The cover of STRIKE THE ZITHER makes it feel like the book will be full of action. I love that a list of major characters is included at the beginning. That makes it so much easier to keep track of who’s who. The character sketches and map that follow are fantastic in aiding visualization. I don’t typically have an issue with visualization so long as a book is well-written, but these features are still welcome additions to supplement my mental images. Right from the start, STRIKE THE ZITHER is interesting and I like the tone of the writing. This is a book I would add to my TBR list. It seems appropriate for the YA target audience.