The Dark Talent: Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians

When I was young, my mom read The Hobbit to us for a bedtime story. Her voice for Gollum was spot-on perfect, as evidenced by the fact that the movies copied her. I'm reading Brandon Sanderson's Alcatraz series to my kids, and it is so marvelous. I try to do voices, but was having trouble differentiating two adult women, so I told my kids I was going to change Alcatraz's mom's voice. My nine-year-old immediately said, "No! I like the way you do her voice!" So I changed the other voice. Tonight, a new character's voice was actually described, which was a huge help when I started reading what he said. So I take little credit when I read one of his lines (about machine guns), and my kids burst out laughing. My 12-year-old said, "It wouldn't have been so funny if you'd read it like this (mimicking a more normal tone), but because you said it like that, it was so funny!" How wonderful to have such great material to read with my kids. How marvelous that after I've finally convinced the kids that I'm done reading for the night, the silliness has rubbed off on all of us and we have great fun teasing each other. My kids tell me, "You're saying that in your Alcatraz voice!" How amazingly perfect to go to bed knowing that with the help of a good book, I got parenting right for an hour tonight. How strangely far-reaching to know that I'm cementing these character's voices into my kids subconscious brains, so that when they (hopefully) read it to their kids, they won't feel right unless they're mimicking me. Rutabaga!!!! There are three ways to read these books. Because of the many, many different ways these books entertain, all the methods are not equal. #3 - read the book, in your head, alone. This is the least effective way to enjoy this book. #2 - listen to the audiobook. The guy who reads them is spot-on perfect, and I've driven down the freeway laughing my head off, alone in my car. I always say that if I'm going to be insulted, it had best be by Brandon Sanderson through Alcatraz, voiced by Ramon de Ocampo. BUT, there are some actual physical aspects to the writing (sentences written backward, references to how the words lay out on the page, and now PICTURES!) that you'll miss if you're just listening to the audiobook. #1 - read it to out loud to a kid. I started reading these when my youngest was 6. I KNOW he was too young to understand some of the humor, but he LOVED it. At the end of the 1st book, I said the word "Epilogue" and he burst out with laughter, probably more because of the tone of my voice than anything else, but he thought it was the same humor that the word "Rutabaga" had been earlier in the story. Having the power to break out a room full of kids into laughter makes the book just that much better, makes me laugh harder at the funny stuff, and just makes it perfect.

Why the waiting because I have no idea how long it takes to write a book. Technically it was only like three days in the waiting because I thought I could best Brandon Sanderson by buying the books all at once. As far as I know it only takes a weekend to write a book and then 6 years to wait on the pictures, get through the editors, beta readers, gamma readers, and agents. So on to the book. SPOILERS - Brandson Sanderson is dead, executed because of the wait for this book. It was in the bio if you missed that part. - This is the last book by Alcatraz Smedry - I hated the ending. Sorry that was a little harsh. I really did not like the ending but understood it. Only a coward would end a book there. Sure we were warned and I ignored all the signs. (for those who have not read this book, I recommened a little Adele like Skyfall played in the background on a loop while you read the book.) -I ate your sandwich Mr. Sanderson. Plus I destroyed my time machine via parking it on railroad tracks and letting a train smash it to pieces. Then I had a toad wipe my memory so that I could not build another when I felt guilty for not giving you your sandwich. It had a lot of mayo on it and was surprisingly good. The bad parts of this book. - it was different from the others. Darker, which you would have to assume that it would be with a title call "The Dark Talent". The open picture is of a clown mind you and if you are afraid of clowns that just makes this dark (Spoilers I said). And if you are not afraid, why not? I noticed the darkness with Grampa Smedry, he was not his normal self. - Bastille was missing for most of the book. Making only sleeping appearances here and there. - Draulin was missing in the end and really for most of the book. In fact just about everybody seemed to be missing except for really three characters. Sure the others were there but they were off doing their own book, so we really have no idea of what adventures they had at this point. Normally they all stick around Alcatraz. The good parts. - those three characters added a different dynamic to the book and was interesting to see how they played out. - To me the best villain ever. I did not see that coming, perhaps I should have. It was always there but I just missed it. - the excellent use of footnotes throughout the book. Most books that use footnotes take you out of the story but these just added a little more to it. - Hayley Lazo is just creepy, see page 246. I ate her sandwich also because she knew how this book was going to be and did not warn Brandon Sanderson of his impending death, or caused it by not drawing fast enough. - How old is Brandon Sanderson anyways? I hate to say it but he needs an apprentice to joint write with like he did with Robert Jordan. That was a lot of mayo and a writer does not get much exercise but the stories must go on even the writer cannot. - The final ending of the book. Except it will take 6 years to know if this is really the end. - Someone really should make a TV series or something off of this. Although Disney did release a new cartoon that would almost seem similar with Milo Murphy Law but I'll have to wait on that one to find out also. I think I'm going to go get me another sandwich which I have dubbed "The Sandwitch" which is the first part of Sanderson and a witch. Plus I ordered "Of Mice and Magic" by David Farland because they say it is funny and you need something after this book.

Anyone who gives this a bad review for the ending needs to pick up their book and read the footnotes .. Specifically the last one. In the hard cover I think it's one of the last pages of the book so look for it you will know it when you see it. This book was fun for the most part. I feel the author had lots of fun playing around with the self awareness that this is a fantasy autobiography (or that's what the librarians want us to think... Haha) and different writing strategies. The ending was jarring (as I'm sure inspired the bad reviews) but those people need to go back and read the last footnote on the kindle. The footnotes were amusing and plentiful but I didn't catch all of them (reading on kindle) so sometimes I would read a bunch at a time but still enjoyed them. This edition was more of an action adventure with little character development; I crave more story. The ending got extremely uncomfortable and is not age appropriate for kids - I don't know if it's appropriate for anyone really in this series. It was insanely out of place (this book has been comedy and light hearted up to this point) and I was disappointed it took this ugly turn. The end is rated R. I read these types of books to feel good and I know Alcatraz kept warning me - it still wasn't ok. I need more books in this series! I still give this book 4 stars as I took away a star for the ending. Keep writing Mr. Sanderson, it's always a pleasure and I wait anxiously for anything you write to be published.

First off, I'm a grown man and I always feel a little bit bad that these are my favorite works by Sanderson. I'm writing this for adults who might be picking these books up for their kids. So if you're not that, this probably isn't useful to you and you should stop reading. I read this because I'd just watched a really weird horror movie (I'd never seen it before and I was left alone too long with Netflix) and felt like I needed a pick-me-up. Something light that would cleanse my psychic palette. I thought "Who is more uplifting than Brandon Sanderson, and which of his books is sillier than Alcatraz?" I was wrong. This book was darker than the movie I'd just watched and left me in a real funk. And I love that. I feel like we spend a lot of time trying to get people to look away from horror as a society and while I understand that, it's not the healthiest or most farsighted impulse. I love Dan Wells because he isn't afraid to bring real, profound horror to people. People have to know things can go sideways, that events CAN go as badly as you imagine they might, and that you might try your hardest and still fail. It's important to know that because sooner or later this happens to everyone in real life, and if you're not prepared for that you can spend an awful lot of time sitting around in shock that the world is different than you thought it was and waste a whole lot of time before you get about the business of putting your life back together. And because of that, as weird as it seems, I think it is essential that kids should read things that are a deeply and profoundly troubling. This is a deeply and profoundly troubling book and that makes it great. Alcatraz is a great hero and these are great books. However, if I had a young child who was reading these books I might have him or her wait until *spoilers* the next book is available before reading this one. It's one thing to sit with darkness like this for a few days while you're getting through the next volume but it's quite another to sit with it for a few years while the next book is being produced. There is death in this book and while it isn't graphic it feels very, very real.

Alcatraz is back, with old friends and new, and he is going to the Highbrary, the central base of the evil librarians. Alcatraz must find his father and stop him from doing something stupid, (see book four,) and awake Bastille from her librarian-induced coma. This is the book that Alcatraz claims to hold the tale of the sacrificial altar that he has been hinting about since book one. This book is the best book in the series, because it holds the elements of a true human being struggling with pain, guilt, loneliness, and, of course, true Smedry like recklessness. This has a dark ending, so I would suggest kids younger then twelve skip pages 273/300. You won't really miss anything, and it will be much easier. Make sure to read the last page in the book though. The one with no page number. It says "Do not open until you finish reading the book" Do what it says.

This book was an excellent addition to the series. The ending left me shocked and very sad... until I read the real ending. Please make sure you've read the real ending before you judge the book.

I am a huge fan of Brandon Sanderson. I have read almost all of his books. I feel like I know what he is capable of as an author. Many of his stories are geared towards adults and have appropriate themes for that age group. This book, however, is targeted toward children (middle grade). The ending takes a very abrupt turn toward the morbid, and I don't feel like it is appropriate for children in the target audience. The description was more graphic than it should have been. I was reading these to my 1st grade daughter, but after reading this I'll wait until she is quite a bit older to let her read them. As an adult, I really enjoyed the story. I think Sanderson's idea here was brilliant, especially after reading the fold out at the end and his take on it on his website. The deception goes completely along with the character of Alcatraz. I haven't experienced emotions like this from a book in quite some time. From the lowest lows to a glimmer of hope. I was shocked at the ending, and wouldn't have minded the events that happened IF it had been targeted towards adults, and not toward middle graders. All in all, I feel betrayed. I wanted a great series (which this is) to enjoy with my daughter. With the ending in this book, I can't.

I gave this 4 stars mostly because I'm a huge Brandon Sanderson fan. I've read most, if not all of his works and find them completely original, and immersive. Although Alcatrez and the Evil Librarians is, or was, one of the lighter reads it quickly became a favorite and I was greatly anticipating the 5th book. Well, Alcatrez and his crazy company of talents and family were back in full force, but I've got to be honest, the shocking turn of events and rather abrupt ending to the story were not in keeping with the light hearted story I was used too. My reaction when I got to the end was to look for more...I have the ebook and audio and I thought, OK, that can't be it, it can't possibly end like that. It did. Yes, I did read the last page and I am left wondering if there will be a follow up because the story felt unfinished. That is most likely due to my expectation of a somewhat 'happy' ending in keeping with the previous tone of the other books in the series. I'm still somewhat in shock and will probably revisit just to make sure I didn't miss anything. Don't get me wrong, I've read the author's more epic and brutal works so I'm used to certain harsh realities in those settings. I was not prepared for those realities to invade Alcatrez's world. I'd read it again, I'll probably re-read the series in it's entirety, but this 5th installment - that I waited so long for - was not all I expected. The closest work I can compare it to would be Rick Riordan's Olympus series, but even then you were fairly certain that the hero of the piece would prevail and be mostly alright. I don't know, but this is a bit of a shock. Read it anyway for the imaginative and witty situations and characters, but just know you're not in Oz anymore.