Impressive. Flanagan has a talent for turning sequels into great stories in their own right, and The Invaders doesn't disappoint. In fact, the character development, friendships, battle strategies and action scenes are almost better than the first book in this series.

Though written in the third person, the story has the tone of an older person laughingly retelling the adventures of young friends, perhaps someone like Thorn, appreciating their bravery and daring, and not esteeming them less for their weaknesses and youthful mistakes. There's so much wisdom in the detail, such as that time at the beginning when the boys are restless waiting for their adventure to begin and Thorn advises a strict routine of exercise and hard work, followed by a good night's sleep and more exercise. The result is an immediate improvement in the atmosphere, with boredom relieved and a sense of purpose regained.

Individual characters too take giant steps. Stig has come a long way in not letting his temper get the better of him, now able to stare down an opponent without hitting him at first provocation. Hal has learned the painful consequences of a commander's choices for his men, realising that he cannot always protect those following his orders from being harmed. Thorn has exposed the hurts and failings of his past in order to begin again anew, and even Ulf and Wulf have transformed their twins' bickering into an acutely synchronised readiness for Hal's command.

In fact, all of the Brotherband boys' flawed nobility is contrasted strongly with Barat's self-centred bravado and the pirates' cowardly bullying. Hal's boys each have their own temperament and skills, and each follow their own path towards heroism.

An evenly paced action-character story for boys, but all readers of character driven action adventure will find it an enjoyable read. www.GoodReadingGuide.com