The Dark Planet (Atherton Series #3) »

Patrick Carman's previous books in the Land of Elyon series (The Dark Hills Divide, Beyond the Valley of Thorns, and The Tenth City) have all been New York Times bestsellers. Patrick worked in advertising for a decade and has also created board games and launched several businesses.

After journeying to an unfamiliar land where air is nearly unbreathable and light stings like shards of glass, Edgar must navigate the deadly forests--full of creatures far more frightening than anything he has seen on Atherton--and join the child workforce of Silo #7, the site where Dr. Harding (the mad maker of Atherton) was raised. In the final thrilling chapter of this epic triology, we meet an engaging new cast of characters and Dr. Harding's ultimate plan comes together in an incredibly satisfying conclusion.

VOYA

Edgar, rock climber and boy hero of utopian world Atherton, again finds himself in peril in this third book of the Atherton series. This time Edgar traverses the dangerous fissures of his home in search of answers about himself, his creator Dr. Harding, and a way to help the Dark Planet. Things are very bad indeed on Dr Harding's birthplace, where terrifying beasts hold dominion over the forest and a few humans struggle for survival in a fortress called the Silo. The Silo doubles as a Dickensian orphanage and sweatshop for tween waifs who toil and manufacture an odd, powdery food source. When Edgar sends a cryptic message to his friends Isabelle and Samuel, they embark on a journey of their own to the center of Atherton. This series installment does an adequate job of combining the incongruous elements of science fiction action-adventure with budding romance and grueling child labor. The author thankfully reigns in his predilection for explaining his players' every thought, emotion, and motivation, which ruined prequel Rivers of Fire (Little, Brown, 2008/ VOYA October 2008). Sadly the intriguing minor characters take a backseat to an abundance of flat and uninteresting major characters, including the protagonist. Despite the novel's cool creatures and action sequences, readers just might not care what happens at the end. Those who make it that far will be even more disappointed at the lackluster and somewhat silly finale. This purchase is not essential unless Atherton fans are chomping at the bit to discover the fates of Edgar and the gang. Reviewer: Angelica Delgado