GEEKS AND THE HOLY GRAIL

Following series opener The Once and Future Geek (2018), 21st-century video gamers Sophie and Stu dive into another time-travel misadventure in Arthurian legend.

The newly crowned King Arthur is sick, and only a sip from the enchanted Holy Grail can cure him. Morgana attacks the cup’s protectors, leaving Nimue, the young druid of Avalon, to seek refuge in Merlin’s cave. Unfortunately, only his apprentice, Emrys, is there. Green in magic skills, Emrys accidentally turns the Grail into an extremely flatulent baby dragon. Uh-oh. It’s just Sophie’s luck that her first mission as a Companion, pledged to guard “the once and future king throughout the annals of time,” would come during a bridesmaid’s-dress fitting for her dad’s imminent remarriage—and that her soon-to-be stepsister, Ashley, a glitter-obsessed cheerleader, is pulled along for the ride. Stu joins them later, agonizing over “the right moment” to tell Sophie about his upcoming move across the country. On their quest to restore the Grail and heal the king, the kids travel to both an Arthurian-themed resort in Las Vegas and the fabled land of Faerie. Nimue’s braided black hair and brown skin are a break from the otherwise default-white cast. Retrograde appeals for boys to aid “damsels in distress,” especially if they’re pretty, sound sour notes. Witty quips, copious pop-culture references, and the occasional snatch of gamer-speak aim this effort at novice genre readers.

A Volume 2 for readers who like their fantasy light.