The Emerald Cavern is all about the age-old struggle of good against evil. But instead of being a run-of-the-mill rehash of the same old-same old, this is an exciting, imaginative ride into an adventurous land that gives Harry Potter a run for his money.
On the run and seeking shelter from the enemies chasing him, Mathew Lewin comes to the kingdom that resides beside the one that he saved by harnessing the power of the ring. Unfortunately, his hiding place is not quite as safe as he had hoped. Unexplained murder and mayhem reign in this kingdom, and even its sovereign is not safe under the threat of civil war, which casts suspicious aspersions on the boy who wants only to do good. But like all who possess great power, he knows that he must figure out how to control it before it takes control of him. In order to find the answers he needs to succeed, he must face off against another who also has great power - and be brave enough to go into the magical abyss where absolute wickedness resides.
The plot is well-developed and moves at a good pace. The dialogue is crisp and brisk. The characters make readers care about what happens to them. The action and adventure
are rip-roaring but still believable. The use of historical descriptions makes the entire story even more convincing.
This is Graham’s second book of "The Fifth Ring," and it is good enough to get a recommendation for both The Emerald Cavern and The Fifth Ring, his first novel.