*Starred Review* Will's quiet life changes when he travels westward and takes part in the golden-spike ceremony completing the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1885. True, he's nearly killed by an avalanche and a sasquatch, but he also meets Maren, the young circus performer he can't forget. Three years later, Will joins his father for the inaugural journey of the Boundless, a mammoth train hauling 947 cars and 6,495 passengers across the continent. Along the way, Will learns that two groups plan to steal priceless treasures (including the golden spike) from a vaultlike mausoleum car. Hunted by a villainous gang, Will must rely on his wits, his courage, and his friends, including Maren and her circus community. Best known for his Printz Honor Book, Airborn (2004), and the Silverwing series, Oppel offers a grand adventure story that is firmly rooted in Canadian history but which is never limited by mere recorded facts. This vividly imagined, present-tense narrative features a series of heart-stopping action scenes involving dozens of memorable characters, many of them introduced in the 1885 segment and revealing themselves more fully aboard the Boundless. An epic journey novel with a distinctive setting, a powerful sense of adventure, and just a whiff of steampunk. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Oppel's Silverwings trilogy has sold over a million copies worldwide and Airborn received a Printz Honor. Expect hoards of passengers aboard The Boundless.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2010 Booklist

Will Everett's father is just a poor man laying track for the Canadian Pacific Railway until, on the day when the last spike is driven home somewhere in the Rockies, James Everett saves the railroad's president from an avalanche. Three years later, James is a railroad executive, and he and Will have been invited on the maiden intercontinental trip of the Boundless, the largest train ever assembled at nearly 1,000 cars. This purposefully melodramatic tale is set in a slightly alternate 19th-century North America, where monsters like the mighty sasquatch roam the Canadian wilderness. Will becomes embroiled in a plot to break into a palatial funeral car, along with Maren-the beautiful wire walker of the Zirkus Dante, whose cars are part of the train-and the circus's mysterious Metis ringmaster, Mr. Dorian. Dangers both natural and supernatural abound, as well as a certain amount of social commentary regarding class and ethnicity. Oppel's (Such Wicked Intent) imagination and sense of adventure never disappoint, and readers should thrill to this rousing tale as it barrels ahead at full speed. Ages 8-12. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Will Everett's father has risen high in the railroad company. He'll be driving the Boundless, the longest train ever, on her maiden voyage, and among its 987 cars is the heavily guarded funeral car of railroad baron Cornelius Van Horne. Naturally, it draws nefarious villain Brogan (disguised as a brakeman), who is bent on stealing the gold spike from Van Horne's coffin, and he's willing to murder anyone who stands in his way. Coincidentally, a cute tightrope walker, Maren, is also aboard as part of a circus. After a series of adventures (involving a sasquatch and a murder), Will finds himself stranded in the caboose, more than seven miles from his stateroom, where he must dodge Brogan and his henchmen with the help of Maren and her circus family. The ringmaster, Mr. Dorian, has his own plan: to steal a painting, one whose canvas has been soaked in the last dregs of the Fountain of Youth and now has the properties of the painting in The Picture of Dorian Gray. While the story starts slowly, it gradually picks up steam, and the urgent third-person present-tense narrative creates a palpable sense of suspense as these well-drawn characters travel through an alternate-universe Canadian wilderness toward a climactic confrontation. Once again, Oppel proves himself to be one of the premier writers of action and adventure for a middle-grade audience, and since the ending hints at a sequel, that audience can look forward to more from Will, Maren, and Brogan. jonathan hunt (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gr 3-7-Oppel masterfully crafts a reality-based story with fantastical possibilities set in the age of steam engines. Young Will Everett has a talent for sketching and a desire to see the world. The two twist together to offer him a grand adventure aboard the Boundless, a six-mile train engineered by his dad. Oppel uses the setting from his popular "Silverwing Trilogy" to introduce this new tale, which combines elements from Canadian history and folklore: avalanches, transcontinental train robberies, gold rushing, Sasquatches, wendigos, and a strange circus troupe. Narrator Nick Podehl does a good job voicing the slightly naive yet determined Will. Podehl finds a rhythm suitable for the fast-paced action adventure, keeping listeners tense and eager to hear what will happen next. While Will is a dynamic character, the female escape artist, Maren, isn't quite as developed. However, the story is lively and action-packed and doesn't disappoint. A great listen for middle schoolers, especially those looking for something that will keep their attention. Fans of James Dashner or Anthony Horowitz might look here for something new.-Jennifer Mann, Ann Arbor Public Schools, Ann Arbor, MI (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.