Lord of the Libraries

May 2, 2005
In Odom's winsome Tolkienesque fantasy, the third in a series that began with The Rover
(2001), a month has passed since the near eradication of the Vault of All Known Knowledge and the disappearance of its chief librarian, Grandmagister Edgewick "Wick" Lamplighter, in The Destruction of All Books
(2004). Now First Level Librarian Jugh, a small halfling and former slave, and his old friend, the wizard Craugh, go in search of Wick, who was last seen in hot pursuit of The Book of Time
, a dangerously powerful tome that has been broken into four pieces for the world's safety. Joined by brave elves, dwarves and humans, Jugh and Craugh fight against tremendous odds in an effort to rescue Wick from evil Aldhran Khemphus. They must also discover another mysterious library and find the key to release the vault of true knowledge to all. While the series is best read in order, readers can enjoy this third volume on its own because of Odom's fluid mastery of establishing lovable characters and interweaving prime plot points from earlier books.

July 15, 2005
When goblins destroy the Vault of All Known Knowledge, and the Great Library's Grandmagister Edgewick Lamplighter disappears, First Librarian Juhg must travel far afield from the safety of his home and library in search of the Grandmagister. With a dubious companion, Juhg also searches for the lost Book of Time, hoping to find it before it falls into the hands of evildoers. The author of "The Rover" and "The Destruction of the Books" continues his endearing saga of diminutive librarians whose battles against the darkness equal any combat fought with swords or magic. Odom's clear messages about the worth of goodness and the importance of knowledge should appeal to lovers of books, libraries, and heroic deeds. For most fantasy or YA collections.

Copyright 2005 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.