Penultimate Quest

After Harald Nussbaum washes ashore onto a Valhalla-like fantasy world, he joins its inhabitants in an endless cycle: awaken and drink, adventure into a dungeon with a never-ending series of levels, die and respawn. Harald and the others, including friends Alma and Jimmy, retain only faint glimpses of life prior to the island—all from different periods, including present day and medieval times—and no one can give a straight answer about why the island’s denizens take on the dungeon daily. Harald decides to try and break the cycle, learning that an unknown person drives the time loop, and a library belonging to Merlyn lies hidden on the island. Brown’s story, originally a webcomic, uses online multiplayer gaming tropes to explore themes of taking responsibility for one’s actions and the importance of facing challenges head-on. Strong illustrations, rife with nods to the original black-and-white rendition, create clear scenes of action amid monsters and magic. Though the story at points jumps haphazardly between temporal moments, the ending creates a meaningful spark of hope for the main characters’ futures. Ages 13–up. [em](Sept.) [/em]