Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians is the first adventure in a fantasy series for young readers by the #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson. The fast-paced and funny series is now available in deluxe hardcover editions illustrated by Hayley Lazo. On his thirteenth birthday, foster child Alcatraz Smedry gets a bag of sand in the mail-his only inheritance from his father and … from his father and mother. He soon learns that this is no ordinary bag of sand. It is quickly stolen by the cult of evil Librarians who are taking over the world by spreading misinformation and suppressing truth. Alcatraz must stop them, using the only weapon he has: an incredible talent for breaking things.
“In this original, hysterical homage to fantasy literature, Sanderson’s first novel for youth recalls the best in Artemis Fowl and A Series of Unfortunate Events.” –VOYA
At the Publisher’s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
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On his thirteenth birthday, Alcatraz gets a package from his long dead parents – sand. But that’s not the strangest thing as his life takes some wild and crazy turns in this alternative reality book for kids. And it’s a wild ride of laughs and adventure. I loved every minute of it and can’t wait to read more.
This is a series that I can’t help but read, despite the fact that the writing drives me NUTS. Perfect for young adults bridging over to Adult Fiction. My son and husband love the series and Brandon Sanderson is an INCREDIBLE writer for both young adults and adults. Each of the characters has some goofy super power that ALWAYS proves to be perfect for the situations they find themselves in. Highly recommend for beginning sci-fi fantasy readers.
I’m pretty sure Sanderson is actually a robot. How else could he put out so much material that is all at least good, but usually better? Alcatraz Vs the Evil Librarians is a heck of a lot of fun from start to finish. There’s so many little things in the books to keep you guessing and highly entertained. It’s rare for a book to make me laugh out loud, and I did so, several times while reading (especially the Author’s Page…srsly, don’t skip it).
If I we’re still teaching middle schoolers, several copies of Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians would be on my classroom library shelf. Let me qualify that statement. They wouldn’t spend much time on the shelf because this is just the kind of action-packed, slightly-twisted-humor-filled, fun narrative that gets passed from one young reader to the next.
If you are the type of person who takes yourself seriously, the type of person who likes things to progress in a calm, logical manner, who hates being lied to, and prefers sheets of paper that don’t get up and walk around the room like hulking monsters, this is NOT the book for you.
If, on the other hand, you are someone who doesn’t need the ending to match the beginning of a story, someone willing to believe in talking dinosaurs and hidden continents, you just might enjoy this book.
In some ways, Alcatraz vs The Evil Librarians is a book of writing advice. (Or maybe I’ve just spent too much time at lectures lately) The beginning of each chapter — with the exception of one, for which the author apologizes later — is an interjection from the author (the narrator writing from some point in the future). He brings attention to the writing mechanics he is using to manipulate his readers. Things like a powerful hook at the beginning, cliffhangers at the end of each chapter, character flaws and growth, etc. These are all wrapped in the author’s voice, humorous and callous. He also talks about why it is important to frustrate readers, and how authors love to torture people and use books to avoid pesky things like getting arrested for murder.
There are two reasons I gave this book 4 rather than 5 stars. The first is that, while I don’t mind being manipulated by an author for effect, I am not a fan of outright lies. The second is due to the fact that it gave me something akin to a stomach ache. Let me explain: I have a serious sweet-tooth. In fact, I ate two whole slices of cheesecake before bed last night. But there are some desserts that are so rich, even I will start to feel ill if I try to tackle them all in one sitting.
I love humor, and this book has that in spades. However, especially at the beginning of the story, the humor is packed in so tightly that it became overwhelming and I had to set the book aside for a while. Therefore, I believe this book is best enjoyed in small portions, possibly accompanied by seltzer water.
As for recommendations, I think people who enjoyed Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events would probably like this book — though this is coming from a librarian who, as I understand it, only recommend “important” books about boys whose dogs or mothers die, so you’ll have to take it with a grain of salt.
Sanderson hits another home run with the Alcatraz series.