In the sequel to Sebastian Darke: Prince of Fools
, former court jester Sebastian and his compatriots from the first novel (Max, the whiny buffalope, and Cornelius, the warrior) set out on a quest for the lost pirate treasure of Captain Callinestra. Aboard the Sea Witch
, headed by the charming Capt. Jenna Swift, Sebastian and his crew must survive an array of misadventures and enemies—“There is nothing in this world that you can invent that is not dwelling somewhere in the shadows,” Cornelius reflects—to reach the treasure. Sebastian is somewhat adventuresome, but what he's really after is an identity, a profession and a woman that suit him best. He struggles both against shape-shifter Lenora's curse—“You will find what you seek but it shall never be yours”—and to believe in himself. The story's momentum, stemming from action sequences and emotional tension, helps make it a quick read, and the characters' senses of humor, motivations and foibles are irresistible. It all adds up to an amusing and action-packed tale of loyalty, unexpected love and trouble around every bend. Ages 12–up. (Apr.)
