Children of the Lamp #3: The Cobra King of Kathmandu
Grade 4–8—This third installment in the series finds 12-year-old djinn twins Philippa and John embarking on a harrowing journey to Northern India and Nepal in search of the long-lost and powerful talisman, the Cobra King of Kathmandu. The twins believe that it holds the answers to certain mysterious deaths and hope to find it before it falls into the hands of the malevolent cult of the Nine Cobras, led by the egomaniacal Guru Masamjhasara, who seeks to profit from controlling and selling djinn power. However, the siblings soon find themselves imprisoned by the deadly cult and must rely upon their wits and a generous helping of good fortune to survive. This fast-paced, plot-driven fantasy adventure plunges readers into the curious world of djinn society and explores the many intriguing facets of its lore. The suspenseful plot twists, coupled with a liberal dosing of humor, make this a fun page-turner. Harry Potter fans will enjoy this foray into a different type of magical subculture.—Debbie Lewis O'Donnell, Alachua County Library District, Gainesville, FLCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.