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Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians#6
Bastille vs. the Evil Librarians
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Middle Grade & Children's (2022)Now a USA TODAY Bestseller! Now a New York Times Bestseller!
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson comes Bastille vs. the Evil Librarians, the thrilling conclusion to the Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians saga.
As a Knight of Crystallia, I, Bastille, swore to protect the Smedry clan from the Evil Librarians. ( And believe me, screwups like them constantly need protecting. ) But when Alcatraz Smedry got strapped to an altar of outdated encyclopedias to be sacrificed to the dark gods, I arrived too late―and instead his father took his place.
Now Alcatraz is a blubbering mess, so it’s up to me to lead the charge against his father’s Biblioden, founder of the Evil Librarians―I was sure he died centuries ago!―who’s back to complete his goal of world domination. Now he’s going to use the dark powers he gained from that sacrifice against everyone not under Evil Librarian control. Being burned up from the inside is not how I plan to die, so I’d better figure out some way to stop him or we’re toast!
I know Alcatraz is wrong when he swears he’s no hero. But when a hero falls short, that’s the time for everyone else to step up and do what needs to be done.
Other Tor books by Brandon Sanderson
The Cosmere
The Stormlight Archive
The Way of Kings
Words of Radiance
Edgedancer (Novella)
Oathbringer
Dawnshard (Novella)
Rhythm of War
The Mistborn trilogy
The Final Empire
The Well of Ascension
The Hero of Ages
The Wax and Wayne series
Alloy of Law
Shadows of Self
Bands of Mourning
The Lost Metal
Collection
Arcanum Unbounded
Other Cosmere novels
Elantris
Warbreaker
The Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians series
Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians
The Scrivener's Bones
The Knights of Crystallia
The Shattered Lens
The Dark Talent
The Rithmatist series
The Rithmatist
Other books by Brandon Sanderson
The Reckoners
Steelheart
Firefight
Calamity
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson comes Bastille vs. the Evil Librarians, the thrilling conclusion to the Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians saga.
As a Knight of Crystallia, I, Bastille, swore to protect the Smedry clan from the Evil Librarians. ( And believe me, screwups like them constantly need protecting. ) But when Alcatraz Smedry got strapped to an altar of outdated encyclopedias to be sacrificed to the dark gods, I arrived too late―and instead his father took his place.
Now Alcatraz is a blubbering mess, so it’s up to me to lead the charge against his father’s Biblioden, founder of the Evil Librarians―I was sure he died centuries ago!―who’s back to complete his goal of world domination. Now he’s going to use the dark powers he gained from that sacrifice against everyone not under Evil Librarian control. Being burned up from the inside is not how I plan to die, so I’d better figure out some way to stop him or we’re toast!
I know Alcatraz is wrong when he swears he’s no hero. But when a hero falls short, that’s the time for everyone else to step up and do what needs to be done.
Other Tor books by Brandon Sanderson
The Cosmere
The Stormlight Archive
The Way of Kings
Words of Radiance
Edgedancer (Novella)
Oathbringer
Dawnshard (Novella)
Rhythm of War
The Mistborn trilogy
The Final Empire
The Well of Ascension
The Hero of Ages
The Wax and Wayne series
Alloy of Law
Shadows of Self
Bands of Mourning
The Lost Metal
Collection
Arcanum Unbounded
Other Cosmere novels
Elantris
Warbreaker
The Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians series
Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians
The Scrivener's Bones
The Knights of Crystallia
The Shattered Lens
The Dark Talent
The Rithmatist series
The Rithmatist
Other books by Brandon Sanderson
The Reckoners
Steelheart
Firefight
Calamity
272 pages, Paperback
First published September 20, 2022
About the author
Brandon Sanderson
357books234kfollowersI’m Brandon Sanderson, and I write stories of the fantastic: fantasy, science fiction, and thrillers.
Defiant, the fourth and final volume of the series that started with Skyward in 2018, comes out in November 2023, capping an already book-filled year that will see the releases of all four Secret Projects: Tress of the Emerald Sea, The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, and Secret Project Four (with its official title reveal coming October 2023). These four books were all initially offered to backers of the #1 Kickstarter campaign of all time.
November 2022 saw the release of The Lost Metal, the seventh volume in the Mistborn saga, and the final volume of the Mistborn Era Two featuring Wax & Wayne. The third era of Mistborn is slated to be written after the first arc of the Stormlight Archive wraps up.
In November 2020 we saw the release of Rhythm of War—the fourth massive book in the New York Times #1 bestselling Stormlight Archive series that began with The Way of Kings—and Dawnshard (book 3.5), a novella set in the same world that bridges the gaps between the main releases. This series is my love letter to the epic fantasy genre, and it’s the type of story I always dreamed epic fantasy could be. The fifth volume, Wind and Truth, is set for release in fall 2024.
Most readers have noticed that my adult fantasy novels are in a connected universe called the Cosmere. This includes The Stormlight Archive, both Mistborn series, Elantris, Warbreaker, and various novellas available on Amazon, including The Emperor’s Soul, which won a Hugo Award in 2013. In November 2016 all of the existing Cosmere short fiction was released in one volume called Arcanum Unbounded. If you’ve read all of my adult fantasy novels and want to see some behind-the-scenes information, that collection is a must-read.
I also have three YA series: The Rithmatist (currently at one book), The Reckoners (a trilogy beginning with Steelheart), and Skyward. For young readers I also have my humorous series Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians, which had its final book, Bastille vs. the Evil Librarians, come out in 2022. Many of my adult readers enjoy all of those books as well, and many of my YA readers enjoy my adult books, usually starting with Mistborn.
Additionally, I have a few other novellas that are more on the thriller/sci-fi side. These include the Legion series, as well as Perfect State and Snapshot. There’s a lot of material to go around!
Good starting places are Mistborn (a.k.a. The Final Empire), Skyward, Steelheart,The Emperor’s Soul, and Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians. If you’re already a fan of big fat fantasies, you can jump right into The Way of Kings.
I was also honored to be able to complete the final three volumes of The Wheel of Time, beginning with The Gathering Storm, using Robert Jordan’s notes.
Sample chapters from all of my books are available at brandonsanderson.com—and check out the rest of my site for chapter-by-chapter annotations, deleted scenes, and more.
Defiant, the fourth and final volume of the series that started with Skyward in 2018, comes out in November 2023, capping an already book-filled year that will see the releases of all four Secret Projects: Tress of the Emerald Sea, The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, and Secret Project Four (with its official title reveal coming October 2023). These four books were all initially offered to backers of the #1 Kickstarter campaign of all time.
November 2022 saw the release of The Lost Metal, the seventh volume in the Mistborn saga, and the final volume of the Mistborn Era Two featuring Wax & Wayne. The third era of Mistborn is slated to be written after the first arc of the Stormlight Archive wraps up.
In November 2020 we saw the release of Rhythm of War—the fourth massive book in the New York Times #1 bestselling Stormlight Archive series that began with The Way of Kings—and Dawnshard (book 3.5), a novella set in the same world that bridges the gaps between the main releases. This series is my love letter to the epic fantasy genre, and it’s the type of story I always dreamed epic fantasy could be. The fifth volume, Wind and Truth, is set for release in fall 2024.
Most readers have noticed that my adult fantasy novels are in a connected universe called the Cosmere. This includes The Stormlight Archive, both Mistborn series, Elantris, Warbreaker, and various novellas available on Amazon, including The Emperor’s Soul, which won a Hugo Award in 2013. In November 2016 all of the existing Cosmere short fiction was released in one volume called Arcanum Unbounded. If you’ve read all of my adult fantasy novels and want to see some behind-the-scenes information, that collection is a must-read.
I also have three YA series: The Rithmatist (currently at one book), The Reckoners (a trilogy beginning with Steelheart), and Skyward. For young readers I also have my humorous series Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians, which had its final book, Bastille vs. the Evil Librarians, come out in 2022. Many of my adult readers enjoy all of those books as well, and many of my YA readers enjoy my adult books, usually starting with Mistborn.
Additionally, I have a few other novellas that are more on the thriller/sci-fi side. These include the Legion series, as well as Perfect State and Snapshot. There’s a lot of material to go around!
Good starting places are Mistborn (a.k.a. The Final Empire), Skyward, Steelheart,The Emperor’s Soul, and Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians. If you’re already a fan of big fat fantasies, you can jump right into The Way of Kings.
I was also honored to be able to complete the final three volumes of The Wheel of Time, beginning with The Gathering Storm, using Robert Jordan’s notes.
Sample chapters from all of my books are available at brandonsanderson.com—and check out the rest of my site for chapter-by-chapter annotations, deleted scenes, and more.
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March 27, 2023
I didn’t enjoy this final installment of the series as much as I wanted to.
Mild spoilers below.
————————————
For one thing, the final defeat of the big bad felt anti-climactic, partly because it comes about not because our heroes Alcatraz and Bastille prove to be competent with their powers, but by happenstance.
And for another, the humor sometimes fell a little short and felt forced. An example of this is the Gak, a super dangerous sapient reptilian creature that likes to eat people. Because of a treaty with humans, they are not allowed to touch straw, so basically you only need to have it in your possession. Due to a lack of actual straw, this leads to a lengthy string of puns to fend off the gak. I mean how many puns containing the word “straw “( “astrawnomy “, “strawng-arm “, “strawdly “; “extraw “, “forestraw “etc). do you need?? (Also, an army of kittens? How is this that dangerous and not cute?)
Bastille‘s POV also didn’t quite work for me. Patterson did an amazing job with the Skyward novellas, but here I didn’t love her writing. I still don’t really understand why it was necessary for Bastille to finish telling the story instead of Alcatraz in the first place. In the afterword, it becomes clear that an adult Alcatraz penned books 1-5, which include the most emotional and tragic moments, whereas book 6 resolves everything and provides closure. Why wouldn’t an adult Alcatraz with distance to the events not tell of the positive outcome?
Maybe I was just not in the right frame of mind to appreciate the absurdity here. Maybe it didn’t help that I read this over the course of more than a week, which is telling in itself considering how short this middle grade book is. I don’t know. What I do know is I very much enjoyed the first five books and tried very hard to enjoy this one too. I’ll have to do a re-read at some point because I have a signed copy and want to love this, damnit!
Mild spoilers below.
————————————
For one thing, the final defeat of the big bad felt anti-climactic, partly because it comes about not because our heroes Alcatraz and Bastille prove to be competent with their powers, but by happenstance.
And for another, the humor sometimes fell a little short and felt forced. An example of this is the Gak, a super dangerous sapient reptilian creature that likes to eat people. Because of a treaty with humans, they are not allowed to touch straw, so basically you only need to have it in your possession. Due to a lack of actual straw, this leads to a lengthy string of puns to fend off the gak. I mean how many puns containing the word “straw “( “astrawnomy “, “strawng-arm “, “strawdly “; “extraw “, “forestraw “etc). do you need?? (Also, an army of kittens? How is this that dangerous and not cute?)
Bastille‘s POV also didn’t quite work for me. Patterson did an amazing job with the Skyward novellas, but here I didn’t love her writing. I still don’t really understand why it was necessary for Bastille to finish telling the story instead of Alcatraz in the first place. In the afterword, it becomes clear that an adult Alcatraz penned books 1-5, which include the most emotional and tragic moments, whereas book 6 resolves everything and provides closure. Why wouldn’t an adult Alcatraz with distance to the events not tell of the positive outcome?
Maybe I was just not in the right frame of mind to appreciate the absurdity here. Maybe it didn’t help that I read this over the course of more than a week, which is telling in itself considering how short this middle grade book is. I don’t know. What I do know is I very much enjoyed the first five books and tried very hard to enjoy this one too. I’ll have to do a re-read at some point because I have a signed copy and want to love this, damnit!
November 8, 2022
BEFORE:I can wait,I tell myself.I can wait.
My heart is relieved there's another book. I'm not sure whether I will like Bastille as a narrator, but her note at the end of Alcatraz #5 was already inspiring. Besides, I can always expect great things from Sanderson.
I can wait.
AFTER: That was as big a disappointment asThe Final Warning.I get so excited for a series, and then it ends like this???
Reader thoughts:I would say this is the worst Sanderson book I've read, but it doesn't really count as a Sanderson book since it was a collaboration between him and Janci Patterson (who writes romance novels). My husband noticed the coauthor and warned me there would be romance in this book. I should have listened.
There were almost no great moments. Was there cleverness? Not really. There were a couple of moments repeated from previous books (using bad math against your enemies). The coolest new piece was foretold in the previous book (breaking gravity) and on the cover (fighting a shark midair). Everything else was... not even reasonable.
We did get to finally meet a Gak, and that was maybe the neatest part (if it hadn't been ruined in the climax).
Bastille was just so... rude all the time. This made the romance fit less. I wanted to see real personality in her, and it was lacking.
There were fake moments of depth but no real ones. Like, in book 1, Alcatraz realizes how rude he has been to his foster parents. In book 3, he realizes that the new friends he is hanging out with are lying to him, and that fame doesn't mean what he thought. Bastille also gets to share how she feels like a failure, and they bond over the pressure they are under. Even book 5 had moments that real-life readers could relate to and empathize over when Alcatraz realizes that he isn't treating Diff fairly and has to accept someone who acts weird.
In book 5, they sort of talk about feelings but not in a meaningful way. What's the difference? I'm not sure, other than maybe concrete actions and specificity.
Writer thoughts:If 5 books out of a 6 book series revolve around cleverness to solve problems, and then the 6th book relies on luck, readers will be disappointed.
That's all.
My heart is relieved there's another book. I'm not sure whether I will like Bastille as a narrator, but her note at the end of Alcatraz #5 was already inspiring. Besides, I can always expect great things from Sanderson.
I can wait.
AFTER: That was as big a disappointment asThe Final Warning.I get so excited for a series, and then it ends like this???
Reader thoughts:I would say this is the worst Sanderson book I've read, but it doesn't really count as a Sanderson book since it was a collaboration between him and Janci Patterson (who writes romance novels). My husband noticed the coauthor and warned me there would be romance in this book. I should have listened.
There were almost no great moments. Was there cleverness? Not really. There were a couple of moments repeated from previous books (using bad math against your enemies). The coolest new piece was foretold in the previous book (breaking gravity) and on the cover (fighting a shark midair). Everything else was... not even reasonable.
We did get to finally meet a Gak, and that was maybe the neatest part (if it hadn't been ruined in the climax).
Bastille was just so... rude all the time. This made the romance fit less. I wanted to see real personality in her, and it was lacking.
There were fake moments of depth but no real ones. Like, in book 1, Alcatraz realizes how rude he has been to his foster parents. In book 3, he realizes that the new friends he is hanging out with are lying to him, and that fame doesn't mean what he thought. Bastille also gets to share how she feels like a failure, and they bond over the pressure they are under. Even book 5 had moments that real-life readers could relate to and empathize over when Alcatraz realizes that he isn't treating Diff fairly and has to accept someone who acts weird.
In book 5, they sort of talk about feelings but not in a meaningful way. What's the difference? I'm not sure, other than maybe concrete actions and specificity.
Writer thoughts:If 5 books out of a 6 book series revolve around cleverness to solve problems, and then the 6th book relies on luck, readers will be disappointed.
That's all.
December 4, 2023
۲۷ آبان بود که اولین جلد این مجموعه دستم رسید و خوندنشو شروع کردم و امروز ۱۳ آذر کل شش جلد تمام شد😁
فکرکنم همین سرعت عملم تو خوندن(اونم منی که خیلی تندخوان نیستم) نشون میده چقدر مجموعه دوست داشتم 🫠
اول اینو بگم که برعکس باقی کتابا سندرسون که اخرای داستان یهو هیجان بالایی میگرفت، این کتابا چون حجمشون کم بود تقریبا بیشتر زمان کتاب با هیجان و مبارزه طرف بودی(شاید علتش این بوده که این مجموعه سندرسون ننوشته بلکه الکاتراز نوشته... هیس صداشو در نیارین کتابدارای شرور اینجا هم جاسوس دارن🤫)
از طرفی خود سندرسون گفته که این کتابو برا رنج سنی نوجون نوشته اما چرت میگه برا بزرگسال هم کاملا جذابه بهم اعتماد کنین🤭
از اول داستان شخصیت بستیل مورد علاقه ترینم بود بعدش بابابزرگ اسمدری🫠
خود الکاتراز یه اهمق هماچل بزدل به تمام معنا بود جوری که تو این جلد دلم میخواست کیف بستیل بگیرم و باهاش تو صورتش بکوبم😒
استعدادهارو دوست داشتم و طبق معمول جادوهای سندرسون جذاب بودن گرچه دلم میخواست یه کوچوووولو بیشتر از ریشه اونا بگه👀
شخصیتایی بودن که خیلی از دستشون حرص خوردم و ازشون بدم میامد جوری که دلم میخواست بندازمشون جلو کوسه های پرنده اما چون اگه ببشتر بگم اسپویل میشه و چون دلم میخواد این ریویو بخونید پس چیزی ازشون نمیگم(میدونم میدونم خبیثم😈)
پ.ن: دلم میخواد یه هیولای کاغذی کوچولو داشته باشم🥹
پ.ن۲: دلم میخواد یه گک داشته باشم 🥹
یکی به این پی نوشت های من رسیدگی کنه لطفا🥹
فکرکنم همین سرعت عملم تو خوندن(اونم منی که خیلی تندخوان نیستم) نشون میده چقدر مجموعه دوست داشتم 🫠
اول اینو بگم که برعکس باقی کتابا سندرسون که اخرای داستان یهو هیجان بالایی میگرفت، این کتابا چون حجمشون کم بود تقریبا بیشتر زمان کتاب با هیجان و مبارزه طرف بودی(شاید علتش این بوده که این مجموعه سندرسون ننوشته بلکه الکاتراز نوشته... هیس صداشو در نیارین کتابدارای شرور اینجا هم جاسوس دارن🤫)
از طرفی خود سندرسون گفته که این کتابو برا رنج سنی نوجون نوشته اما چرت میگه برا بزرگسال هم کاملا جذابه بهم اعتماد کنین🤭
از اول داستان شخصیت بستیل مورد علاقه ترینم بود بعدش بابابزرگ اسمدری🫠
خود الکاتراز یه اهمق هماچل بزدل به تمام معنا بود جوری که تو این جلد دلم میخواست کیف بستیل بگیرم و باهاش تو صورتش بکوبم😒
استعدادهارو دوست داشتم و طبق معمول جادوهای سندرسون جذاب بودن گرچه دلم میخواست یه کوچوووولو بیشتر از ریشه اونا بگه👀
شخصیتایی بودن که خیلی از دستشون حرص خوردم و ازشون بدم میامد جوری که دلم میخواست بندازمشون جلو کوسه های پرنده اما چون اگه ببشتر بگم اسپویل میشه و چون دلم میخواد این ریویو بخونید پس چیزی ازشون نمیگم(میدونم میدونم خبیثم😈)
پ.ن: دلم میخواد یه هیولای کاغذی کوچولو داشته باشم🥹
پ.ن۲: دلم میخواد یه گک داشته باشم 🥹
یکی به این پی نوشت های من رسیدگی کنه لطفا🥹
October 3, 2022
Alcatraz vs the Evil Librarianshas finally concluded with the release ofBastille vs The Evil Librarian,the 6th and final book in the series. This book was a long time coming after the unexpected ending in the (at that time) supposed final book of the series,The Dark Talent.Re-readingThe Dark Talentmade me recall how much darker the story became in the last couple of the books, which all culminated in that shocking end that Alcatraz had been warning us about all along. Of course, we all thought that it's just the unreliable narrator plot device that he's pulling on us until it really happened. Readers who pick up these books now will know that there's more to be told, and all is not what it really seemed. It's just that as far as Alcatraz was concerned, he just wasn't able to write the story any further. So it was down to Bastille to get that done.
Sanderson mentioned that he struggled to get Bastille's voice right, and in the end turned to Janci Patterson to co-write this book. While the book did feel that it was written more by Patterson, than by Sanderson, it still managed to deliver the solid conclusion that we needed. These books are meant to be comedic, and the humour could sometimes be really silly. It worked for me, and I continue to be impressed by the brilliance of Sanderson's ideas. But even with all the comedic irreverence in these books, those Afterwords by Alcatraz and Bastille made me emotional with its core messages about what it means to be flawed and to be a hero.
Sanderson mentioned that he struggled to get Bastille's voice right, and in the end turned to Janci Patterson to co-write this book. While the book did feel that it was written more by Patterson, than by Sanderson, it still managed to deliver the solid conclusion that we needed. These books are meant to be comedic, and the humour could sometimes be really silly. It worked for me, and I continue to be impressed by the brilliance of Sanderson's ideas. But even with all the comedic irreverence in these books, those Afterwords by Alcatraz and Bastille made me emotional with its core messages about what it means to be flawed and to be a hero.
May 26, 2023
سفر با آلکاتراز بالاخره تمام شد...
خیلی خیلی دلم براش تنگ میشه...
روزی که جلد اول رو شروع کردم به پایانش فکر نمیکردم اصلا اما بالاخره به پایان رسید این دفتر و حکایتش هم تمام شد...
ماجراجوییها ، اتفافات ، شادیها ، جنگها ، چالشها و همه چیزش جذاب بود، در کل مجموعهای بود که ارزشِ خوندنِ بالایی داره🥺🫡🥰
خیلی خیلی دلم براش تنگ میشه...
روزی که جلد اول رو شروع کردم به پایانش فکر نمیکردم اصلا اما بالاخره به پایان رسید این دفتر و حکایتش هم تمام شد...
ماجراجوییها ، اتفافات ، شادیها ، جنگها ، چالشها و همه چیزش جذاب بود، در کل مجموعهای بود که ارزشِ خوندنِ بالایی داره🥺🫡🥰
Want to read
November 11, 2016I hope this new book in the series (under a new narrator) opens to a new five-book arc (ala Stormlight Archive series). I can't handle reality should this series only have six books. But of course I can't just demand that from beloved author Brandon Sanderson.
These five are getting a little lonely without their upcoming sibling.
These five are getting a little lonely without their upcoming sibling.
September 25, 2023
بالاخره آلکاتراز دوست داشتنیم تموم شد🫠🤭
دلم برای آلکاتراز و بستیل تنگ میشه
دلم برای آلکاتراز و بستیل تنگ میشه
October 4, 2022
This review was originally posted onBooks of My Heart
4.5 hearts
Bastille vs. the Evil Librariansis the final book of the Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians series where we change PoVs from Alcatraz to Bastille. You might wonder why on book 6 we are changing PoVs but that is easy, because Alcatraz is a blubbering mess for the first half of the book and Bastille is busy dragging him around so he can be the hero he is supposed to be and figure out how to save the world before the Evil Librarians basically vaporize anyone not in the mundane world.
You might wonder if you are too only for middle grade stories and for a lot of them I am. But every now and again something really fun comes along and it will be great for all ages. This is one of those series with crazy unique superpowers like breaking things, dancing badly, being horrible and math and arriving late even it is to your own death. The fourth wall is broken all the time and honestly the series is just fun with monsters made out of the pages of romance novels. Bad puns thrown like weapons and strange and crazy tech that is unexpected and wonderful.
Bastille had been Alcatraz's protector since he found out he was a Smedly, one of the only families that has special 'talents' a.k.a. superpowers. She helped him learn how to be a hero and now she is going to help him again to figure out how to pull up his bootstraps and pick himself up after his biggest failure. They will have to travel the world to find the world spire and save it from being used by Biblioden, their long time adversary and founder of the evil librarians who have lied to all of the mundane world for years, keeping the disinformation flowing for generations. What you think to know to be true, well a librarian controlled that information and so you just go on believing in things that don't exist.
I've had a great time with this series. There are so many wonderful things for adults to get out of these books especially if they are reading them or listening with their kids. Alcatraz is a completely reluctant hero that needs a lot of help this time around, so when a hero needs help their friends and allies will step up and make sure to help the hero in their time of need so they can get their crap together and save the day.
A middle grade book that anyone can enjoy. While not as intense asThe Dark Talentit is a strong conclusion to this series. Don't let those pesky librarians fool you out there in this mundane world, there is another world full of wonder, magic and fantastically original tallents.
Narration:
Ramon De Ocampo has narrated the entire series and is joined by Suzy Jackson, who I love from the Skyward series. Suzy does a great job taking on the voice of Bastille and really bringing the humor of her character to life. She really fits this genre and age group well. Ramon De Ocampo didn't get as much voice time as in the other books of the series but again does a fantastic job with all the voices and the fun of the story. I was able to listen to this at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip:HERE
4.5 hearts
Bastille vs. the Evil Librariansis the final book of the Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians series where we change PoVs from Alcatraz to Bastille. You might wonder why on book 6 we are changing PoVs but that is easy, because Alcatraz is a blubbering mess for the first half of the book and Bastille is busy dragging him around so he can be the hero he is supposed to be and figure out how to save the world before the Evil Librarians basically vaporize anyone not in the mundane world.
You might wonder if you are too only for middle grade stories and for a lot of them I am. But every now and again something really fun comes along and it will be great for all ages. This is one of those series with crazy unique superpowers like breaking things, dancing badly, being horrible and math and arriving late even it is to your own death. The fourth wall is broken all the time and honestly the series is just fun with monsters made out of the pages of romance novels. Bad puns thrown like weapons and strange and crazy tech that is unexpected and wonderful.
Bastille had been Alcatraz's protector since he found out he was a Smedly, one of the only families that has special 'talents' a.k.a. superpowers. She helped him learn how to be a hero and now she is going to help him again to figure out how to pull up his bootstraps and pick himself up after his biggest failure. They will have to travel the world to find the world spire and save it from being used by Biblioden, their long time adversary and founder of the evil librarians who have lied to all of the mundane world for years, keeping the disinformation flowing for generations. What you think to know to be true, well a librarian controlled that information and so you just go on believing in things that don't exist.
I've had a great time with this series. There are so many wonderful things for adults to get out of these books especially if they are reading them or listening with their kids. Alcatraz is a completely reluctant hero that needs a lot of help this time around, so when a hero needs help their friends and allies will step up and make sure to help the hero in their time of need so they can get their crap together and save the day.
A middle grade book that anyone can enjoy. While not as intense asThe Dark Talentit is a strong conclusion to this series. Don't let those pesky librarians fool you out there in this mundane world, there is another world full of wonder, magic and fantastically original tallents.
Narration:
Ramon De Ocampo has narrated the entire series and is joined by Suzy Jackson, who I love from the Skyward series. Suzy does a great job taking on the voice of Bastille and really bringing the humor of her character to life. She really fits this genre and age group well. Ramon De Ocampo didn't get as much voice time as in the other books of the series but again does a fantastic job with all the voices and the fun of the story. I was able to listen to this at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip:HERE
September 23, 2022
This was kind of underwhelming. Especially with how amazing the previous four books were. Still, I'm glad the series is now complete
September 22, 2022
A solid and long awaited finish to this series.
May 16, 2024
Reading this series aloud at bedtime gave me an excuse to finally finish this series. Not that the delay was all my fault; its publishing schedule left something to be desired.
This was the best book since the first. It still left plenty to be desired, mostly the usual complaint of a padded middle consumed by Alcatraz's moping, but it served up plenty of fun surprises by making significant moments based on throw-away lines from the original title, published 15 years prior. It is an acceptably satisfying conclusion to the series.
This is the only book out of the six to have a co-writer:Janci Patterson,who Sanderson calls a friend, and a successful YA author and frequent co-author of some other stuff, including a bunch ofSkywardsequel material. Per Sanderson in his 2021 'State of the Sanderson' update, "I got about halfway through (the Bastille book) back in 2014 and got stumped on something, so I went to her for help both with that and with smoothing out the character voice." I think it was the romance that stumped him. This brings me to a general rant about co-authored novels.
Why? Why can't a single, accomplished author write a book on their own, if it's a book they want to write? Co-authoring always makes me suspicious for some reason. It cheapens my perception of the artistry. I prefer to imagine a novel as the product of a single mind, a single human's toil and imagination. I wish it were mandatory for any co-authored title to include a detailed explanation of how that partnership worked; who wrote what, exactly? Which ideas were whose? Is one person riding the other's coattails? At least withJames Pattersonwe know the answer: James did fuck-all and the other, much smaller name that, if you're a Patterson reader, may not even have noticed on the cover, actually wrote the book and James merely "consulted" on the plot or something. But here, why couldn't Sanderson handle this book himself? It's not a vast departure from his usual stuff. Was it really the romance? Because it's a very basic scenario. To me, the fact that Sanderson couldn't pull it off on his own speaks poorly of his range as a writer. I only hope the royalty contract was extremely favorable to the woman who saved his butt.
Immediately after finishing this book, my boy insisted that we start reading book 1 in the series again. I cried and cried then relented only when he promised that after re-reading just book 1, I could pick the next thing at long as it wasn't the Taran books, which still breaks my heart but fine: we're readingThe Hobbitand he'd better not renege on the deal.
This was the best book since the first. It still left plenty to be desired, mostly the usual complaint of a padded middle consumed by Alcatraz's moping, but it served up plenty of fun surprises by making significant moments based on throw-away lines from the original title, published 15 years prior. It is an acceptably satisfying conclusion to the series.
This is the only book out of the six to have a co-writer:Janci Patterson,who Sanderson calls a friend, and a successful YA author and frequent co-author of some other stuff, including a bunch ofSkywardsequel material. Per Sanderson in his 2021 'State of the Sanderson' update, "I got about halfway through (the Bastille book) back in 2014 and got stumped on something, so I went to her for help both with that and with smoothing out the character voice." I think it was the romance that stumped him. This brings me to a general rant about co-authored novels.
Why? Why can't a single, accomplished author write a book on their own, if it's a book they want to write? Co-authoring always makes me suspicious for some reason. It cheapens my perception of the artistry. I prefer to imagine a novel as the product of a single mind, a single human's toil and imagination. I wish it were mandatory for any co-authored title to include a detailed explanation of how that partnership worked; who wrote what, exactly? Which ideas were whose? Is one person riding the other's coattails? At least withJames Pattersonwe know the answer: James did fuck-all and the other, much smaller name that, if you're a Patterson reader, may not even have noticed on the cover, actually wrote the book and James merely "consulted" on the plot or something. But here, why couldn't Sanderson handle this book himself? It's not a vast departure from his usual stuff. Was it really the romance? Because it's a very basic scenario. To me, the fact that Sanderson couldn't pull it off on his own speaks poorly of his range as a writer. I only hope the royalty contract was extremely favorable to the woman who saved his butt.
Immediately after finishing this book, my boy insisted that we start reading book 1 in the series again. I cried and cried then relented only when he promised that after re-reading just book 1, I could pick the next thing at long as it wasn't the Taran books, which still breaks my heart but fine: we're readingThe Hobbitand he'd better not renege on the deal.
Want to read
September 27, 2022- It's OUT -
OMG WE HAVE A COVER OMG OMG OMG!!!!!!
EDIT: We have a release date!! According to many bookseller’s websites, it is set to come out on September 20th, 2022. It is available to preorder as well!
Okay so ummmmm… 🤔
My dad just finished reading the fifth book aloud to my brothers (July of 2021).
That was supposedly the last book, since throughout all the other books it reportedly says that it’s a five book series (it’s a *fictional* autobiography—but fans will say it’s true 😉). Butttttt in the back of the 5th book, there is a letter at the end from the love interest, Bastille, saying there is, that in fact, MORE to the story and that SHE will write it from her point of view (she also signed it “Bastille Smedry” which is the main character, Alcatraz’s, last name—implying they got married 🥰).
This would be fine, but the fact is… THE FIFTH BOOK CAME OUT 5 YEARS AGO!!!! 🤭😳
EXCUSE ME?!
I feel awful for the people who read the books each year as they came out… after 5 years, IT IS STILL NOT OUT!!!
*Now it needs to be written by a different author so the author of the first 5 books “voice” isn’t in the book… so I could see how that could take a bit longer than if the original author was writing it himself. Maybe two years at most, but this is INSANE! 😂 (I’m only laughing because I haven’t read the books, therefore I am not chained to the feeling of anger and anxiety of waiting for this book.)*
Allegedly, the book has been written as of now, but hasn’t been published yet.
My sympathies to the readers of this book series. 🙏
Now excuse me while I continue to stall on reading the series before the next book comes out.
Because that’s just my selfish nature. 😎
**This is apparently a very good book series for all ages—targeted at middle grade and teens, but I don’t see why adults can’t enjoy it as well! I’ve listed to chunks of the second book as an audiobook while my brother’s listened to it in the car on our road trip. Needless to say, it was REALLY funny! Since it’s an (fictional) “autobiography”, so it’s written in first person and the fourth wall is broken pretty often. It’s really enjoyable that way—it feels like the author is speaking right to you! (My brothers were happy to fill me in on the background details so I wasn’t confused ❤️) Anyway, it’s been recommended by a lot of people, but if you’re like me, I might wait until the sixth book comes out 🤣**
OMG WE HAVE A COVER OMG OMG OMG!!!!!!
EDIT: We have a release date!! According to many bookseller’s websites, it is set to come out on September 20th, 2022. It is available to preorder as well!
Okay so ummmmm… 🤔
My dad just finished reading the fifth book aloud to my brothers (July of 2021).
That was supposedly the last book, since throughout all the other books it reportedly says that it’s a five book series (it’s a *fictional* autobiography—but fans will say it’s true 😉). Butttttt in the back of the 5th book, there is a letter at the end from the love interest, Bastille, saying there is, that in fact, MORE to the story and that SHE will write it from her point of view (she also signed it “Bastille Smedry” which is the main character, Alcatraz’s, last name—implying they got married 🥰).
This would be fine, but the fact is… THE FIFTH BOOK CAME OUT 5 YEARS AGO!!!! 🤭😳
EXCUSE ME?!
I feel awful for the people who read the books each year as they came out… after 5 years, IT IS STILL NOT OUT!!!
*Now it needs to be written by a different author so the author of the first 5 books “voice” isn’t in the book… so I could see how that could take a bit longer than if the original author was writing it himself. Maybe two years at most, but this is INSANE! 😂 (I’m only laughing because I haven’t read the books, therefore I am not chained to the feeling of anger and anxiety of waiting for this book.)*
Allegedly, the book has been written as of now, but hasn’t been published yet.
My sympathies to the readers of this book series. 🙏
Now excuse me while I continue to stall on reading the series before the next book comes out.
Because that’s just my selfish nature. 😎
**This is apparently a very good book series for all ages—targeted at middle grade and teens, but I don’t see why adults can’t enjoy it as well! I’ve listed to chunks of the second book as an audiobook while my brother’s listened to it in the car on our road trip. Needless to say, it was REALLY funny! Since it’s an (fictional) “autobiography”, so it’s written in first person and the fourth wall is broken pretty often. It’s really enjoyable that way—it feels like the author is speaking right to you! (My brothers were happy to fill me in on the background details so I wasn’t confused ❤️) Anyway, it’s been recommended by a lot of people, but if you’re like me, I might wait until the sixth book comes out 🤣**
September 20, 2022
3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctumhttps://bibliosanctum.com/2022/09/17/...
It feels as though I have been waiting for Bastille vs. the Evil Librarians for a long time, and now that the Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians series has finally come to a close, I have lots and lots of feels! Most are positive, I’m happy to report, but there were also some disappointments. It probably comes as no surprise that there were plenty of changes with this book, from the switch to another POV character to the first time this series was co-authored. There were also some elements I loved, but other places where my feelings were more mixed.
But before I begin my review in earnest, please be aware that from here on out there may be references to the previous books in the series, so I do want to give a possible spoilers warning. The story picks up immediately after the events of The Dark Talent, following some devastating developments which include significant setbacks for our characters. Things are looking pretty grim—so terrible, in fact, that they have caused our titular protagonist to cave into his grief and give up completely.
Not to worry though, because his friend Bastille is here to save the day! A Knight of Crystallia pledged to protect the Smedry line, she’s not about to take the loss lying down, and taking over narrating duties is just the first step. Alcatraz might have lost everything including his will to fight, but Bastille is not about to fail in her task and lose him to the darkness. While the world is falling apart around them, Bastille is determined to save Alcatraz and all of the Free Kingdoms from total destruction, and she has a big sword and a literal literary license to do it (she has a card and everything)!
First, if you’ve read up to this point in the series, please do yourself a favor and pick this one up to find out how it all ends. It took six long years for this concluding volume to finally be out in the world, but trust me, it’s well worth the wait. And let’s be honest, how could anyone read the ending of the last book and not want to continue? Not going to lie, the way things turned out in The Dark Talent made me so depressed, but the only thing that gave me a glimmer of hope was the cryptic note slipped into the back of the book promising there will be more. And thank goodness for that! With Bastille vs. the Evil Librarians came the closure I was desperately seeking, along with some happy surprises made me feel a lot less salty over the ending of the last book.
If you enjoyed the style of storytelling and the unique brand of humor found in the previous books, then you’re going to enjoy this one too. Kudos also to illustrator Hayley Lazo for all the adorable and fun drawings, which really add a lot to the whole reading experience! As for the writing though, speaking as a longtime fan of Brandon Sanderson, I could tell this wasn’t mostly written by him and that the bulk it was probably Janci Patterson, but that’s okay—this series was Sanderson’s creation, and this book still had everything that made its characters and world so fun and unique. Plus, Bastille is now at the helm, and it only makes sense that she sounds different from Alcatraz.
Like I said though, the humor is still there, and Bastille is even snarkier than Alcatraz, I love it! Similar to the previous books, every chapter begins with a witty tangential throwaway segment filled with jokes and puns, so that even though we were in Bastille’s head this time, I still felt right at home. The story also moved along at a breakneck pace, guaranteed to keep even the most distracted middle grader interested with rapt attention. The plot also featured plenty of magical action and the kind of insanity I’ve come to expect from the series, and they must have pulled out all the stops for the finale because believe it or not, things got even crazier in this one (I mean, just look at the cover, which was an actual scene from the story).
But for all that I liked about this book, I felt something was missing. For a long-awaited concluding volume, it simply didn’t feel grand enough, with so much of the plot given to Bastille talking about how annoyed she was at Alcatraz, followed by a shift to them bickering a lot. So much of it was relationship drama, punctuated occasionally by some wild and wacky over-the-top action. Sure, it’s entirely possible that I might have hyped things up for myself in this case, given the long wait time between this book and the last, but compared to some of the previous volumes, I still felt that this had a lot less substance.
That being said, all the crucial elements were there, such as answers to important questions as well as a happy ending. I am such a fan of this series and the characters, that finally getting closure was a relief! I also feel that Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians would be an amazing read for kids 8-14 which is the suggested age range, but adults who are young at heart and don’t mind something a little silly and quirky once in a while would probably have a blast with it as well. This has been an incredible journey, that even with its minor flaws, I felt Bastille vs. the Evil Librarians was the conclusion the readers deserved, and I closed the cover on the final page of my favorite MG series of all time feeling content and satisfied.
It feels as though I have been waiting for Bastille vs. the Evil Librarians for a long time, and now that the Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians series has finally come to a close, I have lots and lots of feels! Most are positive, I’m happy to report, but there were also some disappointments. It probably comes as no surprise that there were plenty of changes with this book, from the switch to another POV character to the first time this series was co-authored. There were also some elements I loved, but other places where my feelings were more mixed.
But before I begin my review in earnest, please be aware that from here on out there may be references to the previous books in the series, so I do want to give a possible spoilers warning. The story picks up immediately after the events of The Dark Talent, following some devastating developments which include significant setbacks for our characters. Things are looking pretty grim—so terrible, in fact, that they have caused our titular protagonist to cave into his grief and give up completely.
Not to worry though, because his friend Bastille is here to save the day! A Knight of Crystallia pledged to protect the Smedry line, she’s not about to take the loss lying down, and taking over narrating duties is just the first step. Alcatraz might have lost everything including his will to fight, but Bastille is not about to fail in her task and lose him to the darkness. While the world is falling apart around them, Bastille is determined to save Alcatraz and all of the Free Kingdoms from total destruction, and she has a big sword and a literal literary license to do it (she has a card and everything)!
First, if you’ve read up to this point in the series, please do yourself a favor and pick this one up to find out how it all ends. It took six long years for this concluding volume to finally be out in the world, but trust me, it’s well worth the wait. And let’s be honest, how could anyone read the ending of the last book and not want to continue? Not going to lie, the way things turned out in The Dark Talent made me so depressed, but the only thing that gave me a glimmer of hope was the cryptic note slipped into the back of the book promising there will be more. And thank goodness for that! With Bastille vs. the Evil Librarians came the closure I was desperately seeking, along with some happy surprises made me feel a lot less salty over the ending of the last book.
If you enjoyed the style of storytelling and the unique brand of humor found in the previous books, then you’re going to enjoy this one too. Kudos also to illustrator Hayley Lazo for all the adorable and fun drawings, which really add a lot to the whole reading experience! As for the writing though, speaking as a longtime fan of Brandon Sanderson, I could tell this wasn’t mostly written by him and that the bulk it was probably Janci Patterson, but that’s okay—this series was Sanderson’s creation, and this book still had everything that made its characters and world so fun and unique. Plus, Bastille is now at the helm, and it only makes sense that she sounds different from Alcatraz.
Like I said though, the humor is still there, and Bastille is even snarkier than Alcatraz, I love it! Similar to the previous books, every chapter begins with a witty tangential throwaway segment filled with jokes and puns, so that even though we were in Bastille’s head this time, I still felt right at home. The story also moved along at a breakneck pace, guaranteed to keep even the most distracted middle grader interested with rapt attention. The plot also featured plenty of magical action and the kind of insanity I’ve come to expect from the series, and they must have pulled out all the stops for the finale because believe it or not, things got even crazier in this one (I mean, just look at the cover, which was an actual scene from the story).
But for all that I liked about this book, I felt something was missing. For a long-awaited concluding volume, it simply didn’t feel grand enough, with so much of the plot given to Bastille talking about how annoyed she was at Alcatraz, followed by a shift to them bickering a lot. So much of it was relationship drama, punctuated occasionally by some wild and wacky over-the-top action. Sure, it’s entirely possible that I might have hyped things up for myself in this case, given the long wait time between this book and the last, but compared to some of the previous volumes, I still felt that this had a lot less substance.
That being said, all the crucial elements were there, such as answers to important questions as well as a happy ending. I am such a fan of this series and the characters, that finally getting closure was a relief! I also feel that Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians would be an amazing read for kids 8-14 which is the suggested age range, but adults who are young at heart and don’t mind something a little silly and quirky once in a while would probably have a blast with it as well. This has been an incredible journey, that even with its minor flaws, I felt Bastille vs. the Evil Librarians was the conclusion the readers deserved, and I closed the cover on the final page of my favorite MG series of all time feeling content and satisfied.
February 27, 2024
4 Estrellitas. Buena conclusión de serie. Hace mucho que quería leer este último libro, si lo he ido dejando es porque ni me acordaba que existía, y la pena es que a medida que pasaba el tiempo se me olvidaban los anteriores libros.
A fuerza de acabar leyéndolo he vuelto a acordarme de ellos, y no me he dado cuenta de lo que lo echaba de menos.
El anterior libro, "El talento oscuro" acabó con un final abierto y lleno de incógnitas. Muy indigno como final de serie, pero es verdad que con Alcatraz, todo puede ser imprevisible.
Mi sorpresa llegó cuando me enteré que el sexto y último libro estaba escrito, o protagonizado, por Bastille.
El abrupto final del quinto libro dejó a Alcatraz machacado y catatónico, incapaz de seguir contando la historia, de modo que Bastille nos narrará el final.
Tras ese final de impacto en la Sumoteca de las Tierras Silenciadas, donde los protagonistas descubren que Biblioden el escriba sigue vivo y planea destruir a los habitantes de los Reinos Libres, Bastille y Alcatraz se escapan.
Esta vez su misión consistirá en llegar a la Aguja del Mundo, la fuente de poder de los Reinos Libres, aquella que ha dado los poderes oculantistas a la familia Smedry y sus curiosos Talentos.
Pero el viaje no será fácil, nuestros protagonistas deberán salvar montones de obstáculos para llegar a la Aguja del Mundo antes que Biblioden, además de la infinita paciencia de Bastille para soportar a un llorón Alcatraz durante medio libro.
Esta novela sigue igual de divertida y disparatada que los anteriores libros, además está curioso leerla desde el punto de vista de Bastille, aunque el suyo no se aleja del de Alcatraz.
Lo bonito ha sido leer de nuevo la colaboración de Brandon Sanderson y Janci Patterson para concluir esta serie. El final me ha parecido perfecto y me ha dado pena despedirme de sus protagonistas, pero de un modo u otro, todo debe acabar.
Como conclusión, ha sido una serie juvenil muy divertida y entretenida, y creo que pueden disfrutarla tanto jóvenes como adultos, además son muy cortitas estas historias y están llenas de ilustraciones igual de divertidas y disparatadas que las propias novelas. Chapó por Sanderson.
A fuerza de acabar leyéndolo he vuelto a acordarme de ellos, y no me he dado cuenta de lo que lo echaba de menos.
El anterior libro, "El talento oscuro" acabó con un final abierto y lleno de incógnitas. Muy indigno como final de serie, pero es verdad que con Alcatraz, todo puede ser imprevisible.
Mi sorpresa llegó cuando me enteré que el sexto y último libro estaba escrito, o protagonizado, por Bastille.
El abrupto final del quinto libro dejó a Alcatraz machacado y catatónico, incapaz de seguir contando la historia, de modo que Bastille nos narrará el final.
Tras ese final de impacto en la Sumoteca de las Tierras Silenciadas, donde los protagonistas descubren que Biblioden el escriba sigue vivo y planea destruir a los habitantes de los Reinos Libres, Bastille y Alcatraz se escapan.
Esta vez su misión consistirá en llegar a la Aguja del Mundo, la fuente de poder de los Reinos Libres, aquella que ha dado los poderes oculantistas a la familia Smedry y sus curiosos Talentos.
Pero el viaje no será fácil, nuestros protagonistas deberán salvar montones de obstáculos para llegar a la Aguja del Mundo antes que Biblioden, además de la infinita paciencia de Bastille para soportar a un llorón Alcatraz durante medio libro.
Esta novela sigue igual de divertida y disparatada que los anteriores libros, además está curioso leerla desde el punto de vista de Bastille, aunque el suyo no se aleja del de Alcatraz.
Lo bonito ha sido leer de nuevo la colaboración de Brandon Sanderson y Janci Patterson para concluir esta serie. El final me ha parecido perfecto y me ha dado pena despedirme de sus protagonistas, pero de un modo u otro, todo debe acabar.
Como conclusión, ha sido una serie juvenil muy divertida y entretenida, y creo que pueden disfrutarla tanto jóvenes como adultos, además son muy cortitas estas historias y están llenas de ilustraciones igual de divertidas y disparatadas que las propias novelas. Chapó por Sanderson.
December 12, 2022
Funny, witty, strawsome 😁
July 24, 2022
It's no secret that I'm a huge Brandon Sanderson fan, but this is the one series by him I hadn't ever read until this year when I heard the sixth and final book was being released. Over the past month, I read the first five volumes for the first time to prepare for the release ofBastille vs. the Evil Librarians,and I had such a fun time with them.
The ending of the fifth book is quite devastating, and I can't imagine reading it and not knowing that there would be one more installment coming in the series. Luckily for me, I knew ahead of time, and I didn't have the agonizing wait for it to come out either.
Bastille vs. the Evil Librariansis a great conclusion to the Alcatraz series. It nicely wraps up the story in a satisfactory way and has all the trademark humor and character development that readers have come to expect throughout the first five books. To be honest, I couldn't really tell a difference between this book, written largely by Janci Patterson, and the first five books, written solely by Brandon Sanderson. The humor, including all the jokes and puns, is the same. It's a cohesive installment, which I was very happy to see.
The only real difference between this book and the other books is that this one is told from Bastille's point-of-view, while the others are all told from Alcatraz's point-of-view. I think having Bastille finish the series off was a great decision since she has become such a critical character in the narrative.
I love these books, and I can't wait to read them to my future children one day. They have good morals and great characters and excellent illustrations. Overall a very solid middle-grade series that I highly recommend, especially if you love funny fantasy stories.
My Book Blog:Storeys of Stories
The ending of the fifth book is quite devastating, and I can't imagine reading it and not knowing that there would be one more installment coming in the series. Luckily for me, I knew ahead of time, and I didn't have the agonizing wait for it to come out either.
Bastille vs. the Evil Librariansis a great conclusion to the Alcatraz series. It nicely wraps up the story in a satisfactory way and has all the trademark humor and character development that readers have come to expect throughout the first five books. To be honest, I couldn't really tell a difference between this book, written largely by Janci Patterson, and the first five books, written solely by Brandon Sanderson. The humor, including all the jokes and puns, is the same. It's a cohesive installment, which I was very happy to see.
The only real difference between this book and the other books is that this one is told from Bastille's point-of-view, while the others are all told from Alcatraz's point-of-view. I think having Bastille finish the series off was a great decision since she has become such a critical character in the narrative.
I love these books, and I can't wait to read them to my future children one day. They have good morals and great characters and excellent illustrations. Overall a very solid middle-grade series that I highly recommend, especially if you love funny fantasy stories.
My Book Blog:Storeys of Stories
March 18, 2023
My daughters and I had been waiting for this book for four years, so I was absolutely thrilled to get an early copy from Netgalley. It didn’t disappoint.
If you’ve read the rest of the series and enjoyed it, then yes, you absolutely want to read this one. If you haven’t read the rest of the series, I recommend starting with book one. Our family had just listened to the audiobook version of the first five books in the series, and while it’s probably not strictly necessary to reread them all before getting to book six, we don’t regret it.
I don’t want to spoil anything, and that makes this review hard to write. The book included lots of Alcatraz and Bastille, plus many other familiar characters: Folsom, Himalaya, Draulin, Kaz. I think my favorite thing was finally seeing so many things that had been hinted at in previous books finally show up: a gak (no, it’s not just an expression), sharks, kittens, and interesting breaks.
The book felt short, but it was satisfying. Like the other books, the focus is on the adventure, but there were also great messages about talents and flaws and the importance of a good apology.
If you’ve read the rest of the series and enjoyed it, then yes, you absolutely want to read this one. If you haven’t read the rest of the series, I recommend starting with book one. Our family had just listened to the audiobook version of the first five books in the series, and while it’s probably not strictly necessary to reread them all before getting to book six, we don’t regret it.
I don’t want to spoil anything, and that makes this review hard to write. The book included lots of Alcatraz and Bastille, plus many other familiar characters: Folsom, Himalaya, Draulin, Kaz. I think my favorite thing was finally seeing so many things that had been hinted at in previous books finally show up: a gak (no, it’s not just an expression), sharks, kittens, and interesting breaks.
The book felt short, but it was satisfying. Like the other books, the focus is on the adventure, but there were also great messages about talents and flaws and the importance of a good apology.
October 1, 2023
[3.5 Stars]
I’m so happy we got this final volume, but I would be amiss if I didn’t say this final volume was a bit middling. When I read the fifth book however many years ago before it came out, the story was punchy, adventurous, witty, and fun.
I enjoyed this for the cathartic conclusion of knowing who ends up where. Now that I’ve read it. I can leave these characters behind and likely never look back.
This volume, unfortunately, was less for me than what I had hoped. It focuses on the relationship between two of the characters abnormally, and generally lost elements of the original story that made it one of my favorites. The teamwork was lacking, and the Smeadries were so much less involved that this middle grade book that it felt off. I understand that Brandon Sanderson was hardly involved in this book of at all, which is probably the cause of the disconnect, but I’m sadden that it was so obvious.
Now that I’m in the midst of another recent Sanderson book, I’m worried he might hitting a phase that I’m not enjoying as he’s pushing so many books without necessarily hitting the quality I’ve come to expect.
I’m so happy we got this final volume, but I would be amiss if I didn’t say this final volume was a bit middling. When I read the fifth book however many years ago before it came out, the story was punchy, adventurous, witty, and fun.
I enjoyed this for the cathartic conclusion of knowing who ends up where. Now that I’ve read it. I can leave these characters behind and likely never look back.
This volume, unfortunately, was less for me than what I had hoped. It focuses on the relationship between two of the characters abnormally, and generally lost elements of the original story that made it one of my favorites. The teamwork was lacking, and the Smeadries were so much less involved that this middle grade book that it felt off. I understand that Brandon Sanderson was hardly involved in this book of at all, which is probably the cause of the disconnect, but I’m sadden that it was so obvious.
Now that I’m in the midst of another recent Sanderson book, I’m worried he might hitting a phase that I’m not enjoying as he’s pushing so many books without necessarily hitting the quality I’ve come to expect.
October 4, 2022
Well. I'm not quite sure how to feel about this one.
I knew going into this that my expectations for an Alcatraz ending were wildly high. These books are so weirdly complex, so goofy but also dark, straightforward yet morally gray, that an ending that satisfyingly resolved all of those dissonant notes couldn't be anything but spectacular. So I tried to give Sanderson and Patterson some grace. Ending a zany middle grade series about a depressed guy trying to convince you he's not a hero was always going to be hard. (Especially when you are Sanderson and not willing to go the route of the Lemony-Snicket-style fugue state surreal symbolic existentialist ending. I really have no clue how Snicket got away with that one.)
There were some genuinely good bits.
- The running joke of Bastille explaining Hushlander things to Free Kingdomers, totally wrong. I can't believe I'm saying this about an Alcatraz book, but I honestly could've used more of that gag.
- Hayley Lazo's illustrations are, as always, perfection.
- Sanderson and Patterson nailed the style and rhythm of the earlier books while still giving Bastille's narration a slightly different feel from Alcatraz's.
- And I just love watching Bastille insist, no, Alcatraz IS awesome.
But then there were the parts that were not really sharp enough.
And then the parts I'm torn about.
In general, the plot felt weirdly circular and dragged out.Alcatraz mopes. Bastille yells at him with little effect. They do something to get closer to the Worldspire and Biblioden. Alcatraz mopes some more. Et cetera. There was steady progress made in the big picture plot (stopping everyone from being vaporized), but the emotional arc just seemed to be wandering all over the place. There was not the steady buildup and then release of tension in key moments like
And yet...there's so much potential in those moments and there's an awesome plot in here somewhere! I love the idea that Alcatraz and Bastille both need to recognize that they are not in control; they cannot save everyone or doom everyone, either. And there's a seed of something good intoo. Being okay with your flaws, being willing to rely on others, giving up control, "power made perfect in weakness" and all that jazz - I love it. (I mean, "weakness opens the way to being loved" is like, the main theme of what I'm sure we can all agree is the best plot in the world, Fullmetal Alchemist.) But those ideas are not very sharp in the current shape of the plot. It feels like a jumble of moments that are not really feeding off each other in the way a narrative should.
Alcatraz and Bastille's relationship.Ah. These two. I love them together beyond all reason. And a large part of that is how Sanderson writes romantic relationships. I think he excels at writing synergy between people - the way that Bastille calls Alcatraz on his bullshit but also helps him believe in himself; the way that Alcatraz gives Bastille things to stab but delights her, too. Book 4 is full of shippy moments like this, with Bastille snapping Alcatraz out of his insecurity so he can go lead people better than Bastille can by yelling "Stop being stupid!" They are great partners for each other.
And this book had a lot of Alcatraz and Bastille moments. I can't deny that I have been waiting forAnd yet...I feel like their relationship in this book was driven much less by that synergy I enjoy so much. There's more of the "oo we're so close to each other!" dynamic. There's less of their sharp push and pull on each other's character arcs. Partly because the character arcs are generally less sharp and the plot generally more meandering.
So for instanceBecause the real foundation of their relationship, the real chemistry, what makes me ship them entirely out of proportion to anything rational, is that synergy.
What actually happens in this book?
So with this part of the story also, I feel like there's a great narrative in here somewhere. I love the whole premise of Bastille taking things into her own hands and writing a book to force the perpetually insecure Alcatraz to admit that he's awesome after all. I just wish I had seen more of that dynamic in the actual events.
On the whole,I'm thankful simply this book exists and that it's an affectionate, playful, fun send-off to the series. We could have easily not even gotten that. I wish it had dug more into the complexities of Alcatraz's story - his failures, his relationship with his parents, his dynamic with Bastille. But I'm glad we got this at least. And Hayley Lazo's illustrations, the care with which the book was put together, and the fact that I really just love Alcatraz far too much for a three star review is enough to bump this up to a four.
I knew going into this that my expectations for an Alcatraz ending were wildly high. These books are so weirdly complex, so goofy but also dark, straightforward yet morally gray, that an ending that satisfyingly resolved all of those dissonant notes couldn't be anything but spectacular. So I tried to give Sanderson and Patterson some grace. Ending a zany middle grade series about a depressed guy trying to convince you he's not a hero was always going to be hard. (Especially when you are Sanderson and not willing to go the route of the Lemony-Snicket-style fugue state surreal symbolic existentialist ending. I really have no clue how Snicket got away with that one.)
There were some genuinely good bits.
- The running joke of Bastille explaining Hushlander things to Free Kingdomers, totally wrong. I can't believe I'm saying this about an Alcatraz book, but I honestly could've used more of that gag.
- Hayley Lazo's illustrations are, as always, perfection.
- Sanderson and Patterson nailed the style and rhythm of the earlier books while still giving Bastille's narration a slightly different feel from Alcatraz's.
- And I just love watching Bastille insist, no, Alcatraz IS awesome.
But then there were the parts that were not really sharp enough.
And then the parts I'm torn about.
In general, the plot felt weirdly circular and dragged out.Alcatraz mopes. Bastille yells at him with little effect. They do something to get closer to the Worldspire and Biblioden. Alcatraz mopes some more. Et cetera. There was steady progress made in the big picture plot (stopping everyone from being vaporized), but the emotional arc just seemed to be wandering all over the place. There was not the steady buildup and then release of tension in key moments like
And yet...there's so much potential in those moments and there's an awesome plot in here somewhere! I love the idea that Alcatraz and Bastille both need to recognize that they are not in control; they cannot save everyone or doom everyone, either. And there's a seed of something good intoo. Being okay with your flaws, being willing to rely on others, giving up control, "power made perfect in weakness" and all that jazz - I love it. (I mean, "weakness opens the way to being loved" is like, the main theme of what I'm sure we can all agree is the best plot in the world, Fullmetal Alchemist.) But those ideas are not very sharp in the current shape of the plot. It feels like a jumble of moments that are not really feeding off each other in the way a narrative should.
Alcatraz and Bastille's relationship.Ah. These two. I love them together beyond all reason. And a large part of that is how Sanderson writes romantic relationships. I think he excels at writing synergy between people - the way that Bastille calls Alcatraz on his bullshit but also helps him believe in himself; the way that Alcatraz gives Bastille things to stab but delights her, too. Book 4 is full of shippy moments like this, with Bastille snapping Alcatraz out of his insecurity so he can go lead people better than Bastille can by yelling "Stop being stupid!" They are great partners for each other.
And this book had a lot of Alcatraz and Bastille moments. I can't deny that I have been waiting forAnd yet...I feel like their relationship in this book was driven much less by that synergy I enjoy so much. There's more of the "oo we're so close to each other!" dynamic. There's less of their sharp push and pull on each other's character arcs. Partly because the character arcs are generally less sharp and the plot generally more meandering.
So for instanceBecause the real foundation of their relationship, the real chemistry, what makes me ship them entirely out of proportion to anything rational, is that synergy.
What actually happens in this book?
So with this part of the story also, I feel like there's a great narrative in here somewhere. I love the whole premise of Bastille taking things into her own hands and writing a book to force the perpetually insecure Alcatraz to admit that he's awesome after all. I just wish I had seen more of that dynamic in the actual events.
On the whole,I'm thankful simply this book exists and that it's an affectionate, playful, fun send-off to the series. We could have easily not even gotten that. I wish it had dug more into the complexities of Alcatraz's story - his failures, his relationship with his parents, his dynamic with Bastille. But I'm glad we got this at least. And Hayley Lazo's illustrations, the care with which the book was put together, and the fact that I really just love Alcatraz far too much for a three star review is enough to bump this up to a four.
September 24, 2022
'Bastille vs. The Evil Librarians' (Alcatraz vs. The Evil Librarians #6) by Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson [Illustrations by Hayley Lazo].
Rating: 4.5/5.
Review:
I greatly envy all the new readers who shall be introduced to the world of Alcatraz henceforth. Now that the final book is out, they don't have to endure the long wait for the next book. But on the other hand, I do feel sad for them. The wait for the fifth (which was previously considered to be the final book), and the surprise reveal at the end of that book that the story shall end in the sixth book was an amazing experience that would be hard to emulate now.
The fifth book had released a long time back; it has been almost six years since it first came out. While I do agree that a re-read of the previous five books will greatly enrich your reading experience, I still believe you can dive into this book without a fresh re-read and not worry about missing essential details from the earlier books. I need to mention that having read the previous books half a decade ago, I just read the chapter summaries of those (from the Coppermind Wiki) just before starting this book owing to my busy work schedule at present. However, Bastille gives a quick recap of some important events at the start of the book and some necessary details are rehashed throughout this book so you need not worry about missing important context of certain things within the story.
The first five books were written from Alcatraz's perspective, while the final book is written from Bastille's viewpoint (for reasons obvious within the context of the larger story). Brandon roped in Janci Patterson for the same, and oh boy, she does a wonderful job at it. The writing is consistent with that of the first five books and consists of all the elements that made them so good. It felt like a seamless transition.
This book, like its predecessors, might not appeal to everyone. First of all, it is a middle-grade fantasy. And it is silly. But it is Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson at their best. Filled with silly humor, crazy instances, and the fourth wall breaks, the final book in the 'Alcatraz vs. The Evil Librarians' series is thoroughly entertaining from the start to finish. The book (and even the characters) doesn't even refrain to make fun of its authors - a hilarious element that I was particularly fond of in the earlier books as well. The illustrations, including the ones for chapter headings, were a delightful addition to the book and helped to enhance the overall experience.
Amidst all the craziness and hilarity, I was pleasantly surprised to stumble upon meaningful themes. Bastille and Alcatraz's afterwords at the end of the book are particularly profound.
'Bastille vs. The Evil Librarians' might feel like the second part of a final book to some, but it stands out on its own. Firstly, by simply existing, it gives its predecessor a chance to shine with its unexpectedly dire ending. And secondly, it is a complete package of its own filled with an abundance of hilarious and emotional instances. Finally, it succeeds in its endeavor of giving a much-needed satisfying ending to a criminally underrated series.
Rating: 4.5/5.
"I’m… well, I’m a human being. Like you. I often make mistakes, and sometimes I repeat them. But maybe… maybe there is one thing I’ve finally learned.
Sometimes the curse you see as your biggest flaw can somehow also be your greatest advantage.
And sometimes you need your friends to help you see that. "
Review:
I greatly envy all the new readers who shall be introduced to the world of Alcatraz henceforth. Now that the final book is out, they don't have to endure the long wait for the next book. But on the other hand, I do feel sad for them. The wait for the fifth (which was previously considered to be the final book), and the surprise reveal at the end of that book that the story shall end in the sixth book was an amazing experience that would be hard to emulate now.
The fifth book had released a long time back; it has been almost six years since it first came out. While I do agree that a re-read of the previous five books will greatly enrich your reading experience, I still believe you can dive into this book without a fresh re-read and not worry about missing essential details from the earlier books. I need to mention that having read the previous books half a decade ago, I just read the chapter summaries of those (from the Coppermind Wiki) just before starting this book owing to my busy work schedule at present. However, Bastille gives a quick recap of some important events at the start of the book and some necessary details are rehashed throughout this book so you need not worry about missing important context of certain things within the story.
The first five books were written from Alcatraz's perspective, while the final book is written from Bastille's viewpoint (for reasons obvious within the context of the larger story). Brandon roped in Janci Patterson for the same, and oh boy, she does a wonderful job at it. The writing is consistent with that of the first five books and consists of all the elements that made them so good. It felt like a seamless transition.
This book, like its predecessors, might not appeal to everyone. First of all, it is a middle-grade fantasy. And it is silly. But it is Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson at their best. Filled with silly humor, crazy instances, and the fourth wall breaks, the final book in the 'Alcatraz vs. The Evil Librarians' series is thoroughly entertaining from the start to finish. The book (and even the characters) doesn't even refrain to make fun of its authors - a hilarious element that I was particularly fond of in the earlier books as well. The illustrations, including the ones for chapter headings, were a delightful addition to the book and helped to enhance the overall experience.
Amidst all the craziness and hilarity, I was pleasantly surprised to stumble upon meaningful themes. Bastille and Alcatraz's afterwords at the end of the book are particularly profound.
'Bastille vs. The Evil Librarians' might feel like the second part of a final book to some, but it stands out on its own. Firstly, by simply existing, it gives its predecessor a chance to shine with its unexpectedly dire ending. And secondly, it is a complete package of its own filled with an abundance of hilarious and emotional instances. Finally, it succeeds in its endeavor of giving a much-needed satisfying ending to a criminally underrated series.
"My mother raised her eyebrows at me. Whenever someone raises their eyebrows in a book, it means they are skeptical or surprised. Or sometimes it means that the author has run out of ways to describe things people are doing when they’re standing still talking to each other, rather than doing something crazy like propelling themselves into the air using overclocked ventilation fans."
November 30, 2022
(Leída la edición en español publicada por B de Blok)
En esta ocasión, la narradora de la historia es Bastille y nos cuenta la historia a partir del final con que nos dejó Alcatraz en el Talento Oscuro.
.
En cuanto a trama, este me ha parecido más sencillo que el resto de libros. Sin embargo, me ha gustado la frescura de cambiar de punto de vista y ver las cosas a través de los ojos de Bastille.
.
Aunque sean libros infantiles, la idea de que los poderes sean las cosas malas que nos pasan (romper cosas, llegar tarde,...) me sigue pareciendo magnífica. He disfrutado un montón con su lectura y las bromas hacia la escritura que hacen.
.
Es una saga que recomendaría un montón a lectores jóvenes, pues creo que con estos libros podrían engancharse a la lectura (y a Sanderson).
En esta ocasión, la narradora de la historia es Bastille y nos cuenta la historia a partir del final con que nos dejó Alcatraz en el Talento Oscuro.
.
En cuanto a trama, este me ha parecido más sencillo que el resto de libros. Sin embargo, me ha gustado la frescura de cambiar de punto de vista y ver las cosas a través de los ojos de Bastille.
.
Aunque sean libros infantiles, la idea de que los poderes sean las cosas malas que nos pasan (romper cosas, llegar tarde,...) me sigue pareciendo magnífica. He disfrutado un montón con su lectura y las bromas hacia la escritura que hacen.
.
Es una saga que recomendaría un montón a lectores jóvenes, pues creo que con estos libros podrían engancharse a la lectura (y a Sanderson).
April 6, 2024
Alcatraz serisinin yeri bende ayrıdır çünkü hem Brandon Sanderson’dan okuduğum ilk seriydi hem de şimdiye dek okuduğum en tuhaf ve komik seriler arasındaydı. Son kitabın çevrilmesini sabırsızlıkla beklesem de ne yazık ki çevrilmedi ben de en son İngilizce okumaya karar verdim. Benim için biraz hayal kırıklığı oldu yalan yok! Son kitabın yazarı farklı ve neden böyle bir tercihte bulunulmuş anlamıyorum. Janci Patterson’un yazdığı diğer kitaplara bakınca da kendisinin çok başarılı olmadığını gördüm yani neden Sanderson seri finalini yazmayı tanınmadık orta halli bir yazara devretmiş cidden anlamlandıramıyorum. Bir diğer mevzu bu serinin en güzel yanı Alcatraz’ın mizahıyla tuhaf olayların kombinasyonunu okuma zevkini arşa çıkarmasıydı. Bastille’in gözünden hiçbir şey komik değil ve kendisi espri yapma konusunda da başarılı değil. Sanderson’a kızgınım ilk defa okuduğum bir kitabını bu kadar zor bitirdim o da sırf sonunu merak ettiğim için oldu. Hayal kırıklığı oluşturan bir seri finaliydi. Keşke kendisi yazıp tamamlasaydı eminim daha keyifli bir okuma olurdu. Bu kadar orijinal bir serinin baştan savma tamamlanması beni bir okur olarak ayrı üzdü. Middle grade kategorisinde yani orijinalden okuyacaksanız İngilizcesi fazla zorlamaz. Neyse bir serinin daha sonunu görmüş oldum.
September 23, 2022
[Disclaimer: I am Facebook friends with the first author.]
Middle-grade book series are odd, in that their release schedule often outpaces the age of their target audience. That's particularly the case for the Alcatraz Smedry sextet, which published its first four novels annually from 2007 to 2010, then a fifth volume in 2016 and now this final tale after another six years. Yet the main characters are still 13, as readers who have grown up over the past decade-and-a-half may be frustrated to find (especially after being primed for increasing maturity in the progression of certain other children's fantasy series). The Alcatraz books do get somewhat darker and more mature as they go along, but they never lose the tween zaniness inherent to a premise of evil librarians secretly ruling the world or heroes with special powers like "getting lost," "breaking things," and "arriving late."
Those goofy Smedry talents have always been the primary appeal of these stories to me, and my biggest critique of this finale is that we mostly just see repeats of earlier ones, rather than much in the way of new inventiveness. There's also not really any noticeable payoff from the switch to a new narrator perspective, or from the contributions of co-writer Janci Patterson following five installments from author Brandon Sanderson alone. This title offers a solid conclusion to the remaining plot concerns, and I'm glad we finally have it in our hands after such a long wait, but I'm not seeing anything on the page that would clearly justify that delay. I suspect the series might work better overall for people who are able to read the story straight through, whatever their age at the time.
[Content warning for gun violence.]
This volume: ★★★☆☆
Overall series: ★★★☆☆
Volumes ranked:
4 > 3 > 2 > 6 > 1 > 5
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Middle-grade book series are odd, in that their release schedule often outpaces the age of their target audience. That's particularly the case for the Alcatraz Smedry sextet, which published its first four novels annually from 2007 to 2010, then a fifth volume in 2016 and now this final tale after another six years. Yet the main characters are still 13, as readers who have grown up over the past decade-and-a-half may be frustrated to find (especially after being primed for increasing maturity in the progression of certain other children's fantasy series). The Alcatraz books do get somewhat darker and more mature as they go along, but they never lose the tween zaniness inherent to a premise of evil librarians secretly ruling the world or heroes with special powers like "getting lost," "breaking things," and "arriving late."
Those goofy Smedry talents have always been the primary appeal of these stories to me, and my biggest critique of this finale is that we mostly just see repeats of earlier ones, rather than much in the way of new inventiveness. There's also not really any noticeable payoff from the switch to a new narrator perspective, or from the contributions of co-writer Janci Patterson following five installments from author Brandon Sanderson alone. This title offers a solid conclusion to the remaining plot concerns, and I'm glad we finally have it in our hands after such a long wait, but I'm not seeing anything on the page that would clearly justify that delay. I suspect the series might work better overall for people who are able to read the story straight through, whatever their age at the time.
[Content warning for gun violence.]
This volume: ★★★☆☆
Overall series: ★★★☆☆
Volumes ranked:
4 > 3 > 2 > 6 > 1 > 5
Like this review?
--Throw me a quick one-time donation here!
https://ko-fi.com/lesserjoke
--Subscribe here to support my writing and weigh in on what I read next!
https://patreon.com/lesserjoke
--Follow along on Goodreads here!
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6...
--Or click here to browse through all my previous reviews!
https://lesserjoke.home.blog
October 2, 2022
Hayley's artwork is usually the highlight of these books, but this time with this printing all of the illustrations were DARK. The Stormlight folio's suffer from the same thing. It looks like she colored them, probably beautifully, but then the publisher in rendering them black and white just dumped all the printer toner onto each one.
I'm a fan of the Alcatraz series because I'm a fan of Alcatraz, i.e. unfiltered Brandon. Having Janci/Bastille write the final volume feels like a rip-off. Does it make sense for the story? Sure. Would you have wanted to read the final Harry Potter book from Ron's perspective though, written by Rowling's protoge?
And lastly, as a complaint for the entire series and *society* in general: Stop with the mean girl love interests. I know it's scary. I know *critics* will lambast you if the boy hero's love interest is *pleasant*, but it doesn't have to be this way. Ladies. This isn't how the world works. Despite what every entertainment outlet is telling you, the path to happiness and empowerment does not lie in being catty and mean.
I'm a fan of the Alcatraz series because I'm a fan of Alcatraz, i.e. unfiltered Brandon. Having Janci/Bastille write the final volume feels like a rip-off. Does it make sense for the story? Sure. Would you have wanted to read the final Harry Potter book from Ron's perspective though, written by Rowling's protoge?
And lastly, as a complaint for the entire series and *society* in general: Stop with the mean girl love interests. I know it's scary. I know *critics* will lambast you if the boy hero's love interest is *pleasant*, but it doesn't have to be this way. Ladies. This isn't how the world works. Despite what every entertainment outlet is telling you, the path to happiness and empowerment does not lie in being catty and mean.
September 18, 2023
O matko, co to była za przygoda! Generalnie od samego początku nie podobało mi się wykonanie tej serii, takie mówienie wprost do czytelnika, ale chyba po prostu nie pokochałam Alcatraza, bo Bastille totalnie skradła moje serce! Prawda jest taka, że nie bardzo chciałam kończyć tą serię w oryginale, ale nie żałuję, bo dostałam genialne audio i trochę szkoda, że w takiej wersji nie słuchałam od początku!
Jak usłyszałam na początku, że to będzie nim film w mojej głowie to ją skreśliła, bo nienawidzę dodatkowych dźwięków w audio, ale są idealnie wyważone! Wszystkie dodatkowe elementy faktycznie stanowią dodatek, nie zagłuszają słów, nie ma irytującej muzyki, która odwraca moją uwagę od tekstu. Bez wątpienia jakość tego audio podniosła moją ocenę i muszę jeszcze kiedyś taką formę wypróbować. I mimo trudności, jakie spotkaliśmy po drodze, to już mi trochę tęskno do tej dwójki. Panie Sanderson, umie pan w zakończenia!
Jak usłyszałam na początku, że to będzie nim film w mojej głowie to ją skreśliła, bo nienawidzę dodatkowych dźwięków w audio, ale są idealnie wyważone! Wszystkie dodatkowe elementy faktycznie stanowią dodatek, nie zagłuszają słów, nie ma irytującej muzyki, która odwraca moją uwagę od tekstu. Bez wątpienia jakość tego audio podniosła moją ocenę i muszę jeszcze kiedyś taką formę wypróbować. I mimo trudności, jakie spotkaliśmy po drodze, to już mi trochę tęskno do tej dwójki. Panie Sanderson, umie pan w zakończenia!
December 3, 2022
This is EASILY the BEST Alcatraz book of the entire series! I must say, whenever Brandon and Janci team up, MAGIC and LAUGHTER and BEAUTY occurs!
Don't believe me? Read the entire Skyward series!
When you add Suzy Jackson as the narrator, it is PERFECTION! Those three are a triple threat! A perfect combination! The BEST OF THE BEST!
What I would PAY to have Suzy narrate the other 5 Alcatraz books!
This book was a delight and a joy. And so fun to read.
It is astonishing how Brandon can create so many vastly different worlds and characters! This is SO TOTALLY OPPOSITE from The Lost Metal, that I am also currently reading.
And just as equally exquisite and beautiful and hauntingly perfect, as only Brandon can do.
I am in awe of his talents (see what I did there? 😉) and still insist that he's not actually human after all.
🤔
Don't believe me? Read the entire Skyward series!
When you add Suzy Jackson as the narrator, it is PERFECTION! Those three are a triple threat! A perfect combination! The BEST OF THE BEST!
What I would PAY to have Suzy narrate the other 5 Alcatraz books!
This book was a delight and a joy. And so fun to read.
It is astonishing how Brandon can create so many vastly different worlds and characters! This is SO TOTALLY OPPOSITE from The Lost Metal, that I am also currently reading.
And just as equally exquisite and beautiful and hauntingly perfect, as only Brandon can do.
I am in awe of his talents (see what I did there? 😉) and still insist that he's not actually human after all.
🤔
December 30, 2022
4.5/5 stars
This is probably my favorite book of the series. The entire book felt like the final act (which the fifth book should have been) and was Sanderlanche-esque. It was action-packed and had a satisfying final battle, although I do wish the big bad was defeated in a different way. It had the Sanderson flare, but I did think the addition of a coauthor helped tone down the quirkiness of the book (with those commentaries) that never really landed with me where I felt Brandon Sanderson went overboard and leaned too much into it.
This is probably my favorite book of the series. The entire book felt like the final act (which the fifth book should have been) and was Sanderlanche-esque. It was action-packed and had a satisfying final battle, although I do wish the big bad was defeated in a different way. It had the Sanderson flare, but I did think the addition of a coauthor helped tone down the quirkiness of the book (with those commentaries) that never really landed with me where I felt Brandon Sanderson went overboard and leaned too much into it.
June 30, 2023
Que librun se mando Brandon para cerrar esta saga, cortito como parada de chancho, nos sumerge de pies a cabeza en una aventura y no para hasta el final, no nos da ni el mínimo respiro.
El cambio de narrador le queda que ni pintado, Bastille es un personaje que está re bien escrito, y el humor en esta última parte de la saga es cuando mejor funciona.
Nunca pensé en darle cinco estrellas a un libro de esta saga, pero cuando algo nos sorprende y nos da lo máximo que podemos esperar de ellos hay que recompensar como se debe.
Nota:9/10
El cambio de narrador le queda que ni pintado, Bastille es un personaje que está re bien escrito, y el humor en esta última parte de la saga es cuando mejor funciona.
Nunca pensé en darle cinco estrellas a un libro de esta saga, pero cuando algo nos sorprende y nos da lo máximo que podemos esperar de ellos hay que recompensar como se debe.
Nota:9/10
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