The Dark City

Gr 5 Up—In this quartet opener, Galen is a relic master who has recently lost his powers, and he must rely on his apprentice Raffi, whose mystical abilities are still developing. They are sent on a quest by a bandit lord who wants them to find a nonhuman Sekoi thief in exchange for the return of a precious relic. The Sekoi seems to be traveling to the city of Tasceron, which has been plunged into perpetual gloom. Galen hopes to find a cure for his condition in this city that was once home to the relic masters and is now a stronghold of the Watch. Along the way they meet Carys, a young woman who claims to be journeying to Tasceron to rescue her father from the Watch but who is in fact a spy. Fisher's flawed characters are more accessible than fantasy heroes with incredible powers. In this moody book full of mist, swamps, and darkness, the threat of the Watch hangs over the secret relic masters and innocent villagers alike. Besides the Watch, the characters face challenges ranging from mystical riddles to fearsome creatures. The author's earlier successes and the general popularity of dystopic fiction should guarantee an audience for this one. On top of all that, it's a great read.—Eric Norton, McMillan Memorial Library, Wisconsin Rapids, WI