Sam Copeland: Alex vs Axel – The Thief of Time (Penguin Random House 2025)
Alex Always has just recovered from his latest adventure. He has also learned from it. And although he is not known at home as a hero, the experience has made him stronger and more confident. Everything is going as usual, until suddenly time stops… Then the gateway to the other world opens and Axel Stormward, the defender of truth, the pursuer of evil, the conqueror of wolves emerges from it. This time Alex and Axel take Irving and Sienna with them to save the world. It looks like it is another Impossible Quest.
The story this time also runs on two threads, as the two teams set off on two paths to obtain the weapon with which they can defeat their enemy. Although they do not yet know who He is. While Alex works with his mind, Axel believes that heroes do not think, they do. For me, the most important message was that the moment comes in each of our lives when we have to show what manner of people we really are. The story has a darker tone than the previous one, and Dotty Sutton’s beautiful illustrations have also become darker.
Sam Copeland was born in Manchester and currently lives in London with his family. He is still looking for an answer to the question „Who am I?”. His first book Charlie Changes into a Chicken won numerous awards and was followed by two sequels. The author’s books always convey important and serious topics, but he takes the edge off with humor.
