A character's quote is an apt description for this crowded fantasy set in 1930s England: "The whole thing's a bit barmy . . . We've got wild beasts and lost tunnels and ancient Phoenician boxes filled with scrolls that aren't written in Greek." Ian Wigby and friends are orphans living in the Earl of Kent's Delphi Keep on the Cliffs of Dover. Young Theo has always had a gift of premonition, but her skills deepen as the story heats up and two of the evil children, accompanied by hellhounds, chase Ian and his gang. Theo sees Hitler's rise looming on the horizon, as well as details of the coming adventure that takes the children to Morocco to seek a missing treasure. The exciting action is dragged down by too much exposition, which Ian overhears while eavesdropping. Fantasy fans who enjoy an endless parade of close escapes will look forward to the sequel, which will hopefully bring a more tightly written story of perilous treasure hunting.

Aspiring explorers Ian and Theodosia, orphans in 1930s England, discover they're destined to fight evil after a cave exploration brings hellhounds to their door. The novelty of a nurturing orphanage and the meshing of Greek mythology and a pre-WWII political landscape are interesting, but extensive explanatory dialogue drags down the plot.

A tedious, overstuffed addition to the crowded field of juvenile fantasies. Ian is the archetypal Plucky Orphan Lad, adventurous, rule-bending, devoted to his loves-her-like-a-sister Theo and with a knack for conveniently overhearing crucial conversations. When a forbidden excursion unleashes a hellhound upon 1938 Dover, sinister forces begin to circle about in a way that threatens Armageddon. Can our daring Hero, his intrepid Best Chum, the Girl with the Narrative-Advancing Visions and their various one-note Adult Accessories possibly collect sufficient plot tokens to Save the World (or at least kick off a series)? Rather than carefully craft a realistic world with a consistent magical aspects, the author chooses to throw prophecies, extrasensory perception, Greek mythology, gypsy fortunetelling, Druids, crystal vibrations, elemental thaumaturgy, Nazis, pseudo-scientific technobabble—everything but vampires and space aliens—at the story, in the hope that something might stick. Ludicrous historical blunders and a tin ear for period British usage don't help, but the real failing is the lumbering pace, as potentially suspenseful episodes are dragged down by exhaustive descriptions of generic minutiae. Unnecessary. (Fantasy. 10-14)

Gr 5-8 The orphanage at Delphi Keep is a great place for Ian and Theodosia to grow up. They love exploring the tunnels all around the White Cliffs of Dover. One day, they happen upon a silver box in one of them. When Ian wedges it free from the sand, a vicious hell-hound, the servant of an evil sorcerer, begins to chase them. The two soon find themselves embroiled in a wild adventure involving a prophecy foretold by the oracle Laodamia about the coming of the Nazis and the end of the world. It hinges on an old legend about the Demogorgon fathering four children who control the elements and who are bent on destruction. Now, the two children, along with their friend Carl, their teachers, and an old antiquities professor, must race against half-demons and piece together the clues of the prophecy. If they don't find several important objects mentioned in it, the world could be destroyed. While the story begins well and has several breathtaking action sequences, it quickly meanders and loses steam. Laurie has too many plot strands to tie together and she does so haphazardly, leaving the story overloaded with characters, especially villains. The characters themselves seem more like archetypes than real people, and the dialogue is sometimes unrealistic. With an overlong, complicated plot and long stretches of low action, the story is unlikely to find a wide audience. Necia Blundy, Marlborough Public Library, MA

While exploring one of the many caverns near the English orphanage where he lives, thirteen-year-old Ian Wigby discovers a small treasure box that contains the writings of an ancient Greek prophetess by the name of Laodamia. This unusual discovery lands Ian, his sister Theo, and his new friend Carl right in the middle of an epic adventure involving mythological beasts, an ancient feud, and of course, the fulfillment of a long foretold prophecy. Theo's own talent for prophecy becomes stronger and attracts the attention of Demogorgon, the god of the underworld. Demogorgon is also familiar with Laodamia's prophecies and fears that Theo and Ian will thwart his rise to power. He consequently sends his evil henchmen and vicious hellhounds after the pair. Complicating matters is the shadow of the German threat as World War II looms. Laurie's world draws from the language and legends of Greek mythology, but it is very differently imagined. The characters are poorly developed, although subsequent books in the series might help round them out a bit. The familiar plot of an orphan boy on a heroic quest is fast-paced and full of enough mystery and intrigue to keep readers turning pages. Fans of Nimmo's Charlie Bone series will likely enjoy the adventures of another group of children with special powers.ùHeather Christensen.