Cleopatra in Space - GN Book Four - The Golden Lion

Mike Maihack returns with the fourth volume of the adventures of young Cleopatra, before she became the famous queen, yet so many centuries after she was queen - confused? Don't be! Maihack's fun-filled romp through time and space continues as Cleopatra, who has been pulled from the past into a distant future, where she is meant to fulfill the prophecy and save the galaxy from the tyrannical rule of one dastardly villain, Octavian, is sent on a new journey to retrieve the fabled Golden Lion - a piece of a star that is said to hold immeasurable power, which, if fallen into the wrong hands, could spell disaster for everyone!

 

Picking up after the events of the last graphic novel, The Golden Lion finds Cleo training hard and pushing herself even harder to be the best at everything. One of her friends is dead, another has lost her arm, and her teacher and mentor's secrets have been revealed.  But when Cleo and her best friend, Akila, are called to appear in front of the Council, they expect it is because of something Cleo has done - instead, it turns out that the Council is aware of the location of the Golden Lion, and there is an urgency to get to it before Octavian does.  Cleo, though, is grounded because of her actions in the previous book, and she was only made aware of the mission to keep her from going off half-cocked.  (Of course, anyone who knows Cleo by now knows that she does not like being left behind!)  Fortunately, for her, there are some members of the Council who believe fully in the prophecy and want Cleo to find the star piece first.

With the help of a new weapon and new technology that will enable her to travel across the galaxy faster than the search party (Brian truly is a tech-genius!), Cleo soon finds herself on the freezing planet of Cada'duun.  Cold.  Alone.  And with no idea how to track down the Golden Lion, if it even exists at all!  Maihack presents readers with another wild adventure, introduces readers to Akila's (Ki Ki's) parents, and brings back that ever-lovable thief, Antony, who just so happens to be hunting the same thing as Cleo.  They join forces to escape the dangers of the planet (and I'm not just talking about the cold) and unwittingly discover a tropical paradise hidden inside the frosty shell of a planet!  Maihack's story moves at a quick pace, but no so fast that characterization and subplots get lost in the shuffle.  Cleo has to face the things that she has done and learn from them; Khensu must take ownership of the lies he told to do what he thought was best for Cleo; Akila's parents must come to terms with the fact that their daughter is growing up; the Council must ultimately decide whether to trust Cleo to fulfill the prophecy that they have been counting on for so many generations; and for one of the characters, they must decide whether they are going to betray the ones who trust them or choose to follow the right path.

Oh, and along the way, Cleo makes a new friend in Mihos!  I won't spoil the surprise, but let's just say that Mihos is absolutely adorable (and hopefully will still be around in the next two books!).

Maihack's art continues to mesmerize, and the change of setting allows him to expand his talents with the polar opposite climates of a sub-zero, frozen terrain to a tropical paradise.  And the climactic fight sequence between Cleo and Ophois is enough to get you on the edge of your seat, waiting to see how it's going to end!  And without giving anything away, I will say that this book ends with not only a surprise reveal, but an explosive cliffhanger that will certainly have repercussions in the coming story.

I know this is only a 6-book series, and with four books now behind me, that only leaves two left.  I hate the idea of Cleo's adventures in space in the future ending, but I guess sooner or later she will have to return to Egypt to grow up and fulfill her destiny there.  And judging from what I've seen so far, I have no doubt the last two books will be some of Maihack's best work yet!

RATING:  10 zutupple fruits out of 10 for expanding Cleo's universe and taking readers on a fun-filled romp through space in the process!