Storm Thief by Chris Wooding

From the Publisher

Orokos is a city of chaos, lashed by probability storms that re-order the world wherever they strike. It covers every inch of the rocky island that it dominates. It has stood for so long that history has forgotten it, and its citizens no longer question what exists beyond its walls. Then three of its denizens discover a map that holds the key to the secret at the heart of Orokos. But there are others, such as the Chief of the Protectorate Secret Police who would do anything to get their hands on that power...anything at all...

VOYA

In this well-crafted effort, teens Rail and Moa are thieves in the chaotic city of Orokos. Terrible probability storms batter the city, changing everything in their path-streets, buildings, even people-without warning. When the two thieves steal a powerful artifact powered by the science of the past, they suddenly find themselves hunted by fellow thieves and the city's Secret Police. As Rail and Moa struggle to evade pursuit, they meet the strange "golem" (cyborg) known as Vago, who is feared and shunned by the people of the city. Vago must contend with his mysterious past, and as the chase intensifies, Rail and Moa come to realize that the artifact may be capable of unlocking the secrets of Orokos itself. Wooding delivers memorable characters, such as Vago, whose plight--Who am I and where do I belong in the world?--will be understood by many teens. Wooding also creates a unique world for his characters to explore, and the setting serves as an excellent backdrop for the author to develop his theme of order versus chaos and the need for balance between the two. The story's main plot is well thought out and meshes nicely with the subplots that develop. The ending, reminiscent of Lois Lowry's The Giver (Houghton Mifflin, 1993/VOYA August 1993), will leave teens with points to ponder. This book is recommended for all libraries where science fiction is popular and particularly where Wooding's horror/fantasy has been popular in the past.

Paula Rohrlick - KLIATT

Young thieves Rail and Moa are in serious trouble when they steal a mysterious artifact created by a more advanced past civilization, a device that has the ability to open any door. They go on the run, accompanied by a strange golem, a hybrid of flesh and metal. The three are pursued by a minion of Rail and Moa's thief-mistress, who wants the artifact, and also by the secret police, who are trying to recover both the golem and the artifact for their own nefarious purposes. The setting is the isolated island city of Orokos, which is subject to probability storms in which anything can happen--entire districts can suddenly vanish, or just the color of Moa's eye shadow can change--and energy ghosts that kill on contact roam the streets. Can the three make it across the dangerous city to a hidden community that has been secretly building boats to escape the island, or is a dramatic fate in store for all the residents of Orokos, provoked by the potentially destructive power of the door-opening artifact? This edge-of-your-seat thriller, by the author of Poison and The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray, is a great read, with loads of action and lots of imaginative details: it would make a terrific movie. A sure bet for all SF, fantasy and adventure fans. KLIATT Codes: JS*--Exceptional book, recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2006, Scholastic, 320p., $16.99.. Ages 12 to 18.

Children's Literature

This book starts with a goal and a captivating scene. A migrating bird has lost its flock and its sense of direction. Buffeted by storm winds, it struggles desperately to find some place to land. The scene is so skillfully drawn that we find ourselves breathing heavily, hoping the bird will survive. In the next scene, a being whose identity we do not know picks up the dead bird, examines it, and tries to wake it. We are told that this creature is a golem, but the term is not defined. Now the plot begins. Orokos is a city in chaos. Its population consists of groups that know nothing about each other, a situation that proves very useful to the tyrannical government. Its ancient buildings are so big that no one knows what is actually in them. Supernatural beings threaten every living creature. Then there are the probability storms. These are not only violent, they cause things to change. The street that was North-South is now East-West. A door that led to a bathroom now leads to the stairs. Moa, a girl who was left-handed, is now right-handed. Her friend Rail is a young man whose lungs have been destroyed in a probability storm, and he must now breathe through a respirator. These two are the protagonists of the story. They work as part of a gang of thieves, but Moa, who knows that thievery is wrong, is sure that Orokos is not the only place to live. However, the city will not let them leave—it will not let anyone leave. Gradually we meet other characters—a member of the secret police, a slightly mad scientist and his granddaughter—and we are told about others who may or may not actually exist. Confusing? Yes, but a good read. It is probably not for readers unfamiliar withthe genre.

School Library Journal

Gr 6 Up-This imaginative and descriptive work of fantasy and fear opens with a seabird crashing into a window, dying, and being picked up by a golem named Vago. Rail and Moa are ghetto teens. Rail has taken the girl under his wing and taught her to be a thief, although stealing pains her sense of morality. They live in a land ruled by a totalitarian government led by the Protectorate's Patrician. The Protectorate is meant to protect the citizens of Orokos from Revenants, ghosts that take over people's bodies and kill everything they can. Lysander Bane has a ruthlessly unquestioning dedication to order and law. But order is elusive in Orokos, where at any time a probability storm can occur. Children can turn to stone, people turn into cats, left-handers become right-handed. Rail can no longer breathe by himself but needs a respirator. The plot is complicated and there are many characters and types of creatures to keep track of, but Wooding does a masterful job of tying everything together. Ultimately, the golem interacts with Rail and Moa, who unlock the secrets of the probability storms and the Protectorate. All ends on a hopeful if uncertain note. Characterization is deft, and teens will relate to both Moa and Rail. The concept of the probability storms is fascinating and lends a constant sense of danger and menace. The golem is unlike any in literature; the description of what happens to him in the end is heartbreaking yet encouraging.-B. Allison Gray, John Jermain Library, Sag Harbor, NY Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Come visit Orokos, an ancient metropolis in serious decay from previous technological heights. The city, controlled by tempests that create chaos in all its sectors and populations, also endures a dictator who maintains a shaky hold between probability storms. Once again, Wooding takes fantasy and science-fiction conventions and gives them a good twist. Descriptions of this closed world as witnessed by teen thieves, Rail and Moa, by a golem escaped during a probability storm and by the head of the secret police himself, make very real the nature of Orokos's dystopia. The two teens, having committed an unforgivable offense against their thief mistress, join with the golem Vago in a quest for freedom from the fetid prison their world has become. Changing points of view, cliffhanger section endings, hair-raising escapes and a bitter betrayal lead to a slam-bang climax and a satisfying, lyrical and surprisingly touching ending. Although strikingly different from The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray (2004) and Poison (2005), this stunning work of speculative fiction will appeal to Wooding's fans and earn him new ones. (Fiction. YA)

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