The Forbidden Stone

November 11, 2013
In this strong, ambitious start to the Copernicus Legacy series, Abbott (the Secrets of Droon) sends four protagonists on a globe-spanning adventure as they attempt to reclaim lost artifacts before a secret organization realizes its evil agenda. Working through a series of centuries-old puzzles and clues, stepbrothers Wade and Darrell Kaplan and their friends Lily and Becca, accompanied by Wade’s astrophysicist father, attempt to unravel the mystery of a device built by the astronomer Copernicus. As their search takes them from Germany to Italy and Guam, they unravel ciphers, translate lost diaries, and both outwit and outrun the fiendish, murderous Teutonic Order. With 12 artifacts to be found over 12 planned installments, a mix of novels and novellas, there’s no denying the epic scope of this storyline. Fast-paced and clever, the novel reads like a mashup of the National Treasure films and The Da Vinci Code; it’s a thriller that engages the intellect even as it rummages through history for inspiration and journeys to far-flung locales. Ages 8–12. Agent: George Nicholson, Sterling Lord Literistic.

July 1, 2014

Gr 4-7-Wade Kaplan receives a coded message from his Uncle Henry, who dies suddenly soon after sending it. Wade, his dad, and three friends attend Uncle Henry's funeral in Germany and find more mysterious clues left by him. The kids and their dad are launched on an overseas adventure with mysteries and danger at every turn. It turns out that the clues are keys to finding seven relics; once they are all found, they will reveal the secret Copernicus Legacy. Unfortunately, members of an ancient and sinister society are after the seven relics as well, and Wade and his group soon find themselves in a race for their lives. MacLeod Andrews's narration captures the thrill of the adventure, creating unique voices for each character. Many of the places and names are in German and Italian. Andrews's European accents are wonderful, but young listeners unused to listening to them may find it difficult at times to keep up with the fast-paced story. This is the first in a series that is bound to please fans of the "39 Clues" series and the "Century Quartet."-Terri Norstrom, Cook Memorial Public Library District, Libertyville, IL

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