The Isis Pedlar

Jean Free is a past judge of the Vicky Metcalf and Ruth Schwartz awards
for children’s

literature.

Award-winning author Monica Hughes continues her Isis trilogy, which
began with The Keeper of the Isis Light. The Guardian of Isis tells the
story of Jody N’Kumo, a teenager of East African descent who left
earth with his family on the spacecraft Pegasus Two. He is now living on
the planet Isis in the year 2136. Jody is a loner who questions
everything: why the ruling Council of Seven makes sure everyone keeps on
doing the same thing year after year; why females are treated as
inferiors; and why certain taboos exist. Regarded as a troublemaker by
President Mark London, Jody is sent on a treacherous journey to the land
of the Guardian of Isis. There he tries to save the valley’s 800
inhabitants from an imminent flood by enlisting the help of Lady Olwen
Pendennis, Keeper of the Light, and her shining robot servant, the
Guardian. The events that follow make for an exciting adventure story.

The Isis Pedlar tells the story of David N’Kumo, nephew of Jody. The
tale begins with the arrival on Isis of a soldier of fortune named
Michael Joseph Flynn and his 15-year-old daughter, Moira. With his
“silver tongue and speech like honey,” Michael manipulates the
people of Isis into giving him valuable firestones in exchange for
unfulfilled promises of powers and delectable ambrosia. In the course of
the story, Moira and David fall in love, the Guardian tells of the death
of Olwen, and a momentous storm engulfs the valley.

The Isis series examines many issues relevant to a thoughtful teenage
audience: parent-child relationships, the use and abuse of power,
adolescent nonconformity, and the effect of science on the quality of
life. Hughes evokes a marvelous land of friendly monsters with feathered
tails, purple furs, rock-bunnies, and floaters that skim between the
mountain tops. The reissue of this imaginative series, first published
in 1981-82, still reads well. The brevity of the titles makes them a
good choice for reluctant readers and devoted intermediate-level
science-fiction fans alike. Recommended.