RETURN OF THE GOLDEN AGE is the final book in Marilyn Peake’s trilogy that began with THE FISHERMAN’S SON.  The stories are not extremely lengthy, so they are the perfect choice for your advancing reader who wants to go on an adventure, but the thicker fantasy novels are overwhelming.  I do think that the reader will get more from RETURN OF THE GOLDEN AGE if they have read the previous two novels in this trilogy—THE FISHERMAN’S SON and THE CITY OF THE GOLDEN SUN.

Wiley O’Mara is back with the six boys from the underwater city.  He knows he must keep the boys hidden until the time is right to share their plight with his fellow islanders.  Wiley brings the boys to the island’s orphanage, and then sets out to find a way to tell his people about the lost city, the boys, and their heritage.

RETURN OF THE GOLDEN AGE sums up the previous two books perfectly.  The writing is paced well, and the characters are appealing.  At times, I feel the author is a little descriptive--in the opening she tells you what every character is wearing from head to toe, that really wasn’t necessary over and over in my opinion, once would have sufficed—but I was able to move past that easily enough.

Amazon has the trilogy geared for first and second graders.  I tend to disagree, I would certainly and wholeheartedly recommend these books to your second to sixth grader.