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Archibald Lox and the Empress of Suanpan by Darren Shan (view source)
Revision as of 14:37, 1 September 2020
, 14:37, 1 September 2020no edit summary
{{infobox1|title=Archibald Lox and the Empress of Suanpan|sort=Archibald Lox and the Empress of Suanpan|author=Darren Shan|reviewer=Jill Murphy|genre=Confident Readers|summary=This second instalment in Shan's new series is even more pacy and exciting as the first but takes the time to develop both plot and character in satisfying ways. Archie is beginning to be recognised as a locksmith of huge talent but he's also got to find his courage...|rating=4.5|buy=Yes|borrow=Yes|pages=155|publisher=Home of the Damned|date=March 2020|isbn=B086LLRZFH|website=www.darrenshan.com|video=DPzlOISwfbA&t|cover=B086LLRZFH|aznuk=B086LLRZFH|aznus=B086LLRZFH}}
If you haven't read the [[Archibald Lox and the Bridge Between Worlds by Darren Shan|first book]] in this series, look away now! There may be spoilers!
Archie continues to develop both his locksmithing skills and his courage and we see the beginnings of a character with a destiny. I like Archie. His impulse to do good is borne from the loss of his foster brother in a tragic accident and he's taken on some guilt over this, which he longs to purge by standing up to be counted and to do the right thing. It's tremendously engaging and sympathetic. The overall arc of the story continues to be a mystery - what is Inez's mission exactly? What is Archie's role? Who wants to stop her and why? - but we can feel it being subtly hinted at as we read.
Of course: recommended. Right. I'm onto [[Archibald Lox and the Vote of Alignment by Darren Shan|book three]]. I'll be back with a review once I'm done!
If you enjoy stories of parallel worlds, you might also like [[The Nowhere Chronicles: The Double-Edged Sword by Sarah Silverwood]], which features knights with double-edged swords!
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