THE RING OF FIVE
From the Ring of Five series, volume 1
by Eoin McNamee
Abducted on his way to a new school and brought to a world under our Earth, Danny Caulfield joins the student body at the Wilson School for Spies and discovers he is the long sought “Fifth” on a team of baddies determined to take over the Upper World. The mood of this story is dark (treachery and betrayal abound), and the central character, Danny, is not totally admirable or always likable. Danny’s fellow students work as supporting characters but are not terribly well developed, and the adults are pure stereotype. Suspension of disbelief comes easily, though, and the plot, which incorporates fantasy, mystery and espionage, careens from breathtaking incident to hair-raising escape to an exhilarating and amusing climax. Clever twists on folk- and religious lore—vixens, dwarfs, Seraphim and ravens with knowledge and power are among the population—add amusing touches to the story and contribute to the worldbuilding. Give this to fans of Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl series and Catherine Jinks’s Evil Genius books. (Fantasy. 11-15)