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October 8, 2008

Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians


The two covers are an interesting choice. That's the hardback on the left and the paperback on the right. I don't have a particular favorite, just wonder why.
It is a great, fun romp of a book. Somewhere between A Series of Unfortunate Events and the Percy Jackson series. I had to have it, working on becoming an Evil Librarian and all.
One of the best parts are the narrator's snarky asides and satires of fantasy series tropes. The big laugh-out-loud joke came for me at the very end when, after the nutty events of the book the narrators wizened old grandfather drops him off back at his foster parents home, telling him to spend some time with them. A few hours later, the boy hears a rap at the window and there's grandpa asking is he's packed and ready to go. The boy is at a loss, figuring "some time" meant longer than a couple of hours.
"What did you expect? That I'd leave you here all summer, in the exact place where your enemies know where to look? With people that aren't even your family? In a place you don't really like, and that is depressingly normal compared to the world you've grown to love? Doesn't that sound a little stupid and contrived to you?"
Now that you mention it...