A Killing Frost

October 4, 1999
The trilogy about Australia under siege that started with Tomorrow, When the War Began comes to a thrill-a-minute conclusion as the teen heroes continue their guerrilla tactics against totalitarian foes. Ages 12-up.

June 1, 1998
Gr 9 Up-This is the third installment of the saga begun in Tomorrow, When the War Began (1995) and continued in The Dead of Night (1997, both Houghton). Six months have now passed since an invading army attacked Australia. Ellie and her band of teenage guerrilla fighters are rapidly becoming harder, more jaded, less inhibited. Their plan this time is to destroy the port at Cobbler's Bay, a strategic harbor for the enemy. Throughout most of the book, the young freedom fighters outwit the bad guys and manage to keep just one step ahead of them. Alas, they are finally captured and taken to a maximum-security prison. There they are certain to be sentenced to death for their activities. Good prevails in the end, however. Well, sort of. War is not neat and tidy, and along the way there is a personal tragedy for Ellie's gang. This sequel is less taut, less compelling, and grimmer than the other books, but it is still an action-packed, enjoyable read. Readers will be lost, however, if they have not been introduced to the characters in the earlier books. Furthermore, the Australian slang (even with the help of a glossary) can be daunting. As in the other titles, Marsden poses several questions-about right and wrong, the nature of evil, and what human beings are capable of enduring under extreme circumstances.-Roxanne Burg, Thousand Oaks Library, CA

May 15, 1998
Gr. 7^-12. This third in a planned series of seven books finds a gutsy group of Australian teens still resisting the enemy that has overtaken and begun colonizing their country. Holed up in Hell, a "wild basin of rock and bush," the band of five--two boys and three girls--launches guerrilla attacks, blowing up bridges and rescuing Kevin, a friend captured earlier. The focus here is on their most dangerous plan, the sinking of a container ship in Cobbler's Bay thus disabling the wharf's--and the enemy's--capabilities. Marsden crafts one of the most exciting and harrowing sabotage sequences in YA literature as Ellie, the elected scribe for the group, and Homer stow away in an empty container that eventually is loaded on the ship. The readying and detonation of their homemade bomb and Ellie's terrifying escape from harbor waters as helicopters and gun boats dog her will grab even the most reluctant reader. One cannot help but be struck by the delight and respect that Marsden holds for teenagers. One also cannot help but be aware of the gender equity he subtly espouses. In spite of the fact that Ellie narrates the story, it is obvious that she is the leader because of her courage, stamina, and innate brilliance. In fact, as the tension builds, readers will forget that she is female; she is simply a brave person fighting for her life against incredible odds. Although this particular title stands alone, don't buy it unless you're prepared to stock "Tomorrow When the War Began" (1995), "The Dead of Night" (1997), and any other titles in this riveting adventure saga. ((Reviewed May 15, 1998))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1998, American Library Association.)