People have asked me what is the hardest part about writing book reviews and it’s an easy answer … reviewing perfectly average books. Books that are outstanding and books that are terrible are easy to review because you can go in-depth on why you think they are outstanding or terrible. But there is almost nothing to say about a book that is incredibly average.
This is just such a book.
Zed and Brock are friends. Both are coming of age and their futures will be determined soon as they learn where they are to be accepted to study and train. Brock hopes to be a part of the Merchant’s Guild while Zed is wanting to join the Mages Guild. Instead, however, they are both enlisted into the Adventurers Guild – a dangerous guild lead by the eccentric and frightening Alabasel Frond. As Guild members, they are the last defense their community has against beasts from another dimension, which is difficult in itself. But Brock and Zed discover a plot to undermine all of Freestone (their community).
There’s nothing ‘wrong’ with this book. It’s sure to be an exciting adventure for most who pick it up, but at the same time, there’s nothing about this book that makes it stand out in a field full of fantasy adventure books for young readers. I had thought that the characters would be something that I could get behind … the early chapters of the two of them sharing their hopes for the future definitely had me interested. But it became a book less about the characters and more about the adventure. This is fine, and exciting, but we see this in children’s lit all the time.
This is a prime example of a perfectly middle-of-the-road book. It will be exciting for some and just another fantasy for others.
Looking for a good book? The Adventurers Guild by Zack Loran Clark and Nick Eliopulos is a young reader’s action-adventure fantasy that doesn’t have much to make it stand out on a shelf full of similar adventure stories.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
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The Adventurers Guild
authors: Zack Loran Clark and Nick Eliopulos
series: The Adventurers Guild #1
publisher: Disney-Hyperion
ISBN: 148478801X
hardcover, 320 pages
Looking For a Good Book 