As our readers know, Caramel has been reviewing the Spy School novels by Stuart Gibbs in order for the last few weeks. Today he talks to Sprinkles about the eighth book in the series: Spy School Revolution, first published in 2020.
Sprinkles: So Caramel, you have been reading and reviewing these Spy School novels for a while now.
Caramel: Yep.
S: I am afraid we won’t be done by the end of the year. Today we are talking about book eight, and next week we can talk about book nine. But then there are two more.
C: I guess we will talk about them in February.
S: I guess so. But are you reading anything else besides these novels these days?
C: Of course. Some new ones and some old ones. You know I like rereading things. For example yesterday I was rereading Star Wars: Complete Vehicles – New Edition.
S: Yes, I saw that. Okay, at least you are not limiting yourself to this one series. But I do understand that it is a very fun series to read.
C: Yep. Marshmallow is reading them too, now, and she really likes them.
S: I know, I heard her say that too. Okay so what is going on in this eighth book?
C: In this book, Ben fights the Croatoan, an evil organization.
S: I had not heard that word before. And WordPress really wants to change it to Croatian, but Croatoan apparently has its own meanings.
C: Yep.
S: So apparently the Croatoan were a native peoples and apparently the word “Croatoan” was found carved into a tree on an island which is supposed to have been the site of an early colony from 1590. Wikipedia says some people call that colony the Lost Colony. Do these come into play in the book?
C: Yep. In the book the Croatoan is an evil organization trying to blame the disappearance of that colony on the native people.
S: So the book is about the American colonies before the United States was formed?
C: No, it is happening today to Ben Ripley from the other books, but the evil organization apparently goes back to the time before the American Revolution.
S: I see. What did you like about this book most?
C: I liked the part where Ben’s friends knock out Zoe.
S: I remember we met Zoe way back in the second book. But she was a friend of Ben. Why is it good that she is knocked out?
C: Well, I should probably not tell.
S: Hmm, okay let us put that aside then. I understand that there is some problem involving Erica?
C: Yes. There is an explosion and it turns out that she is the one behind it. So Ben’s friends and superiors begin to think she is working against the CIA.
S: What does Ben think?
C: He trusts Erica, and it turns out of course that she is not evil, she was just being blackmailed by the evil organization Croatoan.
S: Wait. Are we giving away too much information here?
C: Not really. We learn about Erica being blackmailed quite early in the book.
S: Phew, that’s good. So then Erica is in the book. Are there any new characters?
C: Yes. Agent Heather Durkee and Agent Nora Taco.
S: Who are they?
C: Well, they are both CIA agents. And Taco works for the Double Agent Detection Division, and Sprinkles, do you like anagrams?
S: I do! Some of my favorites are SILENT = LISTEN and DORMITORY = DIRTY ROOM. There are also two literary ones I like: HAMLET = AMLETH, EREWHON = NOWHERE. But why do you ask?
C: I don’t know if you noticed, but NORA TACO is actually an anagram for CROATOAN.
S: Hmm, that sounds suspicious.
C: Yep. Heh heh heh!
S: Okay, I think maybe there might be some spoilers coming, so maybe we should stop talking about this book.
C: Fine by me. I am already ready for the next book!
S: Can you describe the book using three to five words?
C: Amusing, adventurous, and page-turner.
S: That works! So let us wrap this up then. What would you like to tell our readers?
C: Stay tuned for more book bunny reviews!
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