Review Detail

What I Loved: This book is such a great book for Middle-Grade readers. Once again, we are loosely in Medieval times this time with more fantastical events and even less historical accuracy. Not that this is a problem. This book has so many subtle jokes that an older child will pick up on and be delighted they understood the references made. For example, my son and I had the best time with the knight’s names. There is Sir Conference, Sir Ebral, Sir Render, Sir Vaylence, Sir Mount, Sir Fass, and Sir Cuss. Then Nerlim is back and my son just exclaims with a chuckle, I still love his name!
Once again, the IQ Vocabulary boosters and the illustrations are wonderful additions to this fun series. His reinvention of the Minotaur was delightful and unexpected. With the plentiful illustrations and quirky humor, this 142-page book feels like such a quick read, making it perfect for even reluctant readers.
Final Verdict: Teachers will know the struggle of teasing a book report out of a student. So, after a particularly funny and clever sequence when my 10-year-old spontaneously bursts into a 5-minute explanation of why Stuart Gibbs books are the best and how each one has these hilarious detail-by-detail action sequences that are completely wonderful in every book, I know this book is a winner. He even compared the different series we have read from Gibbs with specific details to support his enthusiastic exclamation of why Stuart Gibbs is one of his favorite writers. Well, my mother/teacher’s heart pitter-pattered as I quietly looked up when the next Gibb’s book releases even though this one doesn’t even come out until November 1. Thank you, Simon & Schuster, for the ARC. Thank goodness Gibb’s is a prolific writer able to publish books from several series a year because we are definitely ready for the next book.