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WORK TITLE: LOST KINGDOM
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COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME: SATA 236
http://web.me.com/mattmyk/Jack_Blank_and_the_Imagi http://www.jackblank.com/ http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Matt-Myklusch/65627512 http://blog.shaundavidhutchinson.com/2010/08/interview-with-matt-myklusch.html
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Married; has children.
EDUCATION:Rutgers University, B.A. 1999; New York University, M.B.A., 2006.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer and marketing professional. Sony Pictures Entertainment, promotions assistant, 1999-2001; MTV Networks, producer, 2001-03, coordinator, 2003-04, manager, 2004-06, then senior manager of marketing, 2006-07, senior manager of strategic development and marketing, 2007-08, director of ancillary business, 2008-10; freelance writer.
WRITINGS
The “Jack Blank” novels have been adapted for audiobook, Simon & Schuster Audio, beginning 2010.
SIDELIGHTS
A long-time fan of superhero comics, New Jersey-based author/illustrator Matt Myklusch draws on this interest in creating his “Jack Blank” novels, which are geared for preteen readers and include The Accidental Hero, The Secret War, and The End of Infinity. For Myklusch, writing is a second career: he formerly worked at MTV Networks, where he helped build the network’s college-focused mtvU and was also involved in “Spring Break” promotional events.
When readers first meet Jack Blank in The Accidental Hero —a novel first published as Jack Blank and the Imagine Nation —the twelve-year-old orphan is a resident of New Jersey’s St. Barnaby’s Home for the Hopeless, Abandoned, Forgotten, and Lost. Although Jack’s own future looks grim, he gains some cheer by sneaking off to read the few comic books that have been donated to the orphanage and are stored in the library. When a destructive robot suddenly appears, seemingly out of the pages of a superhero comic, Jack manages to pull its power source, and his resulting abilities lead to an invitation to enter the Imagine Nation. A parallel world where superhero powers exist and fantasy reins, the Imagine Nation is also a place where Jack’s own super powers are revealed … and desperately needed.
Jack’s adventures continue in The Secret War , as Jack’s training at the School of Thought enables him to develop his abilities alongside new friends Allegra and Skerren. However, Jack also has been given a dangerous secret assignment that involves investigating a computer virus inserted by villainous Rustov that threatens the fantastical world. As things play out, Jack uncovers adventures—and a relentless adversary—that lead him to knowledge about his father’s hidden past. The End of Infinity continues Jack’s adventures, as he arrives at a place where his destiny will be decided: will he be a superhero working for good, or does he hold the key to the Imagine Nation’s undoing?
Reviewing The Accidental Hero, Kimberly Garnick wrote in Booklist that Myklusch serves up “a fun mix of adventure, fantasy, and science fiction” in his debut novel for young readers, the critic predicting that the “Jack Blank” novels will appeal to boys “longing to be from another world.” Jack’s “brisk narration captures the superhero world with a mixture of fast-paced action, wry humor, and … heartfelt speeches about courage and friendship,” noted School Library Journal critic Steven Engelfried, and a Kirkus Reviews critic dubbed The Accidental Hero “a beguiling, sequel-worthy” fantasy.
(open new)Launched in 2015, Myklusch’s next series, “Seaborne,” includes the books, The Lost Prince and Strangers in Atlantis. In the former, he introduces Dean Seaborne, a thirteen-year-old, who works for the notorious pirate, One-Eyed Jack. Dean has been spying on behalf of One-Eyed Jack from the time he was a recently-orphaned child. When Dean is sent on a mission to a mystical island called Zenhala, he hears a rumor that he may be the prince of the island. As he learns more, he realizes the rumor may be true. Dean must decide whether to claim his birthright. “Courtly intrigue and well-crafted characters will satisfy readers looking for depth in their adventures,” asserted a Kirkus Reviews contributor. Teri Lesesne, reviewer in Booklist, commented: “Fast-paced action … and plenty of plot twists make this an ideal read-aloud for intermediate grades.” Writing in School Library Journal, Eva Mitnick suggested: “Despite some credulity-straining plot elements … this is a salty tale that most middle grade readers will enjoy.”
Dean returns in Strangers in Atlantis. In this volume, he has been sent by One-Eyed Jack to infiltrate the ship of a rival pirate called Gentleman Jim. Jim’s crew is made up entirely of children, so Dean gets aboard by getting a job as one of his workers. Meanwhile, he still wonders if he is the Prince of Zenhala. A writer in Kirkus Reviews remarked: “Predictable plot twists rob the story of energy.”
Myklusch’s 2019 novel, Order of the Majestic, is the first installment in a series of the same name. It tells the story of Joey Kopecky, a boy from New Jersey who becomes part of a secret society called the Order of the Majestic. Members of the Order of the Majestic have vowed to save magic by honing their own magic skills. Joey becomes an apprentice of Redondo the Magnificent, who helps him develop the ability to defeat an enemy of magic called the Invisible Hand. A contributor to Kirkus Reviews called the book “a serviceable charmer.” Booklist reviewer, Stacey Comfort, described it as a “delight.” In Lost Kingdom, Joey has banded together with fellow apprentices, Shazad and Leanora, to continue the work of their master, Redondo, who died in the previous volume. With help from a witch and a mysterious map, the three resist the power of the Invisible Hand. A Kirkus Reviews critic described Lost Kingdom as “a disappointing sequel.” However, Amanda Toth, reviewer in School Library Journal, called it “entertaining and fast paced.”(close new)
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, July 1, 2010, Kimberly Garnick, review of Jack Blank and the Imagine Nation, p. 60; April 1, 2015, Teri Lesesne, review of The Lost Prince, p. 80; April 1, 2019, Stacey Comfort, review of Order of the Majestic, p. 73.
Kirkus Reviews, July 1, 2010, review of Jack Blank and the Imagine Nation; June 15, 2011, review of Jack Blank and the Secret War; March 15, 2015, review of The Lost Prince; January 15, 2017, review of Strangers in Atlantis; March 1, 2019, review of Order of the Majestic; April 1, 2020, review of Lost Kingdom.
Publishers Weekly, July 26, 2010, review of Jack Blank and the Imagine Nation, p. 73.
School Library Journal, September, 2010, Steven Engelfried, review of Jack Blank and the Imagine Nation, p. 158; February, 2015, Eva Mitnick, review of The Lost Prince, p. 89; May, 2020, Amanda Toth, review of Lost Kingdom, p. 59.
Story Monsters Ink, November, 2017, review of Strangers in Atlantis, p. 54.
ONLINE
Matt Myklusch website, http://www.jackblank.com (August 31, 2020).
Hello. I’m Matt Myklusch, beloved storyteller and 80’s breakdancing legend. I write books for children, including grown up children like myself. I love what I do. I’ve been blessed in life with incredible ego and crushing self-doubt, important traits for any writer.
The ego part comes from the fact that from a very young age I’ve been convinced my ideas are so great they need to be published in book form. And purchased. Maybe even read! (But definitely purchased). The self-doubt creeps in whenever I read a really great book and think, “Oh, that’s how a real writer does it.” It happens all the time, but I keep writing. I hope you’ll keep reading. Check out my new book, ORDER OF THE MAJESTIC, which critics are already calling “rectangular” and “filled with pages!”
Matt Myklusch
USA flag
Matt Myklusch has worked at MTV Networks for nearly ten years. During that time, he has been involved in everything from booking and producing celebrity interviews, to managing Spring Break events in Panama City Beach, Cancun, and Acapulco.
Despite being lucky enough to have a reasonably cool job, Matt's true passion has always lied in his writing and artwork.
Matt has been drawing ever since he could first hold a pencil, and super heroes have filled up the majority of pages in his sketchbooks. That lifelong love of comic books spurred him to write JACK BLANK AND THE IMAGINE NATION, which debuts from Simon & Schuster, Aladdin in August 2010.
Matt lives in New Jersey with his wife and family.
Genres: Young Adult Fantasy
New Books
June 2020
(hardback)
Lost Kingdom
(Order of the Majestic, book 2)June 2020
(paperback)
Order of the Majestic
(Order of the Majestic, book 1)
Series
Jack Blank
1. Jack Blank and the Imagine Nation (2010)
aka The Accidental Hero
2. The Secret War (2011)
3. The End of Infinity (2012)
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Seaborne
1. The Lost Prince (2015)
2. Strangers in Atlantis (2017)
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Order of the Majestic
1. Order of the Majestic (2019)
2. Lost Kingdom (2020)
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Matt Myklusch is the author of six novels for middle-grade readers including ORDER OF THE MAJESTIC, the JACK BLANK trilogy, and the SEABORNE series. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and family, where he is always behind schedule on his next book.
QUOTED: "a disappointing sequel."
Myklusch, Matt LOST KINGDOM Aladdin (Children's None) $18.99 5, 19 ISBN: 978-1-5344-2490-6
The sorcerer’s apprentice must become the master.
In the wake of his master’s death in series opener Order of the Majestic (2019), Joey Kopecky and his friends Shazad and Leanora have become the new Order: a circle of magic users who protect what little magic remains in the world by fighting the dark forces of the Invisible Hand. This sinister group acquires and corrupts magical objects, and they’ve been searching for several magical items scattered around the world. Thanks to an old witch and the Secret Map of the World, Joey and his pals are one step ahead. The race is on in this globe-trotting sequel that does its best to expand the series’ world but comes up short where it really counts. Joey, Shazad, and Leanora are a trio of bland protagonists, with little characterization differentiating one from the other. The action sequences and magical moments are presented with little flair, and at over 400 pages, the book quickly becomes a slog, even for readers who found a bit to enjoy in the previous oversized installment. The author attempts to shade the trio’s friendship with a quarrel over Joey’s loss of Houdini’s wand in the previous book, but the conflict is entirely circular and doesn’t add much dimension. Joey and Leanora are white; Shazad is depicted on the cover with pale skin and hails from the fictional country of Jorako.
A disappointing sequel. (Fantasy. 10-14)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 8th Edition APA 6th Edition Chicago 17th Edition
"Myklusch, Matt: LOST KINGDOM." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Apr. 2020. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A619127732/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=ef2fcf68. Accessed 19 June 2020.
QUOTED: "a serviceable charmer."
Myklusch, Matt ORDER OF THE MAJESTIC Aladdin (Children's Fiction) $18.99 5, 7 ISBN: 978-1-5344-2487-6
A preteen becomes a sorcerer's apprentice.
Joey Kopecky, 13, is less than thrilled with his luck. After mysteriously acing a series of tests, the middling student is transferring to Exemplar Academy, an elite school that's in session year-round. At his admission interview Joey is asked to take one final test, and the room around him vanishes. In its place is an old theater and a washed-up magician named Redondo the Magnificent. Through hurried exposition Joey learns that magic is real, but its power has been reduced in the modern world. Two ancient societies of magicians war over the remaining magic, and Joey has been chosen to turn the tide. The ensuing adventure story is well-paced and sprinkled with just enough humor and action to keep readers engaged, but the result, at 400 pages and counting, is a bit hollow. This series opener has an excellent sense of genre conventions but misses that special something, that little bit of thought that puts the title over the top. Instead it takes its place among a million Harry Potter and Percy Jackson riffs that will certainly scratch the itch in a pinch but won't do well when it comes time to weed overfull bookshelves. The book adheres to the white default.
A serviceable charmer. (Fantasy. 10-14)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 8th Edition APA 6th Edition Chicago 17th Edition
"Myklusch, Matt: ORDER OF THE MAJESTIC." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Mar. 2019. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A575952046/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=b246f9b3. Accessed 19 June 2020.
QUOTED: "delight."
Order of the Majestic.
By Matt Myklusch.
May 2019.432p. Aladdin, $18.99 (9781534424876). Gr. 3-7.
Jersey boy Joey Kopecky is no genius, but he notices things. He doesn't forget that two is the only even prime number or that impossible-looking math problems probably have a shorter, easier solution. During an aptitude test, he's sucked into the Order of the Majestic, a secret society of magicians and true believers who want to save magic through imagination and belief. Joey is soon attending Redondo the Magnificent's lessons and trying to become worthy of Harry Houdini's legacy--because that's the only way he'll have a chance of beating the evil conjurers of the Invisible Hand. Joey is a sarcastic, geeky kid with a pop-culture reference for every situation; his humor balances out the parallels drawn between the secretive Order and the Dr. Seuss classic The Lorax. The middle-grade fiction world isn't exactly short on novels featuring an unexpected hero who finds out magic is real, but Myklusch, no stranger to the trope, makes it feel new again with this delight.--Stacey Comfort
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 8th Edition APA 6th Edition Chicago 17th Edition
Comfort, Stacey. "Order of the Majestic." Booklist, vol. 115, no. 15, 1 Apr. 2019, p. 73. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A581731401/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=5e36c5f1. Accessed 19 June 2020.
QUOTED: "Predictable plot twists rob the story of energy."
Myklusch, Matt STRANGERS IN ATLANTIS Carolrhoda (Children's Fiction) $18.99 4, 1 ISBN: 978-1-5124-1375-5
A spy, a princess, and a pirate in search of adventure find more than they bargained for when they are kidnapped by a band of pirates and forced to accompany them on a dangerous quest in this sequel to The Lost Prince (2015).As a former spy for a pirate captain, Dean Seaborne is no stranger to the life of duplicity. So, when Skinner, a ruthless pirate, forces the trio of white adventurers to infiltrate a legendary fortress disguised as circus performers, Dean and his friends comply--but only until they can figure out a way to double-cross the pirates, warn the citizens, and gain freedom for another companion left behind as collateral. However, they find that the fortress is not what it seems. It is actually an outpost for the legendary city of Atlantis. Once below, they find that a race war among various "species" of Atlanteans is only barely subdued. All it will take is the arrival of the fair-skinned humans and the threat of betrayal from within to topple the hidden city. While racial tension as it plays out among various colors of mer-people might offer some valuable talking points, the flat secondary characters, unoriginal portrayal of Atlantis, and predictable plot twists rob the story of energy. A mixed continuation of a series that began with promise; here's hoping it picks back up with Volume 3. (Fantasy. 8-12)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 8th Edition APA 6th Edition Chicago 17th Edition
"Myklusch, Matt: STRANGERS IN ATLANTIS." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Jan. 2017. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A477242426/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=466fc1c7. Accessed 19 June 2020.
QUOTED: "Courtly intrigue and well-crafted characters will satisfy readers looking for depth in their adventures."
Myklusch, Matt THE LOST PRINCE Egmont USA (Children's Fiction) $16.99 4, 14 ISBN: 978-1-60684-525-7
Orphan, pirate, spy, and prince are just some of 13-year-old Dean Seaborne's many titles. His surname indicates that he is an orphan born of the sea. His employment as spy for the ruthless pirate king One-Eyed Jack suggests a life full of duplicity and danger. The mark on his arm hints at a surprising destiny. Dean's latest mission ends badly with a sunken ship, a missing captain, and a crew thrown into the sea. When his rescuer tells him that he is the lost prince of Zenhala, a mythical island full of treasure, Dean is more than a little suspicious. But when One-Eyed Jack decides to hold him personally responsible for the ship he lost, Dean's only option is to leverage the situation to his benefit. However, not everyone in Zenhala, a real place after all, is happy to see him. Dangerous quests, a beautiful girl, and an epic battle force Dean to decide who he is and what he believes. Nonstop swashbuckling action is sure to entice even the most ardent landlubber, while courtly intrigue and well-crafted characters will satisfy readers looking for depth in their adventures. The proposed first in a series from the soon-to-be-shuttered Egmont USA, it will have readers hoping the rest of the series is picked up quickly by another publisher. High-seas adventure with surprising twists. (Adventure. 8-12)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 8th Edition APA 6th Edition Chicago 17th Edition
"Myklusch, Matt: THE LOST PRINCE." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Mar. 2015. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A404947978/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=baa59f3d. Accessed 19 June 2020.
QUOTED: "Fast-paced action ... and plenty of plot twists make this an ideal read-aloud for intermediate grades."
The Lost Prince. By Matt Myklusch. May 2015.400p. Egmont, $16.99 (9781606845257). Gr. 3-6.
Sharks and sea serpents! Treachery and treasure! Dean Seaborne has been part of a pirate crew for as long as he can recall, purchased by the dastardly One-Eyed Jack and forced to commit acts of larceny. Now Dean has run afoul of his master and, in exchange for sparing his life, must become a spy on Gentleman Jim's pirate ship, which is crewed only by children, some of them younger than Dean's 13 years. But is there more to One-Eyed Jack's plan? Does he know more about Dean's past than Dean himself? Could Dean actually be the lost prince of Zenhala? There are many questions, and not all of them are answered, as this is just the first volume of the planned Seaborne series. Fast-paced action, short chapters, and plenty of plot twists make this an ideal read-aloud for intermediate grades, particularly those who enjoyed Sid Fleischman's The Whipping Boy (1986) and Jonathan Auxier's Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes (2011).--Teri Lesesne
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 8th Edition APA 6th Edition Chicago 17th Edition
Lesesne, Teri. "The Lost Prince." Booklist, vol. 111, no. 15, 1 Apr. 2015, p. 80. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A410769789/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=56ca064f. Accessed 19 June 2020.
QUOTED: "entertaining and fast paced."
MYKLUSCH, Matt. Lost Kingdom. 464p. (Order of the Majestic: Bk. 2). S. & S./ Aladdin. May 2020. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9781534424906.
Gr 3-7--Joey, Shazad, and Leanora are now the new Order of the Majestic. It's up to them to make sure magic is protected and available for all. But now they are more vulnerable than ever; the Majestic Theatre, the Order's home base, is visible and easily attacked, and the Invisible Hand wants in. The Invisible Hand is against everything the Order stands for. They want to hoard magic for themselves and forbid anyone else from having power or using the magical objects the Order keeps safe. If that isn't enough to keep the trio busy and on edge, now they must search for a lost kingdom, and hopefully find the key that will bring a new age of magic to the world. But if the Invisible Hand has their way, all the magic will be theirs, and the world will suffer for it. This sequel picks up right where the first book left off; while it is entertaining and fast paced, readers unfamiliar with the previous installment will be lost and are unlikely to continue reading for the full 400+ pages. VERDICT Recommended for libraries where the first book is popular.--Amanda Toth, Lane Libraries, Hamilton, OH
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
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MLA 8th Edition APA 6th Edition Chicago 17th Edition
Toth, Amanda. "MYKLUSCH, Matt. Lost Kingdom." School Library Journal, vol. 66, no. 5, May 2020, p. 59. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A622369320/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=448977b3. Accessed 19 June 2020.
Seaborne: Strangers in Atlantis
by Matt Myklusch
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was exciting, full of mystery, and fast-paced. The main character, Dean, and his two friends, Ronan and Waverly, take the stage during this thrilling tale. Despite all of the adventure throughout the book, the author still makes room for some brimming friendship troubles under the surface. I feel as if the author could have focused on this a bit more during the story, but it was still a great novel! There are numerous "background" characters to keep track of during the story, but the author does a good job of helping the reader keep them all straight. However, since this book is the second in a series, I recommend reading the first book before this one. The story definitely leaves holes that the reader can't fill for lack of knowledge. For those who enjoy pirates, fantasy, and action-packed adventure, Seaborne: Strangers in Atlantis is definitely the book for you!
Reviewer: Moseso, age 14
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Story Monsters LLC
www.StoryMonsters.com
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MLA 8th Edition APA 6th Edition Chicago 17th Edition
"Seaborne: Strangers in Atlantis." Story Monsters Ink, Nov. 2017, p. 54. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A563837661/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=b335c4fd. Accessed 19 June 2020.
QUOTED: "Despite some credulity-straining plot elements ... this is a salty tale that most middle grade readers will enjoy."
MYKLUSCH, Matt. The Lost Prince. 400p. (Seaborne, Bk. 1.) Egmont USA. May 2015. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9781606845257; ebk. $16.99. ISBN 9781606845264.
Gr 5-8--Thirteen-year-old orphan Dean Seaborne has been a spy for One-Eyed Jack the Pirate King ever since he can remember; it's a life he hates but can't escape. After a misadventure involving a ship from the mysterious hidden island of Zenhala, where gold grows on trees, Dean learns that the crew thinks he might be the long-lost island Prince. This allows Dean to infiltrate the island on behalf of One-Eyed Jack, but as he encounters dangers and meets new friends, he resents his mission more and more--and he starts to wonder if he might truly be the prince. There is plenty of derring-do and swashbuckling in this fast-paced adventure, mostly provided by Dean, who not only wins fights with men twice his size but invents his own skateboard and sailboard, tames sea dragons, and speaks and behaves with quite a bit of polish for a boy who was raised by uneducated pirates. VERDICT Despite some credulity-straining plot elements and weak character development, this is a salty tale that most middle grade readers will enjoy.--Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library
Mitnick, Eva
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
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MLA 8th Edition APA 6th Edition Chicago 17th Edition
Mitnick, Eva. "Myklusch, Matt. The Lost Prince." School Library Journal, vol. 61, no. 2, Feb. 2015, p. 89. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A399887009/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=55d4601c. Accessed 19 June 2020.