Name: The Guardians of the Hidden Scepter
ISBN: 9781599554488

Frank Cole

Fifteen-year-old Amber Rawson, who has a passion for archaeology and a talent for deciphering ancient codes, must find the ancient Tebah Stick, a biblical artifact capable of global destruction, and save her kidnapped archaeology instructor.

The Guardians of the Hidden Scepter

Jessica Nottingham

Move over Indiana Jones, here comes Amber and her pals. Part mystery, all suspense, The Guardians of the Hidden Scepter is a rollicking adventure story that is sure to be literally devoured by even the most stubborn readers. I was immersed enough in these characters and their struggles that I read straight through the book in a hour. Yes, it's really that good.

A solid plot line is built around Amber's relationship with her archeology teacher, Ms. Holcomb, or Dorothy as she prefers to be called. It was a little off putting to me at first how close these kids were with their teacher. I don't want to spoil anything, but their relationship was one that I have honestly never seen before. However in the true spirit of adventure, I chalked it up to a great story line and read on. This story is equal parts action and explanation. There are portions that are quick and focused on tense (and potentially violent) situations, and then just as quickly the book will move into an explanation on the origin of a word, or back story on a particular culture. I was impressed at how well Frank L. Cole tied together both of these worlds!

In terms of the characters, Amber and her small group of adventurers are rather easy to relate to. They share a love of archeology and puzzle solving, but at a deeper level each of them is different. They each bring something to the group that makes it complete. My favorite character by far, even though he could be a bit obnoxious at times, was Trendon. As the computer nerd of the group, he was indispensable when it came to information gathering via the Internet. I giggled a few times at how perfectly he fit the mold of the typical "computer geek". Add in a twist in the middle where one of them turns on the others, and well sir and madam, you have me hooked.

My one question about this story really lies in how easy of a read it will be for the age group it is aimed at. Truth be told this is most definitely an action packed and stunning read. However there is a lot of information presented, as well as some situations that might be uncomfortable for readers who are on the younger side of the YA reading group. I think that The Guardians of the Hidden Scepter is a great fit for advanced readers, or maybe older readers. For that matter it would be a great story to share between a parent and a younger reader. It has a little bit of something for everyone!

To wrap things up, I very much enjoyed this as a read and happily recommend it to you, my dear readers! If you are an action junkie, a lover of a good fictional story that has historical references, or just a reader who wants something different, this is a book for you.

The Guardians of the Hidden Scepter

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