Loved. ( )

Song of the Silvers doesn't just live up to the fantastic concept and promise of Flight of the Silvers (Book 1 in the trilogy)--instead, it works on from the first book to deliver an outstanding, character-driven piece of suspenseful science fiction that's nearly impossible to put down.

Building on the first book, The Song of the Silvers centers on the same world-breachers readers came to love in the first book, and expands their circle just enough to offer new faces and in-depth interactions without taking away from that original focus. And although there were a lot of suggestions of what would come in Book 1, this installment in the series manages to deliver on all of them without ever becoming predictable, or even slowing down. Instead, the book is packed with twists (that I, at least, didn't see coming) and character development that make the world come to life, balancing humor and action against character and heart to the extent that this book has a little bit of everything. What may impress me most, I also have to say, is Price's nuance and care when it comes to using or addressing any element of time travel. Time travel can so easily muddle up stories and characters, I'm always somewhat nervous when I see a book where time travel comes up, but isn't the focus. Here, Price works it in masterfully, but in such a way that it never comes across as either a device or something that's used too easily--and it's never used predictably, in either Book 1 or 2. With that added to the fact that even premonitions are treated in such a way that they're more of a characteristic than a focus, and with characters that can't help but bring sympathy, the book is... well, it's wonder-full, and I look forward to the moment when I pick up Books 1 and 2 to read them again in preparation for reading Book 3.

Lastly, I'll say that even though this book is over 700 pages, the inertia and power of it make it seem like a lot less; in fact, as I came up on the last two hundred pages, I had to force myself to slow down instead of powering through it, knowing I wanted to savor the story while I could since the third book in the series in still in the works (though the author keeps on giving out tantalizing updates via his website, which I'm dutifully trying to ignore).

If you like suspenseful, character-driven speculative fiction, or genre-bending stories that cover incredible territory with stellar writing, then you should pick this series it up. As far as I'm concerned, it really is that simple. I have a feeling that, long after I've read Book 3, this will always be one of the most striking and memorable science fiction series I'll have ever come across, and whether it's making me laugh or cry at a given moment, I absolutely adore it.

Obviously, I recommend it. ( )

If you like the alternate universe genre, you definitely don't want to miss this series. The books are engaging and well-written, drawing you in from the beginning, spinning out the mysteries that envelope our characters' lives, and parcelling out the answers just regularly enough that you can't put the books down. The action is unrelenting, and Price's characters are drawn so compellingly that you feel visceral satisfaction when a bad guy is vanquished, and truly mourn the traumas the good guys suffer. Price's deft handling of the supernatural abilities of his characters keeps them from turning into comic-book cliches. There's even a special geographical note for the New Jersey fan. A wonderful sequal to "Flight of the Silvers." The wait for the final volume in this trilogy will be a tough one. ( )