Review of Maze of Bones in the New York Times

I have a new review up in the Times - this time it's The Maze of Bones. Kudos to the Times for adding the fun title.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/09/books/review/Grossman-t.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

A tough review to write, because it's a children's book and an online game and a collectible card game, and maybe partly an ARG ie Alternate Reality Game - and if you know what that is, you know how hard it is to assess one in its earliest stages.

Also because I had some issues with the book. I tried to hold snark to a minimum, and express my honest hopes and disappointments with the book and game, more or less as if the authors were friends of mine and looking over my shoulder as I wrote. I rather hope the authors themselves feel it's written in that spirit.

I'm still trying to pin down exactly what the reviewer's voice should be. When I'm reading a review I of course like to see some blood in the water. But now that I've read plenty of reviews of your own book, of all kinds, it looks pretty different.