AustLit

'Clan chieftain Finn McCool has disappeared and his men are under attack. That's the devastating news that greets Jack when he's shaken awake late one night at home by bloodied and battle-worn warrior Cormac. Jack knows it's down to him as Prince of Tara to rescue Finn and save the clan itself. But first things first; Jack has to get both he and the bedraggled warrior out of the family home and back to Eireann without the rest of his family finding out. That's not so easy when Dad's got the Midnight Munchies and Nan suddenly decides to start poking about. Some seriously swift talking, a surprise intervention and the mysterious rubifelis help Jack and Cormac travel in the magical trunk from Jack's attic back in time to the place they hope to find Finn. But when the trunk is opened, it's revealed that they've ended up ... where? Not the Forest of Roann from where they assume Eireann's evil High King Goll has kidnapped Finn but somewhere else entirely. At first glance, it looks as if they've landed in paradise but Jack and Cormac soon discover that the steamy heat and dense jungle filled with strange sounds, strange creatures and even stranger - and deadly - plants, hide a land that's rife with unseen dangers and inhabitants who would do them harm. When the school boy prince is warned in the words of a magical song that he's in danger of betrayal, Jack begins to doubt even those closest to him and with tensions running high, he is forced to change tack if he's to protect himself from the traitor hiding in the shadows and continue his quest. This, the fifth book in The Chronicles of Jack McCool, sees age-old Irish folklore combine with the celebrated Hindu tales of Lord Rama as Jack embarks on a desperate chase to track down Finn and find the next enchanted gemstone required to break an ancient curse. Jack tackles a banshee fuelled by endless greed and jealousy, a cursed golden idol that's thwarted many bigger, older and stronger than he and a land full of dangers and secrets. Jack has to use all his cunning to unravel a riddle and discover the key that will unlock his way to safety, accept help from the most unlikely of sources and look deep inside himself if he is to succeed, all while staying faithful to his destiny in this, his most challenging adventure yet.'(Publication summary)

'The clan’s secret encampment has been discovered and burnt to the ground by the evil High King Goll. All hope seems lost as Jack, Finn and the clansmen who escaped Goll’s clutches desperately try to stay one step ahead of Eireann’s wicked ruler by hiding in the Forest of Roann. There, they hatch a plan to rescue their kidnapped friends from the Palace of Tara where they are trapped and find Finn’s wife, Ruskalya who has mysteriously disappeared. Not only this but they must help Jack retrieve the sixth gemstone destined for the magical Amulet of Athlone that he wears around his wrist. This last enchanted jewel is all that our school boy hero needs to break the ancient curse that imprisons Finn’s mother and keeps Eireann under Goll’s rule. Now only a single banshee stands in his way to fulfill his destiny as Prince of Tara but that banshee is Serpentia, the most feared and dangerous of her kind. While Jack prepares to confront his deadly enemies, he hears that his old friend, Ra, is in desperate need of his help. Since last they met, Ra has been sold into slavery and sent from her home in Kemet to ancient Mexico to serve the Aztec queen. Worse still, Jack discovers the queen’s sons, fuelled by jealousy, have hatched a dastardly plan for Ra with the aid of the Aztec high priest. Torn between facing the evil pair who have haunted Eireann for so long and rescuing his friend, Jack decides to risk everything – including the success of his final challenge – and begs Finn to join him in one last quest. The sixth and final installment of The Chronicles of Jack McCool, is full of intrigue, mystery and danger as Jack battles to do what’s right by his friends and unravel the secrets of the Orb of Eternal Fire that holds the key to Ra’s freedom while still struggling to fulfill his destiny; all in the shadow of a fiery volcano that’s threatening to explode. Jack’s trademark humour and the growing wisdom he’s gained from his adventures help him in his efforts but will all his hard work and bravery pay off or will Jack have to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to succeed?' (Publication summary)