Kalifus Rising

Gr 6–10—This sequel to The Red Sun opens with hero Sam stranded on Orkney while his friends Howie, Keely, and Leo have returned home to Midgard (21st-century Earth). Prophetic dreams prepare them to be sucked back into the alternate realm where Odin rules, and upon arrival, each of the three is given a special name and a task to complete to prevent Sam from being compelled by the evil witch Catriona to accept the dark side of his magic and use it to kill Odin. Enemies close in; Howie, The Protector, tries to use his new skills to ensure that the witches don't obliterate the city. Keely, The Seeker, must find the Moon Pearl before engaging the Varin frost giants—but, more important, she must find a way to free her own benign powers. As The Sacrifice, Leo must enter the underworld, where circumstances force him to free Loki as part of the setup for the next installment. Despite the author's preference for short, choppy sentences, the story rises above the technical drawbacks, and readers will be intrigued by the friends' quests. Familiarity with the previous novel is essential.