Ascension

February 4, 2002
This imaginative debut book in the Water fantasy series stars an appealing, strong-willed 16-year-old who dreams of ascending to the Low Council that, conjointly with the High Council, rules Atlantis. Nia aspires to become an Avatar like her grandfather, one of 10 mermyds who pair off with a highly intelligent alien Farworlder to govern their underwater city. But Nia's Bluefin clan chooses Garun, her "hardly noticeable" cousin to represent them in the Trials, the contest to select a new council member. And Nia soon learns that her underwater city "is not quite the perfect and open place it seems." First, Nia discovers a secret prison holding an Avatar and his Farworlder, then she realizes that her grandfather is manipulating the trials in Garun's favor. Dalkey's intriguing marine world brims with descriptions of Atlantis and mermyd life, including details of the Trials and the ceremony joining Avatar and Farworlder—not to mention the mystery surrounding Garun's likely ascension to the council. Some of the plotting, however, seems truncated next to all this exposition: for example, the alliance between Nia's boyfriend, Cephan, and the imprisoned Avatar could have been more clearly drawn, and readers never learn why Nia's family opposes her entering the Trials. Perhaps more will be revealed in the next installment, Reunion
(due in April), but even given these vagaries, readers will relate to the heroine, from her jealousy of Garun to her excitement at seeing Cephan. There is enough intrigue right to the finish to keep this story afloat. Ages 12-up.

March 1, 2002
Gr 6-9-In this first of a projected trilogy, Dalkey takes readers under the sea to Atlantis, where merfolk live in the shelter of the great city. Atlantean society functions via a caste system and a complicated set of rules, aided by the presence of the Farworlder Kings, who each bond with a mermyd, referred to as Avatars, to help rule. Nia, 16, hopes to be selected by their clan chief to participate in the trials to choose a new Avatar, but to her horror, her boring cousin is given the honor. To pass the time until the trials are complete, Nia continues her job guarding the baby Farworlders, who resemble squids, and flirts with a handsome mermyd from the wrong side of the filtration tunnels. In this book, Dalkey seems to have lost her ability to make the fantastic leap off the page and appear possible. While Nia comes across as a teen who doesn't communicate well with her parents, the rest of the characters are flat. Even Cephan, her love interest who is predictably treacherous, lacks oomph. The plotting is fairly straightforward, but the inclusion of the Farworlder Kings and the details of the initiation seem overly convoluted. To muddy the waters even further, Dalkey is so earnest in her explanation of how Atlantis functions that her descriptions read more like a textbook than a finely crafted story. Give Dalkey's Heavenward Path (1998) and Little Sister (1996, both Harcourt) to readers who crave a taste of truly magical fantasy.-Patricia A. Dollisch, DeKalb County Public Library, Decatur, GA

Copyright 2002 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2002
Gr. 7-10. Sixteen-year-old mermyd Nia has always dreamed of becoming an Avatar and helping to rule the city of Atlantis. She's obviously qualified, so she's stunned when she's not chosen to compete for the honor. Seeking an explanation, she finds more than she bargained for, including something she didn't know about herself. Fans of fantasy looking for a satisfying, quick read will like Dalkey's picture of an exotic undersea world and its daily life (including a somewhat odd ceremony during which mermyds exchange body fluids with the alien Farworlders), as well as the pleasing amalgamation of mystery, romance, and magic. Nia is a lively, likable character who learns that appearances can be deceiving and that knowledge can bring unexpected responsibilities. The melodramatic, somewhat vivid cliffhanger conclusion, with knives and swords and killing and heroism, is too rushed, but it sets things up nicely for the next episode.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2002, American Library Association.)