Albrek's Tomb

Adventurers Wanted #3

by M.L. Forman

An epic fantasy series. Library Journal Two thousand years ago, the dwarf Albrek went looking for new mines in the land of Thraxon in the hopes of becoming rich. No one knows if he ever succeeded, though, as all trace of Albrek and his followers simply vanished from history. Now, however, the dwarves must find the magical talisman that Albrek carried with him before their mines run dry, which would threaten the livelihood of the entire dwarf realm. And so the newly named wizard Alexander Taylor joins a familiar company of adventurers on a quest to discover what happened to Albrek, find his mythical tomb, and locate the lost talisman. Discovering Albrek s fate, however, may be the least of the adventurers problems when they cross paths with an ancient, wandering paladin who has a taste for confrontation and a paranoid belief that some great evil is working in all of the known lands. Alex and his friends must travel through the shadow of an empty oracle s tower, where a whispered legend is about to come true, and strike out for the distant parts of Thraxon that are only spoken of in old tales and half-forgotten myths. Join Alex and his brave companions on an adventure that will test their courage beyond their limits.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Adventure, Magic, Dragons, Fiction, Middle Grade

Audio CD

First published January 11, 2012

About the author

Mark Forman was born and raised in Utah and now resides in the foothills of the western Rockies. He tries to write as much as possible when he's not working as a systems administrator and attending to his many other hobbies, such as fishing, camping, hiking and almost anything that will allow him to enjoy the magic of nature.

Reviews

[Mike (the Paladin) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third in this series and I am enjoying them greatly...even though it is blatantly about a young man who's stumbled into being the overall, great beyond words, probably prophesied and always awesome wizard of most "young gamers'" dreams.

yep he does it all and he does it not only well but with style!

These books feel very much like participating in a table top RPG (ala D&D) and they're fun. This one is not really any less so but i think I may have overdosed on them a bit, LOL.

Still the "Adventure" to find Albrek's Tomb roles on through several encounters (after all first they have to find the tomb) and far away places. Our young hero is again instrumental in grand events and finds out even more about his powers and talents...though his background is still very much a mystery.

Enjoy.

[Elizabeth Dragina · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars ~

It's so relaxing rereading these books. For some reason I'm not being super critical?? XD

There's a lot of LoTR references and it gets kinda annoying, but I love the action. The characters are honestly so flat ..... and I don't know why I enjoyed this so much??

The world building is amazing and the plot is great. Pacing could use help. Content consists of some fantasy violence and a lot of magic. This world revolves around magic. Very minor "cussing". PG - 13

Overall I enjoyed the adventure. I recommend if your looking for a relaxing fantasy adventure. :)

[Magila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe a 4, maybe a 5, but with only 15 reviewers and severe public undervaluation, I've taken liberty.

I love this series. The author writes interesting stories, has memorable characters, and a well-thought-out cast of secondary characters which really bring value to the books. What's more, like Harry Potter, you can see Alex's (the main character) world slowly expanding as he learns he is an ever increasingly more important piece in the puzzle.

Unlike some other middle reader/juvenile fiction writers (Rick Riordan), the author does not spoon feed the audience and foreshadow in a way that is tell-shadowing. There are a number of mysteries left in the series, and this book was full of surprises. It also left you hanging on some known questions, introduced others, and partially answered a few to great effect - you want to hear more. That said, one quibble is either the author or publisher's need to recap events/lessons which were learned, not just in the series (which I say sure to) but even within this book. If it's in the same book, let readers turn the pages if they must and leave room for more core story or get done faster.

On the plus side, I enjoy that this series is not just entertaining, but also seeks to impart lessons to its young readers. That's a welcome change from so many pointless - in some cases -, or subversive - in others - works. The questions in the back of the book can aide teachers or parents in having the discussion, but I'd suggest there is far more moral value in the book than the 10 questions let on.

Great book, and a great series. This series and The Tapestry are probably the two best overlooked juvenile fiction series, and especially good for young male readers. Recommend.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alex has a lot of new choices to make in this book, choices about adventures to go on, and most importantly where he will make his home. He knows that he is welcome to stay with his step-father Mr. Roberts for as long as he would like, but he also knows that he would like to stay with his friends, maybe in the land of Alusia. He knows that the choices will need to be made, but first things first, is he ready for a new adventure? His friend and mentor Whalen has recommended him for a new adventure as a wizard, but first Alex must go meet the leader at Mr. Clutter's adventure shop. He's very surprised to see that the leader of the adventure is none other than his friend Trang. Trang has been asked by the king of Thraxon to find the tomb of a dwarf adventurer named Albrek. Albrek and the dwarves he took with him simply vanished and nothing was ever heard from them again. The king of Thraxon needs a special ring that Albrek carried that was most likely put in his tomb when he died. Several things don't really add up for Alex though, the first thing being that Mr. Clutter had mentioned a second secret expedition in Thraxon at the same time. Alex decides to join the company and is happy about going on the adventure with several of his old friends and several new ones to, but this mission will tax Alex in ways that he could never even imagine.

This is such a fun series! I started reading this series just a few days ago, it really sucks you into the story and makes you want to read more and more. Alex is such a fun character, he is so strong in his beliefs of right and wrong. There is one part of the story where they find a great evil and Alex knows that no matter how close they are to finishing their adventure, he must fight this great evil and destroy it if he can, even if it means his own death. I love how Alex learns more about himself and his family history in this book. The other adventurers that he journeys with are true people of character as well. I love how this series shows that you can be a person of character and still have many great and wonderful adventures! This book is full of adventure and tons of creatures that I've never heard of, let alone thought of. It's definitely a fun series for boys or girls, young or old!

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was more like 3.5 stars. It was more of the same in many ways but a little too much solo Alex. I preferred the first book when they worked more as a team. I also was not a fan of Thrang as leader of the group. I loved the curmudgeonly dwarf in the first book but he was better on the team than as a leader. I also don’t like when authors use names that are spelled and sound the same. Thrang and Thrain - really? Other than that, I actually enjoyed the read. It is clear that each book is building to some huge climactic ending and I will keep reading through the series.

[Spencer Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Albreks Tomb this is one of the greatest books every written the an Adventure is called to the distant land of Thraxon and as Alex a young but powerful wizard joins this group he has no idea of the dangers that face him.

This adventure begins in Telous where they then ride to Thraxon looking for the Ring of Searching the object of the quest they run into Hellerash giant wolves that are vicious and destroy the mighty. Alex and his friends find that these are not normal Hellerash but are dead and were summoned by a necromancer. Alex under the rules that apply to wizards must face this evil and defeat it he does so with the greatest of success. As they get closer to the land where the Ring of Searching is hidden they run into another problem a Thunderbird. A huge bird that shoots lightening bolts from its beak.

My favorite part is when he faces the evil necromancer that he finds a way to deflect evil spells back at the person who cast it. So he is able to win the battle but just barely.

I would recommend this book to anyone it is full of adventure and is very easy to read.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a great time reading this book I took a chunk out of my weekend in order to finish the book. While reading you see Alex's powers become greater and his magic enhancing his fellow adventurers. While reading finding out that Alex is both man and dragon completely blew my mind, but reading this book was a joy and I would love to read it again. You are what you do, 'Whalen said"you are what people think you are and more importantly, What you think you are. If you think of yourself as a great hero, you will act like a great hero. If you think of yourself as a small thing--something that doesn't matter--well then, you won't matter.”(Forman 274). How do we know what we know? The entire series Alex didn't even know he was part dragon we can never really know what we think we know. Knowing is half the battle after knowing you have to believe in what you know. I would like to recommend this book to readers who love plot twisted and adventurous books.

[Kerri · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read the last three books of this series on a car trip and now they are jumbling in my mind. Alex becomes even MORE special than he already was and is basically a one-man show with his company just trailing behind to behold his awesomeness. No real character growth as Alex can basically just do anything and everything that needs to be done. Simple and convenient solutions to problems. But the world continues to have fun elements, and they were the only books I brought on the trip, so I kept reading.

[Lilian Deforest · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best book so far!

[Marisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read with my boys age 11 and 9. Loving the series, very fun book!!

[Rusty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 3 is my favorite in the series. Master Taylor faces greater foes and powers than ever before and so many magical creatures are seen and learned. Fantastic writing, limitless imagination!

[Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This third installment is just as good as the previous. I love how each book Alex finds more about his identity, gains knowledge, wisdom and skills. I love how each book he meets new people that contribute to Alex’s growth. This one had me more emotional than the previous two, but it is still overall hopeful and happy even through trials. I like the unique cities visited in this one as well as the new magic Alex learns. This book had incredible Christian themes I put at the end of this review. I love Alex and his goodness and I love that he can be such a great example to my son when he reads this series. Alex has charity. He has so much power and his own problems, but he uses those powers not for personal gain, but to serve others with no thought of reward. I love the audiobook and can’t wait for the continuation of the series to hopefully defeat this evil that has been present in all the books so far.
Christian themes: the book shows how Satan likes to deceive us. Wizards are like Christ: they help us see truth and help us repent and remove guilt by helping others and helping us fix our mistakes. Righteous power is more powerful than evil. When we allow evil into our lives (we choose Satan rather than God) we become less of ourselves. We become less powerful. We can choose to follow Satan or Christ, but we can’t choose the consequence of that choice. Alex has a gift of discernment. He can really tell if the person or creature has a good heart or not regardless of their actions. Just like Christ.

SPOILERS and book notes:
Alex was working in his fathers smithy in his dads magic bag when he ran into a creature called a “smitty”. His name is Bobkin and looks like a 9in tall dwarf. They work in smithies and are cousins to the cobblers. He lives in his dad’s bag bc he allowed it to be their sanctuary. “the smith doin’ the inviting has to have some talent for the work. He has to see the work as something more than just a job. It takes the right attitude to be a great smith, and if a smith doesn’t have it, we won’t stay.” Two others are there: belkin and Dobkin. Dobkins my favorite lol: ““Dobkin!” Dobkin shouted at the wall. “Um, well, don’t mind Dobkin,” Bobkin said quickly. “He had a bit of an accident and hasn’t been himself for some time. ’Course, he’s getting better. He remembers his name now.” “It’s about the only thing he remembers, actually,” Belkin said. 1. Thrang is the leader of the quest. 2. Mistress Katrina Dayyed AKA “Kat” she is a seer (has a gift for finding and knowing the intentions of others) 3.Thrain the young dwarf 4. Arconn the elf 5. Nellus (the guy they saved from goblins last book) 6.Alex the wizard 7. “Barnabus Martin,” The quest is to find Albee’s (the dwarf lords) tomb where the Ring of Searching is located. The ring can locate new mines. Alex added a green house room to his bag so he can keep potion ingredients. You can make good money supplying apothecaries as Alex found out giving the man some of his dragons bane plant from the first book. Alex asked Nellus about Tara… and he said that she is much happier after meeting Alex hehe. Thrang is a good leader who distributes duties (even cooking that he loved to do himself) and complements freely. The elves of Thraxon aren’t “secretive” they are “reluctant to mingle” lol. I can’t relate. I love this about team work! “Remember that the honor of each member of our company is linked to the honor of us all. It is possible that we will meet people who will question or doubt our honor. I would ask that we all be willing to stand up for each other if such questions arise.” Apparently seers aren’t as respected as they should be. Alex weapons: dagger made of true silver, moonslayer, and his staff. Wise words from king Thorgood: “Though it is always good to hear the story from a different point of view.” There are some magic users who carry staffs who ARENT wizards but just pretending to be. ““There are some people who carry staffs who are not wizards,” said Arconn. “You will find in your travels that some magical people wish to be called wizard, but do not know what the title truly means. It is a matter of pride for some, power for others, and foolishness for all who do not deserve the staff or the title.” This description reminds me of Satan. Disguising himself. Wanting power and pride!! But never as powerful as a true wizard aka Gods power!! And Arconn says that Alex will know how to spot a pretender. Bc power knows power. Just like how we can spot Satans deceptions through the spirit. And there are punishments for pretending. A Paladin (a holy or sacred warrior with powers that rival a wizards) insults Kat by calling her a “witch”. Alex goes HAM to defend her even though the others say not to bc of the power of the paladin! His name is Bane and Alex shows him who is boss and he apologizes to Kat. He is forgiven. Bane had a tale of his sad background. Where he had a commander that taught him that doing evil (like hurting the innocent) for the greater good was ok. And mercy and honor had no plane on the battle field. The spirit told him this was wrong though: “My master praised me and my actions, but deep in my own heart, I knew I had done wrong. I hid my doubts and buried my feelings deep.” They were defeated by four wizards that removed an evil shadow from Bane’s master. And then to bane they did this: “I thought the wizards would destroy me as well, but they did not. With a few kind words, they removed the darkness and shadows from my mind so I could see the truth, so I could understand the evil that had been done. I could finally understand what I had done in the name of victory, and, for the first time in years, I could feel with the emotions of a man. “It was an act of kindness, but still the guilt for my evil deeds overcame me. For a long time I wished for death, but that was not to be. The wizards helped me overcome my guilt and found ways to heal the wounds I had inflicted on the land and people of Goval.” IT IS EXACTLY WHAT CHRIST DOES FOR US. He helps us see truth and help us repent and remove guilt by helping others and helping fix our mistakes. The quest the wizards gave Bane: “I hunt the shadow that possesses men, and my quest will not end until I find it and destroy it,” he was sent to be the shadows “bane”. Alex has faced this shadow twice now. Once as it possessed wraiths and once when it possessed Val in the second book. Bane is worried that he isn’t strong enough bc he didn’t defeat Alex. But Alex is right when he says that righteous power is more powerful than evil: ““I think your powers would have been greater if I had been evil. If I had accepted the shadow’s offer, I would be less than I am. You would have prevailed.” Ooo Alex has learned to rest his mind so he doesn’t need to sleep. He can heighten his senses to sense people and things far away. Nagas: a giant snake with a humanish head that can talk. Stings in their tails, sharp teeth, can raise half of body of ground. May be evil. The battle with it was epic. Alex half freezing it with a staff and then slicing it with his sword. Giving advice to young thrain after the battle: ““I have often seen warriors take terrible wounds simply because they were trying to attack and forgot their defense.” The city of Dunnstal by the sea have no walls to protect their wealth: ““Their wealth is the sea and their homes are their boats,” but they have watch towers along the road with bells to warn of people Approaching. Ok the boat “the seeker” Alex and Arconn were the only ones not sick and Alex learned a lot about sailing and won the respect of the crew. They are sailing to the Isle of Bones. There is a DRAGON on the island that visits Alex in his dreams! The dragon is good. “I am not like Slathbog; I do not hoard wealth nor seek out the lesser races to destroy them.” He wants a spell to hide the island so history does not repeat itself. HE is the one that destroyed the dwarves that were mining here so long ago. The dragon: (the consequences of rage) “When I woke fully, it was to his attack. Startled by his magic, I thought only of defending myself. But my anger began to burn inside of me, and being a dragon, my rage got the better of me. I swept down on my attackers and destroyed most of them before I was able to shake off my madness.” And the dragon tried to apologize. But the dwarf wouldn’t listen. The dragon gave Alex his true name to gain trust. (Having his true name gives him power over the dragon!)
““I am Salinor, oldest remaining of my race. I am the lord of dragons, the most ancient, the guardian of the past.”” Salinor and Alex are equals in power. Salinor called Alex “Dragon Lord.” Since he studied with the dragon he is now a dragon lord and can call on him if he ever needs his help. Salinor gave him books: ““They are not so much read as experienced,” said Salinor. “When you read these books, it will not be like reading, it will be as if you are there.” Salinor told Alex to find his family. Everyone has family. They need him and he needs them. This statement gave me the chills: “there was a time when dragons and men were of one race.” Salinor said that Alex is of HIS BLOOD LINE. So he has no fear to take the dragon form! “Unless I am much mistaken, you have two true forms—man and dragon.” oh Thrang had been consumed by greed and revenge when Alex was away. And then Alex forced him to listen he believed him. But now he feels like he lost face and lost confidence leading the company. A tower is craving an oracle so it calls to people and then they are destroyed: ““No, not evil,” said Alex. “It is a test of magic and will. The magic of the tower does not destroy those who try to enter; it is their failure to enter and their inability to accept that failure that destroys them.” Kazad-Syn (Thrang home city) has a cool jade marble wall and buildings with trees everywhere. The back of the city is a mountain. His custom is to through coins to the kid dwarves when he enters the city. The lost mountains have: ““The hellerash were vicious creatures, like giant wolves,” said Thrang slowly. “They killed just for the sake of killing, and they almost always traveled in packs.” they hit the hellerash three times with arrows but it ran away and left NO BLOOD BEHIND. A necromancer must have called it back to life. Ooooooo. As a true wizard he is blind to seek out this evil and destroy it. His friends have his back. When he faces it if he can’t kill it, he will summon the dragon to kill him before he lets the necromancer take him. Now a pack of real hellerash attacked and killed Kats horse! but Alex went back and saved her! Now they are running with Kat and Alex on sharhree!! Aw! So intense! NOOOO SHAHREE sacrificed herself to save Alex from the hellrash!!! She DIED. And Alex let himself RAGE. He did the next thing out of pure anger. He sent a wall of flames that killed every single hellarash in the entire LAND. Not just the ones there. but he scared the necromancer away. Alex made a monument for SHAHREE that said “A True Friend.” Kat blames herself for what happened and Alex immediately puts her mind at ease. The necromancer holds this city. He was once good which is sad. The people have forgotten what happeniness is and just live in fear. To find the necromancer and fight it, Alex turned into a gust of wind. He turned into a tree to hear their thoughts and found out where his cave was. Alex fights a hydra! Defeat it with duplicating himself then fire. Then multiplying bats had to be defeated by freezing them then shattering them. (They turned to gems) the necromancer is using dead dwarves to mine for him. The last guardian is a gollum. (Rock monster) he used plants to defeat it. Now the necromancer. He is: “I am Mog, the ancient one, the destroyer of souls.” He went into his true form (insect like) and all Alex felt was pity. No fear. He then threw fire at Alex unknowing he is dragon Lord so he whips it right back. And then he has true silver chain mail to protect him too. The chain mail reflects evil magic back at the user. He made Alex then remember all his saddest and hardest memories. When his mom died at age seven. He tempted Alex to use the power to open the coffin and raise her. But: “It will do no good, the O’Gash said calmly. She had her own reasons, and she did what she did because she loved you. Calling back the dead is not the answer you are looking for.” Alex needs to harness his dragon powers ASAP. Kat kissed him on the hand in gratitude… she better not be swooping in on Tara’s man. Thunderbird is what killed off the dwarfs. It picked them off for food. Thunderbird: giant bird that can create thunder and wind with its wings and shoot lightning out of its eyes. It may have a baby by Albrek’s tomb. Thrain gets taken by the thunderbird so Alex transforms into a DRAGON to save him. The BATTLE of these two! Alex is both dragon and human and he accepts both forms. His dragon is true silver. He talks to the thunderbird who isn’t evil but just trying to keep her baby fed. He made a bargain with the bird that he would change rocks in the sea to animals for him to eat if he would never travel north. The woes and sadness of living a long time. Watching those you love die. ““We lose those who are close to us, and we are sad when they are gone. Still, there is the joy of life and the knowledge that those we love are never really gone, as long as we remember them.” I love this talk of “legends”: ““I’ve been around for a long time, and I’ve seen and heard many legends. All the legends that have come true have done so more by luck than anything else.” “Perhaps,” Thrang said. “Though I don’t really believe in luck or chance. I think there is something more—something we haven’t found a name for yet.” And then Alex totally played fairy god mother and mad kat a beautiful dress before she entered the tower as the new oracle. This is such an epic line as he is facing down dwarf lords to protect Kat: ““You are entering dangerous waters,” Thrang warned. “Perhaps,” Alex answered. “Yet who better to meddle than a dragon lord?” Wise words from the dwarf king to his evil dwarf lord: ““Do you not see that the people make the king? The king does not make the people.” I love how Alex always feels about his enemies: “he felt oddly sorry for Illius. Illius had not started out as an evil dwarf—no one ever started out evil—but he had let his love of power and riches destroy him.” This next paragraph is LIFE: “It had been a pleasant night, and Alex didn’t want it to end. It had been the same on his first two adventures: he was sad, knowing that he would soon be parted from his friends, but he was also happy because there was a good chance he would see them all again someday. There were always new adventures and new friends to come.” Alex is confused and doesn’t know who he is. A wizard a warrior a dragon lord or something else?? And Whalan says this: ““You are what you do,” Whalen said. “You are what people think you are, and more importantly, what you think you are. If you think of yourself as a great hero, you will act like a great hero. If you think of yourself as a small thing—something that doesn’t matter—well then, you won’t matter.” ““Do you see yourself as good or evil?” Whalen questioned. “Good, of course.” “Friendly or not so friendly?” “Friendly, I think.” “Hot-tempered or reasonable?” “I try to be reasonable, but I sometimes lose my temper.” “You see many things about yourself already,” Whalen said” Alex is now learning his family history! So important. An interesting fear: ““You fear that because it all comes so easily to you, that you will not appreciate or remember it when you need to.” “And that it might all slip away as easily as it came,” Alex added.” And his answer: ““Then don’t worry about things you can’t control,” the BIG PROBLEM that connects all the books. They need to cut at the heart of it. And not just keep destroying parts of it. Or it will just keep growing back: ““I think what we are fighting is something like the Gezbeth. A conspiracy that has more than one center—and more than one leader—but all working toward a single goal.” Alex finds and befriends another horse called: ““I accept Dragon Fire, or Dar Losh,” no one else could handle him. And Alex got a house in the known lands!

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still curious about this story...

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. I really like the setting and situations the characters get into, but why do they even need a party? Freaking Wesley Crusher, I mean, Alex Taylor, pretty much can take care of every problem, and does, and is even schooling the hundreds of years old elf who travels with them. If I was a 14 year old boy, I'd think Alex was pretty cool, but this super Mary-Stu of a wizard just gets tiresome. He has no faults, there is nothing he can't do or conquer, everyone has heard of him, he can do everyone's job better than they can regardless of age or experience. Good gosh! And this is another one of those YA books where the hero/heroine is privileged, not because of anything that they have done, but because they are born special. Talk about the Modern American Dream.

[Cindy Laudensack · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great adventure for all ages young and old!

The Adventurers Wanted series of books are absolutely some of my favorites! I am in my fifties, but they make me feel as if I am young and adventurous. I love to read, especially adventure and fantasy, and these are among my favorite stories. Such good reading that they are difficult to put down once you start reading them, making me wish it was possible to venture with these characters on their adventures. Don't miss out, these are great books!

[Mindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read this because it was close at hand, not because I enjoyed the series enough to continue. The main character can do no wrong and is apparently invincible. That gets annoying. The other characters don't do or matter much, which makes the 'we're the best of friends' ending ring false. I'm sure fans of the series will still enjoy it though. Its a wholesome adventure book for the young YA crowd.

[Samantha wickedshizuku Tolleson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of seemed that the author lost their steam. The adventure wasn't as the action is driven as the previous two books were. Things and titles seem to fall into Alex's lap with little or no effort. It just doesn't seem believable now.

[Randy Bennett]

Love this series. Very fun and imaginative. Only downside is that the author releases them too far apart

[Jiten · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick and enjoyable as the others, but the main character is a "Mary Sue" if I ever saw one. Completely Overpowered compared to the other characters

[Mindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love reading these fantasy series with my kids! I even catch my older 2 listening once in a while.

[Amy Seaman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is longer than the others so far. It is an easy read but its getting into that Over Powered MC and now everything is easy for them.

[Mady Poe · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Albrek's Tomb" by Michael Wisehart is an enthralling fantasy novel that transports readers to a world filled with magic, danger, and a quest for power. Right from the beginning, Wisehart crafts a narrative that captures the imagination, offering a story that is both thrilling and rich in its world-building.

The novel's strength lies in its ability to create a vivid and immersive fantasy realm. Wisehart's writing is descriptive, painting a detailed picture of the landscapes, characters, and the magical elements that shape the story. The protagonist, Loren, becomes a compelling guide through this fantastical world, and his journey becomes a focal point for readers fascinated by the magical mysteries and challenges that unfold.

What sets "Albrek's Tomb" apart is its exploration of magic and the consequences of wielding such power. Wisehart skillfully introduces a magic system that adds depth to the narrative, and the characters' encounters with magical artifacts and ancient mysteries enhance the sense of wonder and intrigue. The novel strikes a balance between action and character development, creating a story that is both fast-paced and emotionally engaging.

The pacing of the novel is well-executed, allowing readers to become fully absorbed in Loren's quest. Wisehart's writing style is accessible, making it easy for readers to connect with the emotions and dilemmas presented in the story. The inclusion of mythical creatures, ancient tombs, and magical battles adds an exciting dimension to the narrative, making it a compelling choice for fantasy enthusiasts seeking a captivating adventure.

In conclusion, "Albrek's Tomb" is a must-read for fantasy lovers in search of a gripping tale filled with magic and mystery. Michael Wisehart's storytelling prowess, coupled with well-developed characters and a richly imagined world, makes this novel an exhilarating journey into the realms of fantasy. Whether you're a seasoned fantasy reader or simply looking for an immersive escape, "Albrek's Tomb" offers a satisfying and enchanting reading experience.

[David Hickenbotham · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were some things about this book that I loved, especially things that made this different from the cookie-cutterness you see with the plots of many other books. This felt a little more like real life... with magic... rather than just some plot to put the main character in more and more pain and more and more try-fail cycles.

And yet I think this book could have benefited from a little more structure. The side quests were often more important and more difficult and more interesting than the main quest and I almost lost sight of where Alex and his company were traveling. There was often some unknown tie between the side quests and the main quest but even so, the climax of the story seemed rather anticlimactic compared to his battle with the necromancer.

And there were a couple of characters that really didn't do anything the whole book except talk on occasion. And none of the characters except Alex did much more than participate, with the possible exception of the leader and the seer. Even the elf was little more than Alex's sounding board.

Still, even with its faults, it was a good book. And enjoyable. And Alex is a lot of fun, even if he is a little too powerful for his own good.

[Evita · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just finished reading this book and I am disappointed. When I read the first book I expected this to be a great series, I was sadly mistaken. There are parts of the book that I enjoyed but most left me annoyed with how dull the characters were. Almost every character is the same, their names their only difference. There are questions from the previous book that needed answers and we didn't get any of them in this one. Alex is so powerful and barely has any conflicts, nothing can overpower him, he doesn't need to learn he already knows. Whenever they are riding someplace it seems like the author just copy and pastes the events. Eat, sleep, laugh. The author does not describe how any of the characters look, how does Kat look? I don't know, the author didn't say. How does Nellus look? I don't know! And again how does the dwarf king look (sry I forgot his name)? I. DON'T. KNOW. I was happy that the author added a girl character since the past books contained close to 0, and none of the girl characters were adventures so having Kat was a relief.

[Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was phenomenal I really enjoyed reading this book. This book starts out with Alex (The main character) Getting a note from his teacher and it says that his friend is going on an adventure and to join him if he wants. They then set off and face many challenges. They get to their end goal and come back and receive their reward. This was very broadly summarized and is way better than my summary but I don't want to spoil anything so. I loved that the world is explained again just enough that you can go heavy with your imagination. This book was a long one and I stopped and resumed it several times but In the end, it was amazing. The style that this book rights and tells is very nice it keeps your attention through most of the book and keeps things interesting so it's hard to predict what is going to happen next. I would recommend this book to everyone that likes to use their imaginations when reading and creating their own world. Plus everyone should read this book.

[Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good entry in the Adventurers Wanted series. Forman is pretty consistent that way. There's still the adventuring format (of course), and some of the plot points that are wrapped up very neatly (like the Tower Oracle and the seer, easy to see coming a mile away ;) ), but other things are pleasantly surprising, like the company's trip to the island, and what they find there and what's really going on. Forman is good at making things interesting even though he's dealing with some extremely familiar fantasy elements here. An example is the necromancer and his undead minions. Yay for giving the main character an actual moral choice that could have gone either way! Okay, it was never going to go the other way, but at least you can see how it _might_ have.

Easy, fun, youth-oriented reading which isn't drivel. If you like fantasy, what more do you need?

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one- can’t wait to get a hold of the next one.
I loved these two quotes in it:
“Who really knows what they are or what they may become? We learn about ourselves as we do things. We discover what we are as we move through life. If we don’t like what we see we try to change. That is how we grow, that is how we become all that we can be.”
“You are what you do…you are what people think you are, and more importantly, what you think you are. If you think of yourself as a great hero, you will act like a great hero. If you think of yourself as a small thing - something that doesn’t matter- well then, you won’t matter.”

[Monica H at The Readathon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this series, and "Albrek's Tomb" is one of my favorite of the series! I loved all the surprises, and I loved the growth that Alex experiences over the course of the book. It's well written, the character development is great, and it's a lot of fun! There's no profanity and no "intimacy," but there is some violence as Alex fights off a few scary characters. It's great for middle-graders and YA readers. You may read my full review on my book blog: www.the-readathon.blogspot.com.

[Sarah A · Rating 4 out of 5]

3rd book in the series - this series just keeps getting better and better. The first book seemed too close to the Hobbit and not a very original story. The second was a great expansion on the universe and made me much keener. I really really enjoyed this 3rd book - a fun, adventurous, page turning, fantastical and fantastic tale for all middle school / YA readers. Great story, nice twists. Alex is still occasionally a bit unbelievably able to solve the problem at the last minute but I love where the author is taking this!

[Tamzen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the continual growth that happens with Alex. You can really see the different ways Alex matures/has matured since the beginning of the series and how the different characters impact Alex's experiences during the book. It was really fun to have Thrang come back as a character; I enjoyed his character a LOT in the first book and loved not only having Thrang come back but also see the flaws he has that were not obvious in the first book. So neat to see the teacher becoming the student and vice versa.