ATLANTIS LOST

The conclusion to the Atlantis trilogy.

Opening with an accident that completes the destruction of the veil that separates the spirit and mortal worlds, one-dimensional villain Narkazan gnashes his tusks and prepares to launch his attack against rival spirit forces that include immortal Promi and his family. Elsewhere, Promi frets: he still hasn’t declared his love to Atlanta. When news of Narkazan’s gathering forces reaches Promi and his family, he decides to travel to Atlantis to save the powerful, magical Starstone from Narkazan’s henchmen—and to confess his feelings to Atlanta—rather than stay and fight Narkazan in the spirit realm. Meanwhile on Atlantis, Narkazan unleashes a giant toadlike creature that will eventually consume all creatures on Earth. Expository dialogue refreshes readers’ memories of the events that lead up to this final chapter, and overwrought, cliché-ridden prose carries it along. Since Atlantis’ eventual outcome is foregone, the suspense lies not so much in the battle between good and evil but rather in how immortal Promi will resolve his love for the mortal Atlanta. Human characters are largely described by hair and eye color, leaving readers to infer that they are white.

While Barron makes that final choice a hard one, the problems seen in the previous installments also haunt this final volume, making it one for committed fans only