Rivers of Fire

Atherton #2

by Patrick Carman

Synopsis

The Highlands, the center of Atherton, is sinking; Samuel and Isabel are trying to sneak into The House of Power to restore water to the world of Atherton; and Dr. Kincaid, Vincent and Edgar make their way towards the edge of the Highlands, intent on entering the secret underground refuge of Mead's Hollow and finding the key to unlocking Dr. Harding's brain. They must discover the solution to overcoming the threat of the deadly Cleaners, creatures now unleashed on the flattened land, before it's too late. But Mead's Hollow holds more secrets than any of them had ever imagined.
In this tremendously satisfying continuation of the story of Atherton, readers will experience a world turned inside out; a spectacular flood; former enemies forced to work together in the name of survival; surprising histories concerning the creator of Atherton, Dr. Harding, and his partner Dr. Kincaid, and a shocking revelation about Edgar's own past. Best of all, the trip to Mead's Hollow leads to a dangerous-and extraordinary-expedition through the interior of Atherton that will titillate imaginations for a long time to come. With themes evocative of Paradise Lost and Dante's Inferno, expect Rivers of Fire to give readers plenty to sink their teeth into.

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult, Adventure, Fiction, Dystopia, Middle Grade

336 pages, Paperback

First published April 20, 2008

About the author

I have been a lifelong writer and storyteller. Salem, Oregon is where I spent my formative years and I graduated from Willamette University. After college, I spent a decade living in Portland, Oregon where I worked in advertising, game design, and technology.

I've written young adult and children's books for Scholastic, Little Brown Books For Young Readers and Katherine Tegen Books/ HarperCollins Publishers.

I've been fortunate enough to have had some bestselling series work: The Land of Elyon, Atherton, Elliot’s Park, 39 Clues, and Skeleton Creek. Here's a fun note...the books have been translated into approximately two dozen languages. Currently I'm developing a few new-media projects. Check out DARK EDEN to experience this type of cross-platform project.

When I'm not writing or creating a story, I spend my free time supporting literacy campaigns and community organizations, fly fishing, playing basketball and tennis, doing crosswords, watching movies, dabbling in video games, reading (lots), and (more than anything else) spending time with my wife and two daughters.

Reviews

[Tasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to review the first book in this series for School Library Journal. I loved it.

And while I really liked this second book about Atherton, it didn't quite capture me the way that the first book did. We return to the world of Atherton which is in the process of changing. The Highlands are falling and the Flatlands are rising. Horrible creatures called Cleaners are suddenly able to reach the human towns, and our hero and his friends find themselves right in the thick of danger as they venture deeper into the Highlands to discover the secrets of Atherton and its creator.

Readers really have to have read the first book to understand what is happening here. The book has a breakneck speed throughout as the main characters rush from one disaster to the next, barely staying ahead of the cataclysmic changes. I missed the introspective nature of the first book that made it rather gem-like and special. Those same themes are present in this novel, but are secondary to the adventure and action.

Fans of the first novel will consider this a must-read and any library with the first book must have the second. Recommended for readers of the first book.

[Isaac]

Personal Response
I enjoyed Rivers of Fire by Patrick Carman, because the author used vivid details in this book. I enjoyed the fact that I could see how this book could actually happen in real life. I also loved how the book pulled me in and kept me entertained.

Plot
The main events of this book were about, the Highlands and Tabletop sinking into Atherton. This resulted in the flooding of Atherton that left only the Flatlands above the water. As Atherton sank, the Cleaners were able to get into Tabletop and force everybody to hide in the grove. As Tabletop began to sink, everybody had to evacuate to the Flatlands where it would be the only place above water. In order for everybody to escape, a group of people had to make a last stand against the cleaners. In the end, this change affected everybody's lives more than they could imagine.

Characterization
Edgar was the main character of the book. In the beginning, he was an eleven year old boy who was living in the Flatlands of Atherton and he had a missing finger. Near the end of the book, Edgar had met his maker and saved the lives of everybody.

Dr. Kincaid at the beginning of the book, was an old man who had a caretaker named Vincent. Dr. Kincaid also was one of the creators of Atherton. In the end, Dr. Kincaid found Dr. Harding and helped the kids escape from Tabletop. He also revealed to Edgar that he stole him from his maker.

Setting
The setting of the book was in the year 2105 on an artificial landmass called Atherton. This was important because it’s where everybody was living. Most of the people on Atherton lived on Tabletop which was critical to the story because it got flooded and everybody lost their homes.

Thematic Connection
There were a lot of themes in Rivers of Fire, but a main one was showing courage when times got tough. This was proven when Samuel and Isabel went into the Highlands even though it was sinking to get water for everybody. It was also shown by Dr. Harding who went and saved Edgar even though it would cost him his life.

Recommendation
I would recommend this book to ninth graders and beyond, because it is a has a bit more mature vocabulary. Both males and females would like this book even with the main character being a boy. The characters are easy to relate to in this series because they are teenagers.

[Noah Buhrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

PERSONAL RESPONSE
As the sequel to House of Power, I thought Rivers of Fire was even better. There is a constant build up of action: times of extreme turmoil spaced out by short periods of rest. The end was actually a bit surprising.

PLOT
Once Atherton is finished with its decent to flatness, many of the inhabitants think they are, for the most part, safe. It was at this point when s**t hit the fan. Vicious, angry creatures from the Flatlands now have complete free reign of the entirety of Atherton. Horace correctly anticipates that they will first move into the Villages of Rabbits and Sheep. As the Cleaners attack the villages, the people make plans to escape to the Flatlands while the Highlands continue sinking into the center of Atherton. While Horace leads the people on the surface, Edgar, Isabel, Samuel, Dr. Kincaid, Vincent, and Lord Phineus of all people are traveling together through the inside of Atherton. It is really surprising they all made it through, considering what kinds of foul creatures are in there. The poisonous Crat and the territorial Nubian are just a couple examples. And don’t even get me started on the Inferno, which nearly killed Isabel. Months later, when everyone is safe and settled in the Flatlands, Vincent is found spearing Cleaners off the new pier built into the Lake of Fire, Maude is happily running another inn again, and Edgar takes Isabel and Samuel to the edge of the world. Basically everyone lived happily ever after, just like all the fairy tales we’ve all read.

CHARACTERIZATION
Edgar is just as scrawny as before, but he can climb faster than ever. Having talked with Dr. Harding, he is also much more knowledgeable in the ways of Atherton. Isabel is both smart and small. This allows her to quietly sneak around the grove and listen to other villagers’ conversations and relay the important parts of them. Samuel is Edgar’s first, and really only, friend from the Highlands. While the two look really similar, they actually have very different personalities, namely because Samuel likes to read books. Maude is one of the co-owners of the inn in the Village of Rabbits. When Horace is gone, she is the one to take charge. Dr. Kincaid becomes caretaker for Edgar when he first descends to the Flatlands. Kincaid is also the man who keeps watch over both Lord Phineus and Dr. Harding. Dr. Harding is the lead creator of Atherton and he alone knows all the secrets of it. Sadly, he is ambushed by a couple of Crat, which does not end well.

IMPACTS OF SETTING
Atherton is a small satellite world orbiting around Earth. By small, I mean you could walk around the circumference of the Lake of Fire in a little over a week. There are two main reasons Atherton was created. Firstly, as revealed to us by Dr. Harding himself, it was made for Edgar. Secondly, it was probably made as a way to get humans off planet Earth and to a cleaner place where life could continue uninhibited by man-made machines and the pollution they create.

THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
There is a lot of action and adventure in this book, as well as tragedy and sorrow. Three groups all go their own ways to get everyone to safety. Edgar and Harding must find a way out of the flooding Highlands (which should now be called Lowlands or Lakebottom). Dr. Kincaid and company have to survive the inside of Atherton amidst Crat, Nubian, and the Inferno. Horace and Maude are leading the rest of the people of Atherton to a peaceful life in the Flatlands. But, as I already said, there is also a fair amount of tragedy and sorrow. In Edgar’s case, Dr. Harding can’t get out, but only because he is too old. Isabel nearly dies in the Inferno. Horace and his shepherd friend Wallace both fall in battle with the Cleaners.

RECOMMENDATION
For those with a liking to realistic fiction, this book would be perfect. Pre-teens would probably find it especially grabbing as they can better relate to characters like Edgar, Samuel, and Isabel.

[Kristie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Atherton es un pequeño mundo dividido en tres partes, situadas en distintos niveles: la más alta se denomina las Tierras Altas, en cuyo punto más céntrico y elevado, la casa del poder, viven los gobernantes de Atherton, la intermedia es el Altiplano, que aloja tres aldeas de agricultores y ganaderos, la más bajase conoce como las tierras llanas, un páramo rocoso poblado por voraces monstruos llamados limpiadores.

Tres mundos que chocan entre sí...
El poder está cambiando de manos...
A partir de ahora, en Atherton nada será lo mismo.

Estas tres partes están separadas por altísimos acantilados que nadie puede escalar... excepto Edgar, un huérfano de once años residente en el Altiplano que asciende a las tierras altas intrigado por el contenido de un libro que le legó su tutor, el doctor Luther Kincaid. A cada paso que da, el solitario Edgar empieza a hacer amistades que le ayudan en su búsqueda de respuestas. Samuel, un chico de las Tierras Altas, lee al analfabeto huérfano las revelaciones del libro: Atherton fue creado artificialmente por un enigmático científico llamado Máximus Harding; sus pobladores proceden del planeta oscuro, un mundo contaminado, y se han sometido a un proceso que les ha borrado los recuerdos de su mundo natal.

Edgar también empieza a hacer amigos en el Altiplano, como la ingeniosa chica llamada
Isabel y varios aldeanos que, gracias a la información de Edgar, se organizan para defenderse de los soldados de las Tierras Altas. Además, el doctor Kincaid prevé una serie de cataclismos, siendo el primero de ellos el descenso de las tierras altas. Cuando el nivel superior se desploma hasta el Altiplano, el choque entre los habitantes de los dos niveles superiores no se hace esperar.

A pesar de que es es un libro más bien para un publico infantil, ya que no olvidemos que el protagonista tiene 11 años, me ha gustado, no es que me haya visto reflejada con el protagonista, pero al ser un niño tan pequeño y temerario me picaba la curiosidad por saber que aventuras le esperaban.

El libro se hace ameno, no hay cuestiones que no se pueda entender, los protagonistas son bastante creíbles, y después tenemos muy marcados a los buenos y a los malos, para poder distinguirlos bien.
El eje principal de la historia gira entorno a Edgar, que decide ir en busca de un libro y el mundo creado por el científico Harding -un joven genio que él sólo creo un mundo entero- Atherton.
Aparte se puede ver poco a poco que significado tiene el Planeta Oscuro, gracias a las explicaciones del tutor del niño y luego tenemos que en este mundo artificial sigue con la diferencia de clases, alta y baja (Tierras Altas y Altiplano, respectivamente) aunque las cosas están a punto de cambiar.
En definitiva un libro que va bien para desconectar de tanto vampiro! Os lo recomiendo!

[Carl Koch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read “Rivers of Fire” by Patrick Carman. It is the second book in a trilogy about the life of a boy on a new world. I very much enjoyed the book and how it was written. The author used lots of detail and always kept the book interesting. The book starts off with Edgar returning to the grove to warn them all of the dangerous cleaners. He then meets up with Vincent and Dr. Kincaid, who take him down into Mead’s Hollow. The travel to Mead’s Hollow to try and find Dr. Harding, the man who created Atherton. When they reach the bottom, they are surprised to find Dr. Harding with Samuel’s father. The group then travels another way to a secret door. Before they get inside, Edgar is taken by Sir Emerik back to the house of power. The group continues, except for Dr. Harding who leaves to rescue Edgar. Once Edgar is saved, he makes the climb out of the Highlands to the Grove, while the rest of the group travels through the inside of Atherton. Edgar convinces the people of the grove that they need to flee to the Flatlands. Once they are there, Edgar is reunited with the rest of the group that was traveling through Atherton.

The main character in the book is Edgar. Throughout the book he uses his amazing skills to save himself, as well as many others. Near the end of the book he discovers that he was created by Dr. Harding. At first he is discouraged, but then he realizes that all of Atherton was created for him, and he must take care of it. As the book goes on, Edgar transforms from secretive and lonely to being a beloved leader.

The book takes place sometime in the future. You can tell this, because the author talks about how Earth became a terrible place. People were moved to Atherton to start new lives because of this. The story takes place on Atherton. The main group of characters travel through the inside of Atherton, which is full of many dangerous creatures that help sustain life on Atherton’s surface. Edgar leaves the Highlands once it floods and returns to the Grove. He then leaves the Grove when it floods and goes to the Flatlands to start a new life.

I think that the theme the author was trying to portray was that there is always hope, and that no matter how bads it may look you can push through it. I could apply that to my life in several ways including school, work, and at home.

I would give “Rivers of Fire” five out of five stars. The book was packed full of action, and it never lost my interest. It flowed well and was easy to read, which made it that much harder to put down. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a lot of action.

[Corey Schmidt]

I read the book “Rivers of Fire.” It was written by Patrick Carman. It is the second book in the series of Atherton books. I thought it was a great book about a planet that was made to save the human race.

It starts off with Edgar traveling to the highlands which is now sinking into Atherton. He is accompanied by a scientist named Dr. Kincaid and their bodyguard named Vincent. They are going there to try and save the planet, because everything is changing. Once they are in the highlands they have to go through a secret passage into a place called Mead’s Hollow. At the end of Mead’s Hollow there is a way to turn the water back on so that the people on Atherton can survive. When they get to the end where the water is, they find out that Edgar’s friend Isabel and Samuel have been locked inside. Samuel’s father, who is thought to be dead, was also locked inside with Lord Phineus. When Atherton begins to sink again the pools of water start to fill the room with water. They all escape the room and head towards Dr. Hardings laboratory. Once inside they discover that Lord Phineus is actually an alter ego of Dr. Harding, and Dr. Harding made Edgar back on the Dark Planet. Once they all escaped from the inside of Atherton, Tabletop also began to sink. Most of the people escaped, and the Cleaners that were in the flatlands now became trapped in the water.

The main character to the book is Edgar. He is a boy who was made by a genius. He is very good at climbing and loves adventures.

The setting of the book is on the man made world of Atherton. Atherton has four parts: Highlands, Tabletop, Flatlands, and the inside of Atherton. Throughout the book though the Highlands and Tabletop sink into Atherton. The inside is filled with many creatures that help keep Atherton survive. The time that the story takes place isn't specifically stated, but you can tell that it is at some point in the future.

I think the reason the author wrote the book to show that even though something doesn’t make sense to you, the person who’s doing it may have a purpose that you don’t understand. I can apply this to my life, because teachers may do this to me in school.

I thought this was a very good book about how everything is always changing. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves science fiction. It has an easy vocabulary, and it kept me interested throughout the whole book. I would recommend it to anyone who is at a high school reading level. I would rate it four out of five stars.

[Miss Kitty · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first book (Atherton: House of Power) was pretty good. Don't get me wrong, I really don't like Patrick Carman's writing AT ALL but A: HoP kept me interested because it kept the action coming and maybe my heart was full of love or something when I read it so I thought it was okay-plus+. But that just wasn't the case with this book. It's completely put-downable which just makes Carman's stinky writing all the more apparent. Plus he explains EVERYTHING that goes on with the characters internally instead of letting stuff remain ambiguous. I realize that the audience for these books is probably the average 3rd-8th grader whose mind is completely atrophied from playing too much Mario Kart but this was a little extreme. There was one part where an almost-main character dies that was sooo incredibly sugary and stupid that I put the book down and said, "WTF? For reals?" But yes, ladies and gentleman, Carman was for reals.

Having said all that, I enjoyed the two female characters' fierceness and there were lots of cool made-up animals. But cool made-up animals and female characters do not a good book make.

I'm still eager to see what happens in the third book though.

[Carrie Hannigan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had great hopes for Atherton by Patrick Carman, which is why I could only give it two stars after reading it. The premise is creative, and I especially appreciated that the writer employed several ways of drawing the reader in (e.g., font variations, graphics, CD-ROM/Internet material). Unfortunately, the overall storytelling was lacking focus. The point of view jumped from character to character; every thought and action of every character was explored. Although Edgar is likely meant to be the main character, it was difficult to determine who I was supposed to ultimately relate to and follow because so many characters were introduced and overlapped. Often, the point of view changed from one paragraph to the next. Perhaps it is because I teach creative writing, and omniscient point of view is not an option for my students because I believe there are few writers who can tell everything from every angle in a story and do it well. Also, I did not know that this wasn't a stand alone book, but rather the first in a series. On a more positive note, the drawings were interesting and complex; they complimented the book very well.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

www.2thepointbooks.blogspot.com

I picked this up immediately after finishing the first book in this trilogy, The House of Power, because I liked that one so much.
This one didn't disappoint. It was nice and short, too, which was perfect. I don't know if I could take anymore Cleaners mayhem.
It was a great adventure book, with flavors of Jules Verne rippled generously throughout.
There are some gruesome deaths and some themes that might disturb little ones, but I can recommend this book to kids older than 8.
I will likely pick up the third book to complete this trilogy, but honestly this book wraps up the story of Atherton pretty well.

[Eliza · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started with The Land of Elyon series. (AWESOME) This was a great series to read before or after The Land of Elyon Series. Lots of adventure and suspense! It was a great continuation! READ ALSO: The Percy Jackson series and Heroes of Olympus Series by Rick Riordan is GREAT too.

[Superb · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a fun adventure

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really very good. It started slow, but ends well, and the storytelling is top notch. Marvelously done.

[Miss Natherson's · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sequel to house of power, it has adventure and is a great book. Emma

[Jennifer Caffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2 doesn't disappoint, what is in the belly of the beast? The third one is even better! :)

[Angelique · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a rare well written children's adventure book that adults will actually enjoy reading to kids, I know I did.

[Chris Strehlow]

Personal Response:
I believe this book does a good job of picking up where the last one just ended. It also has a decent ending that I think could have been the end of the series. However, this book seems to just slip by with little action throughout.

Plot Summary:
Edgar is found by Vincent after climbing all the way down to the Farlands from Tabletop. He meets Dr. Kincaid who explains a great deal of how Atherton works and how it came to be. Up on Tabletop, the Highlanders, who are loyal to Lord Phineus, are protecting the House of Power. Inside, Lord Phineus takes Sir Emerik to the source of the water, only for Samuel and Isabel to follow. Once Atherton is all level, Dr. Kincaid, Vincent and Edgar go to the water source as well, in order to confront Lord Phineus. They confront him, find Samuel’s dad, and Sir Emerik and Lord Phineus get bitten by a crat, which is a cat thats bite makes people go crazy. Lord Phineus leads Edgar, Vincent, Dr. Kincaid, Samuel, Isabel and Sir William to a laboratory. Dr. Kincaid shouts a ton of numbers at him, and he finally unlocks who he truly is, Dr. Maximus Harding. He reveals the full truth about Atherton, how it will reverse and the Highlands will continue sinking, and then Sir Emerik comes and steals Edgar. Dr. Harding goes to save him, while the rest go through The Inferno. The Inferno is the heart of Atherton and what keeps it warm and living. Isabel nearly dies but they make it out the other end. Edgar is saved by Dr. Harding, and he turns out to be Edgar’s “father.” Dr. Harding made Edgar in a lab, so he has no mother, and he was sent to Atherton right away without Dr. Harding knowing. Dr. Harding dies, and Edgar climbs out of the sinking Highlands as it fills with water. The Cleaners become tamer and float around in the water. The villages start again on the new Atherton.

Characterization:
Isabel starts the book off as someone who could just screw around and have fun. By the end of the book, she has done much to help preserve life on Atherton. She has traveled through Dr. Hardings lab and traversed the Inferno to escape. She has helped the villages start over on the new Atherton.
Lord Phineus changes through the book by starting off as a dictator. Then he changes when Dr. Kincaid opens his mind up. He becomes Dr. Harding again, and helps to save the villages of Atherton. He saves Edgar and helps him save the Dark Planet before he dies.

Setting:
This book is set on Atherton directly after the first book. The setting is important because it allows the reader to know where on Atherton the characters are and gives them a general understanding of the character’s surroundings. This book is set in the future because Atherton was a shelter away from the bad atmosphere of Earth.

Recommendation:
I would recommend this book to middle schoolers of both genders, because I believe they can get the most enjoyment out of the book. If they are any older, I think it just gets more unfulfilling as the book continues. I believe that the content of the book is easy enough for middle schoolers to understand and enjoy reading.

[Stormy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“He wanted to please everyone. But when it was all over, he pleased no one. There’s a lesson in that, don’t you think?”

I read Atherton: The House of Power a LONG time ago. Like, long, long ago. I always loved the book and regarded it as in of my all-time favorites. When I read to the end, I was excited to read the second. It hadn’t been published yet, and I guess I moved on with life and forgot about the sequel.

The long-lost memory came back to me as an adult, and I finally got to continue my adventure with Edgar and his friends in Atherton: Rivers of Fire. I was afraid it wouldn’t live up to my memory of the first book. After reading, I can confirm that it did NOT live up to the first book. That being said, it was still an enjoyable read.

Rivers of Fire is about as action-packed as a book can get, where the reader is thrown into disaster after disaster. The changing world of Atherton poses a myriad of new threats. It was really interesting to view a world that is familiar to Earth, while still being uniquely different. The creator of Atherton took inspiration from animals that are on Earth, while giving them new and interesting features. It was fun to consider that the creatures were needed and useful, despite the threats they posed, to created an ecosystem on Atherton that would allow it to thrive.

The reason I found the first book more enjoyable is because I felt closer to the characters while reading. I think because there is so much action, combined with an increased number of characters—all of which are caught in their own perilous circumstances—the reader doesn’t get time to hear the thoughts of the characters as much.

Regardless, I still found the story entertaining and well-written. I am happy I finally got to continue Edgar’s adventure, even if it was like 15 years after starting. I don’t think I’ll wait quite so long to read the third.

[Michael Lambrecht · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book Rivers of Fire by Patrick Carman was a very cool book about a piece of land called Athernon. Athernon is split up into 3 parts; the Highlands, Tabletop, and the Flatlands. In the Highlands are the rich people and they control how much water is given to Tabletop because the Highlands is the highest piece of land in the whole area. Tabletop consists of farmers, some soldiers, and people who raise livestock. These people are mainly poor. The Flatlands have not really been explored but we do know that there are these monsters called Cleaners that go after any source of meat. The cleaners weren't really a problem until the Flatlands started suddenly rising up. When that happened the Highlands started falling down and now Cleaners are everywhere. The fate of everyone on Athernon is in the hands of Edward, Isabel, and Samuel as they are trying to find out what is happening to their home.
I think that this book has a very well thought out plot and the same goes with the events and how the characters respond to sudden changes. I think the only falter is that when you first read it, you dont really fully grasp what is going on with Athernon and the main characters. If I were to change anything, i would give a little bit more insight as to what is happening with Athernon.
I think that anyone who likes fictional but true reading would like this book for sure. Additionally, I think that people who might like medieval books or anything like that would enjoy this book because a lot of parts have to do with knights and horses.

[Zane Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title Rivers of Fire
Series Atherton
Order 2
Author/Editor Patrick Carman
Note (Accolades)
Genre/Subject Dystopian
Pages 304
Owned? Platform? Kindle
Excitement (0-10) 7
Rating 7
How did I hear about it? Book I read from childhood
Finished? Yes
Read over the course of? 1-2 Months
Date Finished Tue, Jun 18, 2024
Reason Finished It forgot how this leg of the story went. I remember liking the 3rd book a lot, but don't remember the 2nd book very well.
Reason Dropped
Expectations Met
Pacing Feel Just Right
Style Narrative
Worth My Time? Yes
Anything else? It was good, a bit basic but good. I think it plays with your expectations with the world/creature design.

Review looks weird due to exporting format errors from a spreadsheet

[Steven R. McEvoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patrick Carman is quick becoming one of my favorite contemporary children's authors. This is the second book of Atherton but the first book outside his Elyon series that I have read. In this book the Land of Atherton was once three levels - the highlands, home of the ruling class, the flatlands below where strange creatures called cleaners live, and the table top with the three villages that provide the food for both it and the highlands. These three have been collapsing in upon themselves. As this world reshapes itself, the social structure is changing and the threats are not just from the changing landscapes. New creatures have been unleashed from the flatlands unto the rest of Atherton.

Edgar, Samuel and Isabel are three young people drawn into an adventure they never expected. Each feels they have a role to play in trying to save this world. Each must attempt tasks that they never imagined. Yet this world was also designed and built by man, by Dr. Maximus Harding to be precise, and it was designed to change. But will the transformation take place as planned? Will the wild creatures called the cleaners be defeated? Read the book to find out. This is another great book by Patrick Carman.

[Ricardo Lizarralde · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s actually that the sequel is better than the first book (at least for me). There’s something in some characters, on how they speak to each other and how each one is described, that the first book doesn’t have.

I don’t know how, but between the middle of the book, I began feeling connected with some of the characters than others, in a way that the first book couldn’t do it.

Also, how the author explains the creation of a world, as well as for a civilization, is brilliant. I know some things are nonsense in realistic terms because it’s fantasy and that’s just how THIS world of Atherton works, but how it’s told it’s pretty attractive.

A bunch of surreal stuff happening, but at the same time it connects in a way that makes you think, that’s how Earth could’ve been created if we were to be on another dimension, I guess.

I don’t know, but how creative you have to be to make drawings of a new civilization and a world come to words? It’s just too great, seriously.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 2 out of 5]

Carman, Patrick Atherton Rivers of Fire, pgs.303 Little Brown and Company. Language~PG, Sexual Content~G; Violence~PG;

In this sequel to Atherton: The House of Power, Carman resumes the story where he left off. The Highlands is continuing to sink and the Cleaners are coming ever closer to Tabletop.

This book did not grab me as strongly as the first one did. I felt it dragged in places and was confusing in parts. I would recommend it to any who liked the first Atherton, since this book completes the story. However, I wouldn’t recommend it as a stand alone novel.

MS/HS – OPTIONAL. Allison Madsen~Teen Librarian-SJO Public Library
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2008...

[Brock Jacobs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Continuing from the last book, the Highlands are now flat with Tabletop, and Tabletop is now flat with the flatlands, which unleashes monsters known as the Cleaners. the highlands starts sinking into tabletop, and edgar's two friends are trapped inside. Edgar goes in to save them, only to find that the water is coming up. As the highlands fills with water, Edgar's friends escape into a tunnel, as Edgar climbs his way out. He then has to convince the people living in tabletop to escape to the flatlands, while being chased by the Cleaners. Tabletop sinks into the Flatlands, then fills with water. Atherton has become a large lake with land around it. the tunnel Edgar's friends escaped into leads them to the flatlands, where everyone reunites

[deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Todo de esta historia me encanta, todos y cada uno de los personajes son inolvidables, tienen una esencia única y que destaca. En esta segunda entrega el mundo de Atherton se vuelve más caótico, el cambio es inminente y dimensional. Me gusta que el escritor te hace sentirte parte del mundo y la situación en el instante, la imaginación que tiene y toda la creatividad que nos ofrece, teniendo la habilidad de reflejarla en sus letras es toda una experiencia para el lector, la idea del mundo de Atherton y todos los inventos del Dr. Harding son impresionantes que me entusiasma seguir leyendo más contenido del escritor...
Y también me motiva a seguir leyendo sobre las aventuras de Edgar, Isabel y Samuel(:!

[Shanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Things get very convoluted in this installment, with much of the plot being moved forward through luck and coincidence. The characters were less interesting, as they just moved impulsively from one danger to the next.

Atherton inverts until Flatlands is the only land area, which now surrounds a sea which has completely immersed the sunken Highlands and Tabletop. The characters traipse around a complicated and confusing inner Atherton, meet ghastly beasts, sometimes the good guys almost die, some of the bad guys do die. Kincaid knocks sense into Phineus, turning him back into Harding long enough for Edgar to talk to him and decide he's an okay guy after all, seeing's how he's the creator and all, but let's all just conveniently forget about his mad spell of tyranny. Everything ends hunky-dory on Atherton.

[Braden · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had very different pacing from the first one, the whole story happened over the span of one day (book time). Very exciting, lots of big reveals that were set up in the first book, and lots more very original, creative creatures and plot points.

Age range: 8-15
There’s a big difference between a book that is okay for kids to read, but not written for them, and a book that not only is appropriate but was written with them in mind. This is such a great story, would highly recommend for middle-grades readers.

[Caro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Science-Fiction für Leser und Leserinnen ab 12 Jahren. Grundsätzlich gefällt mir die Idee zur Geschichte gut, aber es wird viel gestorben, besonders hier im zweiten Band. Dabei sind auch gute Charaktere und besonders hart trifft es die Kaninchen, die der Gefahr geopfert und ansonsten gekocht, gebraten und in Säcken herumgeschleppt werden als wären es Kartoffeln. Am Schluss hat mich das sehr abgestoßen.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book because the main character Edgar Faces many challenges, yet always seems to prevail. He may only be about 11, but he is a main asset to the world of Atherton. Towards the end of the book he even begins to understand and realize that he and Atherton are connected in a very special way. This is due to him having been created just like Atherton was, by Dr. Harding.

[Gabriel Villegas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lively and absorbing adventure. There is plenty of danger and mystery, too, for young adventurers who will eagerly follow Edgar in his quest to save his world." And my favorite part is when Sir Emerik went into Meads hollow

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

it's so amazing that the characters in this book, that they want to see new things and discover it.