Cameron Battle and the Escape Trials

After the capture of the evil enchantress Amina, Cameron Battle escaped the magical kingdom of Chidani with his two friends, Zion and Aliyah. However, the death god Ekwensu still wants to tear down the magical barrier between Chidani and reality and conquer everything in sight, and Cameron, the Last Descendent, is the only one who can stop him. However, Cameron also must go to school—at least until he’s called back.   

Middle school is not what Cameron is expecting. Bullied by Vince, Cameron must keep his head down and avoid fighting back with the magical fighting style Dambe, which would reveal magic to his entire school. The intelligent, laid-back Zion supports Cameron and helps him see the consequences of retaliation. Yet one evening, Vince attacks the trio on their walk home. During the fight, Vince reveals he’s possessed by a mmo, a terrible supernatural creature working for Ekwensu. The only way to save Vince is to return to Chidani. With this urgent mission, Cameron finally calls forth the Book of Chidani, opening a portal for himself and his friends, Zion and Aliyah.  

In Chidani, the kind and determined Cameron has his priorities straight: retrieve Vince from the Crystal City, heal him, and send him home. The friends encounter the gods Ala and Anyanwu and brave tricky trials, impressing the gods enough to win both Vince’s freedom and clues to magical relics that could defeat Ekwensu. Throughout these escapades, Aliyah proves especially helpful, cleverly outsmarting trials and saving her friends. After sending Vince home with their new clues in hand, Cameron and his friends set out to find the relics and protect Chidani. Along the way, Cameron grapples with his responsibility as the Last Descendent, learning to balance his desire to see his parents with the need to protect an entire kingdom. 

While this novel brilliantly brings Igbo gods and magic to life, the plot is more convoluted than it needs to be. Cameron experiences growth, but Zion and Aliyah don’t develop much as characters. The conflicts are more complex than the character development supports, and Cameron’s happy ending doesn’t quite align with his journey. That said, the accessible language and quick explanations of unfamiliar terms keep readers engaged.  

Fans of all things mythical will love the fierce fight scenes, elaborate magic system, and loyal friendships. Supernatural creatures—from spirits of the dead to violent sea serpents to gryphons—fill the pages. Cameron faces the wrenching choice of whom to protect and is forced to find a solution that benefits everyone or lose everything. Overall, this powerfully creative story delivers a strong message about leaning on friends and the importance of responsibility and decision-making, making it worth reading for its magnificent worldbuilding and entertaining adventure. 

Sexual Content  

• None 

Violence  

• At school, Cameron encounters a bully named Vince, who pushes him. Cameron describes the experience, “Something pushed me, hard, from behind, and I fell to the floor, dropping my gym bag in the process. I turned around and there was Vince, standing over me, that same smirk on his face. I thought I saw a red tinge of light surround his body, flickering in and out in the space.” 

• While walking home, Cameron and his friends, Zion and Aliyah, are again attacked by Vince, and they realize that he is possessed by a mmo, a supernatural creature bent on destroying Cameron. “Zion grabbed Vince by the legs and pulled him back to the ground with all his strength. Vince maneuvered out of Zion’s hands and kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying through the air. Dambe seized [Cameron] as [he] moved. . . [Cameron] caught Zion right before he fell; he clutched at his midsection, yelping in pain.” At the end of the battle, Zion, Cameron, and Aliyah barely have any injuries, and Vince’s condition is unknown since he falls through a portal to Chidani.  

• While attempting to rescue Vince and Zion, Cameron and Aliyah fight off a monster serpent, called a mgbaji. In Cameron’s words, “I tried to grab the mgbaji once again, but I was too far away now. . . With a swipe, [the serpent] reared around and slammed its tail against my chest, sending me flying to the other side of the pool, my back striking the marble. . . The mixture of water and air slammed into me, sending me hurtling backward, right into the marble again. This time, though, I crashed through the wall and sunk into the rock. Pain radiated through every part of my body as my head jerked from left to right. I tried to gain my bearings, but I shook so violently from dizziness that I retched all over my clothes and into the water around me.” Cameron and Aliyah defeat the serpent, though Cameron has a concussion.  

• In the journey to find the last magical relic, Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah encounter more evil mmos they need to fight. “[Cameron] connected with two mmo almost immediately, the thought of seeing [his] parents again guiding [his] movements. When [Cameron] slashed [his] sword down, [Cameron] cut them both at the same time, slicing them right across the chest. They screamed, and when they died, they burst open, magma falling to the sandstone.” The fight lasts a full chapter, though none of Cameron’s friends sustain serious injuries. Cameron breaks his nose. 

• A former Descendent describes her experience with slavery and mmo to Cameron. “After I escaped slavery, I went to Chidani alone. When I grew older, I tried to Summon my [family’s souls] through the barrier, to bring them back to me after years of being the Descendant. I almost destroyed the Book in the process. And I lost my life. You see, if I had succeeded, that which gives us power would be no more, the barrier would cease to exist, and the mmo would take over everything.” 

• Growing desperate to find the Book, Amina lets the god of death, Ekwensu, possess her. In this form, she battles Cameron for possession of the book. “[Cameron and Amina] engaged in battle again, an equal match. When [Cameron] grabbed her by the shoulders, a look of surprise crossed her face. . . the mmo slashed at [Cameron] with gnarled nails, lifting [them] into the sky to escape [the mmo]. She punched [Cameron] multiple times, but [Cameron] continued to hold [Amina].” The whole battle for the Book and control of Chidani lasts three full chapters. In the end, the Palacia is reduced to rubble, Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah have minor injuries, and Amina dies.  

Drugs and Alcohol  

• None 

Language  

• Language is very tame, using words like stupid, idiot, and hell infrequently. 

Supernatural  

• The book is about three kids who travel to a magic kingdom to save it; therefore, there is magic on nearly every page in this book. There are also supernatural creatures, gods, and humans with magical powers. All characters use a mystical fighting style called Dambe that gives them enhanced abilities and instincts as they fight, no spells needed.   

• Debating what to do in the aftermath of their first adventure, Aliyah asks Cameron to summon the Book of Chidani to consult it. Cameron describes the experience, “A deep intentional feeling settled upon my shoulders and then into my chest as I willed the Book forward, from its hidden place in my soul. An image of Agbala, the goddess of healing and justice, emerged in my mind as I pushed even deeper. Sweat beaded against my forehead with the effort.” 

• While being bullied, Cameron notices something strange about his bully. “Vince sneered, staring at me. There it was again, that red glint in his eyes.” This later proves to be a sign that a mmo is controlling him. Cameron explains Vince’s appearance. “His appearance had started to change, to morph into something else. In one second, a dark smoke emerged from his body and a ruby illumination covered him. In another, it disappeared, and Vince became normal again. I knew what this was, but I was too scared to say it aloud, because if I did, then that meant it would be true.” 

• Vince, Cameron, Aliyah, and Zion are all pulled into Chidani. Cameron describes the portal: “Vince and I continued to struggle as we spiraled through lightning, darkness, and rain. The rip opened into a void; it was full of shadows, swirling around and around, the wind threatening to pull us apart. The tornado we flew in kept us afloat, but I had a horrible suspicion that if we stepped out of its confines, we’d fall into the spinning darkness.” 

• As Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah reunite with their friends from the Palacia in Chidani, their friend Makai explains that time runs differently between Chidani and the real world. “‘What’s going on?’ Zion asked, struggling out of Makai’s hug. ‘How long have we been gone? For us it was about two months.’ ‘You were gone for just a few days,’ Makai said.”  

• Amina is being held in a magical dungeon. Queen Ramala takes Cameron and his friends to the dungeon. “The sun encircled [Amina] like chains, binding her into one place as she floated above the ground.” 

• Going to rescue Vince, Cameron, Zion and Aliyah visit the Crystal City, home of the goddess Ala and the aziza. The aziza are “[magical creatures who] nestled their kingdom in the trees of the Igbo people, hiding in secret, but honoring their duty to the humans by healing them when needed. People believed in them, but none had ever seen them, for they had retreated once it was known that colonizers had breached Nigeria’s waters.”  

• Later, Cameron describes an aziza. “Soft wings flew behind [the aziza], the color of night. He was tall, taller than an aziza should’ve been from what I had seen. A curved sword was hitched to the side of his clothing, which consisted of a ruby brocade vest, tight shokoto trousers, and light armor. He approached gracefully, almost as if he were floating across the ground.” 

• While in the Crystal City, Ala binds Zion to the city to incentivize Cameron and Aliyah to participate in the trials. Ala snaps her fingers and “[Zion] gasped and choked, holding on to his neck. He fell against [Cameron]; [Cameron] caught him as his eyes closed, but he felt different. Light. As if all his weight had turned to nothing.” 

• When they leave the Crystal City, Ala blesses Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah’s gryphons, Ugo, Ike, and Odum respectively, to better aid them in the battle ahead. “[Ugo’s] snow-white color had turned the color of flame, a mixture of different shades of oranges and reds. Connecting to [Ugo] felt familiar, though, as if [he and Cameron] were one. By the time [Cameron] was done marveling at Ugo, Aliyah and Zion had jumped on Odum and Ike. Flames covered our entire area of the desert for miles, the gryphons’ wingspans so large that they encompassed everything.” 

• After the Crystal City, Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah go to the Sun Kingdom to find the last magical relic they need to defeat Amina. Cameron discovers a special ability—that he can summon gods to him. He summons Anyanwu, the sun god. Cameron describes the encounter, “[Anyanwu] had changed his appearance again, his gigantic nature of earlier now human size. But, even looking at him now, he was nothing resembling normal. An emerald agbada flowed from his neck to his feet, while his hair spilled down his back, golden beads drawn through it. He produced flame out of thin air before walking around the small room, lighting the candles hanging on the ancient sconces in the wall.” 

• Traveling back to the Palacia with all three magical relics, the trio meets more mmos, supernatural creatures created by Amina to destroy Chidani. “The mmo stepped out from the shadows, some falling to the floor, and some suspended in the air. They were dark-and-gray creatures, their eyes a deep scarlet, their skin the color of stone. Cloaks of darkness shrouded their shoulders as they materialized. However, these mmo were different from those [Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah] had encountered before; their bodies blazed with fire, flames reaching to the sky in place of their hair. Skeletal arms reached out toward us, mixed with gristle and marrow.” 

• Cameron discovers he can also summon souls and tries it on a volunteering friend, Bakari. “A grunt escaped Bakari’s mouth as it fell open. A white, filmy substance floated out, flying toward [Cameron’s] hand. [He] grasped it, caressing it, as it flitted in and out of [Cameron’s] hands. [Cameron] marveled at it, feeling life teem within [him]. It took much effort to control it, but it was Bakari’s soul. When [Cameron] looked down at [Bakari], [he] noticed that the substance was still attached to [Bakari’s] mouth as he stared at [Cameron], the life in his eyes mostly gone.” Cameron decides not to use this power after this experiment.  

• With a helpful tip from a god, Cameron discovers that his dad is alive in the underwater kingdom, living as a mondao (a kind of mermaid). “When [Cameron] looked down, [Cameron] noticed that [his dad] only had one foot. A mondao tail snaked to the sand in place of his left one, corded with diamonds and rubies. But when [Cameron] blinked, it changed into a human foot as Daddy took a step forward. While a beautiful necklace surrounded his neck, a deep wound marred his bare chest, right in the middle.” 

• Growing desperate to find the Book, Amina lets the god of death, Ekwensu, possess her. She offers her soul for the power to destroy Chidani. Amina says, “Use me. Use my body and soul. Fuse yourself with me to directly intervene in the quest to kill the Descendant, Ramala, and take the barrier for ourselves. The pain would be great, but the victory would be greater. I admit I couldn’t do it the first time on my own; if you help me, we can and will win. Just think, if we are able to successfully kill the Descendant and steal the gifts. . . ” There is no description of this physical process. 

• At the end of the great battle, Cameron meets his mother’s ghost, freed from mmo form. “[His mother] stepped out of the shadows, the most beautiful thing [Cameron] had ever seen in [his] life. She was dressed in a white robe that swept the floor as she walked, as graceful as an angel. Her braided hair fell down her shoulders and to the center of her back. A single necklace wrapped around her neck. A pinkish aura surrounded her.” 

Spiritual Content  

• The traditional Igbo religion is a spiritual system predating Christianity, centered on a supreme creator god (Chukwu/Chineke) but also involving numerous lesser deities (Alusi) linked to nature, ancestors (living dead), and a personal spirit (Chi). It’s a pantheistic/polytheistic faith, deeply tied to community, nature (like the Earth Goddess Ala), and morality. Cameron meets several of the Igbo gods. 

• Just like the first book, when Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah travel to Chidani, they encounter elements that have roots in the real world, like the gods of the Igbo culture. They fight with some gods and work with others to save the kingdom from the Queen’s treacherous sister Amina. Given this, the book discusses many creation myths and Igbo religious references. There are also the occasional vague references to Christianity and ghosts. 

• The Book of Chidani serves as both a guide to the kingdom and a religious text. An example excerpt from the Book reads, “Agbala created the Descendants when she gave the Book to the enslaved Igbos as they were forcefully taken to the Americas. The Book followed them across the ocean, and Nneka was the first one who touched it, becoming the first Descendant, tasked with power and knowledge, to keep Igbo history alive.” 

• Cameron has a vision of the goddess Mmiri. “[Mmiri] was undeniably beautiful, and immediately recognizable. A crown crested her head, covering it from side to side, silver spikes striking the air around her. A star sat on top of the middle spike, its light almost blinding [Cameron]. What looked like seashells were fastened to her chest and upper arms, multicolored and heavy. Her midriff was almost bare, with a tattoo in the form of a sun emblazoned around her naval. Her iro was cerulean, a skirt that flowed along the wooden floor [Cameron] was lying on. [Cameron] gasped when she stepped forward, as one of her legs was in the shape of a mermaid’s tail.” 

• In the Crystal City, Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah meet the goddess Ala and another god, her son Anyanwu. “[Cameron, Zion, and Aliyah] took a step back, stunned as [Ala] towered above [them], much taller than any god [they’d] seen so far. ‘Humongous’ was a word that came to mind, but even that didn’t embody all that Ala was. [Cameron] tried to avert [his] gaze from her to the male god behind her—who somehow was firmly asleep—but she snapped her fingers, bringing us back to attention.”  

by Kate Schuyler