Alec and the Antlion

by Mike Etzkorn

Alec Able's entire life is the daily labor and joy of his family’s farm in the sheltered town of Rowl’s Grove; he has had nothing to fear but the looming yoke of adulthood and the long shadow of his gruff father's expectations. This all changes when Alec’s father becomes gravely ill. To save his father's life, the young man must make a long and dangerous journey through the seething city of Maetra, along a perilous road fraught with marauders and demi-gods to the desert lair of the monstrous Antlion, a creature whose eggs can provide a panacea. With a trio of freedom fighters who have their own agenda, Alec begins a journey that will force him to choose between his father's life and a secret he has sworn to never reveal.

195 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 19, 2012

About the author

The son of a computer scientist and a laboratory technician, Mike Etzkorn became an author through shear force of will and also nothing better to do with his time. He is married and has two dogs. Neither of his dogs will listen to him.

Reviews

[Mike Etzkorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm going to be honest, this is a little self-serving.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Literary triumph!!!! Legitimately delightful!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hope that Mr. Etzkorn writes a sequel. I hope to find out how Alec is going to save his world.

We start out thinking that Alec is a normal teenage boy who is terrified of getting married and who thinks his father is too restrictive. As we get to know him, however, we discover that he is much more than he appears. I don't like spoilers in reviews so I will say no more.

Alec has to travel far, to a dangerous city, to obtain medicine for his father who will die without it. When he gets there, he finds that he has to travel farther yet into yet more dangerous territory. He meets three sisters who agree to help him on his mission and he discovers that they are not what they seem either.

This is a hard story to categorize. If you like fantasy and adventure. You'll like it. I really liked it.

[Sean Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read

Alec and the Antlion may start out like your common fantasy novel, but the further you read the less common it gets. With a strong protagonist and a rich supporting cast of characters to aide him on his quest, Alec and the Antlion will keep you hooked from start to finish. It is a bit of a quick read, but the author has left it wide open for a sequel, so hopefully there will be more to come and we will get to read more about Alec and his further adventures.

[Dylan Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book by an amazing author, I only hopes that he continues the series and writes a sequel!