“I guess that’s the secret then,” he said.

“As long as someone has hope for you, there’s a chance things will turn out okay.”

(Quinn Freeman, The Mapmaker Chronicles: Prisoner of the Black Hawk by A.L. Tait)

Quinn, Ash, Zain, and the crew of the Libertas are back in The Mapmaker Chronicles: Prisoner of the Black Hawk by A.L. Tait. The Mapmaker Chronicles gives readers the exciting adventures of 14-year old Quinn Freeman as he sales far away from home on a quest to map the world, a race against time and two other ships and their mapmakers.

Book two, Prisoner of the Black Hawk, picks up with Quinn and the Libertas crew regrouped after a near-deadly encounter with the Gelynions. Captain Zain has taken young Kurt on board, a former prisoner of the Gelynions and someone that Quinn doesn’t fully trust. As the crew continues to keep a wary eye out for the violent Gelynions, land is sighted. A visit to port is the beginning for Quinn’s newest adventure, although he may have preferred something a bit less exciting than running into a giant serpent and being kidnapped and taken prisoner aboard the Black Hawk, a Gelynion ship.

Author A.L. Tait gives readers another fast-paced story set on the high-seas in a fantastical world filled with terrifying creatures, pirates, and loyal friends. If you’re looking for a story that you can lose yourself in, grab this book. Since I was a kid, I’ve loved adventure stories — from Pippi Longstocking books to the Indiana Jones movies. I have no problem throwing myself right into the adventure along with the main characters, and I really like both Quinn and Ash because I can see myself reacting the same way in some of the situations these two face.

The Mapmaker Chronicles: Prisoner of the Black Hawk is a delightful combination of action, whimsy, and moments that made me thoughtful. My favorite quote from the book is the one I placed at the top of this review. I believe these words are exceptionally true. My other favorite quote comes from Zain,

“But remember this: the only man who is truly trapped is the man who does nothing. If you do something — anything — then you force change.”

I highly recommend The Mapmaker Chronicles series from A.L. Tait. Start with book one because you don’t want to miss out on early Quinn — his growth has been fun to read.

Exactly one month ago today, I posted my review for the first book in The Mapmaker Chronicles series by A.L. Tait. You can read it here. And be sure to hop on over to A.L. Tait’s website and check out all her books and more.