Secret of the Sirens: Book One, The Companions Quartet (review)

Giant oil refinery Axoil is having labor problems: their employees are turning up dead. Only the members of the secret Hescombe Society for the Protection of Mythical Creatures understand that the deaths are caused by sirens, who have lured the hapless workers to their doom and that the sirens are merely the first creatures to run out of patience with humans and their environmental choices. Enter young Connie Lionheart, destined to be a very special member of the secret society; she's a universal, someone able to communicate with all species, both mythical and everyday. Kullervo, a shadowy menacing creature who feeds on chaos, pursues Connie, intending to subvert her to his dark purposes, so she must find a way to harness her natural gifts to stop Kullervo's deadly intention as well as Axoil's threat to Hescombe's seaside. The characters are likable, but they're shallow, with trite dialogue often getting the better of them ("But innocent men are dying! There must be something else we can do—something that means that you can remain here peacefully! Just give me time—I'll think of it!"). The plot is moved along by plenty of action, though, including a spectacular twilight fight involving a midnight blue-black eagle, a stormy weather giant, and flights of dragons and pegasi. Between this quick pacing and the appealing premise of gifted young pupils bonding to a variety of mystical creatures, this may find fans among middle-school fantasists.