As midwinter approaches, Torak discovers that the Soul Eaters have snatched Wolf and taken him to the frozen wilderness to sacrifice him. A desperate Torak hatches a perilous plan to infiltrate the Soul-Eater cult and soon comes face to face with one of the most powerful mages alive.

Reviews

Gr 5 Up-Michelle Paver's novel (Katherine Tegen Books, 2007) opens with the stillness of three friends' hunt for prey in the snowy woods, and very shortly one of them is captured. In a lovingly described post-Ice Age world, Torak and Renn set out to recover Wolf, Torak's pack-brother. Boy, girl, and wolf have faced physical hardship, human evil, and the darkness of otherworldly demons before, but this time they're in a race for Wolf's life, as Soul-Eaters plot to break down the barrier with the Otherworld. On the blinding white fields of the far north, the friends face killing blizzards, treacherous ice, tests of friendship and trust, and ravenous ice bears, and Torak is finally forced to confront his powers as a spirit walker. The third volume in the six-book series delivers convincing shifts from quiet reflection to heart-stopping action, strong characters, deft writing, and a well-researched prehistoric world in which dark magic is based on myth. Ian McKellen masterfully narrates with pacing that savors the quiet moments and heightens the drama. With each book the series darkens and deepens, as Torak learns more about himself and his heritage. The novel will appeal to both younger and older YA readers as it seamlessly weaves together adventure, survival, anthropology, the wild, and a young man struggling to find his place in the world.-Alicia Conklin, High School of Economics & Finance, NY Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.

In Soul Eater by Michelle Paver, the third of the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness (PW said of the first, Wolf Brother, "Torak's coming-of-age tale will keep the pages turning"), readers return to the ancient forest setting of the first two books at wintertime. Torak and Renn head to the Far North to rescue Wolf, threatened by blizzards and the great white bear. (HarperCollins/Tegen, $16.99 336p ages 10-up ISBN 978-0-06-072831-1; Mar.) Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.

"'Soul Eater' is perhaps the most thrilling with a satisfyingly twisty plot and some genuine surprises."--New York Times Book Review