Vault of Shadows.
(Book)

Resuming days after The Orphan Army (2015) ended, this second title in the Nightsiders series finds 11-year-old Milo Silk and his cohorts still trying to survive devastating attacks from the Swarm vicious, humongous robotic insects and their terrifying, megalomaniac human-bug hybrid leader, the Huntsman. Stopping them seems increasingly impossible, especially now that the Huntsman's allied with powerful, evil faerie Queen Mab in his efforts to conquer Earth and its inhabitants. Desperate for help, Milo and friends embark on a risky quest to a hidden historic mansion and its cryptic ghostly host, who may reveal how to beat the evil forces or further imperil them all. With dramatic, humorous, and occasionally dark, edgy touches, this offers another engrossing blend of action-adventure, dystopian elements, magic, and retro sci-fi with some classic lit allusions, and its appealing, diversely drawn cast together face dangers and dilemmas with courage and ingenuity while trying to save Earth and beyond from obliteration. Fans of the series opener will welcome learning more about Milo and crew and their continuing adventures, with an eager eye on what's next.--Rosenfeld, Shelle Copyright 2016 Booklist

Gr 5 Up-In Maberry's second installment of the series, readers tag along for the few days following Milo's epic escape from under the Huntsman's nose. The story is beautifully crafted, with the perfect balance of paralyzingly intense action and intimate looks into Milo's fears and dreams. The rapid transitions from excerpts from the "Dream Diary" to present-day action will keep tween and teen readers glued to the story. The Nightsiders who team up with Milo are a lovable group. Evangelyne the werewolf is back, along with the Stone Guardian, who really steals the scene from time to time, and all of the other interesting "monsters" from the first story. The evil Huntsman, who is even more over-the-top since the last encounter with the hero, will continue to elicit genuine fear from readers, as he embodies almost every scary character trait imaginable. There is a strong emphasis placed on books and the power of reading, which will speak to both educators and many middle school students needing that extra push. VERDICT A solid series installment; a must-own where there are fans of the first "Nightsiders" adventure.-Chad Lane, Tulip Grove Elementary School, MD © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Now hunted for his war-altering artifacts, eleven-year-old scavenger Milo (The Orphan Army) learns the Huntsman has a new magical ally. Plenty of danger keeps the plot racing, but other than a few reveals, little develops in this second sci-fi/fantasy mash-up. Milo's moral struggles and his friends' attempts to put differences aside will keep readers interested as Maberry sets up book three. (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Resuming days after The Orphan Army (2015) ended, this second title in the Nightsiders series finds 11-year-old Milo Silk and his cohorts still trying to survive devastating attacks from the Swarm—vicious, humongous robotic insects—and their terrifying, megalomaniac human-bug hybrid leader, the Huntsman. Stopping them seems increasingly impossible, especially now that the Huntsman's allied with powerful, evil faerie Queen Mab in his efforts to conquer Earth and its inhabitants. Desperate for help, Milo and friends embark on a risky quest to a hidden historic mansion and its cryptic ghostly host, who may reveal how to beat the evil forces—or further imperil them all. With dramatic, humorous, and occasionally dark, edgy touches, this offers another engrossing blend of action-adventure, dystopian elements, magic, and retro sci-fi with some classic lit allusions, and its appealing, diversely drawn cast together face dangers and dilemmas with courage and ingenuity while trying to save Earth and beyond from obliteration. Fans of the series opener will welcome learning more about Milo and crew and their continuing adventures, with an eager eye on what's next. Copyright 2016 Booklist Reviews.

Gr 5 Up—In Maberry's second installment of the series, readers tag along for the few days following Milo's epic escape from under the Huntsman's nose. The story is beautifully crafted, with the perfect balance of paralyzingly intense action and intimate looks into Milo's fears and dreams. The rapid transitions from excerpts from the "Dream Diary" to present-day action will keep tween and teen readers glued to the story. The Nightsiders who team up with Milo are a lovable group. Evangelyne the werewolf is back, along with the Stone Guardian, who really steals the scene from time to time, and all of the other interesting "monsters" from the first story. The evil Huntsman, who is even more over-the-top since the last encounter with the hero, will continue to elicit genuine fear from readers, as he embodies almost every scary character trait imaginable. There is a strong emphasis placed on books and the power of reading, which will speak to both educators and many middle school students needing that extra push. VERDICT A solid series installment; a must-own where there are fans of the first "Nightsiders" adventure.—Chad Lane, Tulip Grove Elementary School, MD