Dear Mr. Gratz
Hi.
I like your book. Well, that’s a lie. I love your book. This is The Dragon Lantern I’m talking about, by the way. It’s actually, to me, better than The League of Seven. In case you’re wondering, I read the advanced reader copy that you sent to the advisor of the SMS Guys Read club, BTW he is really awesome and in no way edited this letter before publishing it. He let me read it, and if I had been allowed to bring the book home, I would be finished within a day. Now, I know you’re busy, and I’m not a professional reviewer, but I’m going to give it a shot.
The Dragon Lantern is an exceptional story. I was genuinely interested in the characters, more so than I was in The League of Seven. Never since the original Spider-man comics have heroes shown such emotion, such potential. The conspiracy of Archie’s identity, Hachi’s backstory, and the zombi soldiers pulled me in, but the Mangleborn, FreeToks, and dragon lantern’s horrible powers sealed the deal. From Cahokia in the Clouds to the moving city of Cheyenne, this story showed an exceptional plot. I even almost cried a little! I only know the first chapter of The Monster War, but I’m hooked. I can’t wait to hear the ending. Really. I can’t. Please finish it soon!
From a fan,
Matt Y
A member in good standing of SMS Guys Read
SMS Guys Read 
Dear Matt,
What an awesome review! You should get a job at the New York Times as a book reviewer. Preferably in the next three weeks before The Dragon Lantern officially goes on sale, so you can print a review of it. 🙂 I’m so glad you enjoyed The Dragon Lantern–I like it better than the first book too! (Even though I really, really like the first book a lot.) My favorite characters to write were Clyde and Buster. I don’t want to give away any spoilers here for anybody who hasn’t read The Dragon Lantern yet, but you know what I’m talking about.
The first draft of The Monster War is finished, and I’m editing it right now with my editor! I’m sure Mr. Hutchinson will end up with an advance reader copy of that one somehow too, when the time comes…
Thanks again for the great review, Matt. You’re brass!
– Alan Gratz