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Rylander, Chris
7 Reviews
(3)
4-6
Epic Series of Failures series.
Luckless Chicago kid Greg discovers his Dwarf lineage through a resurgence of ancient magic that will soon cripple all technology. Guided by a talking ax, Greg tries to rescue his kidnapped father and ease tensions with his Elf best friend before Dwarves and Elves declare all-out war. Fans of Percy Jackson will enjoy the folkloric adventure, offbeat humor, strong friendships, and intriguing magic of this new series.
Reviewer: Russell Perry
(4)
4-6
Codename Conspiracy series.
After Principal Gomez is arrested on trumped-up charges, North Dakota seventh grader Carson Fender, a.k.a. Agent Zero, must identify the enemy spy responsible for the set-up--and figure out why Gomez was framed. Carson's third spy outing starts off slowly but picks up steam when a plot twist leaves the middle schooler puzzling over life-or-death questions about privacy, technology, loyalty, and trust.
Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger
(3)
4-6
Codename Conspiracy series.
When Agent Nineteen's life is threatened by a deadly virus that's fallen into enemy hands, ex-spy Carson (Codename Zero) is tasked with breaking into a secret lab inside of Mt. Rushmore to save the day--while on a school field trip. Action-packed and humorous, this installment adds interesting character development as things get more serious and Carson struggles with some realistic moral dilemmas.
Reviewer: Randy Ribay
(3)
4-6
Bored by his mundane North Dakotan existence, seventh grader Carson gets his kicks pulling elaborate pranks. But then one day a mysterious man hands him a package ready to self-destruct, plunging Carson into an underground world of secret government agencies and international crime. The story is told with humor, suspense, and a bit of heart, and the last page seems to promise another installment.
Reviewer: Randy Ribay
(3)
4-6
Though seventh graders Mac and Vince have technically retired from their lucrative but dangerous middle-school detective business, they can't refuse when a new kid offers them easy money for letting him take over. However, things quickly spiral out of control, and the duo must save their school from a mysterious new criminal mastermind in this entertaining tale.
Reviewer: Randy Ribay
(3)
4-6
Sixth-graders Mac and Vince (The Fourth Stall) continue to operate their detective business out of the school bathroom. This time they're investigating a new administrator's plan to "clean up" the school via standardized testing. Rylander deftly blends humor and mystery in this tale that's told in the style of a noir detective story, right down to the femme fatale with an axe to grind.
Reviewer: David Elzey
(3)
4-6
Sixth-grader Mac is a guy who can solve your problems, sometimes as a favor, but usually for a price. Troubles arise when high school crime boss Staples muscles in with a gambling ring and threats of real violence. Rylander's small-time noir for the middle-grade set hits all the right notes with nonstop action and wry humor.
Reviewer: David Elzey
7 reviews
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