The Shadow Mask

December 1, 2012
Newly orphaned, forced to live with an uncle he never knew he had and trying to cope with a strange new ability to hear the past, Leo's suffering more than normal teen angst. Leo Lomax and his brother, Hollis, were first introduced in Sound Bender (2011), in which Leo discovered how to experience other dimensions simply by touching key objects. Uncle Crane is determined to use Leo to his own ends, counting on Leo to find rare objects of antiquity that he can convert to hard currency. It doesn't matter that Leo wants no part of it; Uncle Crane will force his compliance by separating him from his younger brother, his school and all his friends. Leo finally agrees to help find a missing tribal mask but only if Crane agrees to finance a search in Antarctica to find out what really happened to Leo's parents. The result is an immediate departure for the deep jungles of Borneo, where he finds a lot more than he bargained for. Leo's character has matured, and this sequel is better than its predecessor. However, the adventure remains murky and not all that intriguing, although the brief attempts at humor help to move the story forward. It's clear there will be a third installment, which may help to clarify what all the fuss is about...or not. (Science fiction. 10-14)

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June 1, 2013

Gr 4-7-In this high-action sequel to Sound Bender (Scholastic, 2012), Leo Lomax, who possesses the ancient power of "sound bending," is able to touch an object and hear what has happened to it in its past. The 13-year-old's Uncle Crane, who is mad at Leo for foiling his last evil scheme, sends him to public school in New York City in an attempt to separate him from his brother and friends. As Leo discovers that there may be more to his parents' mysterious Antarctic disappearance than originally thought, Crane manipulates him into helping him find the other half of a priceless mask. Traveling to Borneo, Leo must conceal his motives from everyone he cares about and decide whether he will use his gift for good, or for gain. This title has a distinctively different feel to it from the first. In many situations, it seems like the authors have taken elements of different genres and put them in a literary blender. The book begins with school, family, and friend issues; starts to evolve into a government spy conspiracy; and moves on to a young Indiana Jones-esque, paranormal hybrid as Leo explores tribal Borneo. It's not until the last third of the book that the voice and theme start to solidify and things become interesting-bordering on gripping. Despite the eventually compelling plot, the lack of cohesiveness and a cast of flat, stereotypical characters limit the audience. Fans of the first book will be impressed, but this one is unlikely to bring in anyone new to the series.-Devin Burritt, Wells Public Library, ME

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2012
Grades 5-8 In this follow-up to Sound Bender (2011), evidence that his parents may still be alive prompts Leo Lomax to strike a devil's bargain with his guardian, a slimy antiquities dealer. Using his psychic ability to hear artifacts, Leo reluctantly leads an expedition into Borneo in search of the long-lost half of a valuable, ancient mask. Bullies, grave robbers, peer and family conflicts, jungle adventures, tantalizing hints of both espionage and a mythical lost civilization, and more overstuff this patchy sequel but leave plenty of unresolved plotlines for future episodes.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)