From Publishers Weekly
This prequel to Sleator's open-ended thriller, The Boxes, answers almost all the questions readers of the first book might have had about the pathetic, crab-like creatures and (heroine Annie's) mysterious, ageless Uncle Marco. Though missing the uniquely creepy horror elements that characterize many of Sleator's novels, the book is riveting for the ethical dilemma it poses: 12-year-old adventurer Marco and his psychic, hyper-sensitive sister, Lilly, find a strange tunnel in their basement. Inside is another world, and a group of odd, blind, religious beings, "shiny, purplish creatures... like insects with six limbs and ridged, carapaced heads," telepathically contact Lilly. They say Lilly is a "medium" who can help them complete a dangerous ritual to appease their malevolent god, "The Unknowable." Should the children help, and at what cost to their own impoverished family? Might the creatures be lying for nefarious ends? More satisfying than its predecessor, and full of strange and startling details, this curious fantasy will spark readers' imaginations and send them right back to The Boxes for a glimpse of Marco's future. Ages 10-14.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Gr 5-9-A good choice for readers who enjoy The X Files or creepier episodes of Star Trek. When Marco's younger sister Lilly discovers a hidden tunnel in the basement of their house, she is too frightened to enter it. But 12-year-old Marco likes to travel and see different things: to him "millions meant distances-and if you're thinking about distances, millions means going very, very far away." He follows the tunnel from Earth to a different world and is drawn into the alien inhabitants' struggle to propitiate their Lord, a powerful, sentient space/time phenomenon called a naked singularity. Time passes far more quickly on Earth than on the alien world, and Marco's visits are overshadowed by his urgent need to get home before too much time passes. While these concepts are not new in science fiction, the suspense of Marco's race against time, the well-paced unfolding of the mysteries of the alien world, and the general mood of foreboding make for a compelling read. Marco is a substantial protagonist; the other characters, while less well-rounded, are convincing enough to advance the story. The book is a successful prequel to Sleator's The Boxes (Dutton, 1998), but also stands on its own.
Beth Wright, Fletcher Free Library, Burlington, VT
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
