Description: Zane has always enjoyed exploring the dormant volcano near his home in New Mexico, even though hiking it is challenging. He'd much rather hang out there with his dog, Rosie, than go to middle school, where kids call him Sir Limps a Lot, McGimpster, or Uno — for his one good leg. What Zane doesn't know is that the volcano is a gateway to another world and he is at the center of a powerful prophecy.

A new girl at school, Brooks, informs him that he's destined to release an evil god from the ancient Maya relic he is imprisoned in — unless she can find and remove it first. Together they return to the volcano, where all kinds of crazy happens. Brooks turns into a hawk, a demon attacks them in a cave, and Rosie gives her all while trying to protect Zane. When Zane decides to save his dog no matter the cost, he is thrust into an adventure full of surprising discoveries, dangerous secrets, and an all-out war between the gods, one of whom happens to be his father. To survive, Zane will have to become the Storm Runner. But how can he run when he can't even walk well without a cane?

Review: The Storm Runner is a page turning, wild ride adventure in Mayan mythology. Though it is part of the Rick Riordan imprint, the book stands on its own and avoids the cookie-cutter format. Unknowingly Zane Obispo and unleashed the lord of death, darkness, and despair from imprisonment and he now has three days to correct his mistake in order to save the world.
  I adored Zane who is instantly relatable, funny and sweet. He is content exploring the volcano in his backyard with his dog, Rosie, and doing what he can to please his mother, who works hard for little. He is insecure of his disability, where one of his foot smaller than the other, and one leg shorter than the other, which subjects him to bullying. Like Percy's dyslexia was a signal of his demigod status, Zane's limp does the same for him. When he meets Brooks, a girl who appears after a mysterious plane crash, and she warns him, first, that he's in danger, and, second, that he's destined to set off the apocalypse his whole world goes topsy-turvy. Cervantes wastes no time getting right into the action. We follow Zane as he tries to make sense of the prophecy, his own supernatural origins, and fights demons and tries to outsmart gods who mean to harm him. It is absolutely refreshing to learn about non-European centric mythology. The conversational tone of the book which includes plenty of humor and Spanish words sprinkled in make the characters sound authentic and easy to read. There are plenty of action sequences and suspenseful moments that will keep the pages turning as the tension escalates and the characters face deepening stakes. While this is a no-brainer recommendation for the millions of Percy Jackson fans, this would also be a great book to highlight Mayan mythology and Mexican culture. While the book does not end in a cliffhanger, there are plenty of questions left to answer in the following books of the Storm Runner series.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There are disturbing images and injuries to a pet. Recommended for Grades

If you like this book try: Charlie Hernandez and the League of Shadows by Ryan Calejo, The Fire Keeper (Stormrunner #2) will able available September 2019