This book reminds me a bit of Ursula LeGuin's books, in that there is a distance between the reader and the characters. The story is captivating and the world is created so completely that I feel like I've been there. Most of the time, if characters seem too difficult to relate to or understand I think it's a bad thing; but with LeGuin's books and this one, the way the story is told makes it okay that the characters are a little remote. It's as though the world that they are in and it's problems and mysteries are much bigger than the characters themselves, and that is the real focus of the story. ( )

Really good post-apocalyptic world; liked the way the author showed how power and change a "liberating force" into yet another fascistic ruling government itself. ( )

Hari promises to find his father, Tarl, when he is captured during a raid for slaves. Once named the city of Belong, "Company" came years ago from across the ocean, conquering the city and most of the island. The native people are subjected to poverty and many are enslaved to work in Company's factory and mining jobs. Pearl is a privileged Company child, but she is escaping the city as well, when she is promised as bride to a loathsome lord. Together Hari and Pearl journey with Pearl's maid to discover the secrets of Deep Salt, the mine where Tarl has been sent and where no one returns.

Fantasy with science fiction overtones, this book started off well but then lost momentum. "Company" people, who arrived from somewhere across the ocean, are portrayed as wealthy, fair-skinned oppressors against the dark-skinned native city dwellers. There is also a race of jungle people (never seen, rarely mentioned) who have evaded capture and are feared by everyone, as well as a race of beings, Pearl's maid among them, who live outside Company's control. They can communicate telepathically and stronger ones possess mind-controlling abilities--abilities Pearl inexplicably possesses as well. Naturally, Hari and Pearl have to overcome their fear and hatred of each other before they can rescue Hari's father, find out what's being mined in Deep Salt and overthrow Company's iron-fisted hold on the city. Sounds thrilling, and yet...characters lacked "oomph", pacing was erratic, and this world seemed drawn in broad strokes, with little detail. It's not a long book, though, and the first of a trilogy, so maybe there will be more explanation in future volumes. The second book, titled "Gool", picks up with the next generation and a new menace. ( )

Riveting reading! ( )

This book was a quick read. On the surface it is a great fantasy and teens will enjoy it for this reason alone but it also have many layers. That is it deals with issues of class, race, colonialism, anger, and it has good prevailing over evil although the evil is not disposed of entirely. This gives way to a second and third book which I feel students would look to read also. ( )