The Dragon Page is pleased to present a guest review by science fiction author Lynda Willams, creator of the Okal Rel Universe and EDGE SF author
R. Patrick sets a brisk pace for surreal adventure in Prisoners Under Glass. Losing her mother under mysterious circumstances, in Venice, is only the first of Rachel Windover’s problems. There are tropes as old as literature here, such as the evil stepmother, and characters as trendy as a mathematically gifted girl (Justine) with never a hair out of place. Spectacle plays a role in the action, from sightseeing in Venice to the evil Lilah’s impossible red car and a passage through a frightening underground passage to find the truth and free the prisoners of the title, including Rachel’s mother. Naturally, saving the day is all up to the children and the bizarre members of the team they assemble for the quest. Rachel’s chum Sam is a big help, and the source of many humorous exchanges. Humor and larger-than-life exaggeration is a lively theme throughout the book.
Young readers who love big, bold action, boisterous high jinks and bizarre images, all mixed up with a bunch of people prone to snappy dialog learning to rely on each other in life-and-death situations, will get a kick out of Prisoners Under Glass.
Prisoners Under Glass by R. Patrick
Publisher : ScrollPress (September 15, 2005)
Paperback : 276 pages
ISBN-10 : 0973542225
ISBN-13 : 978-0973542226
