Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite
Magic Eaters vs. The Angry Librarian is an adventure fantasy novel for children and preteens written by Connor Grayson. One day, Charlie’s life was turned totally upside down, just like that. When his mom informed him that they would have to move, Charlie told her in no uncertain terms that he wasn’t interested. But then she dangled the promise of a Nintendo Switch before him, and his defenses crumbled. After all, who could resist one of those? He even watched and said nothing while his dad filled a box with his video game consoles and games, reminding Charlie about the Switch as he did so. Heck, Charlie was so excited about the new system that he turned down his dad’s invite for one last pizza party with his friends and playing even the video games Charlie’s mom didn’t really like. It wasn’t until he and his mom were putting the last finishing touches on their move that Charlie found out that the five-gallon jugs of pennies he was lugging out to the U-Haul represented his Nintendo Switch. He’d be doing a lot of penny rolling before he ever saw that console.
Connor Grayson’s Magic Eaters vs. The Angry Librarian is a deliciously dark and creepy story about a different type of game, one which takes the strategy, concentration and skill needed to master video games to a new level and intensity. His characters are well-defined and credible, and the plot is action-packed, exciting and totally unpredictable. I particularly liked how Grayson sets the mood in this story, making the game Charlie and Evie enter seem sinister and deadly serious. Will they succeed and win the prize of their dreams or end up like the ones who failed? Grayson keeps the reader guessing throughout this well-written and original story. Magic Eaters vs. The Angry Librarian is highly recommended.