Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Publication
Balzer Bray (2022), 432 pages
Description
Fantasy. African American Fiction. Juvenile Fiction. HTML: Sequel to the New York Times bestseller Amari and the Night Brothers! Artemis Fowl meets Men in Black in this magical second book in the New York Times and Indie bestselling Supernatural Investigations trilogy�??perfect for fans of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky, the Percy Jackson series, and Nevermoor. After finding her brother and saving the entire supernatural world, Amari Peters is convinced her first full summer as a Junior Agent will be a breeze. But between the fearsome new Head Minister's strict anti-magician agenda, fierce Junior Agent rivalries, and her brother Quinton's curse steadily worsening, Amari's plate is full. So when the secretive League of Magicians offers her a chance to stand up for magiciankind as its new leader, she declines. She's got enough to worry about! But her refusal allows someone else to step forward, a magician with dangerous plans for the League. This challenge sparks the start of the Great Game, a competition to decide who will become the Night Brothers' successor and determine the future of magiciankind. The Great Game is both mysterious and deadly, but among the winner's magical rewards is Quinton's last hope�??so how can Amari refuse… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member hcnewton
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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"Amari," says Maria. “It’s not your job to save the world every summer.”
"I don’t have a choice!"
WHAT'S AMARI AND THE GREAT GAME ABOUT?
Amari has spent the last school year looking forward to one thing: it being over so she can go back
But the day before that summer is supposed to start, something happens that reignites anti-magician rhetoric and sentiment. So much so that the new Head Minister bans her from the summer program. The PR surrounding that is decidedly bad, so Amari is admitted, but the ban is just the beginning of her problems.
Magicians and people with similar profiles are under the microscope, however, and those in power are engaged in all-out persecution--because of their reputations and records, Amari and Maria are spared this. At least overtly.
Meanwhile, Amari is given the opportunity to fill an office with the League of Magicians that would put her in charge -- because of her age, she doesn't think she's right for the position and passes. She's not who anyone should be looking toward if it comes to war against the Bureau. But when the opportunity passes to someone else -- someone who needs to be kept away from it -- she steps up. Starting the Great Game -- a series of challenges where these candidates face off against each other for the role.
Amari decides she has to clear Magicians of responsibility for the event that kicked off this new wave of harassment as well as compete in the game. She has to play the game on her own, but she's going to need the help of her friends and allies (including one very unexpected ally) to pull everything off.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT AMARI AND THE GREAT GAME?
I think Middle Grade readers are going to have a ball with this--it continues the fun and voice of Amari and the Night Brothers, raises the stakes, and includes some great moments for Amari's friends as well as for Amari. Alston's able to address misinformation/"Fake News"/propaganda and prejudice in effective and age-appropriate ways while telling a rollicking story.
For me, and I think others who fall out of the demographic will have a similar reaction, this isn't quite the experience the previous book was. It really felt like Alston was cherry-picking elements from similar MG series and mashing them up into this. If you've ever wondered, for example, what a hybrid version of Dolores Umbridge and Rita Skeeter would be like, this book will show you. If you can read the Great Game segments and not think about The Tri-Wizard Cup, you're a better person than I am. I've only mentioned Potter references, but to me, the whole thing had more of a Percy Jackson-vibe.
Readers better versed in MG Fantasies might have other parallels to offer, too. And there is nothing wrong with this--authors do this all the time, and I enjoy seeing the results. Stories lift elements from others because they work well and people enjoy them (and/or they need to be skewered). Outside of parodies, I prefer not to see the influences quite as easily as I did here. But...and this is an important point...a dude pushing 50 is going to read this differently than Alston's target audience is going to. He shouldn't be writing to please me.
I did enjoy this--and can't wait to see what comes next. I wasn't prepared for the way this book wrapped up, but think it was a great choice on Alston's part. I really like the way he's developing the characters as well--both individually and in their relationships with each other. Yes, I'll go into Book 3 with lower expectations than I went into this book with (I think that's because the first novel was just that good)--but I'll be towards the front of the line to read it when it comes out.
---
"Amari," says Maria. “It’s not your job to save the world every summer.”
"I don’t have a choice!"
WHAT'S AMARI AND THE GREAT GAME ABOUT?
Amari has spent the last school year looking forward to one thing: it being over so she can go back
Show More
to the summer program for the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. Not only will she have the chance for regular contact with her brother, but it's at the Bureau that she has found purpose and a place. She's eager to start the second summer of training as a Junior Agent and whatever work she'll get to do in that role.But the day before that summer is supposed to start, something happens that reignites anti-magician rhetoric and sentiment. So much so that the new Head Minister bans her from the summer program. The PR surrounding that is decidedly bad, so Amari is admitted, but the ban is just the beginning of her problems.
Magicians and people with similar profiles are under the microscope, however, and those in power are engaged in all-out persecution--because of their reputations and records, Amari and Maria are spared this. At least overtly.
Meanwhile, Amari is given the opportunity to fill an office with the League of Magicians that would put her in charge -- because of her age, she doesn't think she's right for the position and passes. She's not who anyone should be looking toward if it comes to war against the Bureau. But when the opportunity passes to someone else -- someone who needs to be kept away from it -- she steps up. Starting the Great Game -- a series of challenges where these candidates face off against each other for the role.
Amari decides she has to clear Magicians of responsibility for the event that kicked off this new wave of harassment as well as compete in the game. She has to play the game on her own, but she's going to need the help of her friends and allies (including one very unexpected ally) to pull everything off.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT AMARI AND THE GREAT GAME?
I think Middle Grade readers are going to have a ball with this--it continues the fun and voice of Amari and the Night Brothers, raises the stakes, and includes some great moments for Amari's friends as well as for Amari. Alston's able to address misinformation/"Fake News"/propaganda and prejudice in effective and age-appropriate ways while telling a rollicking story.
For me, and I think others who fall out of the demographic will have a similar reaction, this isn't quite the experience the previous book was. It really felt like Alston was cherry-picking elements from similar MG series and mashing them up into this. If you've ever wondered, for example, what a hybrid version of Dolores Umbridge and Rita Skeeter would be like, this book will show you. If you can read the Great Game segments and not think about The Tri-Wizard Cup, you're a better person than I am. I've only mentioned Potter references, but to me, the whole thing had more of a Percy Jackson-vibe.
Readers better versed in MG Fantasies might have other parallels to offer, too. And there is nothing wrong with this--authors do this all the time, and I enjoy seeing the results. Stories lift elements from others because they work well and people enjoy them (and/or they need to be skewered). Outside of parodies, I prefer not to see the influences quite as easily as I did here. But...and this is an important point...a dude pushing 50 is going to read this differently than Alston's target audience is going to. He shouldn't be writing to please me.
I did enjoy this--and can't wait to see what comes next. I wasn't prepared for the way this book wrapped up, but think it was a great choice on Alston's part. I really like the way he's developing the characters as well--both individually and in their relationships with each other. Yes, I'll go into Book 3 with lower expectations than I went into this book with (I think that's because the first novel was just that good)--but I'll be towards the front of the line to read it when it comes out.
Show Less
LibraryThing member deslivres5
Cliffhanger nooo!!! I want #3 now, pretty, pretty please???
Amari is back for more summer supernatural adventures, this time as a Junior Agent.
And she has lots of learning and investigating to work through.
Some old friends/foes and some new friends/foes.
Amari is sucked into a scary competition
Amari is back for more summer supernatural adventures, this time as a Junior Agent.
And she has lots of learning and investigating to work through.
Some old friends/foes and some new friends/foes.
Amari is sucked into a scary competition
Show More
called the Great Game which has far-reaching consequences. Show Less
LibraryThing member jennybeast
Great follow-up to the first -- I like how it's a similar mystery set-up, and once again the adults are hampered in a way that Amari is not. I do feel like the adults are bad at... being adults? Creating a reasonable and fair society? Oh, wait. That's true for a lot of places, isn't it. Anyway, I
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like the twists and turns, and I'm very interested to see what happens next. Good compassion demonstrated on multiple occasions, and how to navigate friendships. Show Less
Awards
Children's Favorites Awards (Selection — 2023)
Librarian Favorites Award (2023)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2022
Physical description
432 p.; 8.25 inches
ISBN
0062975196 / 9780062975195
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