Snared: Voyage on the Eversteel Sea

Wily Snare #3

by Adam Jay Epstein

Wily Snare sets sail on the high seas in the third and final installment of the middle grade fantasy adventure series.

Wily’s enemies are after his throne.

The man who kept him captive for much of his childhood, the evil mage Stalag, is still at large, and Wily knows the kingdom will never be safe as long as he’s a threat. Meanwhile, Wily’s father, the Infernal King, has escaped prison and he’s looking to retake power.

When Wily learns the villains are traveling to the fabled Eversteel Forge to build a mechanical army, it’s up to him and his companions to journey across the sea and stop their enemies.

On the way, they face piracy, betrayal, sea monster attacks, and the dangers of a mysterious desert island. But the greatest challenge is to Wily’s loyalties—and if he can forgive a father he no longer trusts.

Genres: Fantasy, Adventure, Middle Grade, Fiction, Childrens

261 pages, Hardcover

Published August 18, 2020

About the author

I grew up in Great Neck, NY loving all things fantasy and science fiction - from Dungeons and Dragons and the Legend of Zelda to Star Wars and Dr. Strange. I created and imagined new worlds and stories from an early age but never knew that I had the talent to be a writer until seventh grade, when my English teacher assigned our class to write the first ten pages of a sequel to The Good Earth. After that, I was hooked.

I now live in Los Angeles with my wife, two children and a black and white alley cat with a bite out of his ear. I write with a partner, Andrew Jacobson, who is a much better typist than I will ever be.

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Snared is an action-packed fantasy adventure series with so many elements that I've come to love. Add in that Voyage on the Eversteel Sea now features a seafaring expedition taking our adventures on a hot pursuit after Kestrel and Stalag and you have a high adventure indeed. There's jousting against venomous ghost spiders, unusual creatures including screaming trees, a giant squid, a horse trap plant and boars made from salt, so corrosive that they wreak havoc on any gear made from metal. There's an assortment of villainous sorts, including vagabonds, and criminals, backstabbing and the usual ax and sword fights I've so come to enjoy. Wily and his friends even get themselves marooned on a deserted island and find that it isn't as uninhabited as they thought. Yep, plenty of surprises and a few twists to make for an entertaining read. I recommend starting from the first book in the series, so as to not miss out on any of the fun.

I love that a huge part of the plot of Voyage on the Eversteel Sea focused on Wily's relationship with his father and whether Kestrel was really able to turn over a new leaf. The idea of second chances and how trusting again can be the ultimate challenge. Once again Wily was joined on his quest by his friends Odette, the acrobatic elf, Pryvvd, the former knight with his floating arm named Righteous and Moshul, the golem. And who couldn't love Roveeka, Wily's hobgoblet sister who was always by his side? Overall, this was a very satisfying conclusion to the series, one that has been filled with adventure, family and friendship, plenty of laughter and touching moments.

A favorite passage from the E-ARC: " The dawn swallows left their nests just before the sun peeked over the horizon. Flitting from the twisted branches of the tawny pines, they took to the sky, letting the light of the soon-to-be-rising sun paint their white feathers a soft pink."
*Thank you to Edelweiss+ and Imprint for the E-ARC*

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's been a prison break and now Stalag and the Infernal King are free and headed towards the Eversteel Sea. It would be disastrous if they found the legendary foundry that produces impenetrable metal, so Wily and his friends set out to try and stop them. But traitors, inhospitable desert islands, and pirates will make catching the escapees very hard.

A splendid final adventure for Wily and gang, with lots of opportunities for them to show off their problem solving skills and teamwork. This entire series is a great taste of fantasy adventure for middle grade with some main characters who are by turns funny and touching. Wily is a great hero with a good heart and clever head on his shoulders. Hand this to fantasy adventure fans.

Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. Violence is threatened and there are battles, but no big injuries described. One person falls and it is presumed they didn't make it.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book to End the series!