This is
perhaps the not so eagerly anticipated second book in the trilogy known as Beyonders. Beyonders are people come from
a different world. In this case, teenagers Jason and Rachel are from U.S.A., our
world, and they found their way into the world of Lyrian. It was entirely by
accident. Jason was eaten by a hippo and Rachel followed a butterfly through an
archway. The first book is about their quest to find their way back home and defeat
an emperor along the way. That book was called A World
Without Heroes. At the book’s conclusion, Jason was forced to
return home. He had acquired important information that would aid in the fight
against the Emperor Maldor.
Book two begins with Jason at
home trying to reintegrate into family and school life. The hardest part for
him was explaining where he has been for the past four months. He had received
a concussion prior to his disappearance, so when he says he has no recollection
of the last four months, it is accepted. But even more difficult… he doesn’t
want to stay. He feels compelled to return to Lyrian to share the vital
information he acquired as well as rescue Rachel. So Jason makes a habit of
hanging out at the zoo by the hippo enclosure. Fortunately, the hippo entrance
works twice!
Right away, Jason runs into an old friend, Tark. Tark is being shadowed
by a lurker, but as soon as Jason arrives, the lurker transfers its attention
to Jason. Lurkers are in the pay of the emperor. They have the ability to
infiltrate your mind. If the emperor so requires, they can also kill you. Tark
realizes Jason’s importance to the cause – defeating the emperor – and sends him
in the right direction to find safety as well as a protector. Tark agrees to
deliver Jason’s message to the Blind King and the friends make plans to meet up
at a future point. Thus begins the first of many journeys.
Jason heads one direction with the lurker on his tail. He acquires an
unusual bodyguard and is cornered by an old acquaintance. The acquaintance is
Ferrin the Displacer who is looking to recover his hand. Jason is carrying it
in his backpack. They have been keeping in contact with each other through the
appendage. But Ferrin is untrustworthy – he works for the emperor. The
bodyguard is Aram the half giant and I won’t spoil his secret for you here.
The book continues in similar fashion. Old friends are found. New
friends are made. The lurker is ever present. Once they reach their
destination, they are directed to travel to a new one. Old friends are found.
New friends are made. They find a way to block the lurker. They reach their
destination, and are given a new mission. Action and battle ensue along the
way. Monsters attempt to eat them. Spores infect them. Zombies, yes, zombies, chase
them. Not impressed with the zombies.
The ending was so unmemorable that I had to read it twice. The cast gets a bit unwieldy. There wasn't as much Jason or Maldor in this installment, but Rachel and the Blind King just became more interesting. If you are a diehard follower of high fantasy, Beyonders is
modern, tween/teen Lord of the Rings.
Personally, this is that awful second installment in many planned trilogies.
The first was better and I hope for a rousing finale. However, this author’s
original series, Fablehaven, is so far and away better; I will encourage
you here to read it instead:
1: Fablehaven
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