Overall: 🐢🐢🐢🐢
Storyline:
Writing Style:
Character Development:
Enjoyment:
“He did like trees though. He really appreciated their flammable tendencies.“
Battle For Verdana by Brett Salter
The Story:
With Rome and Jules’ talisman down, the group is not only on the lookout for more talismans but one to replace the boys’ corrupted one. It just so happens that Beacon has found the next one the team gets to find. In the Pacific Northwest? Where ever they need to go, the Georgia group is on the trail! Sometimes though, their jump in actions land them in some sticky situations.
When they get out to the Pacific Northwest, will they meet friends or foes while searching for the ever elusive talismans? Can they find a way to heal the corrupted talisman they already have? And will Rome and Julian ever get a chance to perform the Great Synergy with their own talisman again?
Key Elements:
Fantasy, Dragons, Knights, Magic, Portals, War Against Evil, Friendship, Humor, Young Adult
Others in Series:
Book 1: The Search for Synergy
Book 2: Riders of Fire and Ice
Book 3: Windy City Ruins
Why This Rating?
Full disclosure, I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for a voluntary honest review.
Its time for the 4th book in this wonderful young, middle school age book series! It’s been a joy to read through this series. We’ve been following along with Julian and Rome as their group grows with more allies to fight the Darkbrands and the adventures get even more daring. Salter has the team heading off to the Pacific Northwest to try and track down another Talisman that has come up on their radar. This one certainly has the group having to figure out way to work together more fluidly especially with Rome and Jules unable to shift anymore. I loved watching the entire group work through the difficulties that were popping up all over the place. It is wonderful when we are given a functional group dynamic to adventure with. There are so many authors who just want to give us a party of people and have conflicts and arguments every other sentence. Salter’s group of characters have worked out their differences in one way or another early on and then it is settled. There is nothing to dredge back up. Bing Bang Boom and off they go to save the world together. Maybe this all says more about the books I am reading outside of Salter’s world, but I have loved this group dynamic from the start and greatly appreciate that he keeps it going.
Jericho! Ok you guys, I said this in the review for book 3 when we first meet this character and his dragon, I can see why he is Salter’s favorite character! Jericho is by far my favorite also. His quirk with having to listen to music while fighting is just *chef kiss* perfect! There is one fight where one of the Darkbrands hit him and it knocks out one of his airpods. He is completely nonchalant in the middle of the fight, walks over to the earbud, puts it back in, and jumps right back into whooping ass. I love this so much! Oh, don’t mind me, just gonna put this back in that you so rudely knocked out of my ear. Thanks! Also, his tattoos! Salter’s description of Jericho’s tattoos are so gorgeous. I know that each one is coming at a huge cost to him, but the few that he gained in this book look stunning nonetheless.
The shift in tone for this one has really drifted into more of the young adult reader in my opinion. It makes me wonder if there was a way to write the series with a bit more time in between the guys heading out on their quests. That way the shift I’m feeling would be comparative to the ages of the characters. Again, I’ve genuinely enjoyed the books. Salter’s world is a ton of fun to read! But I’ve wondered about the age of these kids since book 2. Having them travel all over, find time to train while balancing school days, and the lack of contact with the parents at such a young age just seems a bit wild to me. With this book, we’ve had a huge growth in maturity for these young men. Which is completely understandable! Let’s see you go to battle and not have you grow up some. They have managed to accomplish so much and my heart goes out to them for only being 14. However, if there was a bit of space or a grade in school per book, perhaps I wouldn’t feel so “Parent-ish” (I know this isn’t a word, but saying I feel protective towards these fictional characters seem a bit to much) when it comes to these kids. But this is also coming from a 28 year old school nerd here who very much loved and misses school sometimes! So take this all with that in mind.
This was wonderful installment to the talisman series and I am very grateful to have been given a chance to read the series so far. Salter is clearly passionate about this world has has created and his characters. If you haven’t gotten a chance to read the series yet, please take a look at his first book. It makes for a fantastic read for any young fantasy reader out there either getting starts or wanting more to read. Or in all honesty, a great read for anyone who loves the fantasy genre. I’m still reading the series, so you know it is worth reading! I look forward to seeing what happens with the crew after this one. Plus, I wanna know who the heck Mander is!
Time to get lost in the next story!
