Grade 5-8-Buddhist monk Tensing and his disciple, Prince Dil Bahadur,
are journeying through the Himalayan peaks in
search of healing plants
when they come face to face with a tribe of once-fierce Yetis. These
legendary half-human, half-ape monsters inhabit a lush valley heated by
thermal pools and hot springs and are unaware that it''s the toxic
minerals in the water that has weakened them and slowed their rate of
reproduction. Meanwhile, 16-year-old Alexander Cold; his intrepid
writer/explorer grandmother, Kate; and his soul mate, Nadia Santos,
daughter of the guide who led Kate and Alex on their previous
expedition into the South American rain forest, described in City of
the Beasts, are off on a new International
Geographic expedition. They are headed for the Kingdom of the Golden
Dragon, a small, isolated sovereignty in the Himalayas. Criminals are
on the same flight; they intend to steal the Golden Dragon, the
fabulous jewel-encrusted statue that is both a symbol and a guide for
the country, and to abduct its king to interpret the statue''s oracular
predictions. All of these characters are about to come together in
another breathtaking Indiana Jones-style
adventure. When Nadia is one
of a group of young girls kidnapped by mercenaries, Tensing, Dil
Bahadur, and even the Yetis become involved in the rescue.Allende
combines empathetic young characters; exciting adventures; and an
intelligent, sympathetic look at cultures, customs, and creatures of a
remote and fairly unknown area. This is a must-read for fans of the
first book, but it stands completely on its own.