Hey, guys! The last Alcatraz vs. The Evil Librarians book has finally come out. (If you haven't read the series, click here.) I read the previous four book in sixth grade. That was six years ago! On top of the insanely long wait time, the four book ended on a cliff hanger. I have been wondering about how this children's series would end for years and, in the meantime, built my expectations too high. The series is still wonderful, quirky, and fun, but it did not meet my unrealistically high expectations.
The Cover:
The Cover:
I hate the new covers. Sometime in the period between book four and book five, the series changed publishers. The new publishers decided to give them all new covers, all of which are like this one. It is just terribly designed. Half of the images in the cover do not even relate to this book, and it looks incredibly corny. I was trying to read it on a plane and kept it flat the entire time, as it embarrassed me. F cover
The Cover:
The Cover:
I hate the new covers. Sometime in the period between book four and book five, the series changed publishers. The new publishers decided to give them all new covers, all of which are like this one. It is just terribly designed. Half of the images in the cover do not even relate to this book, and it looks incredibly corny. I was trying to read it on a plane and kept it flat the entire time, as it embarrassed me. F cover
Official Description:
Alcatraz Smedry has successfully defeated the army of Evil Librarians and saved the kingdom of Mokia. Too bad he managed to break the Smedry Talents in the process. Even worse, his father is trying to enact a scheme that could ruin the world, and his friend, Bastille, is in a coma. To revive her, Alcatraz must infiltrate the Highbrary–known as The Library of Congress to Hushlanders–the seat of Evil Librarian power. Without his Talent to draw upon, can Alcatraz figure out a way to save Bastille and defeat the Evil Librarians once and for all?
My Review:
This latest Alcatraz book had everything that I've learned to love about this series. It's bizarre sense of humor and flawed/relatable characters.
The plot was fast-paced and the book only 300 pages, so it is a quick read. As the characters plan their overthrown of the Library headquarters, the action gets more intense. One of the things about this series is that while the majority of the scenes are of the action and adventure variety, there is an element of silliness. The Dark Talent doesn't take itself seriously, which is what makes this series so enjoyable.
The characters remained great. One of my favorite characters wasn't really in this book (Spoiler: Bastille was in a coma for 95% of The Dark Talent), but the other characters were enjoyable. I always love Alcatraz's self-deprecating remarks throughout the story, and this book was no different.
My only problem with this series was the ending. Everything happened at once, and it felt incredibly rushed. Also, the conclusion to the continued cliff hanger (the altar of encyclopedias) was a bit disappointing. It is slightly redeemed by a fold-out note at the very end of the book, which I won't spoil, but that note is the true ending.
The Dark Talent was a mixed bag. I think I would have enjoyed it much more if I had read it a few years ago, but it was still fun to read. The ending was a bit disappointing, but the note makes it much better. I'd recommend reading The Dark Talent if you enjoyed the other Alcatraz books, and I'd recommend the entire series if you have not.
The plot was fast-paced and the book only 300 pages, so it is a quick read. As the characters plan their overthrown of the Library headquarters, the action gets more intense. One of the things about this series is that while the majority of the scenes are of the action and adventure variety, there is an element of silliness. The Dark Talent doesn't take itself seriously, which is what makes this series so enjoyable.
The characters remained great. One of my favorite characters wasn't really in this book (Spoiler: Bastille was in a coma for 95% of The Dark Talent), but the other characters were enjoyable. I always love Alcatraz's self-deprecating remarks throughout the story, and this book was no different.
My only problem with this series was the ending. Everything happened at once, and it felt incredibly rushed. Also, the conclusion to the continued cliff hanger (the altar of encyclopedias) was a bit disappointing. It is slightly redeemed by a fold-out note at the very end of the book, which I won't spoil, but that note is the true ending.
The Dark Talent was a mixed bag. I think I would have enjoyed it much more if I had read it a few years ago, but it was still fun to read. The ending was a bit disappointing, but the note makes it much better. I'd recommend reading The Dark Talent if you enjoyed the other Alcatraz books, and I'd recommend the entire series if you have not.
Phrase:
An altar of encyclopedias
If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
A World Without Heroes
Five Kingdoms series
If you're looking for a good book, check out my Suggestions Page!
Happy Reading!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BookshelfSecret
An altar of encyclopedias
If You Liked This Book, You May Also Like:
A World Without Heroes
Five Kingdoms series
If you're looking for a good book, check out my Suggestions Page!
Happy Reading!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BookshelfSecret
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