THE WHITE HORSE TRICK

Starting at the ending and ending at the beginning, Thompson's latest Liddy-family romp in Tír na n’Óg (The Last of the High Kings, 2008, etc.) lives up to the highest expectations and brings back familiar friends from both worlds, from Aengus, the Dagda and the puka to Jenny, J.J. and Mikey. The tale begins in a dystopian future, when climate change has wreaked havoc. The raging weather has fundamentally changed society, and communities exist as virtual islands in medieval conditions. Donal Liddy thinks he has a solution, but power players in both worlds are more intent on satisfying personal goals than looking after the good of all. Jenny and J.J. grasp onto the "white horse trick" as a possible creative solution to their difficulties. The humor in the telling, the high stakes and the absolute adherence to the rules of the world previously revealed keeps the suspense level in the stratosphere. As one character after another acts with complete, independent consistency, never bending to the demands of the plot, the author’s prowess is increasingly evident. Fast-paced, masterful and wholly satisfying. (Fantasy. 12 & up)