The Sorceress, by Michael Scott

The Sorceress is the third book in the series,The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel.  The first book, The Alchemist, is one of the nominees in this year's Young Reader's Choice Awards (Pacific Northwest Library Association), and as usual, once I begin a story I am easily hooked.  I'd been hoping that this would be a trilogy so I could reach some closure soon, but it appears I'll have a few more years to wait.  There are at least three more books to come.

This is a fairly good teen fantasy series.  The premise is that a technologically advanced race of beings ruled the earth long before humanity evolved and rose to prominence.  Most of these godlike people were banished from the earth, but are attempting to regain power.  The protagonists, of course, seek to prevent this.  The story follows a set of American twins named Sophie and Josh, the eponymous Flamel, and his wife Perenelle.  I've been enjoying the absence of a love story.  I can't remember the last teen story without one, and it's refreshing.  The plot zings along just fine without one.  Once again, I'm also thrilled at the strong female characters amongst the protagonists, antagonists, and supporting cast.  It's a very gender-equal cast, to the point where the twins are equally prominent leads.

A few elements of the story rile my inner literary critic.  I'm impatient with series.  I like reaching the end of a story.  Some series, Harry Potter being an example, treat each book as a semi-independent story, so there's a sense of satisfaction upon reaching the end.  This series, however, leaves most of the plot open at the end of each book.  I feel like I've finished a chapter and now I have to wait a year for the next one.  The second element that irritates me is the suggestion that the current concept of the earth's history is incorrect, and that these powerful creatures have and continue to live on earth without our awareness.  I dislike plotlines that suggest that people are stupid or ignore evidence.  I find it difficult to suspend disbelief for what feels like authorial laziness.  When cameras are everywhere, dramatically magical events and mythological creatures will not go unremarked by mainstream society.