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Gr 7 Up Paton Walsh takes on competition, as metaphorically represented by a torch held in secret by a Guardian living in a primitive future society on a Greek island. When Dio and his fiancee, Cal, seek the Guardian for their required marital instruction, they discover that he is near death . He passes on his responsibility for the torch to Dio as they spend the night in his deathwatch. This action so compromises them that they have no choice but to flee their village, and, joined by other young teens, they go on a quest to find the people who existed in a time called the Ago when games called the Olympiad were heldfor this is the last Olympic torch. The journey itself reveals the many faces of the games, as different societies find ways to use contests for selfish and often cruel ends. When one of the teens is kidnapped to run for profit, his companions search for him and meet a scholar who, in the heart of the book, reveals the secret of the Ago. As the book closes, the children have found a home for the torch and themselves. This is not an entirely successful book. Paton Walsh has concentrated so much on the ideas behind her plot that she has left strings dangling, such as the universal use of English by most of the characters, despite their geographic isolation. Also, most of the characters are poorly defined, and some are stereotypes. The lack of attention to detail can mar readers' concentration on the larger ideas of Paton Walsh's narrative, which are indeed challenging and original. If her book is not entirely successful, it is a rewarding challenge to readers who will not emerge with answers but rather an added ability to ask some important questionsnot a bad accomplishment for any novel. Christine Behrmann, New York Public Library
Copyright 1988 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: Very Good. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged. Seller Inventory # GOR002646099