Agents of the Glass

July 1, 2016
Do you always do the right thing? Do you have what it takes to become an Agent of the Glass? That's the question "Silas," the pseudonymous, omniscient narrator who comments at the end of most chapters, poses readers. He's a Level-Two Agent in an organization that has fought "chaos, hatred, and greed" for over 800 years. New York City seventh-grader Andover Llewellyn does the right thing when he returns over $200,000 of bank-robbery loot he's found. Almost immediately, Andy's recruited for the Agency, acquiring a dog with unusual abilities and a piece of old glass that shows an evil person's aura. He's enrolled at a private school, Wellbourne Academy, and assigned a student adviser, Winter Neale. She turns out to be intimately involved in a plot to permanently remove compassion from the human character. There's an evil broadcasting company, a belligerent talk show host (in his personal life, Andy's dad), and an angry blogger who helps expose the plot but suffers collateral damage. The Agency adults represent diversity around the world; the teens are apparently white except for the blogger, Jensen Huntley, who is black. With topical themes, high-speed action, and a neat resolution, this is likely to be a popular read. The emphasis on good character--especially compassion, courage, integrity, and discipline--is nice to see. A suspenseful series opener with an admirably heroic protagonist. (Thriller. 9-13)

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July 1, 2016

Gr 4-7-A fun and interesting series starter reminiscent of the "Mission Impossible" franchise. The Agents of Glass is a secret organization that fights against a dangerous group known as Entropy (NTRP). When Andy Llewellyn witnesses a bank robbery and finds a bag of money on the street, he does the right thing and returns the fortune to the bank. His honesty sparks the interest of the Agents, and they recruit him to join their effort. Andy soon finds himself working against NTRP and its plans to control the minds of the affluent children of the city. But who can he trust? Winter Neale is popular and engaging. Jensen Huntley is a news-hungry conspiracy theorist with a penchant for justice. Andy must watch both of them to decide what to do and whom to stop. Armed with a piece of special glass that can see the evil that surrounds people like the flames of a fire, Andy and his handler Silas must stop NTRP and save the world from falling into chaos. Readers will be taken on an adventure full of twists and turns and questions about honesty and sacrifice. VERDICT A solid purchase for middle grade mystery and action-adventure lovers.-Elizabeth Speer, Weatherford College, Weatherford, TX

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2016
Grades 5-8 After seventh-grader Andy is caught in the shrapnel of an exploding bank bomb, he is mistaken as the owner of a backpack containing $200,000, which he turns in to the police without a second thought. This act of honesty captures the attention of the Agents of the Glass, a special group able to sense the presence of pure evilknown as lumen lucidasin others. The agents recruit him to lead their new covert mission, and Andy is sent undercover to infiltrate a media conglomerate with plans for mind control and domination. He's also about to discover that a new confidant has a terrifying lumen lucidas. Beil incorporates thrilling (although somewhat inconsistent and underutilized) second-person inserts that bring the reader into the story as a new recruit joining the team. It's not a flawless story, but it's quick and pulse-pounding and the stakes are high. The bad guys are so deeply evil that they border on parody, but there are nice messages about the rewards and benefits of positive character traits.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)