Firebrand: An Elemental Novel

Gr 7–10—At the end of Elemental (Dial, 2012), Thomas was focused on defeating pirate captain Dare and his crew, and saving the Guardians-the colonists of postapocalyptic Roanoke Island-during a hurricane. Now that this task is accomplished and the storm has passed, the teen and his friends find themselves scrambling to escape as their enemies try to retake their ship. Thomas uses his newfound Element-supernatural powers derived from the elements-to channel energy into the ship's radio and hear a message directing refugees to Fort Sumter. Their journey down the coast of a plague-ridden U. S. is fraught with peril. But life at Fort Sumter is not ideal, either. While the adults are losing their powers the further they are from home, Thomas and his friends still have theirs, and try to keep these abilities hidden. Thomas struggles with trust in Chief, who runs the Fort, and his people. A dangerous mission out of their new home reveals who they can and cannot trust, and an enemy from the past reappears. The adolescents gain a better understanding of their unique abilities and the vastness of the country, and the way they adjust to these facts is realistic. The ever-present worry of contracting the Plague, along with the mystery of whether the protagonist's brother is the cure to the pandemic, adds tension to the story line. The fast-paced action is balanced throughout, and the cliff-hanger ending will leave fans waiting impatiently for Thomas's fate.—Kelly Jo Lasher, Middle Township High School, Cape May Court House, NJ