THE CITY OF DEATH

The nonstop action in this exciting sequel to The Savage Fortress (2012) uses every bell and whistle of the suspense novelist’s craft to satisfy readers—no middle-novel syndrome here.

Ash Mistry escapes tensions at home and in school by returning to India with the half rakshasa Parvati. Their aim: to keep the mystical aastra that is the Koh-I-Noor diamond out of the hands of the evil sorcerer, Lord Alexander Savage. Ash experiences much physical and emotional violence as the tale progresses: danger to his first love, further initiation into the Kali-aastra, betrayal by one of his closest friends and abduction by two man-sized stone monkeys. Characters from Hindu mythology once again play a key role in the narrative. Though the story is set mainly in Kolkata, the city of Kali, goddess of death, the climax takes place off the coast of southern India in an ancient undersea palace. The ending leaves a great many plot threads unresolved, promising a third in the series.

The well-integrated background information, a doomed romance and lots of video game action will keep teens reading and panting for more.