The Dark Deeps

Gr 6—10—Following a very short respite after his first real spy mission, Modo finds himself using his shape-shifting skills again to ferret out information for his employer, Mr. Socrates. He and fellow agent Octavia Milkweed pose as husband and wife in order to hunt down the unknown "Ictineo." Afraid it might be a potential weapon, they must claim it for Britain before French spies can appropriate it. When their ship encounters trouble, Modo is thrown into the North Atlantic Ocean. Expecting to freeze to death, he is surprised to be rescued by none other than the Ictineo, a very ingenious submarine whose captain is fiercely protecting a new underwater country. Held politely captive in the ship, Modo meets Colette Brunet, a French spy, who fights furiously alongside Modo when the Clockwork Guild attempts to steal their temporary home and eventually escapes with him back to the surface. The second title (Wendy Lamb Books, 2010) in Arthur Slade's riveting steampunk series is narrated by Jayne Entwistle who blithely jumps from one believable accent to another, giving Modo and Octavia suitably stilted British accents, Colette sometimes superior French tones, and the captain a cultured Spanish cadence. Each easy-to-understand voice is distinctive and adds drama to the exciting underwater adventure. A dramatic and superbly read tale.—Jessica Miller, New Britain Public Library, CT