Welcome to the summer of the apocalypse. One 12-year-old boy leads the charge against the forces of evil as he tries to stop the Four Horsemen from taking over the world in the start to a wildly funny and addictive fantasy series about accepting yourself and finding your inner hero. Alex Wise feels like his world is ending. His best friend, Loren, is leaving town for the summer, his former friend and maybe sort of crush Sky hasn't spoken to him since he ditched Alex on first day of sixth grade, and now his mom is sending him and his annoying younger sister, Mags, on a cruise with the dad who abandoned them. And, as if things couldn't get worse, a creepy shadow monster may or may not be stalking him. But none of this could prepare Alex for the actual end of the world. Too bad that is exactly what's coming, after the definitely-real Shadow Man kidnaps Mags and she is possessed by the ancient spirit of Death—one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Luckily (depending on who you ask), Alex is possessed as well by a powerful god who imbues Alex with their powers in an effort to stop the Horsemen…if he can figure out how to use them. So begins an epic battle between good and evil: Alex, Loren, a grumpy demi-god, and Alex's fourth grade teacher vs. Death, Pestilence, Famine, War, and the waves of chaos and destruction they bring to LA and soon the rest of the globe. Just your average summer vacation. Alex is more used to being left behind than leading the way, but now he's the only one who can save his sister—and the world. That is, if he can unlock his new powers and see himself as the hero he is. “Never has the apocalypse been so fun!" —Mark Oshiro, author of THE INSIDERS and co-author with Rick Riordan of THE SUN AND THE STAR: A NICO DI ANGELO ADVENTURE. I am excited for Black boys to see Alex as the hero they have been waiting for !” —Jamar J. Perry, author of Cameron Battle and the Hidden Kingdoms “ With nonstop action that is always thrilling but never too scary, this fantasy is perfect for younger readers who are fans of Rick Riordan or Kwame Mbalia .” —School Library Journal " An exciting and genre-bending narrative that melds comic-book style adventure, urban fantasy, and teen romance into a fresh and exhilarating coming-of-age story . Thrills and snarky humor balance heartfelt, emotional moments... invites all readers, especially those who identify as queer, to love themselves first and the world after. — Shelf Awareness “Benton-Walker presents Alex’s inner conflicts over being gay and feeling abandoned by people with such understanding, concern, and affirmation that it’s easy to root for him ”— Kirkus Reviews "This adventurous tale....weaves themes of standing up for oneself in their personal life with high-octane sequences that culminate in a satisfyingly earnest first installment ." — Publishers Weekly TERRY J. BENTON-WALKER is the bestselling and award-winning author of the young adult contemporary fantasy series Blood Debts, the middle grade contemporary fantasy series Alex Wise vs the End of the World, and Terry also edited and contributed to The White Guy Dies First , a young adult horror anthology. He lives in Atlanta, GA, where he can usually be found gaming, eating ice cream, or both—when he’s not writing. 1 The Beginning of the End I can’t believe I survived sixth grade. This entire year almost blew the gauge on the Suckage Meter. But I made it out in one piece (barely), and now I’m going to use summer break to set my world back in order—or I’m at least going to try my best. Kids pour down the sidewalks outside Palm Vista Middle, flooding the air with shouts and laughter, energy renewed by the official start of summer vacation. My best friend and I stroll alongside each other at a slower pace than usual, drinking in the drastic shift in atmosphere. No mountains of homework, no waking up early to get to school on time—summer break has finally arrived in Palm Vista, California. I don’t remember ever liking this place. The last truly exciting thing to happen here was when the highway strip mall got a GameStop and a Cold Stone in the same month. Last summer, I emailed Guinness World Records to nominate Palm Vista as Most Boring Town in US History. They never wrote me back. There’s not much to do here unless you’d enjoy an arcade with prehistoric machines that eat quarters like popcorn or a movie theater with musty, creaky seats and stale candy. My hometown sits smack-dab between San Diego and Los Angeles. Two places I’d rather be any day—but my preference would not be San Diego. I have zero desire to be near Dad or his “new family.” I slide my backpack around and peek inside the front pocket. The small white envelope is still safe and sound. I know, I know: carrying these tickets around is pointless. The concert’s a week away, and I still haven’t mustered the courage to ask Sky to go with me. But keeping the tickets close helps me hold o