After a great start to Cahills vs Vespers series, I was super excited to read A King’s Ransom by Jude Watson. This book reveals a lot more about the Vespers, and gives us an interesting historical trip through the world.
For those of you who don’t know, The 39 Clues is a multi-author series in which Amy (14) and Dan (11) Cahill learn that they are members of the most powerful family in human history.
The source of their families power is hidden throughout the world, and Amy and Dan need to find it first to make sure it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.
The first arc of The 39 Clues deals with the clue hunt and Amy and Dan fighting off against their vicious relatives (who want the clues first), and learning more about themselves and their family branch.
The second series, Cahills vs Vespers, is about a rival family named the Vespers who want the clues for themselves, along with a mysterious ring that Amy was given by her grandmother Grace. It also takes place two years later so all the characters are older.
Learn more about The 39 Clues
In the first book, most of the Cahill family was kidnapped by the Vespers, and Amy and Dan are now forced to do Vesper One’s bidding or else he’ll kill the hostages.
Summary
Amy and Dan learn from Vesper One that they have to retrieve something for him in Lucerne, Switzerland. They don’t like it, but it’s not like they have much of a choice with their loved ones in danger.
Unfortunately, Interpol (the international police) is after Dan and Amy for stealing the “Medusa” from the Uffizi museum, and they are constantly having to dodge them.
Vesper 6 lets Amy and Dan know that they need to get their hands on the de Virga map. They don’t have a lot to go on, but they sneak into an auction house to try and find it. They have to flee, but come up with some leads.
Meanwhile, Dan is trying to construct the clues so he can take the serum if necessary. He knows that the Vespers are a huge threat and that even though the serum will completely mess him up, it may be worth it to prevent them from destroying the world.
Amy and Dan realize that they have to locate a book in the Czech Republic, but unfortunately they are unable to get it without a reference. Fortunately, Amy and Dan happen to run into Jake and Atticus Rosenbloom. Their dad is a famous professor, and Atticus is a genius even though he’s only 11 years old.
With Atticus and Jake’s help it looks more and more likely that they will find the map, but time is running out. Will they find the map in time, or will the hostages die? Or will another close confidant of Amy and Dan be murdered? And could Arthur Trent really be still alive?
Review
A King’s Ransom is a very good book and really completes the transition into the new series. We meet Atticus and Jake, who end up being crucial characters for the rest of the series.
Although there is a serious death in this book, it ends with suspense and Amy and Dan not even knowing. I definitely think it could’ve been done better so that we could have gone through some of those emotions.
Amy and Dan are more on their own than ever and they have to face that cruel reality in this book. It gives me some comfort to see how they move from the old and familiar and adapt to new circumstances with new people.
Overall, this book is very good. It’s not an earth-shattering book or one of my favorites in the series, but it moves the story along with lots of action. If you haven’t read the first book in Cahills vs Vespers series yet, I’d read that. If you have, this book is a must.
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