Sage Alexander and the Hall of Nightmares

Copling, Steve. Sage Alexander and the Hall of Nightmares. Book 1 of the Sage Alexander series. 2017. 416p. ISBN 9781612549422. Available at FIC COP on the library shelves.

Sage has heard all his life from Leah, the fairy that guards him, that he is the boy of prophecy, who will save humanity from the perils of the seven Princes of Hell, also known as the seven deadly sins of envy, greed, gluttony, lust, pride, sloth, and wrath. Unfortunately for him, no one else in the world sees Leah. Growing up was thus very hard, with Sage constantly talking with someone his mother, father, and brother Nick could not see. Thinking him delusional, Sage had to undergo treatments and eventually had to deny that Leah even existed. Despite her best efforts to train him, Leah has thus far failed to adequately prepare the boy for the role he is called to play.

Sage knows he is not alone in the world. There are others like him, members of the Council, who seek to vanquish the Princes. But he has never met any of them. Most descendants of angels and humans relationships possess one Trait, a power they can use to defeat the dark hordes. A few are blessed with two Traits, while only one or two individuals throughout history have had three Traits. Sage will eventually have all of them. Right now he has Pathfinder, the ability to track and see Where the Dark ones have travelled, and Fighting Arts, which make him a deadly sword fighter. However, Sage has not taken his training seriously, and has been slacking the last few years.

His father has been working on a large business deal and has been absent for most of the year, creating marital strains and harming his relationship with his kids. All he can talk about is this deal, that will set up his family financially. When he returns from one such trip, Sage is startled to see his face turning golden, and small wings sprouting from his back. Suddenly Sage realizes that he has just acquired Clarity, the ability to see clearly the Dark Ones and their influences. His father clearly is under the sway of Mammon, Prince of Greed. All of the tales that Leah have told him are true, and now Sage is unprepared to protect his family. When people around him are revealed to also work for the Council, Sage is assuaged that he is not going crazy, but none of them are willing to help him save his father. Alone, except for his guardian fairy, Sage decides to embark on a quest to find the thirty-two Council members who have disappeared in the last thousand years. Saving them from the Dark Ones would provide him with an army to assist him. Yet the road is fraught with dangers, and ultimately Sage will be the one who must confront Mammon in a battle only one will survive...