School Library Journal
Gr 5-9
Alcatraz Smedry is back, and the action is just as nonstop, the librarians are just as evil, and the quips and asides (and outright lies) that the author insists on inflicting upon readers are just as omnipresent. Fortunately for the fans of Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians (Scholastic, 2007), these are all good things. On the run from a Scrivener's Bone, a half-human, half-machine assassin that has been sent to retrieve the Translator's Lenses that Alcatraz stole in the first book, the boy receives word that his father is in mortal danger in the Library of Alexandria. He and a crew of quirky relatives with odd but very useful Talents mount a daring and completely ludicrous rescue. Though some readers may find the author's non sequiturs and frequent interruptions in the narrative off-putting, those who enjoy their fantasy with a healthy dose of slapstick humor will be delighted. Give this novel to fans of Eoin Colfer's "Artemis Fowl" (Hyperion/Miramax) and Catherine Jinks's Cadel Piggott in Evil Genius (Harcourt, 2007). They will appreciate Sanderson's cheerful sarcastic wit and none-too-subtle digs at librarians.-Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage Public Library, AK
School Library Journal - Audio
Gr 5–9—Alcatraz Smedry is back for another action-packed adventure in the second book (Scholastic, 2008) in the series by Brandon Sanderson. In this installment, he's joined by a cast of characters both new and old and they are joining forces to rescue his grandfather and the father he always thought was dead from the Library of Alexandria. They must deal with the soul-sucking keepers of the library and a dangerous "Scriveners Bone" who is out to destroy Alacatraz and his whole family. Once again, Ramon de Ocampo is able to keep the right balance between clueless and annoying in his vocalization of Alcatraz. The boy still has the habit of breaking off from telling the story to make random comments, many bordering on the overly absurd. Listeners, especially those who have not been introduced to Alcatraz before, may lose patience with this personality quirk. Alcatraz also launches into long "lessons" he hopes listeners will take from the book, and this becomes tiresome. However, the narrator's channeling of the character and his ability to convey the many detailed landscapes that Alcatraz enters as he moves through the library makes this a rousing tale that will especially please fans of the first volume.—Shari Fesko, Southfield Public Library, MI
