Rogue

Frost, Mark. Rogue (The Paladin Prophecy #3)
September 8th 2015 by Random House Books for Young Readers
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

Will has discovered that his grandfather, Franklin Greenwood, is the key to everything that has been going on in The Paladin Prophecy and Alliance. It turns out that the school was started by Franklin's father, on property he bought from the Cornish family-- property which sits on top of a hidden city where supernatural forces dwell and try to influence things in our world. At first, Will tries to play along with his grandfather, but when he is betrayed, he, Ajay and Elise go through the portal with Coach Jericho. There, they fight the protectors of Earth who use any number of evil (but exciting) creatures against them. Luckily, Ajay has filled his backpack with "explosives, a few shrapnel bombs, some tear gas, and a few that throw out a weaponized spray of hydrochloric acid"! Eventually, the group finds Dave, who has been missing since the second book, but will they be able to figure out how to keep the world sage from the Knights of Charlemagne? And can Will be reunited with his family?

The characters really make this series for me. Coach Jericho (who turns out to have other talents as well!) is the best fictional coach ever, and Ajay's voice is terrific. The grandfather is oily and evil, and Will is just trying to do the best he can. 

Like the other two books in the series, this is jam packed with action, explosions, and some great writing. Frost can throw a well turned phrase into a paragraph with the same ease that Ajay can lob explosives at demon snake kings. Readers of Gilman and Horowitz's spy books, as well as those who like science fiction like MacHale's Sylo series or Kincaid's Insignia books will find this book to be a fast-paced but intelligent romp. 

Plus, I think that Will's Rule #13 might be my new motto: