Serpent's Silver

Sequel to Dragon's Gold (not seen), more sponge-brained magical doings involving various nearby "frames" or paralled worlds. Sound familiar? It should - Anthony's been working the same vein for more than two decades. Young Kelvin of Rud - he has round ears, in a world of pointy-earred characters - has fulfilled the first part pf of a hero-prophesy almost by accident. Now he must enter an adjacent frame in order to rescue his Earth-derived father John from the evil, ambitious Rowforth's unpleasant dungeons. In this frame, instead of gold-skinned dragons, they have silver-skinned, rock-chewing giant worms, along with humanoid serpent people - the worms' remote kin - magical types who can freeze humans with a glance. One subplot features Kian, Kelvin's brother, who ends up in the dungeons with John; another involves Kelvin's wife and her obnoxious father. Magic is provided by the vanished travelling sorcerer Mouvar, whose mysterious devices help Kelvin win the day - and fulfill part two of the prophesy. Juvenile gush. (Kirkus Reviews)