This is the final book in Williams’ young adult trilogy. While it has everything you would expect from a good YA book it is also quite different from most of its contemporaries. Firstly it has an Australian setting, built upon what appears to be the ancient wreckage of our own society. Williams has gone to some trouble to evoke the feel of the landscape, particularly the scale and harshness of the desert. Secondly his characters are a reflection of the tenacity required to live in such an environment. They are sometimes confused, often frightened but never pathetic. There is magic of sorts in the series, but it is unpredictable and mysterious. ‘The Change’ as it is called, takes many forms, some vaguely technological but is never really explained. This uncertainty adds to the flavour of the books and for me is another positive point of difference. There is something in this series for both reluctant and confident readers. Another of Williams’ series ‘Books of the Change’ found in the science-fiction section is set in the same world and would be an accessible recommendation for a confident teen reader who enjoyed this trilogy.

Stefen Brazulaitis is a customer service manager at Borders Perth

Tags: sean williams