Reviews

A crop of sequels and series additions greet fans this fall. Australian author John Marsden's The Other Side of Dawn brings his Tomorrow series to its dramatic conclusion. Bestsellers in Australia, the seven-book series revolves around a dwindling group of teenagers fighting for their lives and Australia's survival against a brutal invading army. Here, as the war enters a final phase, the dangers for narrator Ellie and her friends seem greater than ever. Who among them will find a lasting peace?

Gr 9 Up-This final installment in the series takes place approximately one year after Ellie and a group of friends became reluctant guerilla fighters in the war that broke out while they were on a camping trip in the Australian bush. The teen and her surviving friends are asked to conduct raids and sneak attacks on the enemy, creating confusion among their troops at a critical point in the fighting. In spite of the great danger, they agree and the action intensifies. Ellie, the narrator, is a strong female character and the weight of her leadership responsibilities and the urgency of the situations the group faces are vividly conveyed. The action sequences are gripping and there is an expected amount of violence. The confusion, depression, and tensions that follow the end of the fighting are also realistically depicted. The book can stand alone, but the many references to the action and characters from the earlier titles make it a better choice for those already familiar with the series. Purchase where the previous books have been popular.-Michele Capozzella, Chappaqua Public Library, NY Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.