OUT OF THE OUTLANDS

In Johnson’s fantasy series-starter for middle-grade readers, the Age of Battles is over, but a 9-year-old hero is destined to rise to a heroic destiny.

Young Chloe’s father, the mayor of Schlafendorf, had a vision at her birth that she was fated to become a hero. Her parents have tried to keep this information from her, but she learns it anyway, “because parents rarely realize when their children are listening.” Since she’s picked up on her fate, her best friend, Thomas, has been putting her through training to prepare. So far, this has mostly involved such things as staging mock battles with other children and going on an unplanned chase after escaped piglets. But when an unnamed wizard suddenly arrives in town from the Outlands, it’s clear that he’s a harbinger of change and that Chloe’s time must be coming soon. Although the townsfolk are thrilled by his arrival, the wizard is less enthusiastic; he doesn’t remember why or how he arrived in Schlafendorf, but he does know that he erased his own memories on purpose. He also knows more about the inner workings of the town than its inhabitants do. Readers slowly learn that there’s more to the world of Schlafendorf than meets the eye, as references to a “program” and other elements establish that it’s not a generic medieval setting. The wizard gets pulled into town life, as the mayor simply won’t let him stay on the sidelines, and Thomas is determined to enlist him in Chloe’s heroic preparations. Filled with endearing and quirky characters, such as the mayor with his odd speech flourishes (such as the term mysterical) and an unfailingly polite bridge troll, the cast is well rounded and compelling. The story moves quickly, bouncing from character to character, but the big action scene doesn’t occur until the very end, and questions about the logistics of the program and the wizard’s presence remain unanswered in this initial installment.

An often charming middle-grade adventure story with an intriguing angle.