Book Review: London Calling by Edward Bloor

It seems the most interesting goings on in the fantasy genre are occurring in juvenile fiction. Edward Bloor's London Calling is case in point. His is a quiet little book that has ventured away from battle axe wielding goblins and obligatory dragons (of which, I have no interest--haven't since Bilbo had his showdown with the dragon in The Hobbit), to tell the story of Martin Conway, a depressed middle school student from an alcoholic family.

The plot turns on an antique radio. Its ghostly signal is also a portal to the deadly past of the London Blitz. Martin meets Jimmy a boy in desperate need of help (of the kind, I wouldn't dare mention here). Suffice it to say, Martin complies with Jimmy's request and sets forth on an adventure in history, revenge and redemption, couched in some very serious questions about death and the afterlife.

In a recent discussion, with a fellow author, it came to our attention that the preponderance of books in this area have been written with 12-year old girls as the focus. This appears to be the case, at least, of the current crop of juvenile new releases. London Calling, however, is firmly geared toward boys. I can't imagine it not taking up a place on my shelf, or your son's.

Next Book:Sharp Objects: A Novel, by Gillian Flynn