The Fallen Prince

February 1, 2016
A parallel-dimension-jumping cyborg soldier must make questionable alliances to save her country from an existential threat in this sequel to The Almost Girl (2013). Coming shortly after the duology's new publisher rereleases the first book, this completes Riven's story. Riven has been searching the parallel (normal) Otherworld for nearly a year, trying to find her villainous, mad-scientist father to bring him to justice, when the Guardians, who prevent dimension-crossing, catch up to her with an important message. Her king (and love interest), Caden, has crossed over and needs to speak with her. After a series of bad decisions, Riven learns that Faction leader Era Taylor has been abducted (and rescued), her home city, Neospes, is under organized attacks from the organic-android hybrid Reptiles, and a hidden city on her world is offering help but at a price--a political marriage for Caden. Oh, and they need her father's help. What follows is a dangerous mission to secure the alliance and discover the source of the Reptile troubles, though readers will learn that the villain responsible is obvious long before being revealed. Some double-crosses are effective and cyborg interfacing cool, but inconsistent characterization and baffling decisions weaken the plot--as do cartoonish villain monologues. The story strengthens as it goes on, though, and offers a solid conclusion. Popcorn fiction at best. (Science fiction. 12-18)

COPYRIGHT(2016) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2016

Gr 9 Up-This is the second formerly defunct Strange Chemistry series to be republished and continued, this time by Sky Pony Press. The first volume, The Almost Girl, appeared back in 2013 and introduced readers to Riven, a 17-year-old girl who arrives on Earth from a parallel world that is dying from a war with androids. Riven is a Legion General, a high-ranking official in Prince Cale's army, and she was not too happy to be sent to Earth to find Cale's long-lost brother, Caden. Riven found herself in a totally different world that she was unprepared to navigate as she was forced to set aside her training as a soldier in order to blend in and act like an average human girl. The second book opens with Riven coming to terms with her true identity-she is such a good soldier because she is a human with cyborg DNA flowing through her veins. Thinking that her home of Neospes is in good hands now that the rightful ruler has been reinstated, she leaves to hunt down her father and make him pay for his crimes against her people. The heroine learns that not all is right in Neospes-that the army has been annihilated and no one is left to stand up against the new threat but Riven and her estranged father. However, her father demands her complete surrender to him in exchange for his help. Will she choose to save herself or give in to her father and save her people? Hand this lesser-known series to fans of "The Hunger Games" and "Divergent" who are still looking for new dystopian battles to get invested in.

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.