Five Ancestors Out of the Ashes #1: Phoenix
Gr 6-9-In this nonstop action ride, Phoenix Collins must depend on his love and talent for kung fu and mountain-bike racing to save his guardian grandfather's life. After thieves ransack their house and steal Grandfather's rare dragon bone powder, it's up to the teen to travel to China to try and procure more. The dragon bone is the only thing keeping the elderly man alive-as it has for hundreds of years. Fans of Stone's popular "Five Ancestors" series (Random) will welcome this volume, the first in his new series. The story is set  in the modern day, so instead of battling armies and a corrupt emperor, Phoenix and his friends battle mad scientists and doping in the world of competitive cycling. Exciting descriptions of off-road biking and fight scenes balance out lengthy explanations of types of cycles and different gear. Fans will enjoy seeing favorite characters alive after many centuries, still teaching kung fu and handing off the good fight to a new generation.-Jennifer Rothschild, Arlington County Public Libraries, VAα(c) Copyright 2011.  Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.  No redistribution permitted.