Shadows on the Silver Strings

I've been following this author for some time, and his work gets stronger with each new novel. Honestly I think
it's only a matter of time before Netflix, HBO, or some movie studio comes knocking. YA fiction is a proven moneymaker, and the Folkteller series is tailor-made for streaming or the big screen. The creativity and imagination on display here are easily on par with better-known contemporaries like Shadow & Bone.

This third novel in the series is one of my favorites, because it's here that more of the big-picture plot begins to take shape. Things are getting desperate for heroes Aaron, Wendy, Eddie, and Jake. The Shadow People, egged on by a dangerous and energetic new leader, have launched a full-scale invasion of our reality. Worse, they've discovered they can cause more damage if they manifest as creatures of myth, taking advantage of shared cultural beliefs and fears.

The protagonist Aaron's struggle to become a full-fledged Folkteller is really well-told throughout the series. Bastian understands teenagers' conflicted desire to fit in while also standing out. When we meet Aaron in Book One, he's moping that his life is too normal. Now it's anything but and he's realizing the high price that comes with being a hero. He, his friends, and his family are targeted, and he's not always able to protect them. His most stalwart companions, especially Jake and Wendy, are coming into their own as well, and facing their own challenges even as they try their best to support their friend.

Each Folkteller book is better written than the last; more confident, more creative, more self-assured in its style. I've really enjoyed watching Bastian develop as a novelist even as his characters are developing as heroes. This is definitely a series and a writer to watch.