KEY POINTS:
GOOL
By Maurice Gee
Puffin, $19.95
This sequel to the fantasy novel Salt is a biological and psychological horror story, and is even scarier than its predecessor.
It is 16 years since Hari and Pearl escaped from Deep Salt. They now have two children, Xantee and Lo, and live peacefully in a village, away from the turmoil of the outside world. But an unknown terror has been unleashed. An amorphous creature, a "gool" from "outside nature", has grabbed hold of Hari's neck and won't let go. The more his children try to dislodge the repulsive thing, the stronger it grips. Only if the gool's mother is destroyed can Hari, and the world, be saved.
First Hari's father, Tarl the Dogman, has to be found. Many dangers lurk in the mountains and the gools must be avoided at all cost.
Gee's imagination is as fierce as ever. The beginning and ending of Gool are terrific, but I struggled through most of the middle section. Much of the writing seemed cold and uninspired, however, the descriptions of the gools did evoke real fear.
