December 1, 2007
Gr 7 Up-Matthieu, 11, and Madeleine, 13, children of the heir to the throne of Verdeau, are captured by Turga, the pirate lord, and taken to be sold at auction. When his ship reaches the Baskir harbor, he discovers that the town has been besieged by a mysterious and fatal illness called the "Gray Veil." Turga moves on to his stronghold to wait out the epidemic, but not before some of his men bring the disease back with them. In the meantime, the children's father has organized a rescue party that includes Gabrielle, the half-elf healer; her husband, the elf Féolan; and the mysterious Tarzine dancer, Yolenka. Posing as itinerant traders, they reach Turga's hideout to discover that Madeleine has contracted the disease. Yolenka provides a distraction to help her escape, and Gabrielle races against time to unlock the secret of the Gray Veil, only to be confronted with the discovery that Féolan, too, is sick. At first, readers unfamiliar with the previous books will have a difficult time making sense of who is who. Once past the opening section, however, they'll find the rescue thrilling, and the suspense is real and heartrending. There is some weakness in the writing, particularly in the dialogue of the "foreign" characters, who speak in a syntax that is perilously close to stereotypical Native Americans in old Westerns. That said, this is an adventure that will not disappoint fans of the series."Tim Wadham, Maricopa County Library District, Phoenix, AZ"
Copyright 2007 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
November 1, 2007
Bennettsthird novel about young healer Gabrielle, following The Bonemender (2005) and The Bonemenders Oath (2006), ushers the heroine and her elf husband F'olaninto a dangerous adventure. The couple seek Gabrielles niece and nephew, who have been kidnapped by pirates, but their rescue is complicated by a deadly plague outbreak. Fast-paced and absorbing, this short novel wastes little time on backstory, concentrating instead on creating a brisk plot for returning readers to savor. The happy ending will serve well either as the finale to the series oras alead-in to another adventure.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2007, American Library Association.)