Each generation only gets a handful of series that soar beyond comparison to its competitors, and right now, that series is the Tristan Strong trilogy. Following the wildly successful bestselling first installment, book two, entitled Tristan Strong Destroys the World, once again transports readers from their bedroom, reading nook, or classroom to the world of Alke. The world building of this series is truly spectacular and easily comparable to the best titles in children’s literature.
When Tristan’s grandmother is abducted in the night by a frightening and powerful villain, he is forced once again into the role of hero. Readers join Tristan as he returns to Alke and races to save not only Nana but all of Alke, the land of African-American folk heroes and African gods, alongside some familiar faces from book one, including his sidekick (though she’d never agree to that title) Gum Baby. With Nana gone and much of Alke struggling to recover from Tristan’s last adventure here, he finds an unlikely alley in the trickster god Anansi as his Anansesem powers seem to vanish along with Nana. The kidnapping is a tense opening scene that sets the tone for the entire book.
Tristan Strong Destroys the World sucks readers in from the very first page and demands to be read late into the night with its excellent, intelligent writing and gripping cliffhangers. The action packed story keeps you on the edge of your seat as Tristan fights some unusual and deadly foes in his quest to rescue Nana and the very fabric of Alke. This may be a book geared toward young readers, but teens and adults alike are sure to enjoy author Kwame Mbalia’s vibrant descriptions of the magical world of Alke, the intriguing characters he introduces throughout the book, and unexpected plot twists readers won’t see coming. As an avid reader I can confidently say any lover of adventure or mythology stories will devour this book in no time.
The Tristan Strong trilogy is part of Rick Riordan Presents, a newly created imprint of Disney-Hyperion. Rick Riordan Presents works to elevate the diversity of mythologies from around the world by publishing highly entertaining books from authors of underrepresented cultures and backgrounds. With a host of impressive titles, it’s no wonder books from the imprint are soaring up the charts and flying off the shelves. Alongside the fantastic book, Rick Riordan Presents has published beautiful art depicting the new goddesses Tristan meets in his latest adventure here.
Tristan Strong Destroys the World is available now online and in stores, so grab a copy and join Tristan on his latest adventure!
