THE COLOSSUS RISES

The Seven Wonders series debuts with a bang: 13-year-old Jack McKinley will die unless he can locate the magic Loculi containing the ancient powers of Atlantis.

No time for lush descriptions of setting and insightful characterizations here. A belching barefoot giant who looks like a Viking appears on the very first page, and the action begins—a fast-paced, page-turning adventure that quickly takes Jack from Belleville, Ind., to what’s left of ancient Atlantis. It turns out that Jack is a descendant of the lost civilization and has a rare genetic condition that will kill him unless he can tap into the island’s powers. The problem is that when Atlantis was destroyed, its source of power was stolen, divided into seven containers and hidden in the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Finding the powers will not only save Jack’s life, but also give him superpowers. Jack and his new friends Cass, Marco and Aly climb volcanoes, confront a griffin, enter a maze, find a waterfall that gives life to the dead and seek the Colossus of Rhodes. Jack, like his kindred spirit, Percy Jackson, is a good-hearted narrator, unsure of his powers but up to the challenges of his fated journey.

Fans of Riordan, Rowling, and ancient myths and legends will welcome this new, if derivative opportunity for adventure and enchantment.