Bemis continues to mine rich elements of folklore and tall tales in the second installment of the Clockwork Dark series. Ray and those he joined to fight the evil Gog have established a haven in the Great Smokey Mountains. However, there is little time for domestic tranquility and still much to do to keep the evil unleashed at bay. Ray has come into his own as a Rambler, a heroic role shared by his father. This means he will have to journey to investigate the darkness emanating from Gog’s still-threatening machine. His sister is convinced their father is still alive and assumes a more integral part of the story. Their friend Conker, the son of John Henry, feared lost, may have survived and could still retrieve what they need from the legendary Wolf Tree. Multiple threads of plot keep the action moving, and the large cast of characters, both realistic and mythic, sometimes challenges readers but is ultimately successfully managed. Aspects of various cultures are woven together, giving the narrative a unique yet grounded flavor. (Steampunk. 9-12)
