The Shibboleth

Gr 9 Up—While normal people are "incarcerado"—trapped in their own bodies—likable protagonist Shreve Cannon is not. He is, however, trapped in a psychiatric ward after having a psychotic episode upon being recaptured at the end of this trilogy's first novel. His best friend, Jack, has been taken by their nemesis, Mr. Quincrux. The three possess extraordinary abilities, aka "the shibboleth." Jack has the ability to fly, and Shreve is able to enter the minds of others and is capable of traveling over space while never leaving his body. Shreve escapes to try and find his friend and to discover the ominous messages sent to him from a mysterious Entity via "Riders" who can also hijack others' bodies. The protagonist is an admirable survivor, and his abilities have grown stronger, but he is caught once again. Once in the remote Montana wilderness, he is introduced to the Society of Extraordinaries, who are being kept by Quincrux as part of a government program. Like the X-Men in Marvel Comics, the young people he meets have various powers and are known by fitting code names. Fans of The Twelve-Fingered Boy (Carolrhoda Lab, 2012) will enjoy meeting these new characters and will reconnect with Shreve as he recounts his adventures with acerbic wit. Jacobs's writing is engaging, and the novel contains realistic, mature language. The cliff-hanger ending will leave readers eager to find out Shreve's role in defeating the Entity as it awakens.—Sherry J. Mills, Hazelwood East High School, St. Louis, MO