[.uk] Ninth Lord of the Night

Rousing good fun!:
I was lucky enough to get an advance look at this book and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's got action, adventure, mystery and lots of excitement as Driver takes you into the world of the Maya. And the ending knocked my socks off. If you like action/archeaology books, this is for you. And if you like to read across the genres, this is also for you. :-)

Mad Dash:
Mystery, intrigue and Mayan history await the reader of this exciting book. As I read, I was enveloped not only with Zack's problems but also with the Guatemalan jungle, which wrapped about me and drenched me in sweat, heat and history. In fact, Diana Driver's descriptive writing pulled me into the story so well that in reading the last few chapters I was caught up both in the mad dash of Zack and my own need to see how it ended. I literally was reading on the edge of the couch, I was so excited by the story. Diana Driver obviously knows about the Mayan civilization and that area of the world. She also knows how to spin a great yarn. I can't wait to read her next book! Mucho bueno!

A great read!:
This is a great read for older teens AND adults. When 17 yr old Zack is sent to Guatemala to visit his uncle, he doesn't realize he's starting an amazing adventure. And it IS amazing. Driver knows her stuff, but the knowing never gets in the way of the story. I just really enjoyed this book!

Ninth Lord of the Night:
This is a young adult book, a coming of age story, but it's great for adults too. It is a fast paced action, adventure, suspense story with strong fleshed out characters. It is set in exotic Guatemala in the ancient Mayan ruins of Tikal. It includes realistic paranormal elements as the author draws from ancient Mayan Myths and Maya beliefs. It also includes reincarnation memories. I highly recommend this fast, fun read.

Cryptic situation for teens:
This demi-mystery plays out the psychological quest of teens in a more theatrical form: a seventeen-year-old is sent into unfamiliar surroundings, misunderstood by adults, confused by his peers and The Opposite Sex, yet by sticking to the principles no one knows he has, comes out ahead. Set in the lush jungles of central America, the story hinges around Mayan mythology and our modern incompatibility with it, inspiring the kind of dreams every growing teenager needs. Clear, simple language and recognizable, true-to-life characters flesh out its pages. Its only real downside is that it falls into the kind of guilty resentment of our own American culture that gives teens an ugly message: distrust what you are. Although this is a common response for those who discover admirable traits in other cultures, it encourages feelings of powerlessness and crippling guilt, and really mars this book as it gropes toward an otherwise palpable truth in the experience of discovering this vital ancient culture.