The Legend Thief (The Hunter Chronicles)
Gr 5-8-Sky Weathers and his band of monster hunters are about to face another challenge. Bedlam, an ancient and powerful beast able to enter his victim's mind and steal it, is on his way to Exile with his army of monsters. He was trapped in a chrysalis hundreds of years ago, but now his spirit is free. He is coming for Sky, because the 12-year-old possesses both the Hunter's Mark and the Eye of Legend Mark. If he takes over Sky's body, he will be even more powerful than if he can regain his own. The Hunters of Exile are determined to stop Bedlam, and their solution is to kill Sky before Bedlam can reach Exile. As Sky and his friends search for another way to save Exile, they also uncover a deeper, more sinister plot-one that reveals a traitor in the Hunters' midst. This novel is a nonstop action adventure with lots of imagination and unique mythology. The myriad cast is interesting, though Sky is the obvious focus and the most developed. Kids won't care, though, because this is not the kind of book you read for depth of character. Though it would be best to read the series in order, it's not imperative. Give this inventive fantasy to fans of Scott Mebus's Gods of Manhattan (Dutton, 2008), Suzanne Collins's Gregor the Overlander (Scholastic, 2003), and Jenny Nimmo's "Charlie Bone" series (Scholastic), and watch it fly off the shelves faster than a Piebald.-Heather Miller Cover, Homewood Public Library, ALα(c) Copyright 2011.  Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.  No redistribution permitted.