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Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians  By  cover art

Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians

By: Brandon Sanderson
Narrated by: Ramon De Ocampo
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Publisher's summary

Experience the action-packed first book in #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson’s laugh-out-loud middle-grade fantasy series like never before—now with all new covers!

AN ANCIENT RIVALRY REAWAKENS.

Everything I’d known about the world was a lie.

On my thirteenth birthday, I, Alcatraz Smedry (yes, I got named after a prison, don’t ask), received my inheritance: a bag of sand. And then I accidentally destroyed my foster parents’ kitchen. It’s not my fault, things just break around me, I swear! I thought the sand was a joke until evil Librarians came to steal it. You’re probably thinking, “Librarians are nice people who recommend good books,” but that’s just what they want you to think! It turns out they’re actually a secret cabal keeping the truth from you—a hidden world filled with magical eyeglasses, talking dinosaurs, and knights with crystal swords! Or so my Grandpa Smedry claimed when he suddenly showed up to rescue me. So now I have to go with him to invade the local library and get that sand back, before it’s used to conquer the world. And Grandpa says how I keep breaking things is actually an amazing talent. There’s no way that can all be true, right? Will I ever make it back home alive?

©2007 Dragonsteel Entertainment, LLC (P)2011 Recorded Books

Critic reviews

“Like Lemony Snicket and superhero comics rolled into one (and then revved up on steroids).” (Publishers Weekly)

“An excellent choice to read aloud to the whole family. Funny, exciting, and briskly paced.”(NPR)

What listeners say about Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    2,625
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    1,266
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  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • 2 Stars
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Highly Entertaining + Great Narration

This book was fantastic. You can really tell Brandon Sanderson thoroughly enjoyed writing this series. A really fun read from Sanderson after his longer, and much more serious, fantasy epics. Very enjoyable right now, but wish this was a book I could have read in middle school.

The narrator does a fantastic job. Please ignore reviews complaining about ENUNCIATION. A couple times he does pronounce words strangely, but it really only contributes to the fun silliness of this week. When it comes down to it, he captures the wit and attitude of the narration perfectly. I had been reluctant for months because of that ridiculous review. Very glad I finally gave it a chance.

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62 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Incredibly good!

OK - I did not want to read this book - I typically hate young adult/children books. The story in this was actually quite good. This is truly a story for all audiences. It is funny, interesting, engaging, light-hearted, and all-around fun. I recommend it!

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48 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

ASPIRING ASIMOV'S

THAT'S LIBRARIAN TALK
The five stars are for 11-13 year olds. Drop a star overall for adults. I think 13 year olds will love this. It is entertaining, funny and different. I say different, but it also reminded me of an older Wimpy Kid. The idea of an alternative world and this world being secretly run by librarians is great. I normal don't like it when the author talks to the audience, but it worked very well for this book.

CANICEDE
I do think books like this will help turn more kids into readers. I also love the way they learn without lectures, about how to open your mind and not to believe things because everyone else does.

EDIBLE EDDINGS
Once again I am amazed in Brandon Sanderson and his ability to dream up new and different magic worlds. Lots of writers, come up with one good universe and build their whole career around it, while BS comes up with totally different magic systems for every book or series.

Narrator was good

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47 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

First, let me say that I am a Sanderson fanatic!

Brandon Sanderson is a gifted storyteller, world builder and creator of unique magical systems. That's the first thing that you need to know. I've read/listened to his work since he accepted the responsibility of finishing up "The Wheel of Time" series after Jordan's passing. He immediately became my favorite author! I have kids, and wanted to get them interested in reading. My oldest daughter was not latching on to the "girlie" books that my wife was getting her, then it hit me: Sanderson wrote a kids book! You see, my daughter is more like me. Naturally, I thought that her reading interest might lean toward my own. I bought the audiobook here on audible and gave it a listen. Then, I purchased a hard copy of this book and have started reading it to both of my girls aloud. They were instantly hooked!
As I said, I'm a WOT fan, so I've been spoiled to hearing the amazing talents of Michael Kramer and Kate Reading. Most of the time, when I begin listening to a book with a different narrator I am very disappointed. Not so with Ramon De Ocampo! He does an admirable job of conveying emotion and character into the story.
Overall, this is a fun tale of adventure that kids and parents can enjoy together.

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38 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Really bad title, really good book.

Would you listen to Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians again? Why?

Yes, in a few years I might revisit it.

Any additional comments?

Sanderson fans should not be afraid of the Alcatraz novels because they are "for kids", if you felt Harry Potter was adult enough then these will be to. If your a fantasy fan looking for something fun but light between your epic fantasy books, this is it.

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26 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I'm Speechless!!!

Oh yes i'm speechless... I'm a huge fan of Brandon Sanderson and I think his work is honestly perfect.. I postponed reading this book from its title... I just thought its too weird... but then from its introduction i was laughing out loud!!!

Brandon did it again, I red the way of kings and mistborn and his other books, and i thought that i know now what kind of books he writes.. but this was different and really funny.. Funny doesn't even cover it, i keep on laughing while reading this book, its sooo good.

Alcatraz is a funny and interesting character, and although this book is made for young adult, it shouldn't really count... its for all ages!1

Great job Brandon Sanderson, keep it up!!!

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19 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fun

We listen to this book on a long car trip. My kids were laughing out loud...and were disappointed when we arrived because they wanted to finish the story

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18 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Strangely annoying

Don't get me wrong. I love Brandon Sanderson's work as a whole -- in fact, this is probably the only book of his I am really struggling to like. It just... Annoyed me. Perhaps it would be a better book if I had read it instead of listened to it, or if someone else had narrated it. But the whole thing had a slightly whiny tone to it. Most of the self imposed humor was jarring and, as the author repeatedly notes, annoying.

Putting my annoyance aside, the writing isn't absolutely terrible. It is very purposefully the type of book it is. It is possible that if you like Terry Pratchett you would like this story. It tries to be very tongue in cheek, intentionally annoying (once again, a fact stated multiple times by the "author" of the story), and witty in its comparisons to other "unnamed" works. It just wasn't for me.

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15 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Thank God for fast forward

First off, the story itself is good. Satire on all the conventions of the modern fantasy/Chosen One books in general, and Harry Potter in particular (though it's mostly hidden), but the story itself is solid.

It's the preachy asides that the author indulges in that drove me up the wall with this one. Every time the action started to get intense, or a scene was starting to get even slightly emotionally invested, the author broke off to speak directly to the reader, pointing out precisely what he was doing and mocking both it and the reader. It got so that every time the narrator's voice changed to adopt one of these asides, I was fumbling for my phone to hit the "fast forward by 20 seconds" button - sometimes several times in a row, the asides were that long. And this happened about three or four times per hour of listening. Unfortunately, I will not be purchasing the next audiobook in this series; it's just too annoying to have the story interrupted so constantly. If I continue the series at all, it will be in print form, so I can skip the asides more conveniently. It's too bad; the author's ego really got in the way of a good book.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Great story although suited to a younger crowd.

Interesting story this one and as good as always from Brandon Sanderson. Clearly written for a younger crowd but enjoyable anyway.

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