The Game of Sunken Places
The Norumbegan Quartet, Book 1
M. T. Anderson
Scholastic
Fiction, MG Adventure/Fantasy/Humor/Thriller
**** (Good)
DESCRIPTION: Wisecracking Gregory and reserved Brian are polar opposites; perhaps that's what makes them best friends. So when Gregory gets a mysterious invitation to spend an October week in the remote Vermont estate of his Uncle Max (who isn't really even his uncle, just the guardian of his older cousin Penelope after her parents died) and is told to bring a friend, Brian is his first and only choice. But even though he knew Max was a trifle eccentric, Gregory had no idea just how strange the man was - or how strange the visit would turn out to be. Max not only seems vague on what century it is, but insists that the boys dress like schoolchildren from a bygone era, down to the knickerbockers and starched collars. Accommodations include a play room full of old dolls and stuffed toys and a board game with no pieces and no instructions and a picture of a sprawling old house almost exactly like Max's estate. The more they explore, the more the boys realize the truth: they themselves are the game pieces, the estate and surrounding woods are the game board, and the stakes are literal life and death.
REVIEW: I know I just reviewed another M. T. Anderson book last week, but work has been light and his books slot in nicely to fill a shorter shift (especially on a Friday). In any event, The Game of Sunken Places ventures into deeper, darker territory than his Pals in Peril tales, placing a toe or two over the horror/thriller line (though suitable for middle-grade audiences), while still having a strong streak of adventure and imagination, with shades of Jumanji (and possibly a touch of Zork around the edges, though maybe that's just me showing my age; more than once, when the boys were warned about exploring dark places, I mentally filled in the old Infocom text adventure threat about being eaten by a grue).
After setting the stage with a prologue featuring an unlucky real estate developer who stumbles into the dark secrets of the Vermont woods, the story gets off to a quick start with the gilded invitation and the journey to Max's estate, complete with a lurking stranger and an old man in town who warns them to flee while they still can. Things only get weirder when Max turns up - in a horse and buggy, no less - and informs them of the house rule about modern dress (namely, it's forbidden). Brian is the first to clue in that something very unusual is afoot, as the game board starts filling itself in; the encounter with the actual troll on a bridge just confirms what he already knows. It takes Gregory a bit longer, but he gets on board soon enough. Along the way, a deeper, longer history is unearthed, reaching into old-school faerie lore (the kind where the fae are amoral and inscrutable beings to whom short-lived mortals are playthings at best; the "other" beings are never named fae as such, but there's a strong Seelie and Unseelie vibe to them, or at least light and dark elf) and a forgotten civilization, while a mysterious figure keeps dogging the boys' footsteps with ominous warnings to give up before it's too late. Along the way, they both grow up a little, facing riddles and challenges and enough genuine chills and danger to knock any lingering "it's just a game" jocularity out of even Gregory. There are a few unexpectedly emotional turns and revelations, and an ending that promises more adventures ahead; once one has crossed paths with the fae, after all, one's life can never be the same. Toward the end I thought it started stretching a bit, drawing out chases and tension just a touch too long, and something about the conclusion sat a little crooked for me (not counting the "book one of a quartet" loose threads). For the most part, though, I rather enjoyed this, and will likely follow through on at least one more installment.
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