  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 02/15/2011 Best known as the author of the popular Fablehaven series, Mull offers a new fantasy adventure, in which Jason and Rachel, two American kids, are separately drawn into an alternate world called Lyrian. They want to return home, but they don’t know how. Aided by Rachel, the Blind King, and other allies, 13-year-old Jason undertakes a quest to discover the magical word needed to overthrow Maldor, Lyrian’s evil emperor. The two teens set out to find the word’s closely guarded syllables while thwarting the maneuvers of Maldor’s crafty, vicious minions. Headlong adventure scenes, inventively conceived creatures, and surprising plot twists all figure into the mix as Jason and Rachel make their way through this treacherous world. The book’s conclusion is not so much an ending as a respite before the beginning of the sequel. Readers seeking character-driven fiction should look elsewhere, but those drawn to long, action-filled fantasies may want to try Mull’s latest. - Copyright 2011 Booklist. Bulletin for the Center... - 03/01/2011 Jason’s having a fairly ordinary day until a mishap at the zoo where he works lands him in another world. There he eventually comes upon a strange museum-like structure, where his adventure begins to take shape, and he discovers that he is the hero called to the world of Lyrian to find the word that will cause the unmaking of the despotic wizard emperor. Joined in his quest by another traveler from our world, Rachel, and a series of human and wizard-born helpers, Jason travels to remote and dangerous spots where the various syllables of the word are kept hidden, only to find that the emperor has been the orchestrating hand behind the journey all along. Though he’s tricked into returning home, Jason is determined to rejoin Rachel and finish what he has started. Mull’s world-making and character crafting are superb, both in Jason’s life prior to his entry into Lyrian and throughout his subsequent adventures. The vividly depicted fantasy landscapes are integral to the quest in its various phases, and Jason and Rachel emerge as at once ordinary and believably brave and heroic. The wizard-born species feature traits and abilities that are useful, if a bit grotesque, but they’re a crude lot against the manipulative, seductive logic of the enemy emperor; Jason and his companions may be courageous and resilient, but they are opposing a cruel, incisive genius. The adventures that constitute the quest seem straightforward on the surface, if difficult, but the twist that they have all been part of a distracting game sets up an emotional enticement for Jason to return to Lyrian and depose this evil leader and for readers to wait breathlessly for the sequel. KC - Copyright 2011 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. School Library Journal - 03/01/2011 Gr 5–8—Jason Walker is a typical 13-year-old, doing his best to fit in with friends in Vista, CO. His internship at a local zoo puts him in close contact with wild animals. Unbeknownst to him, the zoo contains a portal in the hippopotamus tank. One day, the portal, exuding whimsical music, lures him in, and Jason is immediately transported to a new world called Lyrian. In this epic tale that's filled with adventure on every page turn, Jason initially tries desperately to discover a way to get home to his parents and his previous life, but as his journey continues, he finds himself drawn into the political unrest of an empire ruled by a powerful and sinister wizard. Tortured and neglected members of society hope Jason will be their hero and save them from Maldor. The teen befriends the desperate citizens of Lyrian and commits to taking down the evil emperor. Jason's journey will require readers to think hard about life's unpredictable nature and the difficult decisions that must be made. It also touches on finding trust in others and the importance of asking for help. While there are a few places where readers need a little more detail between one scene and the next, this book is highly recommended for those fantasy-hungry readers who frequent the stacks.—Kathryn Kennedy, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA - Copyright 2011 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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