Summary:The Shattered Lens

This page contains a chapter by chapter summary of Alcatraz Versus the Shattered Lens. We hope this summary will make it easier to find specific areas of the book, as well as providing a quick plot refresher for anyone who doesn't want to take the time to reread the entire book.

Foreword

The author claims that he is so stoopid that he can't even spell stupid correctly.

• Author's Foreword

Chapter 2

Bastille is doing some weapons training with Alcatraz in the Royal Weapons Testing Facility. He detonates various teddy bears that fling him about the room. Bastille is in a sour mood because she can't participate in the war. Even with their victory over She Who Cannot Be Named and a traitorous Crystin Knight, now that there is no treaty being negotiated, the Librarians are attacking Mokia with full strength. They both want something exciting to happen.

• Chapter 2

Chapter 6

As they look out the window, they see the Hawkwind flying away, the aircraft that Alcatraz's father was getting ready to use for his secret mission. It appears that he has left without saying goodbye.

Back at Keep Smedry, Grandpa reads a note from Attica:

“ To my father and son, I am bad at saying goodbye. Goodbye. ”

— Attica Smedry's farewell note

Bastille is aghast at his cold treatment of his son, and Grandpa tries to cheer him up. Alcatraz knows where he is going: after Shasta to get the Incarna book she stole from the Royal Archives (Not a Library!). Kaz suddenly shows up, covered with soot. He's been lost for a longer time than usual. He comes back with the news that Tuki Tuki, the capitol of Mokia, is under siege, but they already know this. Some of the members of the Council of Kings are dragging their feet (probably due to side treaties with the Librarians) and the Knights of Crystallia cannot get involved in political conflicts. They can only defend Smedry's or monarchs, and King Talakimallo was taken from Tuki Tuki to a safer location. Alcatraz suggests sending someone very important into the battle so the Knights would be forced to go. Bastille smiles, and everyone looks at Alcatraz.

• Chapter 6

Chapter π

Alcatraz barges in on a meeting of the Council of Kings and announces that he wants to take a vacation. After a couple of suggestions, he insists that he wants to go someplace really exciting: Tuki Tuki. Grandpa drops a hint about the Knights having to protect him there, then they run from the chamber. A moment later they find themselves pursued by at least fifty Knights. If they can catch Alcatraz before he leaves, they can lock him up in protective custody. The Knights quickly catch up, so Grandpa joins their side, chasing Bastille and Alcatraz, enabling him to engage his Talent and make them arrive late to the pursuit.

Chapter 4 ½

Alcatraz and Bastille run up a set of stairs. Alcatraz breaks the stairs, keeping the Knights away for the moment, but also trapping them on the upper level. Kaz suddenly appears and tells them there is a vehicle waiting for them at Keep Smedry. Aydee Ecks, another Smedry cousin, is the pilot. The Knights are on them again, having found another way to their level, so Kaz engages his Talent so they can escape. Unfortunately, his Talent has been erratic lately, and they end up in the cave of a baledragon, who starts to attack. Kaz engages his Talent again, and Alcatraz sees a very brief vision of the Incarna wheel. They are now inside the dragon, in its stomach. Kaz transports them to Keep Smedry (after a brief visit to the bottom of the ocean), and they all climb to the top to a waiting glass butterfly aircraft, the Colorfly. They all board her and take off.

Chapter 42

After a supposedly long, exciting, event-filled flight, the team finds themselves hanging upside down from some vines after having been shot down. Kaz scouts the area and finds that they are outside Tuki Tuki. As Alcatraz gathers information on the group's assets, he notices that Grandpa has slipped a couple more pairs of lenses into his jacket: another set of Courier's lenses and a set of Bestower's lenses. Alcatraz uses his boosting power to talk to Grandpa through the Courier's lenses, and he tells Alcatraz that he needs to use the Communicator's Glass in the palace to call the Mokian embassy in Nalhalla to convince the Knights that he's really there. They proceed to the capitol and find three (six, after Aydee counts them erroneously) giant robots and a large Librarian army camped outside. Kaz offers to use his Talent to get past them and the glass dome protecting the city, but Alcatraz has another idea.

Chapter 144

Alcatraz keeps watch, thinking about his father and mother. He worries that he is the reason they broke up even though Bastille insists that it isn't his fault. She teaches Alcatraz a little about the Bestower's Lenses, and he tries them on, causing Bastille to be hungry instead of Alcatraz. He rejoins the group and they start to sneak into the city under cover of dark (the full extent of his plan). Bastille dons her Warrior's Lenses and scouts ahead. She efficiently knocks out two guards. Alcatraz picks up a rifle and inadvertently triggers his Talent, causing the gun to fire. The alarm is sounded.

Act V, Scene III

The Librarians are on full alert, but they are confused as to what exactly caused the disturbance. Alcatraz creates a diversion by firing a whole row rifles using his Talent, but eventually some of the Librarians spot them, and they are attacked. Bastille and Kaz start fighting with their weapons, but Alcatraz feels useless until he remembers that he's wearing the Bestower's Lenses. He focuses on a Librarian and starts punching himself, transferring the effect to the attacker. They manage to break free of the camp and run toward the glass dome, and they are spotted again. The Librarians try to shoot them with rifles, but all three Smedry Talents engage, negating the attack. They reach a glass door in the dome, and Bastille shows them her Crystin blade to prove they aren't enemies. They are admitted into Tuki Tuki.