I just finished the first three novels of a fairly new series called Adventurers Wanted. I would have promptly set out on a quest to find the fourth book, but unfortunately, it won’t be out until next year.
This is the most refreshing fantasy series I’ve read in a long time. Somehow it manages to rip off both Tolkien and G.A. Henty at the same time in a completely endearing and honest fashion and simultaneously turns many a fantasy trope on its head. I started cringing on the first page when Alex reflects on his stepfather scolding him for something Alex’s stepbrother had done. I cringed even more when I realized that Alex’s mother had died after remarrying. “It’s going to be one of those books,” I thought. I was stunned when a few paragraphs later, Alex shrugged it off due to the stress his stepfather was going through and chalked it up to things like that happening in all families. That was only the beginning. Alex is the sort of main character it seems has been missing from YA books for a while. He makes mistakes and needs his friends and family to advise, encourage, and confront him at times, but he earnestly wants to be a good man and takes on his faults with determination. And for the most part, he is trustworthy, self-sacrificing, and generous.
Throughout the stories Alex adventures with different groups of elves, dwarves, and men, and one of the primary storylines of the books is him learning from the example and teaching of older “men.” In fact, I’d have to guess one common criticism of the series is the lack of women. However, I found the lack of stress on romantic relationships and the emphasis on mentorships very positive. Mr. Foreman has promised that someday Alex will find someone, but I am confident that given how the series is unfolding, it will be a much more natural and mature relationship than many teen books promote. Several characters have left adventuring to marry while others take reoccurring roles as companions and teachers until Alex’s skills surpass theirs. This leads me to the main flaw in this story.
After skillfully navigating past many of the genre’s worst tropes, Mr. Foreman included one that has steadily been growing more common and annoying: too much power, too quickly. Alex found upon entering the world of adventuring he had an aptitude for magic. Now, three books later, he is one of the most powerful wizards in centuries not to mention one of the youngest. I understand the desire and sometimes even need to allow for a young person of prodigious talent to bypass some of the standard training. It can make the story more exciting and relatable for a younger audience. It can also just make sense. As contrived as the prequel Star Wars trilogy can be at times, the question of advancing Anakin Skywalker to the council even though no one his age had ever been deemed qualified made sense. He was the best the Order had ever seen. He could blaze his way through any possible tests. However, the reservation and consequent exclusion came down to his literal age. Talent and even wisdom are not solely the result of living a certain number of years, but experience is, and experience is what Alex severely lacks. It is possible that the books are building to a rather spectacular fall when Alex misuses his powers. I can even see him believing he is doing the right thing at the time, only to learn how badly he misjudged the situation. Either way, I would have been a lot happier if he had reached his current status a few books down the road.
That is my one reservation with this series. These books haven’t found a home on my shelves yet as they are constantly loaned out, and I am so pleased to have found a series I can look forward to reading to my children before they’re eighteen.
There is no language, no innuendo, and for a fantasy series a distinct lack of violence. I’d probably raise the rating to PG on account of occasional goblin slaying. There is magic, and the main character does learn to become a wizard although, ala Harry Potter, wizards are born with magic and need to be taught. Both Dwarves and Elves work small magics natural to their races.