Children of the Volcano is the second book in the Essence of Ohr series by Parris Sheets, an endearing tale that will appeal to fans of young adult fantasy. This story follows the journey of a young boy, Kole, who has to unravel the mystery of the cryptic map in his head and locate the gods before his city is doomed forever. Russe, his mentor, is one of them. But the journey to the heart of the volcano in a forlorn and desolate land is not a joyride and it becomes even more complicated — even if one is accompanied by a God — when there are enemies on the same quest following close behind, beasts that are unforgiving, and toxic ash and other deadly elements of the land of the volcano. With the odds mounting against them, can they make it to Grayfall, a place where none ever returns from alive, talk less of finding answers and saving Kole’s people?

Coming-of-age in fantasyland can’t be executed any better. This story is well-imagined, cleverly plotted, and written to perfection. I was pulled in by the descriptive opening and from the moment I opened the book, I knew that this author has a unique gift for strong imagery and I was not wrong. Parris Sheets creates strong images in the reader’s mind, from the detailed elements of the setting to well-crafted scenes that are packed with action and enriched by exciting dialogues. The characters are well-developed and fully drawn, and readers will want to follow them through every one of their adventures and predicaments — Leo and his pet, Piper, Felix, Mikal, and others. Children of the Volcano is brimming with action and it is a tale with conflict that is deftly handled. It was hypnotic for me.

Children of the Volcano: A Young Adult Fantasy Adventure is the second book in the Essence of Ohr series by Parris Sheets. The story of Kole continues as he searches for more gods and sets them free so that the world order can get back to normal. Kole's city is in a lull of peace, but that is not enough. The world is crumbling, and now it is more important to find the gods as quickly as possible. He has Russe to help him, but that is not enough. With the enemy dogging their every step, Russe and Kole don’t have enough time, but they cannot stop. Not now. Even if they have to set foot on cursed lands, they would. Or else there will be no world to save. Can they get to the next god in time? Or are their enemies going to get to them first?

I love a good, fast-paced, action-driven plot. Parris Sheets starts Children of the Volcano with a bang, creates action from the first chapter, and hooks for more. The companionship and the partnership between Russe and Kole is the driving force of the story. The two of them work together; they support each other and respect each other. Kole looks up to Russe as a god and mentor, while Russe is exceptionally proud of Kole’s leadership and intelligence. The actual plot is brilliant. The chase to release gods, find them, unite them and save the world is a trope that we have read quite often, but not like this. There is a cinematic quality to the narrative and the way this story is written. It is perfect and incredibly entertaining. I cannot wait to read the next novel in the series.