THE BOY FROM ILYSIES

Taking up where Libyrinth (2009) left off, the spotlight of this sequel falls on Po and his difficulty adapting to the new culture rising from the life-changing Redemption. Po comes from a female-dominant culture: He’s hostile to men, protective of women and naïve about the motives and manipulations of others. After one transgression too many, he joins a quest searching for an artifact that will restore ecological balance to the deteriorating environment. While its predecessor examined religious/political belief systems, this volume explores differences among the various groups’ gender and sexual mores. Po becomes sexually active and makes dangerous mistakes before changing (quite realistically) his point of view and behavior. Sympathy for Po will carry readers until the excitement and suspense of the quest take over. Themes of abuse of authority, the nature of prejudice and the power of the written word remain from the first book—but with tricky and interesting twists. Background information is skillfully integrated into the plot in this clever, thought-provoking book that has appeal for fans of serious science fiction and fantasy. (Science fiction. 13-15)