Lord Tophet

Starred review from May 26, 2008
The “infinite bridge spirals of Shadowbridge” cover a watery world full of enchanting stories, the wonderfully eerie environment for this stirring sequel to 2007's Shadowbridge
. Gifted shadow puppeteer Leodora, who disguises herself as a man to perform under the name of Jax, finds herself whisked away to the nebulous afterlife called Edgeworld. When the gods return her to the town of Colemaigne, blighted by soul-devouring Lord Tophet, her presence restores it to its former glory, restoring buildings and drawing the adoration of the populace. Tophet, “the embodiment of Chaos,” furious at finding his curse has been broken, sends his sinister Agents after “Jax,” not realizing a mere girl is the legendary puppeteer. Frost brings the charm of an ancient storyteller and the wit of a contemporary tale-spinner to this dramatic tale, effortlessly manipulating his troupe of mortals and immortals and bringing the truths and myths of Shadowbridge equally to life.

July 15, 2008
On a world where lands are connected by mysterious bridges across vast oceans, Leonora is a puppeteer and storyteller, a vocation practiced only by men. Because of this, Leonora must pose as a boy while avoiding pursuit by agents from her family's distant past. The author's ability to portray both compelling characters and otherworldly images adds depth and emotional impact to this gracefully written sequel to "Shadowbridge". For most fantasy collections.

Copyright 2008 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2008
In the satisfyingly multilayered sequel to Shadowbridge (2007), Leodora returns from the Dragon Bowl changed to find the blight on Colemaigne lifted. The theater in which her father last performed is whole again, and its owner gives her the stage to bring stories back to a span long lacking them. Leodoras traveling companion, Soter, starts revealing her parents fate, and, still pursued by the terrifying archivists, still seeking stories, Leodora travels beyond any span she knew to the truth about her parents and the creature responsible for the devastation of Colemaigne. Frost ties up loose ends without losing the seductive open-endedness of the storytellers saga.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)