The Between

In this dimension-hopping adventure, a young woman must use her newfound ability to “Fall” between alternate worlds in order to rescue her kidnapped friend from evil forces who wish to rebuild and rule over the multiverse. After a humanoid creature abducts Ana Moon’s friend Bea, along with everyone else on the train, Ana wakes up in a strange London that is subtly different from her own. Rescued by Malik, one of the Pathfinders who traverse the multiverse guarding its pathways, Ana is bequeathed a powerful sword and informed of her destiny: to defeat the Order, a rogue faction intent on cleansing of anyone they perceive as “weak or unsuitable.” Doing so—and finding Bea—requires travel between seven parallel universes, each more dangerous than the last, and Hofmeyr (Stone Rider) balances combat, intrigue, and romance as Ana evolves into a full-fledged action heroine. Though characterization is sometimes lacking and the resolution feels anticlimactic, each world is strange and vivid in its unique deviations, and an intriguing sense of cosmology holds the premise together, providing a strong introduction to a concept laden with potential for future adventures. Ages 12–up. [em]Agent: Stephanie Thwaites, Curtis Brown. (Feb.) [/em]