"UNHONORED" by Tracy Hickman and Laura Hickman, Tor Books, $21.41, 272 pages (f)
"Unhonored" is book two in the Nightbirds series by New York Times best selling, Utah-based authors Tracy Hickman and Laura Hickman. It picks up right where the previous book, "Unwept," left off.
Ellis Harkington is trapped in a house of dreams and desperate to find a way out and away from Merrick. Merrick is the ruler of this strange world, and Ellis discovers that he was her lover from a previous life. Yet Ellis is no closer to remembering her past life, nor figuring out who she is or what happened to cause her to forget.
Before she can leave this world, however, Ellis must find her cousin Jenny and the gate hidden by Merrick, who is determined to keep her with him for eternity. Characters from the town of Gamin, Maine, and her previous life are meshed together, including the mysterious Jonas who insists he's there to help Ellis escape — but is he a friend or an enemy?
While searching for Jenny and running from Merrick, Ellis encounters various pageants, masquerade balls and scenes depicting her past. Each encounter provides Ellis vital information not only about who she is and her past but also about the rules of how the house of dreams works and who the people are who live in it.
"Unhonored" is a fast-paced young adult novel full of suspense and mystery. The plot is intriguing as the reader discovers answers along with Ellis about who she is and what happened to her in the past.
The Hickmans, who write together as a married couple, do a good job creating the fantasy world while incorporating symbols and parallels from Christian theology and characters similar to ones from Greek or Roman mythology. As a result, there are subtle themes, scenes and messages typical of a Christian faith.
The novel does contain violence, including some graphic descriptions, and subtle sexual innuendos. However, there is no objectionable language.
Lauren McAfee is a librarian assistant at Cedar City Public Library. She manages the social media platform, writes grants and assist with other outreach efforts in the community. Her email is laurenz@cedarcity.org.