The Adventurers Guild

September 15, 2018
Now that the Adventurers Guild has saved Freestone in an epic battle in the series' eponymous first installment (2017), new dangers lurk that are now not necessarily beyond the city's walls.Told in chapters of alternating third-person narration through the perspectives of the book's heroes, Zed and Brock, the new adventure begins when the guild accepts the charge of elf queen Me'Shala to save the city of Llethanyl. After accidentally tapping into his elven powers in the previous book, Zed, now a full member of the Adventurers Guild, must come to terms with his half-elven, half-human origins as he feels increasing kinship with the elf refugees sheltering in Freestone. Meanwhile, his all-human best friend, Brock, is being blackmailed by the nefarious Lady Gray of the Merchants Guild to act as a spy within the Adventurers Guild. As the guild sets off on their mission to save Llethanyl, hidden dangers among them are revealed followed by the discovery of a lost city of druids. This second installment lacks the sprightly pacing, humor, and energy of the first, offering a slow build laced with lots of heavy dialogue and revelatory moments that don't serve the overall story. The kid characters feel more like adults than the free-spirited youth introduced in the last installment. Too much backstory and too many characters who lack succinct focus make the story hard to follow at times. Zed has brown skin, and Brock presents white.A second story that lacks steam. (Fantasy. 10-14)

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September 11, 2017
Centuries after the rest of the world fell to monsters, Freestone is one of few cities left standing, “points of light in the darkness.” Its first line of defense is the Adventurers Guild, a group of volunteer soldiers and conscripts from the city’s other guilds. When half-elven would-be wizard Zed is unexpectedly drafted into the Adventurers Guild, his brash friend Brock follows along to keep him safe, joined by noble-born Liza and Jett, a dwarf. The recruits’ initiation into the guild nearly kills them, and that’s just the beginning of their troubles: they soon learn that the magical wards that protect Freestone are failing and must be restored, leading to a perilous journey into monster-infested lands. Hazards, betrayals, and quick-witted banter abound in this gripping series opener (“Dangers will not pause to respect your comic timing,” wisecracking Brock is scolded during training). Clark and Eliopulos weave a thread of post-apocalyptic adventure into a classic questing saga, replete with spells, enchanted weaponry, and mythological beings—elves, kobolds, gelatinous goo, and more. Ages 8–12. Agent: (for Clark) Ammi-Joan Paquette, Erin Murphy Literary; (for Eliopulos) Josh Adams, Adams Literary.

January 1, 2019
Half-elf Zed, his human friend Brock, and their fellow guild apprentices are hired by the elf queen to reclaim her ancestral city from an undead sorcerer and his legions. Meanwhile, Zed and Brock's friendship is tested as both boys struggle to keep devastating secrets from each other. Compelling characters, stirring action, creepy enemies, and shocking twists will leave readers eager for the next volume.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)