City of Death

January 15, 2013
The world turns out to need saving from more than just one menace in this conclusion to Yep's teeming and polymythical fantasy/alternate history/quest/rescue/coming-of-age epic. The long chase has taken young noblewoman Scirye and her motley band of human, dragon and magical animal allies around the Pacific Rim and beyond. It comes to an end (after diverse adventures in Central Asia) in the ruins of remote Riye Srukalleyis (the titular City of Death) with battles against both the evil sorcerer Roland and, unexpectedly, a mountain-sized mud monster. As in previous episodes, quiet moments are rare, fortunes reverse in an instant and new adversaries appear in quick succession. There always seems to be time, though, even in desperate moments, for wisecracks, arguments, explanations, declarations of nefarious intent or ruminative digressions. The result is a relaxed tale with surprisingly low levels of pain or violence, considering all the gunfire and swordplay, and a tidy ending that comes amid a wash of personal conflict resolution. Yep provides only a partial key to the plethora of gods, ifrits, griffins, talking animals, legendary or mythical locations, and villainous types here, but he closes with a list of his multimedia sources. A tongue-in-cheek ramble with frequent opportunities for derring-do and a multitude of supernatural entities more colorful than dangerous. (afterword) (Fantasy. 10-12)

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March 1, 2013

Gr 5-8-If ever a book cried out to be made into a theme-park attraction, it's this one. It moves at a lightening pace and is filled with thrills, chills, a deity or two, seemingly indestructible enemies, magic, mayhem, and surprises around every turn. The heroes have come to Asia to stop the archvillain Roland and the evil dragon Badik from collecting the last of the magical artifacts needed to destroy the world. Scirye is coming back to a home she barely remembers. The good thing is that she is reunited with her parents. The bad thing is that the entire group, including the newest members of the gang-brave but inept teenage magician Maka and her lynx, Tute-are thrust into the middle of nasty royal intrigue. The tender yet sometimes tense familial relationship between Bayang and Leech (and Lee No Cha) continues to evolve; Koko is as amusingly self-involved and smart-alecky as ever; and Scirye proves herself to be intelligent, resourceful, often foolhardy, but indeed heroic, much to her own, though no one else's, surprise. There is a fair amount of violence, but an ultimately happy ending. Fans of the first two books will not be disappointed, and newcomers will have only a little trouble catching up (and will want to read the first two books anyway).-Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library

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