WREN'S QUEST

This sequel to Wren to the Rescue (1990) finds plucky Wren and Princess Teressa pursued by another sorcerous villain, with the magic of Wren, Prince Connor, and apprentice Mage Tyron barely adequate to overcome their new enemy, Hawk. Meanwhile, Wren learns the identity of her parents; Connor discovers his heritage as a wild, intuitive magician; and Tyron (like Wren in the earlier book) spends time as a dog. ``Hawk doesn't think anyone will figure out his plot,'' remarks Tyron near the end, and so much is going on here that readers may feel the same: a lost family, people turning into fish-folk, kidnappings, villains, and more. Still, there's a lot of camaraderie, as well as budding sexual tension and never-a-dull-moment momentum. There are also enough new leads for several sequels. Maybe next time someone will turn into a cat. (Fiction. 12+)