Hunter Brown and the Secret of the Shadow (Codebearers Series #1)

VOYA - Laura Panter

When one of Hunter's notorious pranks backfires, he accidentally locks himself in a dumpster to avoid detection. Mistaking his rescuer for a school janitor, Hunter finds himself on a mission in town where possession of a magical book transports him into the mythical world of Solandria. Solandria is a parallel world held captive by the Shadow alliance, a supernatural force of evil that is swiftly gaining control of this alternate realm. When Hunter is catapulted into this strange world, he finds himself inducted into a band of renegades called the Codebearers, trained warriors who have formed a resistance bent on defeating Sceleris, master of the Shadow, and his minions. On an adventure far more dangerous than he ever imagined, Hunter discovers he alone can save Solandria, but at the cost of his own soul and the death of the life he thought he knew. In this first book of a projected new fantasy series, the Millers compose a brilliant concept of looking at life as a series of stories that end and begin again every time a new tale is written. Hunter is portrayed as the average teenager who is a mediocre student and a mischievous jokester, who is just starting to discover himself when his world his turned upside down. Several secondary characters could be better developed as so many are introduced or left unresolved that at times it is difficult for the reader to feel empathy or compassion toward the devastating ending. Fans of Harry Potter will enjoy getting to know Hunter and be curious about his next exploit. Reviewer: Laura Panter

School Library Journal

Gr 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, CO