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3rd out of 7 books
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3 voters
Alcatraz Versus the Shattered Lens (Alcatraz #4)
by
Brandon Sanderson (Goodreads Author)
The fourth and final book in the fabulously funny Alcatraz Smedry series!
Alcatraz Smedry is on a mission to save the day! In his final adventure in the series by bestselling adult fantasy writer Brandon Sanderson, Alcatraz has a lot to prove and, as always, little time in which to do it!
Hardcover, 294 pages
Published
December 1st 2010
by Scholastic Press
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This review will encompass all four of the "Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians" books.
I bought the first "Alcatraz" book for my 6th grader. It sounded as though it would be strange. I mean, really, how could a librarian possibly be evil? I have read "Elantris," then the "Mistborn" series, the two "Wheel of Time" books, and lastly, "Warbreaker," and I have become a huge fan of Brandon Sanderson. So, I decided to read the book before I gave it to my son.
While the first chapter or two felt quite a b...more
I bought the first "Alcatraz" book for my 6th grader. It sounded as though it would be strange. I mean, really, how could a librarian possibly be evil? I have read "Elantris," then the "Mistborn" series, the two "Wheel of Time" books, and lastly, "Warbreaker," and I have become a huge fan of Brandon Sanderson. So, I decided to read the book before I gave it to my son.
While the first chapter or two felt quite a b...more
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That's it. I'm never reading any YA book again unless it's THIS funny. It should be so funny that my tummy will ache as if I've done a thousand sit-ups. It should be so funny that I will receive worried looks from coworkers for sniggering at my desk while getting drool on the Kindle. (yes, the Kindle) It should be so funny that I will write book reviews which try too hard to be as funny as the books I am reviewing.
I really, really liked this installment of the series but I cannot give it 5 stars...more
I really, really liked this installment of the series but I cannot give it 5 stars...more
Sanderson, B. (2010). Alcatraz Versus the Shattered Lens. New York: Scholastic Press.
292 pages.
Internetz, you have not been witness to it. But a great battle of wills was just averted. When my co-assistant and I learned that our boss was receiving an advance copy of the fourth book in the Alcatraz series, we went to war with one another. My boss's office was left in far from perfect condition. Her many books were tossed from their slumping shelves, torn to pieces. Shredded pages rained down like...more
292 pages.
Internetz, you have not been witness to it. But a great battle of wills was just averted. When my co-assistant and I learned that our boss was receiving an advance copy of the fourth book in the Alcatraz series, we went to war with one another. My boss's office was left in far from perfect condition. Her many books were tossed from their slumping shelves, torn to pieces. Shredded pages rained down like...more
The fourth book in the Alcatraz Smedry series, this book claims to wrap everything up. Unfortunately, it's hard to follow because the author is a smart-aleck and distracts from the story flow with random injections of supposedly humorous tangents. Reading at least the first book might clarify some confusing elements. It seems that Alcatraz has the recently-harnessed talent of breaking things with his mind. All Smedrys have a strange talent, and the Librarians (who seem to be people from everyday...more
I finished this book nearly a week ago and I'm still laughing. I LOVE these Alcatraz books!! They are so hysterically funny. And smart. And clever. Brandon Sanderson is a genius. I particularly loved the chapter titles in this book--hilarious! The plot was fun and exciting, and the new Smedry talent was great. (I never can figure out what a new talent will be or--when it's introduced--how in the world this talent can possibly be a GOOD thing. But it is, every time, in such a clever and funny way...more
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Ahh Alcatraz, such refreshing humor after several dark books. I have a 12 year old friend who passes on his Alcatraz books after he has finished them. Apparently, I appreciate the same bizarre humor as he does: sarcastic side notes by the narrator, absurdly numbered chapters, and clever critique on the art of writing. The disappointing thing is that Sanderson's cleverest writing is lost on his intended audience. Few fifth and sixth graders could catch the genius of chapter Act V, Scene III where...more
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If you haven't read these books already, well... go out and buy them! Right now! Or surf over to your favorite online bookseller and buy them! Seriously, you won't be sorry.
I love this series. There's a reason the first book is the one I immediately recommend to people asking advice on books to read... and sure, they're billed as Young Adult novels, but don't let that fool you into thinking they're only for kids. Also, I don't believe I've run across books more deserving of being read out loud (...more
I love this series. There's a reason the first book is the one I immediately recommend to people asking advice on books to read... and sure, they're billed as Young Adult novels, but don't let that fool you into thinking they're only for kids. Also, I don't believe I've run across books more deserving of being read out loud (...more
I absolutely adore this series and I think this book is the best one so far. There was a lot more action than in the last book, as Alcatraz sneaks into a besieged Mokian city in order to force his protectors to join the Mokians' defense. We get a lot of answers about what Al's parents are up to and see certain events that have been vaguely alluded to throughout the whole series (though not as many as we might like), we get to see Alcatraz mature and really step up to bat (although don't expect a...more
For those unfamiliar with the series, this is the continuing story of Alcatraz Smedry, a young man who finds out that he has an amazing talent: he can break anything. His family helps lead the war between the Evil Librarians and the Free Nations. Now, rather than being an object of rescue, Alcatraz begins to assume his place as a genuine martial leader in this war. To say much more than this would spoil the previous volumes. Of course, this book continues in the same tone, addressing the reader,...more
My feelings about this book are about the same as the earlier 3 books. Still not my favorite series by Sanderson, but lots of fun and an interesting premise. The story is not quite as awesome as books 1 and 2. I still think that this would be a great read-aloud with kids.
The cover is still ugly as sin, and I laughed when Sanderson (or Alcatraz?) made fun of the cover of book 2. Kaz says, "I prefer the part where we flew up into space." "We should have done that in book two," Bastille said. "Then...more
The cover is still ugly as sin, and I laughed when Sanderson (or Alcatraz?) made fun of the cover of book 2. Kaz says, "I prefer the part where we flew up into space." "We should have done that in book two," Bastille said. "Then...more
this book main problem is these people cold the librarians these people work in libraries. the rule the world by telling us lies. those are the librarians.
This book takes place in the 2000's in africa this story could be done in years earlier then the 2000's.
the main character is the protagonist he is about 13 not that tall and where a green jacket and he can work on his self of steam. the antagonist is his mother she is one of the leaders of the Liberians she wheres pink horn rimed glasses. wh...more
The final volume (for now) of the Alcatraz series has all of the humor, characterization, wit, charm and zaniness you have come to expect from the series. and more. No really. Brandon plays with the format so much that Alcatraz must have broken the 4th wall permanently between books 3 and 4. All of the characters seem to be aware of it now.
As over the top it is, it also has the unenviable task of being the 4th (and last book) contracted by Scholastic while being part of a 5 book series. This mea...more
As over the top it is, it also has the unenviable task of being the 4th (and last book) contracted by Scholastic while being part of a 5 book series. This mea...more
Feb 01, 2011
Kim (magicsandwiches) Lawyer
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Shelves:
glad-i-read-it-but-wont-reread
It's open war with the librarians (LIE-brarians!), but when Alcatraz travels to the island of Mokia to stave off an assault, he meets his mother and has a very interesting conversation which changes everything. What if the librarians are right and Alcatraz's family is wrong? Is this just another conspiracy?
The first half of the book is completely brilliant. The wacky humor, the silly talents, and the wordplay are all top-notch. The Shakespeare chapter alone makes it worth reading! GAH! It is ama...more
The first half of the book is completely brilliant. The wacky humor, the silly talents, and the wordplay are all top-notch. The Shakespeare chapter alone makes it worth reading! GAH! It is ama...more
Why I read it: 4th in a series
The Plot: The boy with all the wrong Talents has a lot to prove and, as always, little time in which to do it. In this final adventure, Alcatraz faces an army of librarians--and their giant librarian robots--as they battle to win the kingdom of Mokia.
The Characters: Alcatraz seems to grow up a bit in this book, and as a narrator he is very likable and fun. Throughout the series, though, I've never really been able to connect with any of the characters to the point w...more
The Plot: The boy with all the wrong Talents has a lot to prove and, as always, little time in which to do it. In this final adventure, Alcatraz faces an army of librarians--and their giant librarian robots--as they battle to win the kingdom of Mokia.
The Characters: Alcatraz seems to grow up a bit in this book, and as a narrator he is very likable and fun. Throughout the series, though, I've never really been able to connect with any of the characters to the point w...more
Although not quite as good as the other three books in the series, I still found myself chuckling quite a bit through most of the book and laughing hysterically in a few places. My personal favorites? Chapter 24601 and the WoT reference to "who killed Asmodean" - luckily for me, I wasn't taking a drink from my Pepsi at that point or I would have been snorting soda all over the book! The humor did seem more forced in this book as compared to the the others, and the ending left something to be des...more
I had to give this book all 5 stars. It really is amazing. The ending will leave you wanting for more. The ending is an ending, but not _the_ ending. It's happy, it's sad, it's shocking, it's sweet, it's just amazing. The character of Alcatraz has changed since the first book. He has grown from this selfish brat to actually wanting to help an entire country of people. He risks his life and the life of his friends to do so. The battle that happens is Epic and described brilliantly. You can just s...more
Love the series. I really do. But this book. This book is just pushing it a little too far for me. In the previous books he has stated that the books are real and he's writing them now after they've happened. For some reason in this book his characters including himself are commenting on the writing while it's happening. It just bugs me. Love his continual commentary on philosophy. His constant play on words. I also really liked his brief description of religion and how it all comes down to foo...more
I enjoyed certain parts of it, though the humor was a bit forced sometimes. My favorite part was when they decided that, in order to be original, they would sneak up on the guards and get into the city while quoting Hamlet . And then the one Librarian (Librarians are the enemies) quotes from Macbeth instead and Bastille spears him.
The problem is, I feel as though most 8-11 y.o.'s wouldn't really get some of the allusions he made in these books and that adults and teenagers would be the ones wh...more
The problem is, I feel as though most 8-11 y.o.'s wouldn't really get some of the allusions he made in these books and that adults and teenagers would be the ones wh...more
My husband is convinced that Sanderson has shown his true literary genius through this series even more than in the Mistborn and Wheel of Time novels. How can he be so silly and comical and so incredibly clever at same time? It's infuriating...in a funny way. This book had me laughing OUT LOUD!!! I think Sanderson has really enjoyed "showing off" in these books. They are not my favorite books of his, because I prefer depth over humor, BUT that being said, I really warmed up to this hilarious lig...more
I liked this one the least of the 4--I felt that the author/narrator "talking" to the reading way over the top in this one. The random ramblings at the beginning of the chapters were mostly long and tedious (although a couple of them did make me laugh) causing me to drift off into la-la land and then I'd have to rewind the cd to catch the part of the story that was important. It was disappointing, to say the least. However, I don't think that this will be much of a negative for kids who like thi...more
It seems that Mr. Sanderson has gotten more silly and more serious at the same time. While I still laughed out loud sometimes, I felt like the humor was beginning to get forced and stretched thin. It's just not that funny anymore. At the same time, the drama and seriousness of events is ramping up, making the long expected conclusion a much looked forward to event. Though, I can't help but wonder if Mr. Sanderson is intentionally delaying the writing/release of the 5th book as a jab at the dread...more
Initially I had trouble getting into this series, mostly due to the nonsense babbling that is not really relevant to the story and the writing style, but the plot is pretty damn good. The last book kinda leaves you wanting more and ends on a high note. This ending on a high note was fine 'till I found out book 5 is on indefinite hiatus. WHY?!?!?!? Hurry up and write the thing Sanderson! Overall up to and including book 4 the series has had a consistently good plot line (despite the less than end...more
The setting is Nalhalla and Tuki Tuki. The world is divided into free kingdoms and Hushlands. The Hushlands are ruled by the evil librarians. Nalhalla and Tuki Tuki are free kingdoms.
The main character in this book is Alcatraz, who is a Smedry. His mother is an evil librarian. Bastille is Alcatraz's friend and a knight of Crystallia. Kaz is Alcatraz's Uncle (even though he is only 4 ft. tall!). King Dartmoor is Bastille's Dad and the ruler of Crystallia. Crystallia rules over all the free kingdo...more
The main character in this book is Alcatraz, who is a Smedry. His mother is an evil librarian. Bastille is Alcatraz's friend and a knight of Crystallia. Kaz is Alcatraz's Uncle (even though he is only 4 ft. tall!). King Dartmoor is Bastille's Dad and the ruler of Crystallia. Crystallia rules over all the free kingdo...more
I have to admit, this is my favorite thing that Sanderson writes. Sure, Mistborn was great. The WoT books he's been working on are fabulous. I tried the Way of Kings and haven't been able to make my way through it, yet (probably because I've been reading everything else...). But Alcatraz is my favorite!
This one was no exception. I love the plot twists and the little doses of reality (being a King really can suck, after all). And the "Who Killed Asmodean?" tidbit was just hilarious!
So, make sure...more
This one was no exception. I love the plot twists and the little doses of reality (being a King really can suck, after all). And the "Who Killed Asmodean?" tidbit was just hilarious!
So, make sure...more
This was my least favorite of the Alcatraz books. It was still funny and quirky, but I didn't really like the "stoopid" version of Alcatraz. It didn't seem as funny as the others (still funny, just a little short of the bar that was set by the other books.) !Spoiler alert! Also, I didn't like that it left the ending so unresolved. I felt like it was the worst ending of all the books, and it's supposed to be the last one (at least for some time). I just felt Like Sanderson could have wrapped thin...more
Aw, I wish this wasn't the last book! It was good. And the ending was very fitting to the Alcatraz books. The whole thing seemed a bit rushed to me, but that could be because I was standing in the book store trying to read it quickly because I wanted to finish it. I would buy it, but I don't feel like donating to the Alcatraz Smedry Wildlife Fund right now. :-) You know, Brandon Sanderson's writing style for these books feels kind of like Patrick McManus to me. They're both so funny and random.....more
In the (unfortunately) final book of the Alcatraz Smedry series, Alcatraz is off to Mokia to try to keep the librarians from adding that kingdom to the Hushlands. Along the way, he gets a few surprises about his family and his talent. Fans of the series will love this latest adventure. It's filled with humor and action like all the others. Unfortunately, it also sets things up for a final book, which doesn't seem to be happening.
My full review at Carstairs Considers.
My full review at Carstairs Considers.
This one started to get a little tired for me. I have been enjoying Alcatraz's wit for the last 3 books, and that is definitely there in this book too, but it seemed to be missing a lot of the spark that the others had. Some of the jokes felt a little long, and some just didn't really add anything to the story. There were also times where I started to feel like the jokes from the narrator were the reason for the story and not the actual story.
Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed the book immensel...more
Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed the book immensel...more
Alcatraz is back and purposefully putting himself into the line of fire in order to help another kingdom. He's beginning to get a handle on how to manipulate not only his own talent, but also the talents of his relatives. Along the way he discovers more about what both his parents are really up to.
I borrowed this ARC from the teen librarian where I work as I'm always eager to see what is new with Alcatraz. He's up to the usual tricks of changing chapter heads, talking directly to the reader, and...more
I borrowed this ARC from the teen librarian where I work as I'm always eager to see what is new with Alcatraz. He's up to the usual tricks of changing chapter heads, talking directly to the reader, and...more
The fourth and allegedly final book in the Alcatraz Smedry saga by Brandon Sanderson is true to form. He maintains his wit, sarcasim, and playful homage to all books fantasy. In addition he continues the action adventure and romantic tension of the earlier books. His chapter headings are hilarious, especially chapter NCC 1701. I am sorry this is the last one, I felt that he left undone some of the main themes. I think if he gave Alcatraz a bit of a rest he could come back refreshed. Whatever he...more
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Brandon Sanderson is an American fantasy author. A Nebraska native, he currently resides in Provo, Utah. He earned his Master's degree in Creative Writing in 2005 from Brigham Young University. He has been nominated twice for the John W. Campbell Award.
Sanderson married on July 7, 2006 and is a member of the LDS church. Sanderson's writing is noteworthy for its epic fantasy tone, unique settings,...more
More about Brandon Sanderson...
Sanderson married on July 7, 2006 and is a member of the LDS church. Sanderson's writing is noteworthy for its epic fantasy tone, unique settings,...more
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“Impossible things are really rough to do, you know.”
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“I am a Smedry, and we do ridiculous, unexpected, eccentric things like this all the time! Ha-ha!”
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