Raven Rise by D. J. MacHale

Main Character: Bobby Pendragon
Location: Multiple territories
Time period: Multiple--yes, I know it's confusing
Genre: YA Fiction, Fantasy
Series: Pendragon #9

For the last few Pendragon books, I've been more invested in Mark and Courtney's activities than in Bobby's--which is a little strange, since Bobby is the main character. I started off in this book feeling the same way--at least in the beginning.

Raven Rise starts pretty much where The Pilgrims of Rayne left off, which was a bit of a problem for me as it had been so long since I read the last book that I had forgotten some of the details. Fortunately, enough information was woven into the story to catch me up. (If you haven't read the previous books, though, you really have to start at the beginning.) Mark and Courtney had gone back to First Earth--the 1930's--to try and prevent the inventions of the dados. Bobby deliberately destroyed the tunnel to Ibara, stranding himself and Saint Dane on that territory. He tells himself and everyone else that it was a strategic move to isolate Saint Dane and keep him from causing anymore mischief, but a big part of him is ready to quit the fight and settle down someplace peaceful.

Naturally, nothing is that simple and Bobby's interlude is brought to an end.

A lot happens in this book, almost too much to keep track off. The convergence--a blending of the territories--is beginning. Bobby has choices to make but no one to guide him to the right one. Saint Dane is the only one telling him anything, hinting at a connection between them--I've got a weird idea that Saint Dane is a future version of what Bobby could be if he makes the wrong choices. At Bobby's side are Mark and Courtney, and the travelers from First and Third Earth and Denduron, but Bobby is the lead traveler, the one everyone else looks to, and he is only just 19 years old.

And along that line, kudos to the artist who does the cover illustrations. You can definitely see how Bobby has aged and the toll these four years of fighting have taken on him.