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Otherworld Chronicles #2
The Seven Swords
The thrilling, action-packed sequel to The Invisible Tower , which School Library Journal called "a surefire hit with the legions of Rick Riordan fans." Spending the summer fighting dragons, rescuing wizards, and leaping through portals into the Otherworld was just the start of Artie Kingfisher's quest to claim his throne as King Arthur reborn. Now, Artie and his sister, Kay, must gather a team of knights to recover the legendary Seven Swords—or face defeat at the hands of the evil Lordess Morgaine. The Seven Swords is filled with epic battles, unexpected enemies, and life-changing adventures. Rich in mythology and bursting with twenty-first-century fun, this high-spirited spin on Arthurian legend is perfect for middle grade fans of Percy Jackson, the Alex Rider Chronicles, and House of Secrets .
368 pages, Hardcover
First published January 2, 2013
18 people are currently reading
477 people want to read
About the author
Nils Johnson-Shelton
20 books81 followersWhile a shocking number of future New York Times bestselling writers were born in log cabins on dirt floors to unwed mothers, I was born in a hospital, though my mom and dad weren't married—which is why I have two last names. I have to say that even though it may sound nice and literary, having two last names is a pain in the butt, so if you're thinking of doubling the surnames of your offspring, may I humbly suggest no.
Now you're probably wondering why my parents weren't married, and I'll tell you. They were more or less hippies, and I was born in San Francisco in the early 1970s. I can assure you that those two factors went into making a lot of kids like me.
Anyway, I lived in a nice home in San Francisco with both my folks until the age of four, at which point we moved to New York City. That's right, my parents decided to move to New York City in the mid-1970s, which means they were either super-cool or super-dumb or super-shrewd about real estate investing (I can assure you it was not the latter). My mom worked at The New Museum, and my dad was a painter, and we lived in a loft, and I grew up around artists and their kids,...
Hobbies, Interests, and Enthusiasms:
I am enthusiastic about internet cat videos, long walks in the woods, my kids, and rock climbing (one of those is a fib). I also like video games way more than a grown man should, and I think Tokyo is the coolest place I've ever been. Oh, and deep-fried gator poppers. Those are pretty swell, too.
Education:
Eugene Lang College/The New School University (English & Writing)
Organizations:
The Authors Guild
Now you're probably wondering why my parents weren't married, and I'll tell you. They were more or less hippies, and I was born in San Francisco in the early 1970s. I can assure you that those two factors went into making a lot of kids like me.
Anyway, I lived in a nice home in San Francisco with both my folks until the age of four, at which point we moved to New York City. That's right, my parents decided to move to New York City in the mid-1970s, which means they were either super-cool or super-dumb or super-shrewd about real estate investing (I can assure you it was not the latter). My mom worked at The New Museum, and my dad was a painter, and we lived in a loft, and I grew up around artists and their kids,...
Hobbies, Interests, and Enthusiasms:
I am enthusiastic about internet cat videos, long walks in the woods, my kids, and rock climbing (one of those is a fib). I also like video games way more than a grown man should, and I think Tokyo is the coolest place I've ever been. Oh, and deep-fried gator poppers. Those are pretty swell, too.
Education:
Eugene Lang College/The New School University (English & Writing)
Organizations:
The Authors Guild
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
February 24, 2022
eponymous sentence:
p20: "By retrieving the Seven Swords," Merlin said matter-of-factly.
grammar:
p33: "...Jailbreaked too!" Merlin said proudly, and then he mused, "Fascinating contraptions...."
space:
p117: Before they could discuss it anymore, a moongate opened and Merlin stepped into the court-in-exile carrying his plain canvas bag, which held all his gear, and his owl-headed cane.
What is going for it is, it's not limiting itself to black and white. And that even though this is a story for young readers the adults are not automatically sidelined. It doesn't pull its punches, either.
My earlier hunch is, in fact, part of the plot.
p20: "By retrieving the Seven Swords," Merlin said matter-of-factly.
grammar:
p33: "...Jailbreaked too!" Merlin said proudly, and then he mused, "Fascinating contraptions...."
space:
p117: Before they could discuss it anymore, a moongate opened and Merlin stepped into the court-in-exile carrying his plain canvas bag, which held all his gear, and his owl-headed cane.
What is going for it is, it's not limiting itself to black and white. And that even though this is a story for young readers the adults are not automatically sidelined. It doesn't pull its punches, either.
My earlier hunch is, in fact, part of the plot.
July 14, 2023
Really enjoying this series, based on Arthurian legend.
April 1, 2013
He's on His Side
The Seven Swords is a fun follow-up to The Invisible Tower. Artie and his knights are looking for seven swords so they can reach Avalon and Artie can become King.
The Good
Artie is a teenager that loves video games who found out in the first book that he is the reincarnation of King Arthur. His sister Kay is one of his knights as well as a group of other friends they made in the first book.
I really enjoyed the parts with Qwon where she was being held by Dred along with the fairy Shallot. The fairies in this story expel scents that have different effects on their victims. Shallot has an incredibly sweet scent that renders people stupified. Dred appears to have a crush on Qwon so he doesn't make the best kidnapper. Given that he's doing it at his mother's insistence doesn't really help matters either.
Dred's mother is the evil witch Morgaine. She is their nemesis and is trying to have Qwon killed so she can get Artie there and retrieve his swords. I love Dred's growth in this book as he goes from just doing what he is told in the beginning to really questioning morals and who he should be by the end.
Artie, Kay, and the group are still a lot of fun and the action starts early in the book. Johnson-Shelton is great at making me laugh aloud while reading. Also, there is a mysteriousness surrounding Merlin that adds layers to an already known character which I really enjoyed.
I also loved the chapter titles which normally I do not even pay attention to! A couple of examples include: Chapter 1 In Which Qwon Thinks She is in Canada and Chapter 13 Concerning a Bunch of Stuff Including a Surprise for Kynder.
The Bad
I wasn't really a fan of how this one ended. It was a complete cliff-hanger in my opinion and left me wanting the next book pronto.
The Romance
Since these are Middle Grade books there is no romance really to speak of other than some crushes. Artie really likes Qwon and this one throws a wrench in his plans when it appears that Dred does as well. Also Kay has a crush on guy knight Erik Erikson.
Conclusion
This is a really fun read that is pretty quick to get through. It picks up where the other lets off well and dives into action rather early. It moves at a great pace and is light-hearted and funny. Definitely recommended for anyone that enjoys a Middle Grade read.
The Seven Swords is a fun follow-up to The Invisible Tower. Artie and his knights are looking for seven swords so they can reach Avalon and Artie can become King.
The Good
Artie is a teenager that loves video games who found out in the first book that he is the reincarnation of King Arthur. His sister Kay is one of his knights as well as a group of other friends they made in the first book.
I really enjoyed the parts with Qwon where she was being held by Dred along with the fairy Shallot. The fairies in this story expel scents that have different effects on their victims. Shallot has an incredibly sweet scent that renders people stupified. Dred appears to have a crush on Qwon so he doesn't make the best kidnapper. Given that he's doing it at his mother's insistence doesn't really help matters either.
Dred's mother is the evil witch Morgaine. She is their nemesis and is trying to have Qwon killed so she can get Artie there and retrieve his swords. I love Dred's growth in this book as he goes from just doing what he is told in the beginning to really questioning morals and who he should be by the end.
Artie, Kay, and the group are still a lot of fun and the action starts early in the book. Johnson-Shelton is great at making me laugh aloud while reading. Also, there is a mysteriousness surrounding Merlin that adds layers to an already known character which I really enjoyed.
I also loved the chapter titles which normally I do not even pay attention to! A couple of examples include: Chapter 1 In Which Qwon Thinks She is in Canada and Chapter 13 Concerning a Bunch of Stuff Including a Surprise for Kynder.
The Bad
I wasn't really a fan of how this one ended. It was a complete cliff-hanger in my opinion and left me wanting the next book pronto.
The Romance
Since these are Middle Grade books there is no romance really to speak of other than some crushes. Artie really likes Qwon and this one throws a wrench in his plans when it appears that Dred does as well. Also Kay has a crush on guy knight Erik Erikson.
Conclusion
This is a really fun read that is pretty quick to get through. It picks up where the other lets off well and dives into action rather early. It moves at a great pace and is light-hearted and funny. Definitely recommended for anyone that enjoys a Middle Grade read.
February 22, 2013
A big Thank You to First Reads and Harper for sending me an advance copy of this book!
I don't usually read a lot of Middle Grade books, so this was a nice change of pace from my typical reading schedule and I have to say that I rather enjoyed it. The Seven Swords is the second book in the Otherworld Chronicles, which follows a reincarnated story of King Arthur. In this version Artie Kingfisher is a teenager who has abandoned his normal life and video games to travel to the Otherworld and take his rightful place as King. Before he can ascend the throne, Artie and his group of knights must collect the seven swords, which are scattered throughout the real world and the Otherworld, before the evil witch Morgaine can capture them and claim the throne for herself.
Now I love the King Arthur tale (even took a class on it in college) so I could be a little biased towards liking this book, but I definitely think there is something of value here both for young and old readers. For the young readers, they get an exciting story written in a language that is fun and at a pace that moves along nice and quick. For us older readers, we get a story that references the old King Arthur in a lot of interesting and unique ways, while still giving some action that is pretty compelling. My only caution would be that there is a bit of violence, blood, and maybe even a little death. I personally don't think this should stop anyone from picking up the book because it isn't overpowering and it is normally handled in a respectful manner, but now you know.
I don't usually read a lot of Middle Grade books, so this was a nice change of pace from my typical reading schedule and I have to say that I rather enjoyed it. The Seven Swords is the second book in the Otherworld Chronicles, which follows a reincarnated story of King Arthur. In this version Artie Kingfisher is a teenager who has abandoned his normal life and video games to travel to the Otherworld and take his rightful place as King. Before he can ascend the throne, Artie and his group of knights must collect the seven swords, which are scattered throughout the real world and the Otherworld, before the evil witch Morgaine can capture them and claim the throne for herself.
Now I love the King Arthur tale (even took a class on it in college) so I could be a little biased towards liking this book, but I definitely think there is something of value here both for young and old readers. For the young readers, they get an exciting story written in a language that is fun and at a pace that moves along nice and quick. For us older readers, we get a story that references the old King Arthur in a lot of interesting and unique ways, while still giving some action that is pretty compelling. My only caution would be that there is a bit of violence, blood, and maybe even a little death. I personally don't think this should stop anyone from picking up the book because it isn't overpowering and it is normally handled in a respectful manner, but now you know.
March 19, 2014
This book is about a young boy named Artie Kingfisher and he goes on a very adventurous journey with his sister Kay Kingfisher. They both go on a quest to find Merlin who is missing and they are also trying to retrieve their friend Qwon Onakea. Qwon Onakea was captured by the enemy.This quest is full of action and they have a very hard time while completing this quest. I really enjoyed this book and I thought it was very well written. This is one of my favorite book series that I have read. This book also has a spontaneous plot. Nils Johnson Shelton has such a very creative mind. I love how this book has such a different story and it also has a great twist.
October 30, 2013
Okay, this isn't an actual review, but I have to say this.
The first book in this series was Middle Grade, which I found fine. So I picked up the second book(This one), which had a Middle Grade cover, so I was expecting it to be the same as the first book. But as the book progressed, the started saying 'crap', and P-O guards(Pissed off guards). Also, . And the description during one of the battles scenes was a bit too much to be Middle Grade.
This has a Middle Grade cover, blurb, and title. But it is NOT Middle Grade.
The first book in this series was Middle Grade, which I found fine. So I picked up the second book(This one), which had a Middle Grade cover, so I was expecting it to be the same as the first book. But as the book progressed, the started saying 'crap', and P-O guards(Pissed off guards). Also, . And the description during one of the battles scenes was a bit too much to be Middle Grade.
This has a Middle Grade cover, blurb, and title. But it is NOT Middle Grade.
January 11, 2018
This was an amazing book, very different from the typical King Arthur tales. But a good different.
Read
August 22, 2019also a good adventure book, based on medieval myths and legends.
January 2, 2013
The Seven Swords by Nils Johnson-Shelton
This ARC was provided by Harper Collins Children’s Books I won this through a Goodreads First Reads contest, thank you!
One word: epic. This book was spontaneous and completely unpredictable. You thought you knew what was going on, and who was on whose side, but that’s not the case. For a middle-grade book, I was more than satisfied. The Seven Swords is the kind of book that I’d like to see as a movie.
As being new to Johnson-Shelton’s work, I was unsure of what to expect, but my mind was blown. The characters were just fabulous. Erik, by far, was my favorite character, and his antics had me laughing out-loud at some points. I also liked seeing him transition from this meek child to one of Artie’s most valuable assets. And then there was Qwon. Her tactics for gaining her captor’s trust and planning her escape were just downright hilarious. Artie and Kay were also just as interesting. Artie’s loyalty to his friends really showed his noble trait, and made me root for him the entire time.
The storyline was non-stop action. I felt like I knew what was going to happen next just as another curveball was thrown. The shockers that happened throughout the book had me questioning some of the characters motives. I literally did not want to stop reading The Seven Swords. Overall, I really liked this book, and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next Otherworld Chronicles novel. Five stars! (I wish it could be six stars.) Now that I’ve read this amazing book, I will definitely read The Invisible Tower, the first book in the Otherworld Chronicles.
This ARC was provided by Harper Collins Children’s Books I won this through a Goodreads First Reads contest, thank you!
One word: epic. This book was spontaneous and completely unpredictable. You thought you knew what was going on, and who was on whose side, but that’s not the case. For a middle-grade book, I was more than satisfied. The Seven Swords is the kind of book that I’d like to see as a movie.
As being new to Johnson-Shelton’s work, I was unsure of what to expect, but my mind was blown. The characters were just fabulous. Erik, by far, was my favorite character, and his antics had me laughing out-loud at some points. I also liked seeing him transition from this meek child to one of Artie’s most valuable assets. And then there was Qwon. Her tactics for gaining her captor’s trust and planning her escape were just downright hilarious. Artie and Kay were also just as interesting. Artie’s loyalty to his friends really showed his noble trait, and made me root for him the entire time.
The storyline was non-stop action. I felt like I knew what was going to happen next just as another curveball was thrown. The shockers that happened throughout the book had me questioning some of the characters motives. I literally did not want to stop reading The Seven Swords. Overall, I really liked this book, and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next Otherworld Chronicles novel. Five stars! (I wish it could be six stars.) Now that I’ve read this amazing book, I will definitely read The Invisible Tower, the first book in the Otherworld Chronicles.
December 14, 2012
This isn't a GREAT book - but it is a GOOD read...and really which is more important for kids.
The Kingfisher children, Artie and Kay, have found that an Otherworld and magic exist, and that in that world, Artie is King Arthur. They also found that freeing Merlin from The Invisible Tower was not the end of their adventures.
Now, Artie, Kay and the rest of Artie’s court and friends must find and rejoin the Seven Swords: Excalibur, Cleomede, Gram, Kusanagi, Orgulus, the Anguish and the Peace Sword. This quest brings them many perils, new friends and allies, and knowledge about what is right and wrong. Artie, especially, learns what the duties and expectations of a good king are.
While this is the second book in a series it can easily stand alone and you won't feel lost....personally I am looking forward to getting to know these characters better!
The Kingfisher children, Artie and Kay, have found that an Otherworld and magic exist, and that in that world, Artie is King Arthur. They also found that freeing Merlin from The Invisible Tower was not the end of their adventures.
Now, Artie, Kay and the rest of Artie’s court and friends must find and rejoin the Seven Swords: Excalibur, Cleomede, Gram, Kusanagi, Orgulus, the Anguish and the Peace Sword. This quest brings them many perils, new friends and allies, and knowledge about what is right and wrong. Artie, especially, learns what the duties and expectations of a good king are.
While this is the second book in a series it can easily stand alone and you won't feel lost....personally I am looking forward to getting to know these characters better!
April 24, 2014
A lot of times I read the middle book of a trilogy and it is just filler. That is not the case with this book. There was more action and the author expanded on the characters more. I enjoyed reading the author's take on old characters, and I liked that Artie has his round table members ready to go. I did not like the end and it was too much of a cliff hanger for me. However since I had the final book ready to go it did not damage the characters or plot. I am giving this book a 4/5. I was given a copy to review, however all opinions are my own.
November 18, 2014
I think I enjoyed this one more than the first! The first one was engaging just not very interesting for me, I had a hard time staying involved. I am glad I committed to the first one though because The Seven Swords definitely picked up the pace and kept me reading until the end. It seems like there will be another book and I plan on reading it as well, I need to see what becomes of Kynder, Artie, and Kay!
March 31, 2014
The Seven Swords was an okay book. It had a few exciting parts, but was mostly just dull stuff. The characters were underdeveloped and just a little too perfect. The setting was interesting and cool and some of the creatures were very creative but for fantasy, there are MUCH better books. This book is for mostly younger kids.
January 13, 2016
The Seven Swords by Nils Johnson-Shelton was a thrilling book about how a boy and his knights of the round table try to stop a with, Morgaine, living in the Otherworld from conquering all of the lands in the Otherworld. He, Artie Kingfisher, is next in line for the throne to Avalon however, Morgaine stands in his way and only with the help of the Seven Sword will he be able to become king.
April 20, 2013
This was a good sequel to "The Invisible Tower". Artie and Kay have to rescue Qwon from her kidnappers. They also have to find the seven swords and the people who are supposed to use them. Merlin betrays them, and they have some unexpected allies. I liked this book.
hardcopy-review-to-read
August 30, 2014scheduled: http://creativemadnessmama.com/blog/2...
February 19, 2013
This is another modern retelling of Arthurian legend. It's not bad.. an easy, engaging read, even if it is a little tired.
Read
April 23, 2013The Seven Swords is a fun follow-up to The Invisible Tower. Artie and his knights are looking for seven swords so they can reach Avalon and Artie can become King.
March 4, 2014
For this review, and more, please visit us at: http://readingforsanity.blogspot.com/...
September 20, 2014
The adventure continues! I enjoy the twists this author puts on the Arthurian legend.
May 2, 2015
Not bad.
January 18, 2016
This was really cute, but definitely geared for a much younger audience. I don't think I would have finished it, but my son REALLY wanted me to read it.
January 22, 2016
It was so much fun reading the sequel; my favorite part was when all the friends were the sword-wielders.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews