THE WEB OF FIRE

Sam and Skipper are back in this sequel to The Dreamwalker’s Child (2006). They’ve been gone from Aurobon for several years, and in their absence, the evil Vermian Ruler Odoursin has marched his evil storm troopers across the plains, capturing Vahlzi, capital city of the resistance. Relying on advanced technology, he hopes to take over not only Aurobon, but the parallel world of earth, wiping out the human race in the process. Ruthless forces clash with those who stand for right over might. Scientists grapple with whether they should invent new weapons, just because they can. And Sam and Skipper race to save the day while wondering where they’ve been between wars—and where they will find themselves when this one is over. This outing does not match the first in richness or imagination, relying on a swift pace and some snappy dialogue to move the reader along. Still, it’s nice to revisit the original characters, even if they do not seem to have developed any new dimension. One can only hope that if a third installment is in the works, it will return with the richness of detail that made the first so interesting. (Science fiction. 12-15)