THE HOUSE ON FALLING STAR HILL

Long on inventive details, if short on internal logic, this sweeping tale, set largely in an alternate world whose inhabitants ride oversized pigs and birds rather than horses, colorfully opens a (probable) new series from the author of Witch Trade (2001) and its sequels. Tim and his little dog Josh fall through a “starway” into the land of Tallis, where they join efforts to stymie an evil Great Duke’s takeover plot. Much traveling atop pigs and battle cockerels ensues, punctuated by encounters with a bad warlock, benign enchantresses called “chanters,” little people, gypsy-like Gurneys, clouds of deadly spores, immense flying trees, and more, until events wind up to a climactic duel. Molloy shoehorns in superfluous subplots, leaves such mysteries as how plants in Tallis could bear fruits but no flowers unexplained, and leans heavily on arbitrary magic and other contrivances to keep the plot moving. But move it does, as he takes his young adventurer through plenty of dangerous situations, gives him loyal companions of both sexes, saves some revelations for the end, and finally brings him safely home. For some readers, that may be enough. (Fiction. 11-13)