A New Recruit

Agents of the Glass #1

by Michael D. Beil

"With topical themes, high-speed action, and a neat resolution, this is likely to be a popular read. The emphasis on good character—especially compassion, courage, integrity, and discipline—is nice to see." --Kirkus

"Quick and pulsepounding and the stakes are high." --Booklist

The Agents of the Glass are at the front lines of the fight between good and evil, and they have a new recruit. But is he up to the task?
 
Andover James Llewellyn, aka Andy, did the unthinkable: he turned in a bag of money he found on the street after a bank robbery. His selfless action caught the attention of the Agents of the Glass. Now, as one of the agency’s newest recruits, Andy is tasked with following the actions of a dangerous student at this new school, only he doesn’t know which student.
 
Is it Winter Neale, model student with countless extracurricular activities? Or could it be Jensen Huntley, an antagonistic, angry kid whose blog has angered the wrong people? Andy must determine his target quick, before the evil organization known at NTRP catches on to him.
 
Will Andy succeed in his mission or will the Agents of the Glass have to find another recruit?


From the Hardcover edition.

Genres: Mystery, Middle Grade, Childrens, Espionage

400 pages, Library Binding

First published September 13, 2016

About the author

In a time not long after the fifth extinction event, Edgar Award-nominated author Michael D. Beil came of age on the shores of Pymatuning Lake, where the ducks walk on the fish. (Look it up. Seriously.) For reasons that can’t be disclosed until September 28, 2041, he now lives somewhere in Portugal with his wife and their two white cats, Bruno and Maisie. He still gets carsick if he has to ride in the back seat for long and feels a little guilty that he doesn’t keep a journal.

Reviews

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just adore Michael D. Beil. He is such an amazing author. My BFF Gretchen got this book for me (she knows Mr. Beil) and told me to read it or die. We had a book swap, and I gave her The Lord of the Rings and she gave me this.

I completely absolutely definitely love this book. I'm pretty sure that this is the best one he's written yet, even over the Red Blazer Girls series. And I loved those.

Overall, definitely read this.

[Tiffany Manjarres Masson · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is no time for neutrality and ignorance.
A premise that no other than Michael D. Beil can accommodate, with exquisite and meticulous precision, to a new generation of thinkers. Time and time again, he has revealed his quintessential abilities to establish a plotline like the grand literary giants, such as Charles Dickens, while maintaining an intimate interhuman connection to young readers. Agents of the Glass: A New Recruit, is an exhilarating tale of a brave boy, Andover James Llewellyn, exhibiting refreshing qualities such as compassion, and courage. Revealing life's ambiguity and the intentions of Society, Beil has righteously exposed society's malignant need to capitalize on the wrongdoing of others, using various persuasive tactics to reel others in the same predicaments. It is up to our young protagonist, the epitome of an individual with a polished moral compass, to save the world! This book had me gripping in anticipation, and it will have that same effect on you too!

[Tamaya ₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book literally put me in a slump. Idk if this makes sense, but the story is good it’s just the way they show it.

“If they had made the burger the way I wanted it, I would’ve finished eating a few seconds earlier and would’ve been a few steps ahead of where I was and instead of where I was, and instead of a cut on the forehead from a chunk of flying glass and some bruises from bouncing off the street, I would have ended up exactly like the guy with the shopping cart. Dead.” From reading that, I thought this book was about to EATTTT and was seated. Just from that one line, I knew immediately I was gonna like the main character, considering we think in similar ways. I was definitely correct.

But going forward, everything was going so slow and fast at the same time. All I can say is, there’s a reason there’s only one book and not a series. Some parts were good but most of it was just boring. Not once did I say, “This book is so interesting, I need to keep reading.” All that was repeating in my mind was, “I need to finish reading this book so I can put a review about how bad it was.” Anyway, this book was terrible and I feel bad for anyone who picks it up.

(Hey, this review is like a year old and I didn't even get through the entire thing. I'll probably end up re-reading it and see if I still feel the same way [and put an ACTUAL review instead of a couple sentences]. Stay tuned for my review!)

[Flossmoor Public Library (IL) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. Andover James Llewellyn - Andy to his friends - has just been recruited as a new agent for the secret organization Agents of the Glass. Their mission: to thwart the nefarious efforts of NTRP to take over the world through brainwashing. Andy suddenly finds himself in a new school, with a new pet (his puppy Penny), and with pretty much no idea what he is doing or how he fits into the Agents' plan to stop NTRP from brainwashing kids who want to make the world a better place into self-centered, mindless creatures. If you like spy stories or stories about kids who want to make the world better, this book is for you!

- Miss Anna

[Karen Arendt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed all of Michael Beil's books, especially the Red Blazer Girls series. This new series is just as good. Andy is a great character though some might wonder given his parents-dad because he hosts a radio show that can be heartless and mom because she is away for most of the story. There is plenty of twists in the plot and things are slowly revealed to the reader but at just the right time. I enjoyed the subtle commentary on today's society that society is becoming less kind overall. A great new series. I am looking forward to the next book.

[Jocelyn Bystrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Impressive back jacket hook: "Let's get one thing out of the way right now. You may think that the decision to read this book was your own, but that's not quite true. You're reading it because I - we - want you to read it." ( Beil, 2016) I was hooked... and curious! You're drawn into this spy story as if you were the main character. Might you be described as: compassionate, intelligent, loyal or courageous? Might you have the what it takes to be the agency's new recruit? Dive into the deep end and you'll find yourself reading late into the night... to learn how the story unfolds.

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you liked this book, you might like "The Hypnotists" by Gordon Korman. I liked how it was at times talking TO me, the reader. I also liked the bit of mystery it entailed. I loved the good versus evil and the planning and strategizing that occurred. The characters were great, and it had just enough action, but not too much. (Too much action loses me pretty quickly). I plan to read the next book in this series.

[Alice Kuhn · Rating 4 out of 5]

After witnessing a bank robbery, Andy is recruited by a secret organization that finds and eliminates evil (from CIP). Fun read with lots of twists and turns. Good read-a-like for fans of the Stuart Gibbs "Spy" series. 5th grade and up.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A different take on the never-ending story of good vs. evil.

[Jill CD · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun mystery filled with spies, secrets, a dog, knitted socks, and an amazing piece of blue glass. A good read for middle schoolers.

[Rachel Rooney · Rating 3 out of 5]

A 2018-2019 Missouri Truman Readers Award preliminary nominee (grades 6-8).

Andy Llewellyn is recruited to join a secret organization after demonstrating an unusually good nature. His mission is to attend a fancy private school and keep an eye on a popular student. Is she somehow involved with an evil media organization NTRP? And what is NTRP up to anyway?

This was pretty fun. My fifth grader read it too. He didn't ask about a second book, and I think that about sums it up.

[lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me hyped, and I am so glad that I gave it a second chance. I was so pleased that this was such a quick and easy read and had plenty of suspense. As new secrets were uncovered and the final turning point of the book rolled around, I was curled in a ball shaking. Would definitely reread, and I wish it could have been turned into a series, because it was definitely open ended.

[Jessie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this book is well written for the target demographic but I couldn't really get into it. I liked the premise but I was put off by the author breaking the fourth wall and talking to the reader. I think younger readers will enjoy it since it is something different from most stories.

[Ethan Z · Rating 2 out of 5]

eh

[Elena Maria Rose]

I love rereading books and I think sometimes I forget how good some of my books are until I reread them.... Definately Recommend!

[Norah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. It’s interesting. The way the book is structured makes you feel like it’s real and it actually happened. (And whose to say it didn’t)

[aem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable

[Vance Amazing · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the 'The Agents of the Glass' during my teenage years, and I loved the story at the time since it had an impact on me, introducing the philosophy of inherent kindness or being nice without expectations. I thought the series was groundbreaking for a YA novel and would have a similar effect on other readers. I hoped to see a sequel one day.
Today, however, my opinion regarding the series has changed significantly.
The story is about a very nice and kind boy, who is not selfish in any way, being recruited by an organization that tracks people with good moral compasses and bad moral compasses, so he can save his friend and school, who bad moral compass people are brainwashing into being very selfish and self-centered and a little emo, from literal brainwashing.
I think 'outdated' is the first word I would use when recalling all this. Nine years later, and all I can think about is how there is no objective reason why Andover would return the bag of money so easily. Charity, personal gain, burning... all better options. I assumed he didn't know the money was insured and thought people would lose their cash, but now I see it was being framed as him doing a good thing without thinking. The series champions this moment, declaring it the example of how good choices make good people. I call this outdated because I believe the series never convinced me this was a good choice, and never expanded on how good intentions did not always make good choices.
Which is going to be a problem for a story about good people vs bad people. Andover needs to stop the amoral organization before they make everyone amoral! All amoral people are brain damaged! They can be anywhere, working against us all! Yeesh, the subtext wants me to hide in a bunker and pray, apparently.
This entire series seems weirdly narrow in scope, and while there were some things I found charming, I don't think it really holds up for a mature audience. As I said, I thought it was novel for a character to be genuinely unselfish for some baffling reason I hoped to understand. And now I understand that the reason really is baffling, because it is merely a demonstration of unselfishness, not a genuine standard to adopt.

[no thank you · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ok so at first I HATED this book but more towards the end it got much better. I wish that the book would have gone more in depth about Silas and his back story I fel like that would make this book a lot better but it does get better.

[Ilona Bray · Rating 5 out of 5]

How refreshing to have a main character who's actually good-looking and likable--but nevertheless faces major challenges (you know, just the battle between good and evil, and whether he can navigate it without getting killed--plus the stresses of dealing with a new school, yikes). A compelling read.

[Angela]

DNF at 50% I don't mean to imply that I didn't finish because the book was bad in any way. I just found it didn't hold my attention and I found the characters and plot too over the top. Keep in mind that I'm writing this as an adult, although a children's librarian and frequent reader of kids books. I think that this will appear to a younger middle grade reader who like very black and white characters and plotting. Andy is a character who is just a little too perfect and goody-goody. I couldn't warm up to him and felt like, unlike his reluctant partner, Jensen, he was lifelike and interesting enough. Jensen, the hard-hitting journalism student has passion and is brusque and sometimes abrasive with an unapologetic manner; nothing stands in the way of exposing the truth for her. The villain, Winter and the Evil Corporation (that's what it feels like) are almost stock or cartoon villains. I think that to a young audience (definitely not a discerning teen/YA audience but an upper elementary one) these will seem deliciously evil. The story attempts to have a James Bond feel with Andy undercover and a few gadgets but it's no Bond or Alex Rider. I was really disappointed because I normally love what this author does.