Lost Souls

Gr 4—7—This first book in a trilogy, which takes the Maya 2012 apocalypse prophecy as a central plot point, is surely intended to appeal to fans of Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" books (Hyperion), but that series is funnier and far less murky. Nathan has been picked by the Maya god Kukulkan to play a mysterious live-action game (board game included with the book). He isn't supplied with any rules or instructions—all he knows is that the Game is dangerous and the stakes are high. Funny, smart-alecky dialogue and neatly drawn characters are not enough to make up for the book's uneven pace and choppy plot. The disjointed action takes place in dreams, in waking dreams, and finally in the real world, but the transitions between these settings are awkward. Nathan's indecision about whether to even play the Game is particularly drawn out and talky, as he is guided and advised by a talking monkey, a dead police officer, the god Kukulkan, and his deceased mother. Screamingly up-to-date, with references to Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, this book may attract readers who are gluttons for adventure, but most of them will be put off by the long periods of inaction.—Paula Willey, Baltimore County Public Library, Towson, MD