The Paladin Prophecy: Book 1

Gr 9 Up—Will West has always followed his dad's list of rules to live by, blending in with the crowd and never excelling in school work or sports. This is difficult for Will because he's an unbelievably fast runner and very intelligent. When he accidently aces a nationwide exam at school, his life is thrown into chaos. His parents are kept against their will by a group wearing black caps, and Will narrowly escapes abduction. He flees to the Center for Integrated Learning, a school interested in Will because of his off-the-charts test scores. At school, Will makes an enemy in Lyle, who has mind control abilities, and becomes friends with his four roommates who all seem to have special abilities like Will. Will and his friends are in danger from a group calling themselves the Knights of Charlemagne who are in cahoots with the evil of the Neverwas, the home of the monsters who used to roam the Earth. The group fights for survival and for answers to the Paladin prophecy. Nick Chamian narrates the first title (Random, 2012) in Frost's adventure series, perfectly capturing the quirks and accents of this great cast of characters. Some of the language and jokes are more appropriate for mature students. The story is suspenseful and action-packed, and teens who enjoyed the excitement and characters in the "Harry Potter" books will want to try this series.—Sarah Flood, Breckinridge County Public Library, Hardinsburg, KY