ALA Booklist (Thu Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 2012)

Bent on bringing 1,500 years of durance vile in Cincinnati to an end, the wizard Merlin constructs a new King Arthur from the DNA of the original's parents and drops the baby off with a (mostly) human family. Twelve years later, young Artie knows only that he's adopted; practically telepathically linked to his overachieving older sister, Kay; and primed by his devotion to the fantasy game Otherworld to be eager when an Old Crazy Tattooed Dude tempts him to enter the real Otherworld and reclaim Excalibur (plus a certain key). Johnson-Shelton tucks plenty of magic, swordplay, monster attacks, and heroic deeds into his trilogy opener, but encounters with a dragon who talks in Yoda-speak (To me, an infant you are) and ageless Arthurian stalwart Tom Thumb astride a warlike bunny aren't the only clues that the story shouldn't be taken too seriously. In all, an entertaining quest fantasy id-back but far from nonviolent, sprinkled with hints of hidden agendas, and juiced with enough creativity to carry readers happily into future episodes.

Horn Book

Twelve-year-old Artie Kingfisher discovers through his favorite video game that he is a reincarnation of King Arthur. Contacted by Merlin, he joins a quest through a parallel world to find Excalibur. The action is slow to start and video game fans may be put off by the lack of verisimilitude, but fans of myth-inspired adventures will devour this tale.

Kirkus Reviews

In his first novel for middle-grade readers, Johnson-Shelton serves up the first installment of an Arthurian trilogy starring 12-year-old video-gamer Artie Kingfisher. Artie begins receiving mysterious computer messages telling him "it has begun," and soon he is off to fulfill his destiny as the once and future king. It turns out that Artie is King Arthur--or, rather, Arthur's genetic sibling, created out of Uther Pendragon's finger bone and a lock of Lady Igraine's hair. At a gaming tournament in Cincinnati, Artie comes across Merlin, trapped in an invisible tower downtown, and it's Merlin who directs Artie on his quest. Much is expected of him: He must destroy the invisible tower, travel to the Otherworld and put an end to Lordess Morgaine's evil reign and gain access to the Otherworld's clean energy resources. No pressure, except the world is doomed if he fails. This new take on the Arthurian legends, told in third-person, pits wisecracking contemporary teens with their contemporary banter--" freaking awesome," "far out"--against all manner of obstacles: killer tornadoes, dire wolves, a green dragon, an elf and a wolf-headed man. At times, the prose is wordy and awkward, but it's always high-spirited and fun. Gives new life to Arthurian legends and may just send readers back to more traditional tellings. (Adventure. 10-14)

School Library Journal (Thu Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 2012)

Gr 5-8 The King Arthur legend gets a modern update in this new series. Artie Kingfisher, 12, doesn't realize that he is special until he is contacted by a mysterious Mr. T (aka Merlin) through his favorite Otherworld video game. A powerful magical demonstration convinces Artie that he really is a clone of the original King and that it is his duty to reconnect the real Otherworld with his world and save both from impending disaster. He and his 13-year-old sister, Kay, locate Excalibur and set off on a quest for the key that will free Merlin from his tower prison. Short, action-packed chapters (each with a cheeky title), funny dialogue, and an amusing trick for pulling the wool over the eyes of a parent, who would definitely not approve of sword-fighting practice with razor-sharp blades in the backyard, make this book a surefire hit with the legions of Rick Riordan fans. Adults may be disappointed that Artie gets knowledge and battle skills magically instead of through hard work, but kids won't care, and it's the choices and natural leadership that he displays that mark him as the true king. The witch Morgaine is set up as the villain, but only her minions make an appearance, and the final battle won't happen for at least few more books. Caroline Tesauro, Radford Public Library, VA