The Zodiac Legacy: The Dragon's Return

Summary: Taking place after the events of Book 1, Steven finds himself thrust into the leadership position of the Zodiac team caused by Jasmine's prolonged absence as she endlessly searches for a missing Carlos. The pressure thrust upon Steven escalates as the once-unified team begins to fragment, pulling its members in different directions. To make matters worse, Maxwell reemerges with renewed determination to not only seize control of the dragon power once again but the rest of the Zodiac powers as well. As a former enemy emerges seeking their help, Steven and the rest of the team must put their differences aside or risk losing their powers forever and dooming the rest of the world to the power of the Dragon.

Suggested age rating: 15+ based on language, violence, and some indecency.

Review: As a fan of the previous novel, I was eager to get my hands on this next installment. Regrettably, upon diving into the narrative, I found myself unsatisfied with the insufficiency in terms of the storyline and the overarching purpose. The absence of a compelling narrative left me yearning for a robust foundation on which the plot could unfold. Nevertheless, the plethora of characters coupled with the introduction of a former adversary added a sense of depth and enjoyment to the reading experience. Though I longed for this book to have the light-hearted and fun tone as its predecessor, this novel reveals a darker and more serious side of the continuing storyline. Ultimately, while this novel may not have captured the same level of enjoyment as the first novel, the unexpected twist in the plot and the riveting climax ended with an exciting buildup making it a fair read.

Language: 6 he** and 1 da****.

Indecency/Sex: A girl kisses a guy on the cheek, a character enters a club, an illustration shows women wearing tops exposing their midriff, and mention of a character having daddy issues.

Violence and Gore: Characters are constantly fighting with fists, superpowers, and guns leading to multiple injuries, and a man is said to have killed hundreds of people.

Frightening Scenes: None present.

Substance Abuse: An underage character is offered and asks for alcohol and some individuals drink alcohol.

Spiritual Content: The whole book is centered around the Chinese Zodiac, hypnosis is used, characters meditate, a statue of a god is present, a character is described as being a god, and demons are mentioned.

Genres: Fiction, middle grade, illustrations, science fiction, superheroes.