In the second title in the Underland Chronicles series, Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane by Suzanne Collins, Gregor returns to the world beneath New York City, seeking his young sister, Boots, who has been kidnapped by giant cockroaches that are trying to protect her from murderous rats. PW said of Gregor the Overlander, "Collins does a grand job of world-building.... Unlike Gregor who cannot wait to leave, readers will likely find it to be a fantastically engaging place." (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

When giant cockroaches kidnap his baby sister Boots from Central Park, Gregor knows that he has no choice but to descend to the Underland to find her. Readers will eagerly remember what Gregor has tried to forget: that at the end of Gregor the Overlander (2003), the fey Nerissa had hinted at the Prophecy of Bane. Bane, it appears, is a giant white rat, one whose coming portends the end of the delicate balance of power in the Underland; Gregor is prophesied to be the end of Bane, but not if the rats get Boots first. Collins crafts another edge-of-the-seat quest; a race between Gregor and the rats reunites the boy with Queen Luxa and with Ares, his new bat-bond. Humor and terror alternate, as the third-person narration (heavily flavored by the voice of 11-year-old Gregor) details the bickering brought on by close quarters and then unflinchingly throws the questers into mortal danger. Gregor's resolution of the prophecy will surprise and delight readers--who will be equally delighted to see that Nerissa has packed a new prophecy in Gregor's luggage when he returns home. Yessss! (Fiction. 9-14) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

(Intermediate) This sequel picks up almost six months after the end of Gregor the Overlander (rev. 9/03). Once again, it's a cryptic centuries-old prophecy that calls eleven-year-old Gregor and his two-year-old sister Boots to the Underland, an archaic subterranean world inhabited by pale, violet-eyed humans and giant sentient animals, including cockroaches, bats, and fierce, warring rats. Gregor's anger at finding himself back in this bizarre and dangerous land soon turns to steely determination when he hears the prophecy, which, to Gregor, boils down to his protecting Boots from the legions of rats who want to kill her, as well as hunting and killing the Bane, a ten-foot-tall white rat. It also means that Gregor has to grapple with his newly emergent abilities as a ""special kind of fighter"" known as a ""rager."" With the first one hundred pages devoted to preparations for the journey, the action isn't as dizzying as in the first book. Nevertheless, book two features Collins's careful attention to detail, pacing, and character development. A number of survivors of the first quest accompany Gregor on this adventure, which includes a perilous journey at sea, more tragic loss, and the shocking truth about the legendary Bane. Along with many Underlanders (rats notwithstanding), Gregor's fans will cheer the promise of future visits. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

Gr 5-8-Readers are quickly drawn into this sequel to Gregor the Overlander (Scholastic, 2003), which concluded with Gregor and his toddler sister, Boots, returning from the Underland, an underground realm populated by humans and giant creatures. When Boots is kidnapped and taken back to the Underland, Gregor follows her to the city of Regalia, where he is reunited with Luxa and her wise grandfather. Vikus tells the boy of the "Prophecy of Bane," which foretold of Gregor's return to the land to find and fight a legendary white super-rat. The siblings are joined by Luxa and other humans, as well as giant talking bats and cockroaches, in the quest to find the Bane. As in the first book, the questers face adventure, danger, death, loss, and change on their journey, and the surprising conclusion leaves room for another sequel. Interpersonal conflict and old enmities among the well-developed characters add depth, and the hazards and beauties of the subterranean Underland are fully realized and clearly presented. An urgent mood and a sense of impending danger are conveyed. This is a strong choice for fantasy fans, including reluctant readers, even if they're not familiar with Gregor's first adventure.-Beth L. Meister, Yeshiva of Central Queens, Flushing, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gr. 4-8. In this exciting, fast-paced sequel to Gregor the Overlander BKL O 15 03, 11-year-old Gregor and his little sister, Boots, return to the Underland to battle the evil giant rats, which have conspired to kill Boots in order to destroy Gregor, their primary obstacle to conquering all the Underland. To save his sister, Gregor sails across a subterranean sea with his bat and cockroach allies to find and kill the prophesied rat leader of the Underland war. Most of the action takes place on the water, including a memorable battle with a sea serpent, and there are plenty of suspenseful moments and exciting developments. Gregor, of course, is courageous, selfless, and ultimately triumphant. Readers unfamiliar with the first novel will be at a disadvantage; Collins assumes knowledge of the characters and developments from the first book. But fans will not be disappointed with this exciting, action-packed sequel, whose ending suggests more adventures to come. --Ed Sullivan Copyright 2004 Booklist