Book Review: "The Mad Apprentice" by Django Wexler

When Alice's mysterious Uncle Geryon sends her to help capture a rogue apprentice--a boy who has the same ability Alice has to Read himself into stories--she knows to expect a wild and unpredictable trip. But even though Alice has visited the magical realms inside libraries before, this adventure is far more dangerous. Because Torment, the magic creature holding thislibrary together, has gone mad.

But he might also have information about Alice's missing father. - from Goodreads.com

This is book two of Wexler's "The Forbidden Library" series. It has been quite some time since I read the first, and I know I have enjoyed Wexler's "The Shadow Campaigns" series, that I grabbed this one up when I found it. Having been so long since reading the first book, I didn't remember all the details from the opening of the story. However, in good style, this tale took off leaving my doubts behind as to the exact details I need to remember from earlier.

There may be a few spoilers here ...

Alice has grown in her use of reading herself into stories. She has 'tapped' some additional powers she did not have access to before. She is sent on a combined mission with 5 other apprentices to apprehend another apprentice, that has supposedly killed his Reader (Master). Things take a large turn for the worse, when the group realizes, due to Alice's insight, that madness has gripped the situation. Needless to say, some new powers come about, some new facts that will lead to future stories, and some answers Alice herself was seeking.

Overall I felt it had an easy to read story line. Definitely written for a younger audience, though as I did enjoy it, I am sure there are other adults that will as well. I liked how the story basically continued on, not spending so much time recapturing what has happened in book one, but periodically making a reference to a previous part of the tale. In thaat sense, I practically read this as a stand-alone since I have forgotten/over-lapped most of the first book. Hopefully in future installments, Wexler will expand on the Labyrithine (sp?) and who really is in charge ....