Ink and Bone

Gr 8 Up—In an alternate reality, the Great Library of Alexandria is a powerful governing force that controls the dissemination of information. With strategically located branches around the world, it enforces its rules via a highly trained military and deadly automatons. Possession of a book in its original form is illegal, but copies can be requested and are transferred temporarily to readers. For the majority of people who follow its edicts, the library seems like a benevolent authority, but as the delivery boy for his father's black market operation in original books, Jess Brightwell lives in constant fear of being caught by the High Garda. When his father announces that he's enrolled Jess as a postulant to train for a coveted library position, Jess is intrigued and resentful. Constant exposure to books has him hungering for access to the library's vast archives, but he has no wish to continue risking his life for his father's business. His illegal activities have imbued him with the skills necessary to place among the top contenders for the few available positions. But the further Jess gets into the training, the greater the risk of being found out and the more he realizes that the library will stop at nothing to maintain control over its collection. Caine has created a Dickensian future with an odd mix of technologies and elements of sorcery. A strong cast of characters and nail-biting intensity make for a promising start to this new series.