The Eye of the Forest by, P.B. Kerr. ISBN-13: 978-0439932158John and Phillipa Gaunt are drawn into yet another exciting adventure in this, the fifth book in the Children of the Lamp series entitled, The Eye of the Forest. They face carnivorous plants, headhunters, twelve-foot long centipedes, and some familiar villains as they work their magic to try to save the world yet again. This time the djinn twins have flown to the depths of the Peruvian Amazon with their Uncle Nimrod, Zadie, and Mr. Vodyannoy to meet up with Sicky, a local guide and his chef, Muddy, so that they can find their way to an ancient lost city. Hopefully there, they will be able to stop an ancient prophecy regarding a set of twins and a great tragedy. Unfortunately for the reader, we are never actually told what the great prophecy foretells.
This book is filled with scientific explanations that sometimes lend credibility to Kerr's discussions-- such as an explanation of the way hot air rises in circular currents. At other times, however, like when she uses concepts about radioactive isotopes to bring us to our story's climax, the logic feels a bit forced. With a series focused on magic characters, she should lean a bit less heavily on advanced scientific theory. While the rich descriptions of the Incan life or landscape were historically interesting, this feels like the least magic-based book of magic ever written. The Eye of the Forest has shifted directions from the rest of the series and Kerr fans might be disappointed with this change. The unfinished ending leaves Kerr with a great set-up for the next book, where she will hopefully return to the magic-driven format which has been so successful in the first four books.
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