The fire eternal

Gr 5-8-In this sequel to Fire Star (Orchard, 2007), university student David Rain has disappeared on a research trip to the Arctic and is presumed dead. His landlady, Liz Pennykettle; her daughter, Lucy; and his girlfriend, Zanna, mother to his five-year-old daughter, are devastated. Lucy is convinced that David is not dead and is determined to find him. She contacts a local journalist, Tam Farrell (read Lin?) to help her. Her potter mother's clay dragons are real and can come alive. Meanwhile, powerful alien beings called the Fain, who use mind control to gain power, have returned to Earth. They had used this planet as a breeding ground for dragons, but all of the original dragons have been destroyed except Gawain, who lies sleeping in a rock waiting to be awakened to activate the Fire Eternal, or creation force. An evil offshoot of the Fain, the Ix, wants to harness the force for evil. Wise polar bears, an ancient witch/raven, a shape-shifting cat, Arthurian imagery, and a terrifying "darkling" all contribute to a wild, sometimes confusing ride. Threats of global warming and ecological disaster frame the action. Readers will need to read all of the books in the series in order to grasp the evolution of the plot. The characters, with their various magical abilities, are well drawn, and the collection of G-named clay dragons, each with a special job, provides a whimsical touch. A worthy addition to books on dragon lore.-Quinby Frank, Green Acres School, Rockville, MD (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.