COOMBE, E. Guardian of the Tomb Lothian (Arky Steele), 2013 230pp $14.99 pbk ISBN 9780734411587 SCIS 1621400
This is the first in a series of adventures featuring Arky (Archibald) Steele, a 12-year old with a mountaineer for mum and an archeologist for a dad. These parents are his passport to travel, treasure and adventure. Arky is a resilient, unstoppable character, and in this novel he will take you to the lawless yurts and yaks of Mongolia in search of the lost treasure of Genghis Khan. Also there is the matter of the evil millionaire Goran Rulec, and his well placed spy to contend with. Will Arky Steele and his dad be thwarted by Rulec, will they be the bunnies who lead him to the treasure, or will Arky somehow find a way to outwit Rulec and his mercenaries? As the small team of treasure hunters, including a soft, rich boy, Professor Isobel Smythe, a Mongolian shepherd boy, Arky and his dad, go deeper into Mongolia, they face floods, thieves, kidnappers, tomb raiders, mounds of bones of the ancient dead, hunger, the eating of wild marmot and honey and walnut cookies, a deadly snowstorm, sundry challenges to their character, and the doorway to the Hand of Death. Recommended for 9 to 12 year olds who love adventure on every page. KB