The Prism Blade: Passage to Mythrin

I enjoyed the first installment of the PASSAGE TO MYTHRIN series, THE RUBY KINGDOM, but I was fascinated with this second installment, THE PRISM BLADE. Amelia, who came to live with her cousin and grandmother in Dunstone, Canada, in the first book, is about a week away from leaving to go live again with her parents in Vancouver. It is summer and hot. Amelia is excited to see her parents but doesn't want to move. She is still dreaming about being with Mara, the dragon she met in the previous book. Simon and Ike are practicing to compete in the Weird Games, a competition that is a big thing in the Dunstone community. Amelia wakes up one morning convinced that Mara is in trouble. She tells Simon and his bud, Ike, and they go looking for another portal to take them to Mythrin. There they meet a race of humans who are being threatened by the dragons and vice-versa. They are both looking for a weapon that was lost eons ago that can defeat dragons. It is called the Prism Blade. Amelia, Simon, and one of the Mythrin humans, Pier, come back to Dunstone and, low and behold, the blade is there. Then begins an adventure to compete in the Weird Games, find the weapon before the other side does, and to either destroy or use the weapon on Mythrin. THE PRISM BLADE is a well-written book with well-defined characters. The Weird Games are interesting and funny. One of the dragons comes to Dunstone and takes the shape of a teenage punk kid, and he is very interesting. The lesson learned is that of home is where your heart is, and that it can also be in many different places. A truly wonderful lesson. I enjoyed this episode of the series very much. Thank you, Ms. Bow. Reviewed by: Marta Morrison

This is a fast-paced, suspenseful adventure. Kids will be delighted with the resourceful young heroes and the equally clever intruders; they'll especially enjoy the teenaged dragon: and the fact that the adults in this novel never get in the way of the action. Adults will appreciate the thoughtful characterization of humans and dragons alike, the way in which Amelia and Simon have to deal with issues of loyalty and identity, and that what violence does intrude is lightly handled. A good read for all ages.

I was happy to find that enjoyment of the book does not depend on having read The Ruby Kingdom (first book in the series). The three young human heroes - Amelia, Simon, and Ike -- are fully drawn and have distinct and engaging personalities. My favourite character was the "teenage" dragon, Ty, and I hope that we will read more about him in the next book of the series. While I did not find the Casseri people to be as interesting as the dragons, the conflicting rights of both sides were skillfully presented. The writer does a wonderful job of moving back and forth between the mythical dragon world Mythrin and sleepy small town Dunstone, all the while weaving a suspense filled plot with a satisfying conclusion. The Ruby Kingdom