The Secret Fire

April 1, 2016
The third book in the middle-grade Secret Box series culminates the adventures of Jax, Ethan, and Tyler as they try to keep the magical urns of Faith, Hope, and Love from falling into the wrong hands. Picking up from the cliffhanger ending of The Secret Cipher (2015), 13-year-old Ethan, his older brother, Tyler, and their new friend, Pyrrha, are attempting to retrieve the urn of Love from Boston's Museum of Fine Arts when their cousin Jax, waiting outside, is kidnapped by the villain Ricardo, introduced in Book 2. Ricardo, actually an immortal named Epimetheus (and Pyrrha's father), wants all three urns in order to erase Zeus from humankind's history through domination of the mortal world. Why he wants this is revealed to Tyler and Ethan when they go to the Realm of the Gods and meet Pandora, Epimetheus' wife. It is a back story that is both poignant and thought-provoking, and it adds a fine emotional nuance to the overall narrative. Following the previous books' formats, the story is narrated in the first person by Jax and Ethan in alternating chapters. While Ethan's shy, insecure, but loyal character comes through strongly, Jax's irreverent voice is sometimes watered down by too much information delivery. Rich in adventure and Greek mythology, and with an ending sentiment that is thoroughly wonderful, this tale is a satisfying conclusion to the series. (Fantasy. 8-12)

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May 1, 2016

Gr 4-6-The concluding volume in the trilogy starts off exactly where The Secret Cipher left off. Jax has been kidnapped by Ricardo, an immortal who is seeking the urns of Faith, Love, and Hope to eradicate Zeus from history. One of these urns is currently in the possession of Tyler and Ethan, Jax's cousins. All three main characters have funny, distinct voices, conveyed through first-person narration. This is a perfect series for young readers not quite ready for the works of Rick Riordan. Newcomers may want to start with The Secret Box, as there is little background given about the first two books. Fans will be exhilarated and sad to see this smart, witty, and exciting series end.

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