Will Wilder #1: The Relic of Perilous Falls

Saw the high recommendations and decided to check this one out. And goodness, was I disappointed. I'm a huge fan of adventure stories and was looking forward to the Indiana Jones feel of this. But I never got there. Too many irritating things drowned out any thrill of adventure. I read about 3/4 of the way through, then gave up. I felt no connection to any of the characters. The dialogue was too flat, the plot line too predictable, and the characters too unbelievable. The boys didn't talk like boys. The adults were needlessly vague and conveniently out of the way when they needed to be. The writing was choppy and not high quality. The action scenes should have been exciting - lives were on the line, and the bad guys looked really powerful and nasty. But I didn't care enough about the hero to care if he lived or not, and most of the time his motives for doing things seemed really shallow or contradictory. The idea behind the story is interesting, but the way it was presented completely failed to catch my attention or enthusiasm. I have never read a book by this author before, but based on Will Wilder, I am not at all inclined to read him again.

Though the Will Wilder character is a little hard to really like--he is lazy, disobeys, lies--he does eventually start to grab onto his destiny as a savior. I can see several books to come in this series. Lots of subtle Catholicity in this book which I liked. I can see where Will's friends eventually will need more fleshing out as well. Though I am a fan of Arroyo's Mother Angelica books, I was hesitant to read this one for some reason. I'm glad I did though as I enjoy fantasy and will read the future books in the series.

Great adventure!
My Grandchildren are really engrossed with Will & his learning life!
Grandma has enjoyed it first & it was a discipline to put down to do my work!
Thank you Raymond Arroyo

My daughter (who is 11) read the book and really enjoyed it. She liked it enough to ask when the next one in the series comes out, and to recommend it to friends. It took her about 4 days to get through. I have not read it yet, but I went to an author signing, and I'm curious. My girls are huge Rick Riordan, and from my discussions with them, this book seems to have a similar flow and flair.

Mr. Arroyo, you devil you. When turning the last page, and realizing that it was now finished, a huge smile broke out on my face and a loud HA! came forth. This smile lasted all afternoon. Loved the method you used to stop one subject at a very precarious moment to pick up story on someone else. This causes us to 'oh goody' when you bring us back to the cliffhanger. Such ease of doing this and so clever. Please do not stop at three in the series (think I remember you mentioning it would be only three in the series). Please continue forever. You have now entered our 'wait til next one comes out' list. Your book on April 1 and Todd Borg on August 1 (mysteries taking place around Lake Tahoe). If this continues we may have a different book to read each month. Pure joy. Following my husband's reading, we are donating your book to the church library. This is a definite read for young and aged alike (we're almost 80). Thank you so much for brightening our lives.

Like all great books, left me wanting more... (****** Reminded me when I started reading the Harry Potter series!) I am sooo happy that Raymond took the task of creating this series. It's a source to snare our children into the mystic world of our catholic faith. love it!! I can only imagine when Will's brother and sister discover their gifts. A lot of people will be relating to this and only with the sacraments and the grace of God and Faith can we develop them. We need to start using the power of prayer and faith to fix the world around us.

I've been wanting to read this and so glad I got this ordered and in my hands. Obviously kids are going to love the adventure. I do think the story line reflects current culture showing that many Catholics are ignorant of knowledge of the faith and some downright deny the truth of the Catholic faith. Readers are not "beat over the head" with the Catholic faith. Really good read. I recommend it highly, even for adults. If adults read the series, perhaps they will bring the series to the attention of the young people in their families.

Grant 10yob "It's just like Harry Potter and the sorcerer's stone with all the BEASTS in this book. The relics in this book FASCINATE me so much. I have a MILLION questions about the relics. I liked the thrills of this AWSOME book so much that I told my dad too get a second book for the Stuart Hall school for boy's library! READ THIS BOOK!!!!!!! I still have questions about the repeller's magic?on how to repel MONSTERS ? ? ? ? ? ? ! "

Excellent read! I’m recommending this to my class for a fun and exciting adventure in faith and action. I teach a Sunday school class and all my students have little exposure to new forms of learning about faith. The book reads well and takes the approach of leading the reader through common struggles and attitudes.

Kids were completely fascinated by this book. 10 year old boy and 13 year old girl alike. They are very selective readers and prefer historical fiction as well as good Catholic novels. They cannot wait for the new book release in 2017! They are very familiar with stories of lost souls in purgatory and stories alike, so while the book has some scary moments because of how similar it is to reality, kids were able to continue to read and enjoyed the intensity, there might be other readers who will be more sensitive to this.

I bought this book for my grandson for his birthday in July so I haven't actually read it. However I watch Raymond Arroyo every week and am a big fan so I have no reason to think that this book won't be wonderful. I'll let you know what my grandson thinks.

I bought this book for my three nephews, ages 14, 12 and 10, thinking they would enjoy. Of course, curiosity got the better of me and I had to read for myself. After all, I needed to see what I was giving to these young voracious readers with adventurous minds. And, I wanted to bond with them a little sharing our thoughts afterward.
I was swept up I the story of Will, his friends and family. I will be anxiously awaiting the next visit with my nephews to hear their thoughts.
Thanks for a wonderful adventure. I am looking forward to the next.

Both myself and my 11 year old read this book. the store's intro says fans of Rick Riordan and Peter Lerangis will like the book. That's my 11 year old to a tee. He said he loved the book. He didn't devour it like he has other books, but he did read it and like it.

Now on to mom's review. Another reviewer pointed out a Catholic slant that they care for. As a Catholic, I'll weigh in. It wasn't a heavy theme. Obviously, other branches of Christianity do not venerate relics like Catholics do. So the storyline about the relic of a saint is a dead giveaway that the book will focus a bit on a religious aspect. But it's not preachy or trying to convert people. Some knowledge that's needed to solve mysteries along the way is religious in nature. However, it's presented more in the way of say "National Treasure" and less like you're sitting in a catechism class. So to clarify, yes, there are themes with a Catholic bent, but it should not deter you from reading as this book is not a tool to convert your kiddies. Antiquities do tend to have some kind of religious element to them.

The main theme of the book is good vs. evil (very much like Percy Jackson books) with the element of faith. Another theme in that same strand is being tempted by the devil. Repeatedly. Evil is there if you open your eyes to see it.

As a first novel in the series, I think it could have been a little more exciting. Another reviewer said her child gave up on the book after 3 chapters. It did move a bit slow there in the beginning. The putting Will off thing by Shen kind of dragged on and on... but the storyline did pick up eventually. I see it more of a setting the stage book and it did lay some groundwork for future books as the book progressed. Will is a somewhat reluctant hero --- what 12 year old do you know isn't reluctant to do anything? He's very much a real kid and has real kid emotions and thoughts. The targeted reader could certainly understand and empathize with Will.

The first chapter did grab my attention. I hope we hear more about Will's grandfather in future books. I must confess after the first chapter, I felt a little let down because that first chapter was definitely exciting, and then the book kind of let off the gas pedal on excitement for several chapters.

I am delightfully surprised by this new children's book. The author is talented and the story progresses without you noticing it... Yes, the story grabbed me from the first chapter, and that is a lot to say for this reviewer who is a mother of seven and has read many children's books to her kids. I liked many things about it. Like Frodo and Sam in Lord of The Rings--and all of us ordinary people--Will isn't perfect. He is an ordinary kid called to an important mission. His family and his town are realistic, and the mystery, dangers and mishap well told. I can see myself holding a captive audience when my grandchildren are old enough to enjoyy this story!

Fun and fear combine in this a terrifically entertaining tale for teens set in Will Wilder's hometown of Perilous Falls.
Will is twelve. He has a little brother and sister, as well as a loving mom and dad. He has a cadre of great friends, particularly Andrew and Simon.
His Aunt Lucille is delightful, if a bit unusual. However it is primarily the reader who is the one who gets the chance to see her in action, vigorously upholding the Wilder family traditions, and caring for the church and the relic which resides in it. The relic is the finger of St. Thomas, and was brought home after World War II by Will's great-grandfather.
You know you're in for something special when a YA book opens with a quote from King Lear by Shakespeare. And a very apt quote at that, referring to "monsters from the deep".

You'll see...!

When the story begins, Will has caused a serious accident to his brother. Wanting to fix this, he and his pals break into the church to recover the relic, which has specific healing powers. The troubles they go through to get the relic reminded this reader a bit of the Indiana Jones movies, in a very fun and hair-raising way. Once Will has gotten the relic, he unfortunately lets it get into the wrong hands. All heck breaks loose and it's not very sweet. It's a smelly vat of oil, foul odors and creepy vicious monsters rising from the surrounding waters of Perilous Falls. The author portrays the creatures as vividly as he handles the characters we are rooting for, which makes a wonderful balance and keeps the reader going right until the last page.
Fortunately, Will's Aunt Lucille just looks like a sweet old lady. When she begins to help Will, along with several of her friends, the fight between good and evil really gets amped up. The twists and turns are a lot of fun. Many will be unexpected, even if you are an adult.
I have always loved children's books and YA books, as I was an inveterate reader from an early age. Will Wilder is an excellent twelve year old character; real and enthusiastic but not too sensible all the time. He is loyal and staunch, with a good heart.
Young readers will be entranced by every page. Author Raymond Arroyo definitely has the touch!

4.5 stars

My grandson who is ten, and I both read this book. He liked it a lot more than I did, but he is the age set for this book.

Perilous Falls is the name of the town that the protagonist lives in, this gives you a feel for what the novel is about. Will Wilder has a good family, mother and father, sister and brother, and a wonderfully fun Aunt Lucille. Will is twelve, and at his age is full of mischief. One of his mischievous stunts ends up with difficulty for his brother. Hoping to restore things to balance with his brother, Will breaks into the local church and takes a relic that he believes will help his brother. The relic is something that Will's grandfather brought back, and will be a surprise for all. What Will does not realize is that all havoc has broken instead, and the wild river contains all sorts of nefarious creatures. Will has opened a Pandora's box, for sure.

Will's Aunt Lucille comes to the rescue and assists Will and his friends in taming the ferocious beasts. Will seems to be a young boy who is just finding his way, and he jumps into situations before thinking about them. However, this is not all bad, fun and excitement follow Will. It seems this is the beginning of a series, and my grandson is quite excited about this one.

Recommended. prisrob 01-27-16

I read this book and I did really enjoy it. But it reminded me of other books and series. It reminded me a bit of the 39 Clue Series, it also reminded me a lot of the The Grey Griffins Series by Jon S. Lewis and Derek Benz, and also of Roland West, Loner by Theresa Linden The book does have a great pace, is full of surprises, and it is a fun read. But again as I was reading it I kept comparing it to other books and series I had read. I finished this book a few months ago and have picked up book 2, but book two keeps getting bumped in my reading list because of those nagging but's. I did really enjoy the explicitly Catholic element of the story. In many ways it is like a young Catholic Indiana Jones story. I can't wait until my son is a little older and will reread this book with him.

Will Wilder seems to have a knack for getting in trouble. He is head strong. Smart; and some might say a little too smart. But with an emerging gift and a darkness rising. Will's impulsive behaviour might put a lot more at risk than just his own hide and that of his friends and family. The book is full or surprises, and finding out that Great Aunt Lucille is much more than a curator is one of the biggest. As darkness is on the rise, Will along with his close friends must put things right and fix the mess that Will has created.

The writing in this book is very solid. It is the first of Arroyo's fiction that I have read. I am part way through a couple of his non-fiction works. The pace is good, the characters flesh out well, even if Will's growth is rather rapid. But when one is thrusted into extreme situations it is usually sink or swim and he does an admirable job of keeping his head above water. There are some great secondary characters like Shen and Bart are a great addition to the story. Along with his aunt and his friends Simon and Andrew it is time to face an ancient enemy and to battle darkness.

There are a number of illustrations by Antonio Javier Caparo. These pencil sketches have a lot of details in them and help bring the story vividly to life. The book has previously been published as Kerman Derman and the Relic of Perilous Falls I am not sure I would have ever picked it up with the original title and cover. But I am glad I did for it was an enjoyable read and I look forward to more in the series.

I especially enjoyed the prologue giving us some background going back to the Nazi's and WWII. It was a great set up for the story. Overall a really good read. If it was not so similar to other books and series I had read would likely have been a 5 out of 5 stars. I do look forward to reading book 2 and rereading this volume with my son in a year or two. And looking forward to more reads from Arroyo in the future.

Holy crab butts! ( My boys’ favorite interjection from The Relic) I write reviews very infrequently, but feel weirdly compelled to offer something this time. I don’t think of Mr. Arroyo as a children’s author, but we decided to give this series a try one day when we had a spare Audible credit and a long car ride to endure. I’m so glad we did. My boys (12 & 10) are really enjoying the story and characters - and I’m impressed with the quality of the writing - and totally surprised by the author’s ability the bring the audiobook alive. There are so many characters and so many voices. I particularly love Arroyo’s voice for the vile mayor of Perilous Falls. It’s sugar encusted venom with a French manicure. This is way beyond just having the book read aloud. While this is not an audio drama, thankfully, it is like a theatrical production as enjoyable as those of Jim Weiss. As far as the story, I’m enjoying his cast of refreshingly unusual characters - the superhero great aunt in her 60s and the brave child prophet in a wheelchair come to mind immediately. It’s a bit of a shame that the Dad comes off as so weak and afraid (like we need any more Dad bashing) but we’re hoping for his redemption in future books. The elements of faith that are woven into the story are skillfully incorporated and they feel natural and necessary without becoming an awkward stumbling block. I get the feeling that there’s a big story arc in the making here and we’re just seeing the beginning of it. It will be fun to see where the ride takes us. Highly recommend!

The "friends" only talked to each other in insults and boasts (or complaints now and then).

The "action" parts seemed slow to me and were hard to imagine and picture. There's a chamber of water connected to a tunnel and a gate with a platform, but gators are in the water, and the characters keep swimming around to avoid them??

This was a case of "if the MC wasn't so reckless and stupid, none of the plot would happen" just like Fablehaven, except worse.

This was reminiscent of Indiana Jones in that it took Biblical theology and converted it to myths and magic spells and relics to use in the present day. God and demons are real, and it's sacrilegious to treat them like good guys and bad guys from a fairytale. Just "have faith" and the magic in the relics will work. Um, have faith in what? In the relics? This is totally twisted.

Oh, and if you have magical healing powers (or magical healing mantel and a magical healing finger bone), why would you keep it locked up in a cave??? Give it to a hospital or trusted doctor! Let's spread some of that healing magic around! Why wait until a crisis to give it to only the hero/MC to use on his one friend and one family member?? This is so irresponsible!!

I was looking forward to reading this, and hoping that I would enjoy it.

I didn't.

There isn't a single character in it that I found likeable. Our "hero" is colossally stupid, reckless, self-absorbed, and obnoxious. His friends are unpleasant, his family is full of unpleasant people, there's just nobody with an attractive personality at all, with the possible exception of Cami and her brother, but that might simply be because their appearances are relatively brief.

It's very poorly written. It reads as if the author kept a thesaurus at hand so that he could use "colorful" words, but they stood out so obviously that they were distracting (I started to count how many times someone smirked), and sometimes the words chosen didn't fit what the author seemed to be trying to say. Many of the similes were painfully strained. There's a lot of telling instead of showing.

Unfortunately, I can't recommend it.

I am a big fan of children's chapter books and of this bestselling author. What a combination! As a teacher and a mother who has read many books with my children, I am amazed at how well these books are written. Many adult novels read like a movie. They don't require an attention span or much thought. Their realism leaves little to the imagination. On the other hand, children's literature is appropriate for most if not all ages and requires the reader to think. Will Wilder: The Relic of Perilous Falls is an amazing example of good children's literature. It is well written and includes issues not found in contemporary literature, namely that of faith. The characters are so real and so are the conflicts between people who believe only what they see and those who know that there's more than meets the eye. Raymond Arroyo presents this within a good plot and beautiful descriptions of the characters and places. I read his biography of Mother Angelica, so I expected this book to be good. I was surprised to see how well he used imagery in this novel. I felt like I was in Perilous Falls. It is intense, but not complicated. Also, it lifts up the characters and gives hope that they and others would learn and grow from their experiences, unlike many grownup books. That's why I am giving it five stars. I got this book at the beach on Spring Break when I forgot my non glare kindle. What a wonderful book, but I look forward to reading the next Will Wilder book on my Kindle. Read this book!

The Relic of Perilous Falls is the first book in a new fantasy adventure series that reminds me of Rick Riodan’s Percy Jackson series. This series, about Will Wilder, starts when Will goes meddling with ancient artifacts. He takes one from the museum where his aunt works and an ancient spell is unleashed. Will sees his town in danger because of his actions and has to figure out how to right his wrong.

I enjoyed this first installment in the story of Will. Although mischievous, Will has good intentions and is a likeable character. The action in the book keeps moving at a swift pace and I was engaged with the story from the get-go. It reminded me a lot of the adventures of Indiana Jones from the movies I watched as a kid. My son, who has read just about all of Rick Riordan’s novels, says he sees a lot of similarity between those stories and this one. It says this book is recommended for 8 to 12 year olds. I think eight or nine might be a little young, unless the reader is comfortable with chapter books and is a fan of this genre. It could be a read aloud for younger readers and I think readers older than 12 might enjoy it too. We’ll look forward to the next installment.

The high altar was in ruins. Elite Nazi forces—the Green Devils—had overrun the coastal town of Ortona, Italy. In the midst of the stench invading the basilica, an American soldier crept towards the exposed gold glinting within the shattered altar. Jacob Wilder knew what was inside the shining casket. As he placed the precious relics in a velvet sack, a cadaverous German officer stumbled towards him. Instantly Jacob drew his weapon, knowing what demon stood before him in the Courtyard of Hell.

The Relic of Perilous Falls is a grand adventure from its opening scenes. Young Will Wilder is as bold as his visionary ancestor—and gifted with similar powers. Black shadows creep along the periphery of Will’s vision, only to vanish when he fixes his gaze on them. Mysterious thuds pound away at the roof, alerting him to the dangers approaching his own home. Reptilian Bottom Dwellers follow the tides of the Perilous River and swarm the town. When demons emerge from the river shoals, few of the quarrelous residents comprehend what is erupting from the Hells Mouth. Will has to act quickly as he learns what it is to be a member of the secret Brethren.

Will Wilder is an endearing hero. Though reckless and impatient, he is also quick-witted, and determined to find a way to fix the grave problems his impulsivity has created. With him on the journey is the wise and lithe Aunt Lucille, a weathered veteran in the demonic wars threatening to engulf Perilous Falls.

Raymond Arroyo is an author with keen insight. His novel develops vital themes of spiritual awareness, power and division, in an engaging and accessible way.
--Kate Calina

I am surprised by the comparisons of this book to Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. The main characters in both of those series are likable and admirable; Will Wilder is a selfish character who makes poor choices and learns nothing about friendship. Despite his work with EWTN, Raymond Arroyo mocks the Catholic faith by turning its spiritual history and reverence into a superstitious story line. The plot was difficult to follow and the endless descriptions remained unbelievable. For certain, a waste of time.

For some strange reason, although I grew up in a Catholic family, I usually don’t enjoy anything related to the subject so it’s very rare when I find a book that involves this that I enjoy reading. Although slow to start, as it got closer to the middle of the book, I started getting a kind of Indiana Jones feeling, which I really enjoyed. I definitely don’t like Will at first, but I feel like he’s worth getting to know better, despite my bad first impression of him. I think I will really like this series.

First, the reason for an undoubtable five stars is that that one of my kids inhaled this book and said it was better than Rick Riordan. I just finished the book and I have to say that I didn't find the book better than Riordan, but I found it a very decent example of the genre. Any time we find another way to get a child to read, that is a five star book. I love that this book was able to engage at least on of my kids, and hopefully more now that I am finished.

I worried a little about the fact that it was based on Christian relics. As I read, I could hear the complaints of too much religion coming from one side, and apostasy on the other. As I read, I wondered if the Percy Jackson series had been written in ancient Greece, how much of a row would it cause. But when I finished the book, it seemed like it was pretty loosely based on Christianity but more on the mysticism of relics rather than any core Christian belief. There was more Karate Kid than New Testament.

That potential controversy aside. The action was good, the story pulled itself along, and the characters were fine. It's a little cliched in the genre, but forgivably since it is handled well enough. But again, it pulls kids into reading, and that is what these books do for me and my family.

Will is an average boy who likes to cause mischief, yet has a good heart. But he sees strange shadows, and a dark presence tries to mislead him. Meanwhile, something very strange is happening in the quiet, little town of Perilous Falls. And only Will’s heritage may be able to stop it.

This the first book in a promising new series. Instead of Greek or Roman mythology, the foundation of this fantasy series is loosely based on Biblical stories and Catholicism. The characters are wacky and fun. And the story is full of mystery, suspense, danger and creepy creatures. This middle grade book is well-paced and thoroughly enjoyable. The unique world and engaging characters will keep me coming back for the next in the series.

*Previously posted at SciFiChick.

My family just finished the first book and we loved it . We read it every night before bed and the kids 10, 7, and 5 begged for me to start the next one right away. Very well written and engaging story. I wish this could become a tv series or movie. Thank you Raymond Arroyo for writing this series. We need more great books like this for our kids. Thank you.

I’m 10. I read this book. I liked it. It was very interesting. I would not recommend it for young children. There are Bottom Dwellers, AKA Fomorii, which are 10-20 foot long crocodiles. They may give nightmares. Will Wilder is 12 years old. He is a Seer: He can see demons. The plot is: The Brethren are trying to stop the demons from taking over the world. I read it in three days. I'm a highly fast reader. =)

This book is a strange mix of history, religion, and fantasy, with a bit of Indiana Jones and some political maneuvering thrown into the pot. Fun and fear combine in this a terrifically entertaining tale for teens set in Will Wilder's hometown of Perilous Falls. Very anxious to see how this series progresses and the story evolves

Intriguing premise with the religious relics, though I was expecting something more interesting. Will Wilder is not very responsible and injures his younger brother by doing something dumb and dangerous, for which his parents punish him, though they do not point out that he disobeyed both his parents and put a donkey at risk that he was too big to ride!. Apparently, however, he has to grow up and learn to be responsible since the fate of the world is now in his hands--also the fate of his friends. And I think he has to learn not to steal. I found his Aunt Lucille and Tobias Shen much more interesting. The monsters are scary and cunning, and I found myself wondering if Will's attitude was a result of their manipulations too Why else... Well, anyway, I think that the father is too deep into denial, and I am suspicious of the mayor... We'll learn more when this series is continued...

As I like to keep up with "what's new" in the middle grade/sci-fi space, I was excited to read Will Wilder: The Relic of Perilous Falls. From the first chapter on, I was hooked with the combination of fun, suspense, adventure and sibling-angst, kept it exciting and relatable at the same time. Fans of Rick Riordan, Percy Jackson or Peter Lerangis will be a fan of this promising, new series!

I read the book myself before giving it to my 11 year old niece and thought it was wonderful. I didn't feel the excitement of the story was childish and I loved the "Catholic" aspects that I hope will inspire my non Catholic educated niece to ask questions. The next book is already in my possession waiting to be read by me before passing along. Mr. Arroyo has a way of speaking in the mind of youth that makes the banter between the characters believable and humorous even though these particular characters seem braver than most kids I know!

My son just finished the Heroes of Olympus series of Rick Riordan. He has also read the Harry Potter series, twice. He has just finished his first Will Wilder book. Of all of these series, the Will Wilder book was his favorite. He is looking forward to the next book in the series than he is the next Harry Potter book! Now THAT'S something!!

Love it. My son is 12 and we are working through it together and both enjoying it. But I have to confess! I got so into it, I snuck ahead to the end. Great book that introduces so many good themes such as leaps of faith, courage, and obedience while also working through denial, temptation, and scientism in a way that is very relatable to young audiences. I can't wait to finish this book (again) with my son and move onto the next one.

I've been reading this to my kids as abed time story. My daughter is in love with Will Wilder I think. It's been a wonderful experience. It's possible some young ones could be frightened by some of the imagery, but so far mine are holding up well. Good work Mr. Arroyo.

Its a great book for people that like adventure and mystery books. I thought that It had an interesting concept. I would recommend It to kids 9-13
It has a lot of supernatural and spiritual elements. Great book but It has some religious content that might be offending. but otherwise its a great book.
-Zachary shelver age 11

Amazing,wonderful,exciting!!! Fast paced. If you love the Percy Jackson and Seven Wonder books,you'll love this one! I love it because it holds an amazing adventure and the Catholic Church!! I will read the next 7 in the series! Finished it in an hour,couldn't put it down! Listened to the audio book and was very impressed!! Can't wait till March!!!!!☺☺☺☺I can read this again and again! All my friends love and devored this book.

In the grand tradition of coming of age adventure stories, Will Wilder is a mashup of National Treasure, Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, and The Dark is Rising. It's a fun read and is just the first book in the series, so once you whet your whistle, there is the promise of more to come.

I recommend this book for upper elementary school readers, grades three, four, and five.

The main character is Will. He is 12 years old. He loves with his family: brother, sister, mother, and father in Perilous Falls. Will's family founded the town in generations past, where a relic is stored. Will decides to search for the relic, the Finger of Saint Thomas.

My daughter, in sixth grade, liked the overall concept, but did not like the book very much. She felt there was a lack of detail, found in other series, like Percy Jackson.

What a great story. My kids loves stories about adventures. This is a well written book . The author really captures the characters very well. Your children will go on an adventure with this story
They really enjoyed this book. I will be looking for more books from this author as well. A really great read.

I'll be honest, I am having a really hard time reading this book. And I can't tell you why.

Its pretty well written, the characters aren't particularly bad (though I am not compelled by them either).

The story is about a family that lives in a town that their family has a really strong and important history with. During WW2 the grandfather of the Will took a relic of a saint and then used it to found the town. The saint's relic has been protecting the town (think Hellmouth a la Buffy the Vampire Slayer) from bad things--but now, both Will's powers of observing the super natural and the dark forces seem to be waking up all at once (starting with a satanic donkey ride during his younger brother's birthday).

I'm intrigued to see how much other Catholic/Christian influence there is in this, or if the relic is just a plot device-- I will add more to the review once I finish the book, it just is taking me longer than I expected.

My 13 year old daughter liked this book, and is looking forward to reading the next edition to see where the story leads. She has used this as a school project report and it is a genre that she has enjoyed to this point.

I bought this book for my 13 year old son and read it first. Although he hasn't started it yet I devoured it in 2 days! I loved this book, I couldn't put it down and will recommend to my kid's Catholic school library as well if it's not already there. Not only is it entertaining but I learned a few biblical things I had forgot as well. Like what the meaning of Didymus is and where the apostle Thomas went after his encounter with Christ.... Can't wait for the next book to come out!

What a great book! My 10 and 11 year old nephews devoured it, and so did I ! Will and his friends Simon and Andrew are funny , and daring. Sassy and sophisticated Aunt Lucille is fantastic! Great book for the whole family, with excellent Catholic values woven thoughout the wonderful story. You Geaux Raymond !

It was a very entertaining book... even for a 33 year old guy. I read it to determine if it would be appropriate for my son and ended up loving it. I like the Christian foundation that the book stands on.

Raymond Arroyo is one of the most creative and talented communicators of our times. EWTN is blessed to have someone of his caliber on their team. His talents as a media personality and writer are all the more enhanced by this publication of a non-fiction novel. He has proven to be multi-faceted and successful in a variety of settings. I pray his work will continue to be blessed.

I got this book for my 13-year old son – who is a big Rick Riordan fan and who usually loves these type of adventure series. Despite the quote from Dean Koontz on the cover of my copy that there is “Great fun and great frights”, both my son and I found this to be dull.

He stopped reading it after 3 chapters – saying it was boring. I, trying to prove him wrong (and desperately hoping for another series that would keep him reading) picked it up. I made it to page 100 – but even by then had found little that was either fun or frightful. Will Wilder is kind of a dull kid, and the “impulsive act that unlocks an ancient prophecy” is just silly. There is no sense of either wonder or mystery here – and no humor either – despite some of the goofy character names that the author uses. (Simon Blabbingdale, Captain Nep Balor, Perilous Falls).

In the chapters I did read, I also picked up on the religious elements in this book. Not just Indiana Jones type of religious artifacts and references, but a definite tone of faith. That’s fine – but it is not for me. (To be fair, the author bio on the back does mention that Raymond Arroyo is a managing editor of EWTN News – but I had to look that up to find out that it is the Global Catholic Network.)

I hope this book series finds other fans.

This could have been a 4 star book if it had been marketed as an adventure book for Catholic or Religious families.
But because it was put forth as a straight out adventure book instead of the religious one that it really is, I can only
give it two stars.

Almost every chapter has a religious reference. There is frequent discussion of Saints, Relics, Miracles, Faith, and Demons.
The target audience for this one is probably someone who professes the Catholic faith and wants their children to read books
that are heavily influenced by it.

I would not have chosen this book for my grandson if I had known how much religion it is imbued with.
I feel the marketing for the book has been deceptive and I am thankful that I read the book myself first instead of just giving
it to my grandson.

Not for young children
The suggested reading age is 8 to 12 years, I would suggest ages 10 and older.
There are few illustrations
Not very much humor and quite a bit of violence.

I would only recommend this book if it is something that fits in with your personal faith.

Normally, this would have rated four stars for me. However, I felt a distinct distaste for the seemingly heavy emphasis on religion here, given that it was not advertised as a christian or religious work for children. Lots here on relics, Saints, rituals, etc., and unless you are of that religious persuasion, you may find it an unwelcome addition to a rather ordinary fantasy story, with just so-so characters and more violence than necessary.

I would recommend that due to the level of violence, it's probably more for those 10 to 12 than those younger.

I need to get one thing out of the way: I'm not a fan of Christian fiction. I'm doubly not a fan of not disclosing works as Christian fiction in order to get people who don't read CF to read them. That's underhanded and sneaky. Will Wilder is a religious book. Had I known this, I wouldn't have picked it up. So, already, I was aggravated with this book upon realizing that a lot of the themes in Will Wilder had a religious slant to it.

If you take out the religious aspects of this book, I still wouldn't have enjoyed it much. This tries way to hard to be Percy Jackson, only the characters in Will Wilder aren't as enjoyable as the ones in that series. Also, as a book touted as an adventure book, I found it somewhat lacking. It was a little boring and not as adventurous as I assumed it was going to be.

Overall, I just wasn't impressed with Will Wilder. I didn't like that the religous themes were snuck in and I wasn't enamored with the story.

Fun and fear combine in this a terrifically entertaining tale for teens set in Will Wilder's hometown of Perilous Falls.
Will is twelve. He has a little brother and sister, as well as a loving mom and dad. He has a cadre of great friends, particularly Andrew and Simon.
His Aunt Lucille is delightful, if a bit unusual. However it is primarily the reader who is the one who gets the chance to see her in action, vigorously upholding the Wilder family traditions, and caring for the church and the relic which resides in it. The relic is the finger of St. Thomas, and was brought home after World War II by Will's great-grandfather.
You know you're in for something special when a YA book opens with a quote from King Lear by Shakespeare. And a very apt quote at that, referring to "monsters from the deep".

You'll see...!

When the story begins, Will has caused a serious accident to his brother. Wanting to fix this, he and his pals break into the church to recover the relic, which has specific healing powers. The troubles they go through to get the relic reminded this reader a bit of the Indiana Jones movies, in a very fun and hair-raising way. Once Will has gotten the relic, he unfortunately lets it get into the wrong hands. All heck breaks loose and it's not very sweet. It's a smelly vat of oil, foul odors and creepy vicious monsters rising from the surrounding waters of Perilous Falls. The author portrays the creatures as vividly as he handles the characters we are rooting for, which makes a wonderful balance and keeps the reader going right until the last page.
Fortunately, Will's Aunt Lucille just looks like a sweet old lady. When she begins to help Will, along with several of her friends, the fight between good and evil really gets amped up. The twists and turns are a lot of fun. Many will be unexpected, even if you are an adult.
I have always loved children's books and YA books, as I was an inveterate reader from an early age. Will Wilder is an excellent twelve year old character; real and enthusiastic but not too sensible all the time. He is loyal and staunch, with a good heart.
Young readers will be entranced by every page. Author Raymond Arroyo definitely has the touch!