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Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians Reading Order.

Expert Guideby Brandon Sanderson
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Ongoing
Quick Answer

Start Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson with "Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians", then follow the publication sequence. This order preserves the intended narrative twists and world-building progression.

A humorous middle-grade series about Alcatraz Smedry, who discovers he has a talent for breaking things, which he uses to fight against the shadowy cult of Evil Librarians.

Reader's Guide

This series spans 5 main titles released between 2023 and 2022. For the best experience, we recommend following the Publication Order below to preserve key plot reveals.

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Official Verdict

Short Answer:
Start with "Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians"

To experience the narrative as intended, read the main sequence in Publication Order.Ignore novellas and side stories until you finish the first 3 core novels. This resolves all timeline confusion and preserves every major twist.

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Community Consensus

High Debate

"The comments do not discuss "Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians." They primarily discuss a different, lengthy fantasy series (likely The Wheel of Time, due to references to 14 books covering 2 years and 'tugging braids'). The consensus is that the series is polarizing: while some readers experienced deep emotional attachment upon completion, many felt it was overly long (14 books when 7 would suffice), suffered from extreme repetition, and contained frustrating character POVs, especially by Books 3 and 4."

Key Reddit Advice

The implied reading order is sequential (1 through 14), as readers refer to being in the middle of Book 5. However, the primary advice given is pragmatic: if the reader dislikes the characters or is tired of the overall narrative by the end of Book 3 or Book 4, they should stop reading immediately, as the issues of slow pacing and character reluctance continue throughout the series.

Why This Order Is Confusing

Many reading lists for Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians conflict because early publishers often labeled short story collections as standalone novels, or rearranged internal chronologies for marketing. This guide follows original author intent and narrative continuity to settle the debate for good.

Can I skip the short stories?

Technically yes, but we strongly advise against it for Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians. The shorter volumes often establish the core character motivations and world-building that the main saga assumes you already know.

I watched the show/movie first — where should I start?

Ignore the screen adaptations' timeline. Start with "Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians" to see the original depth of the world. The books offer a significantly different (and usually more complete) experience than the on-screen versions.

Why do people disagree on the order?

Disagreement usually stems from the conflict between purely chronological order and publication order. Most long-term fans recommend publication order to preserve the emotional arc and mystery reveals.

Curator's Strategy

Recommended Reading Order Strategy

The authoritative way to read the "Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians" series is in Publication Order. Start with the first published book. It's the way the author intended the world to be revealed.This ensures you experience character reveals and plot twists exactly as the author intended.

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Complete Series Reading Order

Publication Order

Preserves character reveals and plot twists exactly as the author intended. Compare →

Chronological Order

May spoil surprises but improves timeline clarity for fans. Compare →

Publication Reading Order5 Titles

Why Publication Order?We recommend reading in Publication Order (default). This follows the author's release schedule, ensuring you experience plot twists, character growth, and world-building exactly as intended without spoilers.
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1

Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians

Pub: 2023

From Brandon Sanderson--#1 New York Times bestselling author of the Mistborn and Stormlight Archive series—comes an incredible tale of courage and fellowship and blah blah blah blah etc... There, that ought to fool them. If you're reading this, please understand right now that this book is not one of those loony fantasy novels. It just looks like one so those conniving Librarians won't find it and ban it. The truth is, everything you're about to read really happened to me, Alcatraz Smedry. Well, it really happened to me and my grandpa, who found me when I was thirteen and showed me that my lifelong talent for breaking things was an actual Talent with a capital T. Everyone in the Smedry family (HOORAY!) has one. And we use them to fight the evil Librarians (BOO! HISS!) who are out to conquer everyone, everywhere (seriously, they really are a bunch of jerks). OK, stop! Wait! I forgot some people. Let's try this again... Everything you're about to read really happened to me, my grandpa, my Crystin Knight protector Bastille (she's thirteen too, but really grouchy for her age), a couple of my cousins, my mom and dad (who I'd never met before), and a lot of other characters I can't remember and don't have the room to write about now anyway... Hold on...You've never heard of me? Alcatraz Smedry? The boy who saved the world? Seriously?!? Well, that's because the Librarians have already gotten to you! If you want to learn the REAL story, all you have to do is buy this book (several copies, if you please) and read like the world depends on it... Because it just might. Praise for the Alcatraz series: "Like Lemony Snicket and superhero comics rolled into one (and then revved up on steroids)."— Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) "An excellent choice to read aloud to the whole family." — NPR "Those who enjoy their fantasy with a healthy dose of slapstick humor will be delighted." — School Library Journal "Genuinely funny...plenty here to enjoy." — Locus "In this original, hysterical homage to fantasy literature, Sanderson's first novel for youth recalls the best in Artemis Fowl and A Series of Unfortunate Events." — VOYA

2

Alcatraz Versus the Scrivener's Bones

Pub: 2011

Plot details hidden until you finish "Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians".

Copper Sun

3

Alcatraz Versus the Knights of Crystallia

Pub: 2009

Plot details hidden until you finish "Alcatraz Versus the Scrivener's Bones".

Alcatraz and Grandpa Smedry make a pilgrimage to Crystallia in the Free Kingdom where they are shocked to find the city under siege by the Evil Librarians--led by Alcatraz's own mother.

4

Alcatraz Versus the Dark Talent

Pub: 2016

Plot details hidden until you finish "Alcatraz Versus the Knights of Crystallia".

5

Bastille Vs. The Evil Librarians

Pub: 2022★ 5

Plot details hidden until you finish "Alcatraz Versus the Dark Talent".

As a Knight of Crystallia, I, Bastille, swore to protect the Smedry clan from the Evil Librarians. (And believe me, screwups like them constantly need protecting.) But when Alcatraz Smedry got strapped to an altar of outdated encyclopedias to be sacrificed to the dark gods, I arrived too late—and instead his father took his place. Now Alcatraz is a blubbering mess, so it’s up to me lead the charge against his father’s killer: Biblioden, founder of the Evil Librarians—I was sure he died centuries ago!—who’s back to complete his goal of world domination. Now he’s going to use the dark powers he gained from that sacrifice against everyone not under Evil Librarian control. Being burned up from the inside is not how I plan to die, so I’d better figure out some way to stop him or we’re toast! I know Alcatraz is wrong when he swears he’s no hero. But when a hero falls short, that’s the time for everyone else to step up and do what needs to be done.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is it okay to skip books in the Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians series?

We recommend ignoring novellas and short stories until you finish the core sequence. However, main sequence novels should never be skipped as they contain critical character development and plot progression.

What is the best order to read Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians?

The final answer for the best experience is to start with "Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians" and proceed in publication order. This sequence preserves character developments and plot reveals exactly as Brandon Sanderson intended.

Can I read Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians books in any order?

No. The main narrative is strictly sequential. Skipping volumes or reading out of order will lead to significant plot spoilers and confusion regarding character arcs.

Are there spin-offs or companion books?

Yes, the Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians universe includes several companion works. These are marked as 'Optional' in our guide and can be read at any time without disrupting the main storyline.