THE SHATTERED HORN

Aliens help talking animals defend their earthly forest home from merciless villains in Benjamin’s middle-grade fantasy.

The purple, elf-like Keidon and his robot companion, Sirius (who resembles but is absolutely not a dog), are on a mission. Hailing from planet Veetox, the two have searched five other worlds for intelligent life and so far have had no luck. Then, they land in forested Shamwood on Earth and find themselves in the company of woodland animals who, unexpectedly, can talk. At first, the animals and their de facto leader, the human wizard Gladwin, believe Keidon and Sirius are spies for the evil King Zomak. As it happens, the alien visitors can provide aid in the ongoing war against Zomak, who has soldiers and the wicked sorceress Morguel on his side. The king is not above using blatant threats, kidnappings, or Morguel’s mind-control powers to get what he wants, but the greatest concern is the Horn, which must be periodically sounded to preserve Shamwood’s enchantment. If Zomak and Morguel get their hands on that magical item, “Shamwood will never be the same again.” Benjamin’s lighthearted tale is a genuine delight. The animals showcase a variety of personalities, including a resilient stag and a brave field mouse. Dogs Lily and Flip are standouts—Lily is seemingly fascinated by the metal, doglike Sirius, making Flip more than a little envious. The narrative feels like a series of subplots—the Horn thread, while absorbing, isn’t quite as exciting as some others, including one in which Sirius turns up missing. Still, the fusion of SF and fantasy elements works wonderfully; Morguel may terrorize her foes with her powerful magic, but Keidon’s laser gun is just as formidable, especially in its ability to turn anyone or anything into harmless balls (and back again).

An exemplary multispecies cast steers this diverting, magical, genre-bending adventure.