Bobbie Peers

William and his family have been hiding out in a tiny Norwegian town after a near-deadly car crash that they suspect was not actually an accident. William's grandfather has been missing ever since then as well, but William's parents are short on the details. The one thing they emphasis is that William cannot show off his prowess for cracking codes, but William absolutely loves working on ciphers and more in his free time. When a local museum touts an undecipherable "Impossible Puzzle" as a showcase exhibit, William is determined to make his way there and solve it. But finding the answer to the Impossible Puzzle is just the beginning as it unlocks a whole turn of unexpected events.

This was an interesting sci-fi adventure for young readers, particularly those in elementary school. The language is pretty simple and the characterizations aren't necessarily super nuanced, although there is some mystery as to whom William can really trust, which is done well. The technology of how all the gadgets and robots work isn't fully explained, but I think children will just enjoy imagining essentially nonsense things like talking doors who actually say "Knock Knock" and an insult robot who roasts passers-by.

The story itself is fast-paced and tied up fairly neatly by the end of this book, but with enough left open for the sequel to explore. Personally, while I enjoyed the book as good enough, I don't think I'll be picking up the rest of the series. However, I could see young readers getting invested in William's story and wanting to read more.… (mais)

Codes fascinate William Wenton so he is determined to visit the 'Impossible Puzzle' exhibition at the museum. He won't try to solve the puzzle, because after his grandfather disappeared his family had to move and William musn't do anything to draw attention to himself. However, despite his good intentions, William does solve the puzzle and this catapults him into a whirlwind adventure. Along the way, William encounters many codes and puzzles and all sorts of robots - some amusing and others terrifying. He also learns that he is not quite what he thought he was.
This is a fast-paced, exciting story with plenty of plot twists and turns. William doesn't know quite who to trust and believe and neither do we. This book will appeal to Alex Rider fans but is also suitable for a slightly younger audience - 10 and up. Originally published in Swedish this book has already won a number of awards, including a children’s choice award, and the second book in the series will be published in May.… (mais)