Amos Daragon: The Mask Wearer by Bryan Perro

Due out in February of 2011, The Mask Wearer is the first in a fantasy series that will appeal to fans of mythology, action, adventure, and mystery. It's an easy read with enough depth to keep it from being totally predictable.
Summary: Amos Daragon is a simple boy living in a hut with his parents, craftsmen who work for a greedy but foolish lord. When he discovers a mermaid one day while gathering food by the shore, his life takes a new path. This mermaid names him the Mask Wearer and sets him on a quest to claim his powers and set the balance of the world aright.

While on this mission, Amos makes new friends, including Beorf, a boy who can change into a bear, and Medusa, a gorgon whose gaze can turn any living thing to stone. Amos also finds himself fighting against an evil sorcerer who is searching for a pendant that was taken from him long ago.

With the first of the magical masks to lend him its power, and the backing of Junos, whose childhood Amos restored, Amos battles against the sorcerer and his army of Gorgons in an effort to reclaim a city and restore the lives of the people within.

This first book in the series is a nice, light fantasy read. It weaves mythology nicely into the story as well. The story also has elements of trickster tales, with Amos using his wits to fool the greedy lord and gain gold, horses, and the equipment needed for his family to escape the man’s tyranny.

This is the first English language release of the book, and I hope that the rest of the series gets translated as well. It will be interesting to see how the story develops and how Amos, who seems pretty mature in his choices from the very beginning, uses his wits and resources to gather all four masks and restore balance to the world.

Themes:
Courage
Friendship
Acceptance of others
Age Appropriateness:
Grades four and up
Areas of concern (content):
Foul Language: none
Nudity/Adult Content: none
Violence: mild battle scenes