Assorted Mythology Books

In the sequel to Anne Ursu's The Shadow Thieves (reviewed on Wednesday, June 13, 2007), Charlotte is uneasy. Having defeated Philonecron in his attempts to steal shadows from all the children in the world to make an army, she worries that he will not rest quietly, and she's right. However, after her escapades, she has been "super-mega-grounded", is in therapy, and is dealing with her parents mistrust.

Her cousin Zee has moved to the US, and she's glad to have him nearby, since he is the only one who understands the adventure she was on and the threat the Greek gods still pose to the world. When he starts acting strangely, she starts to investigate. Things come to a head when she goes on a history cruise with her parents and ends up having to save the entire ship from being fed to a monstrous sea creature.

Like the first book, what makes this story is Charlotte's attitude and fresh voice. Sure, she's fighting evil that threatens the planet, but first she has to convince her parents to let her out of her room. This was very enjoyable. The Immortal Fire is due out on June 9, 2009.


Geraldine McCaughrean's Heroes series are all very good. She has a way with telling all of the nitty-gritty details about the myths (yes, Hercules murders his wife and children), but doesn't do it in an overly sensational way. Titles include Perseus, Theseus and Odysseus. Must have books for your fans of Riordan's The Lightning Thief.