Ironhand

June 1, 2008
Gr 5-9-In this sequel to "Stoneheart" (Hyperion, 2007), George, 13, Edie, 12, and the Gunner continue to flee from the Walker, a man cursed to walk the Earth forever, and from "taints," evil, soulless statues. George has accidentally upset the balance in this alternate London, a place where statues can get up and roam. Edie is kidnapped by the Walker, who wants to use her talents as a "glint," someone who can touch stone or metal and see into history, and to lure George into his malignant grasp. Meanwhile, the Walker has also dumped the Gunner, a World War I statue and self-appointed protector of the children, into the depths beneath the city. If the Gunner cannot return to his statue base by midnight, then he will never walk off his plinth again. George, alone and confused by his new status as a potential "maker," someone with the ability to create statues, sets out to rescue Edie and keep the Gunner from losing his "life." "Ironhand" is a well-written, fast-paced, and suspenseful fantasy. Fletcher successfully draws readers in with action and a continuously developing backstory for each of the characters. However, though the author includes a brief overview of the first book, this one does not stand on its own."Jessica Miller, New Britain Public Library, CT"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2008
Starting up just minutes after the events in Stoneheart (2007), for which a synopsis is included, this even scarieradventure plunges George further into the world of walking, talking, battling statues. When George, Edie, and the Gunner are separated, their experiences unfold in alternating, cliff-hanger chapters that will leave readers breathless. Georges story is particularly vivid, involving three veins, one of marble, one of stone, and one of metal, that appear on his arm and threaten to pierce his heart. Readers sympathies for these characters will deepen asthesignificance of the war between the taints and the spits comes clear in this arresting sequel.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)