THIEVES LIKE US
by Stephen Cole
Indiana Jones–style archeological adventure meets modern technology when “cipherpunk” Jonah joins a gang of teenaged crooks. Wealthy criminal mastermind Coldhardt sends his gifted young criminals to bust Jonah out of jail, and doesn’t leave him much choice about joining in their quest to steal the elixir of eternal life from an ancient tomb. The thieves, ranging from 14-year-old lock-picker Patch to 20-year-old security guru Motti, are a motley crew of gifted outcasts; as Patch says, it’s as if they are a crooked version of the X-Men. Coldhardt has formed the teens into the only trusting family any of them have ever known—but has he only done it to exploit them? Can Coldhardt be trusted, or is he sleeping with the enemy? Paced like an adventure film, this is a solidly entertaining adventure, replete with hypnotism, Egyptian gods and snakes, and well concluded for possible sequels. (Fiction. 11-14)