Bound To Stay Bound

Bulletin for the Center... - 06/01/2013 The FBI is using time-travel technology to hide witnesses in the nineteenth century until they can be safely returned for trial in the twenty-first, and Chevie Sovano, a seventeen-year-old agent, has been temporarily assigned to the Witness Anonymous Relocation Program in London and charged with the tiresome job of keeping watch over a long-disused portal. It’s on her shift, though, that a pair of men come plunging through from 1898-assassin Albert Garrick and his reluctant young apprentice, Riley, who had been caught in the act of murdering a scientist, and not just any scientist but one who possessed a Timekey. Riley makes it through unscathed, but Garrick has melded with expiring time-traveling scientist Dr. Smart: now Garrick has all the cunning from past career as an illusionist, all the darkness of his assassin’s heart, and all of Smart’s knowledge of the twenty-first century. Sounds like the kind of evil guy who’d use his attributes to rule the world, and it’s up to Chevie and Riley, who head up this new series, to stop him. Our teenaged heroes are a likable pair and a canny tag team, but it’s the villains who shine in this series opener. Garrick is blackguard enough to anchor the drama single-handed, but even he is upstaged at points by Otto Malarkey, king of the Battering Rams street gang, and Tibor Charismo, a Victorian cultural celebrity credited with writing the James Bond novels (Commander James Bond of Her Majesty’s Navy) and composing Pinkus Floyd’s Another Brick in Yonder Wall. Riley and Chevie part company at tale’s end and return to their home centuries in triumph, but a minor character emerges from the murk to indicate that W.A.R.P. has depths still to be plumbed in Book Two and beyond. Artemis Fowl (BCCB 7/01) fans will cheer to see Colfer return at the top of his game. EB - Copyright 2013 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.

Booklist - 05/01/2013 Magic and murder kick off this new series about former illusionist Albert Garrick and Riley, his 14-year-old apprentice. Add in Chevie Savano, a 17-year-old FBI agent with a chip on her shoulder and a fierce determination to prove herself, and the stage is set for a fast-paced thrill ride. Garrick makes use of magician’s secrets to carry out his nefarious tasks, and the FBI employs WARP technology to conceal people in a truly secure witness protection program—the past. Unfortunately, not all of those who are hidden have learned their lesson, and the stakes are amped even higher when Garrick manages to transport himself into the future. By setting the story in both present day and 1898 London, award-winning author Colfer is able to explore the intersection of magic and technology in a clever, double-pronged way. Fairly gruesome murders and mutations, as well as alternating time periods and points of view, keep the action moving. Everything is tied up sufficiently at the end, but Colfer leaves a few threads that can be pulled to further the universe of this fascinating high-octane thriller. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: A new series by the author of the internationally best-selling Artemis Fowl books? Yes, please. - Copyright 2013 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 07/01/2013 Gr 8 Up—Seventeen-year-old FBI agent Chevron Savano thought her time in London would be an exercise in boredom, but between dead scientists, scrappy would-be assassins, and a malevolent Victorian illusionist, boredom may be the least of her worries. The FBI's Witness Anonymous Relocation Program (W.A.R.P.)-where time travel is used to hide witnesses in other times-has gone horribly wrong. Fourteen-year-old Riley must kill or be killed by his assassin master, but the teen is spared when his target turns out to be from the future and he's inadvertently transported from Victorian times to present-day England. Unfortunately, the orphan's murderous master, Albert Garrick, follows the boy, and his trip through the portal gives him knowledge and abilities that only make him more dangerous than ever. Garrick will do everything in his power to reclaim his apprentice and the Timekey that Chevie possesses. This science-fiction thriller provides readers with a breathless ride through modern and Victorian Londons as these two resourceful teens struggle to stay alive and one step ahead their pursuer. This offering is darker, bloodier, and much more serious in tone than the author's popular "Artemis Fowl" series (Hyperion). It may not be for the faint of heart, but the intricate plot, strong writing, and intrepid characters who must survive by their wits will make it hard to put down. Readers who enjoy Anthony Horowitz's "Alex Rider" series (Philomel) and Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan (S & S, 2009) are sure to enjoy this nonstop adventure.—Stephanie Whelan, New York Public Library - Copyright 2013 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

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