Stuart is the author of the middle grade adventures set in Prometheus High, How to Make a Monster and its sequel The Books of the Dead, His current series, The 113th Assistant Librarian, is set in a library, not an ordinary library, but one chock full of dangerous surprises and some very odd patrons.
Oliver, has spent years ‘dreaming of his Calling, of adventuring to distant lands, slaying beasts, solving murders and searching for long-lost artefacts,‘ discovered in the first book, The 113th Assistant Librarian, that books are powerfull…They are more than simple bound pages, so while most people assume that working in a library is totally safe and a bit dull, he now knows the opposite is true.
In this next instalment of his adventures, Lost in a Book, Oliver has become quite confident in his role at the library and his friendship with the mysterious Agatha has strengthened until they are a formidable team. It all seems normal when the library receives a bequest of books but when checked against copies in the library there are marked differences from the titles held in the collection. Which ones are the forgeries the new arrivals or the originals? Or is this just a case of innocuous misprints?
None of this would arouse that much concern except that one of these discrepancies misplaces the country’s borders, of great interest to Ms Clowritch, a politician who would like nothing better than to stir up trouble. Oliver and Agatha decide to check the actual location of the border in person, so they leave the library armed with a number of book related magical items. They quickly get into trouble with Ms Clowritch who is also heading for the border with her own team of miscreants.
Wilson has lots of fun with book titles, the worlds to be found within books and the power of the written word, all of which makes this a not just another ordinary adventure but a story with some thought provoking themes. He certainly gets very creative and inventive with the magic of books. It is great to see Oliver outside the library but still engaged in serious book business. He is proving just as brave and resourceful as all of his intrepid sisters, and Agatha is a constant marvel. She and the seven magical cats are again important in this story.
Great fun, for those who love magic and mayhem in their reading. Bring on the next instalment!
