Hunter Brown and the Secret of the Shadow (Codebearers, No.1)
Grade 9 Up—Hunter Brown and his two friends are running from bullies on the last day of high school and get locked in the Dumpster in which they have taken refuge. Their rescuer, a supposed janitor, sends the boys on an errand to a bookstore where they pick up a magic book. Thus starts the adventure where they tumble through a grave into a netherworld, float in a dark lake surrounded by dead bodies, and ultimately must fight for "The Author" of the book against the forces of evil. Aviad, whom some say is just a prophet and others say is the son of The Author, figures prominently. Characters named Faith and Hope are major players as well. The Christian and biblical parallels are obvious throughout, and there is one scene in which public schools are criticized for teaching science. However, the boys do use some of their math abilities to retrieve the key to their salvation, and the action and swordplay are a constant. There is a companion online video game, and this book reads very much like a script for one. The boys are in high school, but they behave like much younger children in many respects, and the illustrations mirror that young image.—Jake Pettit, Thompson Valley High School, Loveland, COCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.