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The Limping Man

by Maurice Gee
The Limping Man [Salt Trilogy] by Maurice Gee Middle School, High School Orca 197 pp. 3/11 978-1-55469-216-3 $18.00
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Like its predecessors in the Salt trilogy, Salt (rev. 1/10) and Gool (rev. 11/10), The Limping Man involves a save-the-world quest in and around Ceebeedee, the Burrows, and the surrounding mountains, jungle, and plains. This time, the Limping Man is the destructive force to be overcome by the young heroes: Hana, whose mother has been killed by the Limping Man; and Ben, grandson of the mind-speaking Hari and Pearl of earlier volumes. "It's control. It's power. He wants to rule every living thing…He wants the whole world to bow down and worship him," Ben is told of the Limping Man. He and Hana set off to complete a seemingly hopeless task. But they don't reckon with the animal world, which ultimately is key. Gee's short sentences and plain, concrete names (Hawk, River, City) give this the quality of myth or fable—which indeed it is, about the limitlessness of human greed for power, as well as the refreshing gentleness of an ego-less people who live cooperatively, and co-equally, with their environment. Strong—even topical—concepts and quick, vivid characterization, along with straightforward prose, make this dystopic trilogy accessible and engaging. DEIRDRE F. BAKER
Gr 6 Up—The Limping Man rules by bending people's minds so that they adore him. He fears anyone else who may have similar powers, burning women at the stake and drowning men whom he suspects. Hana flees the city, and her mother takes poison for a swift death. Hana doesn't travel far before she meets Danatok, one of the nonhuman Dwellers, who teaches her how to survive in the wilderness. In return, she bears a message to others of the Limping Man's plan to use his army to clear the countryside of everyone, whether human or Dweller, who is not already in his thrall. Lo and his son Ben as well as the twins Blossom and Hubert gather to fight the evil man. Blossom and Hubert have powerful mental powers while Lo and Ben have other skills learned from the Dwellers. Hana herself has a special bond with a hawk so that they can see out of one another's eyes. This series conclusion shares characters and history with Salt (2009) and Gool (2010, both Orca), but stands well on its own. As in earlier volumes, Gee deftly creates heroes, villains, and his unnamed world with spare brush strokes. In particular, he offers a humble heroine to whom readers may easily relate. This book should please fans of the earlier books as well as readers who enjoy characters who succeed by virtue of their heads and hearts.—Eric Norton, McMillan Memorial Library, Wisconsin Rapids, WI
In this trilogy ender, young heroes Hana and Ben set off to complete a seemingly hopeless task: overcome the destructive Limping Man. Gee's short sentences and plain, concrete names (Hawk, River, City) give the story the quality of myth or fable. Strong--even topical--concepts and quick, vivid characterization, along with straightforward prose, make this dystopic trilogy accessible and engaging.
Reviewed by Eric Norton , May 01, 2011

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