The Thief and the Sword

April 15, 2015
Grades 6-8 Cleopatra went to a lot of trouble to steal an ancient sword in her first book, Target Practice (2014), but now someone's planning on stealing it back! On top of that, if she doesn't figure out the secret of the time-traveling tablets that brought her from ancient Egypt to a future in outer space, she may never live up to the prophecy naming her savior of the galaxy. Maihack's series has good bones, though it occasionally drags, particularly when it focuses too much on moments of stereotypical teenage-girl school drama. Where Maihack truly shines, however, is in his action sequences. Almost half of book two is one long chase, which allows him to show off his skill with timing. He knows just when to add stillness, allowing the audience to catch its breath for a needed moment before hurtling back to the action. The rich colors of Maihack's art and the unique combination of Egypt and outer space should help make this one a popular choice for readers looking for adventure.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)