THE SHROUDED SWORD

In debut author Minter’s middle-grade series opener, two boys try to solve a riddle that leads them on an adventure.

Over Christmas break, Ethan Moseby and his younger sister, Jynx, are left with their eccentric, reclusive uncle, Socrates, at his mansion, Gramarye House, in the fictional town of Deadmoor, Virginia. With no TV or internet to distract them, and no curfew or house rules, the children set off to explore the estate. They find an incredible library, as well as a maze “the size of a football field.” Ethan later befriends Amos Sprunt, who’s the son of the local undertaker and a fan of Sherlock Holmes mysteries. Together, Amos and Ethan try to solve a riddle that takes them through the library to a secret gallery of paintings, then to a graveyard, a secret doorway, and finally to an ancient mausoleum with a massive painted fresco, guarded by raucous ravens. Meanwhile, fairy witch Morgause is conjuring spells and plotting her escape from a tower, where she’s been imprisoned by a powerful wizard. Later, the boys find themselves sent back in time to a pirate ship. However, someone, who’s later revealed to be the wizard Merlin, has also been tracking the boys, using his special powers of meditation. Literary references abound, from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to Edgar Allan Poe to King Arthur. Sherlock Holmes is referenced many times; Socrates even smokes a Meerschaum pipe. The plot is unquestionably full of surprises. The adventures not only include time travel and pirates, but also portal hopping, a “forbidden room,” multiple riddles, and a cipher. There are so many ideas, in fact, that it’s sometimes hard to keep up with them; as Socrates says, “It gets confusing and all catawampus,” and it’s hard to disagree. Many characters feel underdeveloped, as well. There’s a menagerie of creatures surrounding the house, for example, including Badger, an exotic pet leopard; Puck, a bluetick hound; Admiral benbow, an all-seeing raven; a Mad Hatter-esque goblin named Dwaine; and his salamander sidekick, Salamandra. Fewer characters might have made for a more cohesive read.

An ambitious tale with perhaps a few too many narrative elements.