Secrets of the Crown

August 1, 2011

Gr 4-6-In this sequel to The Familiars (HarperCollins, 2010), the traitorous rabbit familiar Paksahara has gained control of the Shifting Fortress, enabling her to cast powerful spells; in her bid to overthrow humans, she has eliminated their ability to do magic. Animals retain their magical ability, so familiars Skylar the blue jay, Gilbert the tree frog, and Aldwyn the cat set off on a journey through strange and exotic lands to find the Crown of the Snow Leopard, which will allow them to locate the Shifting Fortress. The cliff-hanger ending ensures at least one more installment. The writing isn't the strength of this book-characters are painted broadly and tend to make pronouncements in pompous fantasy-speak. However, the familiars' adventures are exciting, and the revelations about Aldwyn's long-lost parents are touching. Fans of the first book will be pleased, and the story will also appeal to readers of animal fantasy series like Erin Hunter's "Warriors" (HarperCollins) and Kathryn Lasky's "The Guardians of Ga'hoole" (Scholastic)-Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 15, 2011

This series' second installment is a spiritless conglomeration of fantasy tropes.

Human magic is kaput, so the three loyals (human children) stay home while "the Prophesized Three" familiars--Aldwyn, Skylar and Gilbert--take center stage, journeying to fulfill their destiny. Skylar's an illusion-casting blue jay, Gilbert a tree frog who occasionally sees visions in puddles, Aldwyn a telekinetic cat descended from a tribe "whose mental powers extended beyond that of mere telekinesis, to firestarting, mind control, and astral projection." Except for the fact that Skylar flies and Aldwyn walks on all fours, they barely show animal traits; it's easy to forget that these protagonists are animals at all. What's harder is to think of any fantasy motifs that don't appear. Danger is frequent but never actually dangerous (lose a finger? No worries, it'll regenerate a couple pages later). Protective magic is overly convenient, solutions are too easy and a supposed surprise turncoat is telegraphed all along by his name, which starts with the syllable "Mal." Even cartoon physics works here, sadly without irony or winks: An illusory bridge over a chasm "can even fool gravity and the laws of nature" as long as the familiars "don't question its existence." Frequent double-description makes the pace drag ("He felt drops of water running down his face. He was crying").

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