Twilight of the Elves by Clark and Eliopulos - ADVISABLE

Twilight of the Elves (Adventurer’s Guild #2) by Zack Loran Clark and Nick Eliopulos, 384 pages.  Disney, NOVEMBER 2018.  $17  

Language: G; Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (lots of fighting undead creatures)

EL, MS – ADVISABLE

After the elves fled the evil necromancer who raised their dead and destroyed their city, they have uneasily settled into the former marketplace in Freestone.  Zed, Brock, and the others have saved Freestone once, now the elves want them to save Llethanyl, too.  But things are more complicated now that they aren’t just trying to find their place within the Adventurer’s Guild.  Zed and Brock are both keeping dark secrets from each other. These secrets may not only destroy their friendship, but also the world.  The journey to Llethanyl will be filled with danger, but between grit, luck, and skill, the Adventurer’s may have a chance.

Kids who have read the first book will enjoy this one just as much.  The action alone will keep young readers coming back for more.  The author pair has a good chance to become as beloved as Brandon Mull.  In the future, however, I think they need to spare a little time for more character development – while there is a bit, it is pretty shallow.  They also need to stop setting up the next book at the end of the last one.  If the writing is strong enough, you don’t need to shove your story arc in your readers’ faces.  They will come back for more because you gave them a strong, complete story to love. Rant over.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian