MAGICKEEPERS

Though grounded in Russian history and stocked with the customary swords, magical artifacts, a prophecy and shadowy foes, this fantasy earns style points for being set in modern Las Vegas—in a hotel whose residents include polar bears, giant Siberian tigers and Princess Anastasia herself. To this hotel comes 13-year-old Nick Rostov, discovering to his amazement that his dad may be just a second-rate stage magician, but the horde of cousins on his dead mother’s side are real ones, hiding in plain sight as performers in a world-renowned show that uses actual magic. Nick turns out to be a powerful spellcaster—good thing too, as the Magickeepers are locked in a struggle for power with a clan of Shadowkeepers lead by none other than the cruel, scary Rasputin. Female characters seem bland next to the colorful, distinctive males, but everyone has active roles to play, and Kirov gets Nick through the climactic confrontation on quick wits as much as magical talent. A pleaser for fans of Michael Scott’s Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series. (Fantasy. 11-13)