Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians

by Brandon Sanderson

ISBN 9780439925525

Release Date: November 2008

Publisher: Scholastic

At ConStellation where Brandon was a Guest of Honor last night I got my hands on a copy of Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians.  I thought that I was a true Brandon Sanderson fan and had read all of his books.  Come to find out, I completely missed the release of this Gem!

Departing from his usual adult fantasy world, Brandon masterfully ventures into the world of Young Adult writing.  Personally, I am a fan of Youth Novels.  I started reading R.A. Salvatore when I was in high school and have been addicted since.  However, if Brandon started the Alcatraz series when I was a teen, R.A. would have been a footnote in my teen reading career.

As a teenager, I always thought myself slightly clumbsy.  I tripped on stairs, knocked things over and generally left a path of destruction.  Alcatraz, however, is a step above anything I could ever manage.  He breaks everything.  Seriously.  Everything.  He grabs a door handle and it falls apart.  He tries to cook food and sets the kitchen on fire.  Even with his talent for breaking things, he is still considered a hero to the people of the Free Kingdoms. 

Wait, you haven't heard of the Free Kingdoms?  You must be from the Inner Libraria.  That's OK.  I didn't know I was from Inner Libraria either.  Those darn Librarians are really good at controlling what information we have.  Suffice it to say, there's a whole world we know nothing about.  The map of the world you and I are familiar with is missing continents.  Yes.  Continents.  You might wonder how the Librarians could hide continents from all of Inner Libraria but all I know is they are sneaky devils. 

Anyways, Alcatraz is a Smedry.  All the Smedrys have amazing powers.  Alcatraz is a very powerful Smedry.  We know this because breaking things is an awe inspiring power.  It's one of the rare ones.  Also, his inheritance is also extremely powerful.  It is a great honor to get a bag of sand.  Again, if you're from Inner Libraria it probably doesn't make sense.  Trust me, as soon as you learn what the world is really like, not what the Librarians want you to think, it will be crystal clear -even if you're not wearing glasses.

In the end, I fell for Alcatraz's nefarious plot and could not put the book down.  (Darn those devious authors!)  From beginning to end it has a great pace.  I enjoy Alcatraz's narration and I can't wait to read the sequel, Alcatraz Versus the Scrivener's Bones!  Anyone looking for good clean fun will adore Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians.