WILD BORN

The appearance of the Four Fallen Great Beasts in Erdas signals the re-emergence of an evil power long forgotten.

In the tradition of Erdas, four 11-year-olds are given Nectar, a substance designed to help them call their spirit animals. Conor, an indentured servant, calls Briggan the wolf. Uraza the leopard answers the call of the young warrior, Abeke. Jhi the panda comes to Meilin, the daughter of a Zhongese general. Rollan, a poor street urchin, calls Essix the falcon. With the assistance of the Greencloaks, a powerful but secretive order, the four must learn to bond with their spirit animals, drawing strength and wisdom from their gifts. Their mission is to retrieve the talismans from the other Great Beasts before the Devourer can regain power and destroy the world. Constructed in the tradition of The 39 Clues, this fast-paced new series will be penned by various well-known authors. Unfortunately, flat characters and a predictable plot are evidence that this first installment lacks Mull’s usual creativity and humor. A companion website promising a multimedia experience invites readers to be paired with their own spirit animals.

Should satisfy readers hungry for a new fantasy series.