Elevator Quest by Emmanuel M Arriaga is an interesting fantasy tale for young adult readers and fans of adventure. The elevator cable snaps and everyone in it is frightened, thinking they will end up dead. But something unusual happens: Tasha and the others who survive the accident find themselves in an alternate, strange world. The group composed of office workers finds themselves catapulted into an adventure no one asked for, discovering new weapons and facing vicious and dangerous creatures. Do they have what it takes to survive these challenges and ultimately return to their own world? Or, could it be that they are actually dead and on the path to another form of life? That is for the reader to find out.
I loved this book right from its very opening. Readers are introduced to characters who are going through their normal day until something suddenly goes wrong with the elevator. The humor is injected into the narrative right off the bat and I couldn’t help smiling and laughing at characters like Tasha and Arnold. Right in the heart of danger, instead of thinking about survival, Tasha shouts: “Oh Lord, I’m going to die a virgin.” The chapters are short and well-crafted with endings that literally compel the reader to turn to the next page. Emmanuel M Arriaga is good with dialogues and the writing features a compelling blend of well-crafted prose and intelligently written dialogues. The setting is the work of a great imagination. Elevator Quest is well-plotted and beautifully written, a fast-paced, pulsating story that is as suspenseful as it is entertaining.