Phoney Bone has most of Barrelhaven fooled into thinking he's a mighty dragonslayer, in this fourth book in the series (originally published in comic-book form). Meanwhile, the evil rat creatures, pawns of the hooded one and the Lord of the Locusts, have drawn the townspeople into war. The humor and action will leave fans satisfied, but the plot will likely confound first-time readers.

Gr 4 Up-This book will no doubt please fans of the series, but the plot is somber and often drags, and the humor is too easy, too sparse, and not dry-witted, as in earlier titles. What the story lacks in plot, it makes up for in character development; there are back stories about Thorn; Gran'ma; and a mysterious, new, hooded dark leader; and the relationship between Fone Bone and Thorn deepens. While the series as a whole has appeal to both young and old alike, the dark images and light violence in this title might be too intense for some younger readers.-Scott La Counte, Anaheim Public Library, CA Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.