relationships are built, others destroyed, but I am confident that the questions I ended with will be mastrrfully answered in the next tome.

    Well done, Ian. I will wait with bated breath!
    5 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Jodie Campbell
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Nexus: Samhain
    Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I loved this book! I read a lot and Ian Cadena is a quite a writer. He is definitely on my radar now. It's a great story with a lot of twists along the way. Max and all of the characters in this book are so well developed you feel you know them. I'm a big fan of the Sisters Grimm. This book is myth and magick but still a story about a boys self discovery and wanting to do the right thing. You can tell a lot of research went into this. I learned a few things along the way and definitely wanted more at the end. I understand this is a series of four books and I am so ready for the next. It was very much a surprise at the end to find out who Jack is!! Write fast please. I want more!
    4 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Phil T.
    5.0 out of 5 stars How do you know you're crazy?
    Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Max Dane, who turns 12 in a few short weeks on Halloween, wants to know. His divorcee mother and baby sister just moved to an eccentric New England town. This book is an adventure that explores the paranormal, spiritual and inner workings of the human psyche. The reader is launched into a world where spiritual beliefs of folklore,myth and ancient culture become the mundane. From page one you feel an urgency that builds and twists to the end. Well developed characters draw you in to their world; even if you do love hate some of them. I can't wait for book two!!!
    5 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Cathy Casey
    5.0 out of 5 stars great book and I also have the audio too I ...
    Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    great book and I also have the audio too I was very interested in this story. it was fun to listen to as I read it.. a great idea about halloween and King Arthur ( Mac) . There is a lot to keep you interested in this story it has witches , monsters( nightmare monster) , time traveling too. Please enjoy reading this book!!!
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Don Stevens
    5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting new thriller fantasy series!
    Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    The author has created a rich coming-of-age story with two worlds and time spans that connect. The fantasy novel includes charismatic characters with a touch of history, and a thrilling surprising twist. I look forward to reading the next in the series. Bravo!
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Reggie
    5.0 out of 5 stars I read this book and quickly fell in love with it.
    Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I read this book and quickly fell in love with it. Mr. Cadena did his historical research and blended religious beliefs to create a story that allows the reader to take a journey for excitement and self discovery through the eyes of Max Dane.

    Max moves to a new town and soon discovers his "sickness" is not as he thought causing him unexpected events. Max and his friends band together to solve the mystery as well as make things right.

    I am looking forward to continue Max's story and to read more of whatever Mr. Cadena has to offer.
    3 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Warren S.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book!
    Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    This book was an excellent read. Mr. Cadena blends the past and present with the mystical and reality smoothly resulting in such an entertaining story with a varied and likable cast of characters. I too can't wait to read more of Max's adventures as he comes into his own. Awaiting The Yule King!
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Midwestbonsai
    2.0 out of 5 stars there are intriguing ideas in the novel
    Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2016
    Warning: Contains graphic sexual descriptions and pedophilia references which may offend certain readers.

    Max is a deeply troubled 11 year-old.  His parents are in the middle of nasty divorce and it’s his fault.   He knows this, because his mother keeps reminding him.  Max also knows things about people whether they tell him or not, plus he sees ghosts, witches, and visits the dead.  Add to this a new school, an angry bully, a local murder, and a lot of confused adults and Max is clearly over his head.

    Samhain (pronounced sow-win) is a Gaelic festival celebrating the end of harvest season and the beginning of winter.  It coincides with Halloween and Day of the Dead, a time where the veil between life and death is thinnest, and if one knows the proper rituals, can traverse these worlds.  Max has unwitting crossed over and discovered a tortured soul, a young boy whose head was severed in a magical ritual and cannot rest until his tormentor is brought to justice.

    Another plot weaves through Max’s time as the listener is brought back to an ancient age of knights, sorcery and a headless horseman of incredible power.  In Max’s own time, there is also an unsolved murder, a small town power struggle, an abusive swim coach, an untrustworthy psychologist, incompetent FBI agents, Halloween loving Native Americans, Knights who don’t know what a crucifix is, and much more.

    There are enough plots and subplots to keep the listener guessing (and possibly confused) throughout the story.  Characters come in and out of the story, from the different times and subplots, and can be quite difficult to follow.  Perhaps this would be different if reading the story rather than listening to it as an audiobook.

    The story is read by the author.  He has a pleasant enough voice, but reads in a staccato fashion which is highly distracting.  Many of his character voices are inconsistent and his accents don’t match what is told to the listener in the story (French, English, Native American, etc.).

    The Nexus: Samhain, because of its young main character should probably be considered a young adult novel, but the intense homosexual innuendos, borderline graphic rape/sex scenes and pedophilia references might narrow that audience.  Though there are intriguing ideas in the novel, humorous interludes, and courageous explorations of prepubescent sexual ideas, the confusing interwoven plots and distracting narration make it difficult to recommend.  At the end of the novel, the listener is left without any resolution to the story.  This is the first volume in a series of unknown length and as of this writing, an audio sequel is not available.

    Audiobook was provided for review by the author.

    Please find this complete review and many others at my review blog

    [...]
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • Love2Read
    5.0 out of 5 stars A fantasy masterpiece of a very gifted author!
    Reviewed in Germany on November 20, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    This book was one big challenge for me and I don’t just talk about its 470 pages, groan. Sometimes I have trouble to read books with 200 pages in a reasonable time, but almost 500 pages would be the death of me, so smart as I sometimes am I decided to also get the audio version of the book with it.

    As I started this book I wasn’t sure what to expect, knowing other books of the author which are more to the funny side of fantasy life. It didn’t take to long for me to get into the story, whereas I had to accustom first to the back and forth switching between the then and now. While disturbing a bit for me at first it had been pretty clear after a while that; to understand the present, you must first understand the past. I fell in love with Max pretty quickly, and my heart was bleeding for him on so many levels. I think I never was reading a book before where I would have wrapped the main character in cotton wool and commit a murder without blinking an eye. At almost 12 years old, Max is used to be left alone to deal with his nightmares, “seizures and hallucinations”. After moving to Ravencrest and finding friends like Jonas, Cassandra and not to forget Chance it seems like things are getting different, or not… As if it wouldn’t be enough to deal with psycho babbles and an uncaring mother, there is Derek who also makes life difficult for him on a daily base.

    I really enjoyed the parts where Max had been allowed just to be the typical 12 year old boy, with not much care in the world, while hanging out with his friends in the CONUNDRUM Café, carving pumpkins, or being close to his first crush Chance. Even though the book was more on the serious side, there also had been some parts that made me chuckle or even laugh out loud. I just loved the Sisters Grimm and absolutely could see them starring in Ian Cadena’s Hard Boy series and am sure that would be hilarious. The only thing I really hated was the last two chapters and epilogue, but it wouldn’t be a series if it wouldn’t stop with a very heart stopping cliffhanger.

    Altogether I think this book was a Masterpiece! I could tell that there was a lot of research done for this book and after reading it I’m more convinced than ever about the authors writing skills. I’m just happy that I waited so long for to read it, because now I hopefully won’t have to wait long for the sequel to come out. As for the audio book; I switched back and forth between reading and listening to the book. I was more than happy to learn that Mr. Cadena himself spoke the book on audio, first of because I think there is no better way/person to bring out the emotions of a book like the writer himself and second because I always like to have a voice to the face. Speaking of, I really liked the voice and its slang very much, though for some words I had to double check while reading. One English is not like another and being more used to the Canadian English some words had been a whole new experience for me.
    One person found this helpful
     Report
  • Fay's MM Reads
    4.0 out of 5 stars Definitely worth the read.
    Reviewed in Australia on January 15, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Mr Cadena is one hell of a writer with a fantastic imagination. This kept me reading right from the start of the book with Max waking up from a bizarre dream. Its definitely not my usual read but it was so worth picking it up. Max is on the verge of his12th birthday what happens next is a complete adventure. A great book for your libraries.
    One person found this helpful
     Report
  • Sean Kerr
    5.0 out of 5 stars A stunning work of literature that will leave you breathless
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 9, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Sometimes you read a book and by the time you reach the end, your jaw is on the floor and you cannot pick it up. This is one of those books.

    Max Dane is a perfectly rounded, perfectly realized character. Here is a boy on the verge of becoming a teenager who has to deal with his emerging sexuality, not to mention his extraordinary paranormal abilities. I loved Max, and the scenes where he is in the Conundrum cafe with Cassandra and Jonas bring every page to life. But, it is his relationship with swimming stud Chance that feels so very real. So many of us have been through what Max experiences and sometimes it is painful to read. The familial rejection, the bullying, the horror of school, the feeling of having no worth, it is there on the page for you to see in all its agonizing glory, and boy, did I feel it. I felt every moment of it. Seldom have I read a character in a book of this nature that I so completely identify with, and he is written so beautifully.

    Ravencrest is a deadly place. The story expertly shifts between this paranormal haven and the middle ages where we first meet the three witches, the Sisters Grimm. Oh how I love these witches! A cross between the witches of Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Golden Girls, the three sisters are a joy on paper and their sparkling repertoire leaps off the page. Then, there is the Knightmare, the glowing green Knight from the distant past who gives Max such a difficult time in the present. All I can say is, that by the time I reached the end, and all the dots were joined, I could only sit back with my mouth agape and marvel at the author's genius, and the guts it took to tell this incredible story.

    I cannot even begin to get my head around all the research the author undertook to create this complex tapestry of beautiful words, because that is what this is. It is a stunning, complex, intelligent work of literature that needs to be read and needs to sit on your shelf. I wait with baited breath for the next book, so cleverly named in the last line of this novel, and I know that when all of these books are out that I will be reading them again from start to finish, non stop. The author has created a startling new mythology here, superbly interwoven with superstition and legend that left me breathless.

    Oh, and if you look real closely, there are links here to the authors other works, and a certain film about UFO's that made me laugh out loud!!! There are not enough stars in this universe, or the Nexus, to adequately rate this stunning book. Read it. Marvel at the use of language. Love these amazing characters. But most of all, tip your hat to a masterful story teller at the top of his game.
    One person found this helpful
     Report
  • Julie
    5.0 out of 5 stars A truly magical tale.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 11, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    From the first word to the last you are encapsulated into a whirlwind tale of magick, witches, knights an eleven year old boy. Max Dane is an endearing character that you cannot help but want to follow him on his journey. The other characters are also well written into the story and come alive in their own right. This book made me cry, laugh and sent shivers down my back. The author keeps the story going and never slows down making it hard to put the book down. When l got to the end it was too soon and wanted the story to continue. Cannot wait for the 2nd book! I highly recommend reading this book. A very worthy 5 stars.
    One person found this helpful
     Report
  • mrs stone
    4.0 out of 5 stars Halloween with Arthurian legend!!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 13, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    It took a while to get the gist of the writing style and the back and forth of the characters in play.
    There are many POV points in this book but the story was good if as I say confusing at times.
    I'd like to know what's going to happen to poor Max bring on the next book.
    Report