The Crystal Key: The Dream Rider Saga, Book 2 The engrossing second installment of Douglas Smith’s Dream Rider Saga trilogy sees his superhero teen protagonists, Will, Case and Fader, searching for an ancient artifact. Finding it might help explain the disappearance of Will’s parents, but sinister intruders in his home seem to be searching for something. Is everyone after the same prize? Who will find it first?
Only a few weeks have passed since millionaire teen Will met street kids Case and her brother Fader in a series of adventures in modern-day Toronto and a parallel world of dreams. A hidden object in Will’s skyscraper home saved them then, and his domineering guardian may know more about it than she’s willing to admit.
Meanwhile, the arrival of a sword-wielding, masked woman looking for a crystal key coincides with dramatic changes in the trio’s special powers. Is the key connected to their abilities and to Will’s past in Peru? Add to the mix a mysterious cult whose members dine on scarab blood while their leader, the Chambelán, uses song to manipulate others to search for the key, and all the elements of adventure are neatly brewing.
In these pages, Smith continues to demonstrate an ability to expertly weave multiple complex fantasy elements into a cohesive whole. Will, Case and Fader step beyond the dream world into a “multiverse” of parallel existences. They have a new adorable canine assistant in the form of the spirit dog, Jack, and a helpful dose of sarcasm is supplied by grumpy reporter Rani Patel as she becomes embroiled in their world-hopping adventures.
With a measure of tension in the romance between Will and Case, the continued deepening mystery about events in the past, and the teens’ growing supernatural abilities, this fast-paced story delivers in a big way—and Smith has all his ducks lined up for an explosive conclusion that readers won’t want to miss.
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