The Night Slayer (The Lords of Dimensions) by George Jancovic

What worked:

The plot quickly gets into the drama, as Alex rescues a fourth-grader from a bully in chapter one and then finds himself at the bottom of the ocean in chapter two. He discovers he’s a Vela, can communicate telepathically, and can manipulate land, air, and water. As with most middle-grade books, he’s joined by two companions. Lin exhibits superior Vela skills and has visions of the future. She dreams about Alex’s death, and keeping it secret torments her. A boy named Whiz is extremely intelligent, but his fear causes him to freeze up in stressful situations.

The plot is a quest to find the Night Slayer before the main protagonist, Moloch. The Night Slayer is the most powerful sword full of positive energy in the world, and it can be used to defeat all evil. Moloch would love to get his hands on the Blood Snatcher, an indestructible, bloodthirsty sword that pulls the souls out of its prey. Alex, Lin, and Whiz don’t know how they can possibly defeat Moloch, but they’re joined by another Vela named Cleo. She is the captain of a crew called the Vanquishers, and readers may find they’re similar to fearsome pirates. Alex and his friends convince Cleo to join them on their quest, but she wants to locate the formidable weapons for herself. Her secret desire creates an unspoken problem, and readers will anxiously await the moment when the sword is found. Also, Lin’s gentleness contrasts with Cleo’s hardness, but all of the characters immediately notice clear similarities in the girls’ physical appearances.

Whiz is an entertaining and valuable character. As mentioned, he’s frightened of all of the dangers the group encounters, and he’s aware of this weakness. Readers will often read the thoughts in his mind that reflect the “bock, bock, bock” sound of a chicken. Cleo’s disdain for Whiz’s fears and relative weakness creates some amusing moments. On the other hand, readers will feel good for Whiz’s character whenever he successfully uses his elemental abilities to help defend the group. Whiz’s real value is his knowledge, and Cleo labels him with the nickname, The Professor. Whiz seems to know everything about history, and he knows various languages, too. He’s the only character able to read the writing on an ancient map, so Cleo is forced to tolerate him.

What didn’t work as well:

Each chapter focuses on one of the main characters, so readers must remind themselves that their perspectives are constantly changing. Also, there are instances where events are unnecessarily over-explained rather than letting readers infer the information. Conversely, the author creates an exciting climax that will carry over to the book’s sequel.

The final verdict:

Readers must get used to the author’s writing style, but surprises await as the plot moves on. The characters suspect they don’t fully understand Moloch’s plans, and he’s the one who provides the climactic twist. I recommend you try this book for yourself.