Sunker's Deep

Gr 5–8—Three crises get the action started quickly in this second installment of Tanner's "Icebreaker" trilogy. There's mutiny aboard the Oyster, which strands returning characters Petrel, Fin, Krill, and the captain in hostile territory controlled by a radical sect of Anti-Machinists. The friends' only chance to get back to their ship lies with Sharkey, young captain of a submersible facing troubles of his own: with dwindling resources, he must rescue the last of his people, the Sunkers, from an Anti-Machinist prison. Tanner skillfully weaves the three plotlines together in a tense narrative that not only explores the characters' often conflicting motives but keeps pages turning. Solid structure parallels key elements from the first volume and clearly lays the groundwork for the next book. The action takes place on land as well as in water, giving readers a fuller picture of the characters' stark dystopian world. As the previous book was Petrel's tale, this installment belongs to Sharkey, whose growth from false bravado to true heroism makes him a compelling central character. Suspenseful and thought provoking, this offering stresses the importance of education and knowledge as weapons against fear and tyranny.