Mystery and magic abound in P.W. Catanese’s latest offering, Happenstance Found (The Books of Umber). A boy awakens in a dark tunnel under a ruined city and realizes that he has no memory and no idea who he is or where he came from. A voice in the darkness hints at his future, and then he is found by 3 adventurers: Lord Umber, Sophie and Oates, and together they escape from the worm in the tunnels and the erupting volcano that buried the city long ago.
Once they’ve escaped they return to Umber’s home and there Hap learns how amazing the adventurer Umber really is. But his memory loss, a mysterious note the voice in the cave left for Umber, and a terrifying pursuer keep Hap confused and feeling isolated as he trys to figure out who he is and what Umber has in store for him. Other mysteries and dangers lurk just beneath the surface – the sorceress who used to rule the city; enemies inside the kingdom; and most unsettling of all, Umber’s own past and the source of his “inventions.”
Told with great imagination, quick pace, and engaging characters, the adventures in this first Book of Umber are more than enough to draw readers into the world and leave us amazed and waiting for more.
- Posted by Cori