Sons of the Dark: Escape - Book #2 (Sons of the Dark, 2) - Hardcover

Grade 7 Up - High fantasy meets high school - with a dash of demons - in the second title of a series that features four charismatic young men who are kidnapped from different times and places and taken to an alternate-universe world called Nefandus, where they are turned into soul-sucking slaves. They escape back to Earth, where they are destined to join together to destroy Nefandus, if they can learn to trust one another. This book focuses on Samuel, who is snatched from the American frontier in 1768. He escapes from Nefandus and ends up in present-day Los Angeles, where Berto, Obie, and Kyle await his arrival. Not trusting them, he keeps running until he meets Ashley, another refugee from Nefandus, who says she can help him get back home. He chooses to trust her, but she repeatedly betrays him so that she can get back to her own time. She does return him home long enough for him to learn about his magical heritage from his great grandfather. Only non-magical Maddie has no ulterior motives for helping him, but their relationship is complicated by the fact that Samuel can't resist sucking the life force out of any girl whom he kisses. The story is a mishmash of horror, fantasy, and teenaged angst. The characters aren't particularly compelling, and it seems way too easy for them to become accepted and successful in present-day L.A., without identification or money. Additional. - Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library
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