Alcatraz Smedry is the hero of a pair of truly delightful books my boys got for Christmas: Alcatraz Versus The Evil Librarians, and Alcatraz Versus The Scrivener’s Bones, both by Brandon Sanderson. At least, the spine of the books say that they are by Brandon Sanderson; the narrator, Alcatraz Smedry himself, claims that he is the real author; these books are autobiographical, but were published as fantasy novels to get them past the Evil Librarian Conspiracy. The attribution to Sanderson is just a blind.

You see, we live in a world that is run completely by and for the Librarians. They control what we read, and consequently what we know. And they like it that way.

Did I say completely? I misspoke. In addition to the continents you’re familiar with, all of which are under the Librarians, there are also several other continents collectively known as the Free Kingdoms. The Free Kingdomers refer to our countries collectively as the Hushlands. The Librarians have been trying to take over the Free Kingdoms for centuries, and the odds have tilted in their honor. Alcatraz, a thirteen-year-old raised in the United States, will be key to the Free Kingdom’s salvation. He’s a real hero.

Or is he? According to Alcatraz the narrator, he’s not really a hero; in fact, he’s writing his autobiography to tell people the truth about himself, so they’ll stop treating him like one.

Or is he? It’s hard to tell, as Alcatraz enjoys messing with the reader. (Do not turn to the last page to see how the book comes out. You’ve been warned.)

I read these books aloud to the family at bedtime over the last month; and frankly, they are some of the funniest books I’ve read in ages. Everyone, from Jane and I on down, enjoyed them thoroughly, and every evening the kids (and Jane) were clamoring for more. When the third book in the series comes out in October I’d be in line to buy it even if I had no kids to read it too.

Highly recommended.