The Indigo King (3) (Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica, The) (U)

Answer the questions unanswered for more than two millennia, and perhaps you might still restore the world.On a September evening in 1931, John and Jack, two of the Caretakers of the Imaginarium Geographica, discover a plea for help on a medieval manuscript -- which seems to have been written by their friend, Hugo Dyson! When they rush to warn him, Hugo walks through a door in time -- and vanishes into the past. And in that moment, the world begins to change.The Frontier, which separates our world from the Archipelago of Dreams, has fallen. Dark and terrible beasts roam throughout England. No one can be summoned from the Archipelago. All the world lies under the reign of a cruel and terrible king.The only hope to restore the proper order of things lies on a forgotten island, where a time travel device left by Jules Verne must be used to race through history itself -- from the Bronze Age, to ancient Alexandria and the founding of the...VOYAThis third entry in The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica continues the exciting exploits of John (J. R. R. Tolkien), Jack (C. S. Lewis), and Charles (Williams) as they shoulder their responsibilities as Caretakers of the connections between the real world and the Archipelago of Dreams. Ably illustrated by the author, this book carries forward Owen's imaginative blending of mythology, Arthurian legends, and classic fairy tales. Hugo Dyson, the Caretakers' friend, disappears into the past. Aided by a cryptic message from Hugh, the three friends attempt to retrieve him and end up in an alternate England's past. Changed by the nefarious Winter King and the damage to the Keep of Time, the time line must be restored by the Caretakers. Failure to do so will destroy the present. Shocked and confused, Hugo meets and befriends Hank Morgan, sent to the past by Samuel Clemens; they are in Camelot. Owen ingeniously weaves together the two story lines, commingling the Grail legend, Odysseus, Circe and Calypso, Jack the Giant Killer, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, animals evocative of The Wind in the Willows, and twins from ancient times who become Merlin and Mordred. These elements are ingeniously combined in a compelling, literate fantasy story. This excellent tale is sure to appeal to fantasy fans, and although the author begins the book with a brief summary of the other two, it would best be enjoyed by those familiar with the series. Reviewer: Rachelle Bilz