Tolomay's World and the Mountain of TEGI; Tolomay's World - Book 2 by M.E. Lorde

This story is so rich in detail it's a joy to read. Candidates are coming through faster as conditions in the past deteriorate more rapidly. In the next group that comes through is Sandra, a selfish girl with her eyes set on Kenter, in spite of being told repeatedly he's not interested. Hurt when she sees Sandra kiss Kenter, Tolomay flees and finds herself kidnapped by people she had no idea were on Clean Earth.

Taken to their home underground, Tolomay learns there are hundreds of people, if not thousands, living here. She has a lot to learn too. Tolomay gets many surprises from these new people, not all of them good. She is mocked and belittled for believing Tarron is her father, and her actions are strictly controlled. Why do these people say they are her family? Do they really accept her as a long lost relative, or is something more sinister going on that she isn't be told about? Who finally believes in her comes as a surprise.

I enjoyed the way the author portrayed the evils of society in a microcosm. Greed arrogance, self-serving behavior are all very evident. In the Mountain of TEGI, we see the very worst that can happen when a few people put themselves in charge of what everyone else is allowed to do, have, and believe. Tolomay is ridiculed as ignorant because she didn't grow up with these people, yet manages to hold on to her dignity. And why do the keep referring to her as a goddess?

How she lost and regained her sense of self makes for an engrossing story. How she learned to survive and stay mentally and emotionally strong kept me turning page after page. I loved this second installment of Tolomay's World as much as the first book.

Lorde took the story in a completely different direction from the Pool of Light. Instead of people who have learned the lessons of the past, Tolomay must face the horror of a people who refuse to change lest they lose the power they have over others. Once again Lorde gives us a young girl who not only won't give up on herself, what she knows is right, and the boy she loves, but continues to grow as a person as well. I am very much looking forward to the next book in the series, Tolomay's World, The Splitting of the Trunk.

This book is currently only available at Amazon.