Rivers of Fire (Atherton Series #2)

by Patrick Carman

Overview

Atherton was once a magnificent three-tiered world, but few inhabitants know the truth of its dark origin: it is a giant man-made satellite, created as a refuge from a dying Earth. Now this strange place is torn apart--its three lands, formerly separated by treacherous cliffs, have collapsed and collided. But a gifted climber and adventurous orphan boy, Edgar, is determined to discover the secret of Atherton's survival, and embarks on a life-or-death quest to find its mad maker.

In bestselling author Patrick Carman's rich and riveting follow-up to The House of Power, an extraordinary world meets its destiny in an epic and unforgettable rebirth.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316032353
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	05/01/2008
Series:	Atherton Series , #2
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Lexile:	920L (what's this?)
File size:	1 MB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

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. He is also the Creative Director of pcstudio, a packager and pioneer of the multimedia "vBook" (video+book), a format launched in 2009 with Skeleton Creek. He recently authored the fifth title in Rick Riordan's 39 Clues series, The Black Circle.

Editorial Reviews

Gr 6-9

Atherton was once a place of order and structure, with its people divided by geography and social class. Edgar, an orphan boy from Tabletop, has discovered that Atherton is a man-made satellite created as a refuge from a dying Earth, predestined to change and evolve. At the Highlands, the uppermost tier, are the ruling class who control the water supply, while the middle tier villagers provide the food. At the lowest level live frightening creatures. After severe seismic shifts erase the boundaries between the sections of this shared world, the residents are forced to become one people as their world is altered and chaos threatens to overtake them. Determined that the planet and its people survive, Edgar's quest leads him to incredible discoveries about his relationship to the planet and to its creator that makes for an exciting, introspective journey. Jonathan Davis's smooth and unhurried narration draws listeners into Patrick Carman's science fiction novel (Little, Brown, 2008), the sequel to House of Power (Little, Brown, 2007). He conveys the heroism, selflessness, courage, and profound sadness that are characteristics of the various main characters. This complex and entertaining story will captivate a wide audience of listeners, but will be most appreciated by those who have read the previous title.-Margaret Auguste, Franklin Middle School, Somerset, NJ

School Library Journal

Carman continues the story he began in Atherton: The House of Power (2007), depicting a world created scientifically as an alternative to its ecologically failing parent planet. The sequel completes the violent metamorphosis that provided a dramatic climax for the first book. A verbal sketch of the world and a list of characters precedes the narrative, bringing series readers up to speed and allowing new readers to dive directly into the story. The fast-paced and suspenseful plot takes place on the planetoid's surface as well as in its bowels. In alternating narratives, readers follow the adventures of both the population above ground (who wrestle with massive environmental disaster) and the small group of key characters, which includes Samuel and Isobel, two of the three child heroes, who struggle to escape before the world's environmental transition traps them below. There's a lot to like in this science-fiction adventure-danger abounds, science seems to have run amok and a neat (but not too neat) ending ties up most of the loose ends. (Science fiction. 9-12)

Kirkus Reviews