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Synopsis
A continuing saga of danger, bravery, and unexpected friendships
After escaping from their lives as slaves and from the deadly warriors called Spears, Corki and Pippa and their new friends believe they’re destined for a better, free life. But when their plan to leave Grassland is thwarted, they find themselves in the grips of a new trial: the Separation. At this horrible event they learn the answer to one of Grassland’s biggest puzzles: What lurks beneath the masks of the warrior Spears?
Forced apart from his beloved Pippa and into a life he despises, Corki finds that there’s more than one way to be trapped. When he and the other former prisoners are offered a comfortable life—clothes, their own homes, a community—in exchange for committing unspeakable deeds, Corki must decide what he truly values and what he’s willing to do to protect it. Full of heart-stopping action, Beneath the Mask continues the story of Corki, Pippa, and the expanding world of Grassland.
VOYA
In the second book of the Grassland Trilogy, Coriko and Pippa, along with other escaped slaves, try to flee Grassland, but they are recaptured by the mysterious Spears. During a ceremony known as The Separation, Pippa is taken away from Coriko. Coriko must train as a Spear in order to keep himself alive and have the chance to see Pippa again. He is forced to go on a Spear-raiding mission and kidnap a child from her home just as he was kidnapped when he was young. When Coriko is allowed to see Pippa, he must accept that many former slaves are adjusting to their lives among the Spears and no longer wish to leave. Coriko and Pippa, along with their friends, choose freedom over assimilation and escape the Spears again. The story is nicely poised for book three as Coriko, Pippa, and friends leave Grassland in search of their families. Ward sets a brisk pace from page one and rarely slows down; however, he does not rely solely on action to carry the book. His protagonists are faced with difficult questions: Would you commit acts that you knew were wrong, such as kidnapping and murder, in order to protect a loved one? What do you truly value more, comfort and security or the freedom to live as you choose? It is an excellent continuation of a trilogy fraught with daring escapes, dangerous situations, and genuine characters. Strongly suggest the first book, Escape the Mask (Harry N. Abrams, 2008/VOYA June 2008). Reviewer: David Goodale