The Pilgrims of Rayne: Pendragon Book Eight    by D. J. MacHale Order:  USA  Can Simon & Schuster, 2007 (2007) Hardcover, Audio, CD Read an Excerpt      Reviewed by Hilary Williamson The Pilgrims of Rayne follows The Quillan Games as the eighth (of ten) in the popular Pendragon series. It stars Bobby Pendragon, leader of far-flung Travelers, who journey through flumes to alternate worlds and times and fight the Macchiavellian machinations of the evil, demonic Saint Dane, while scrupulously avoiding mixing the cultures of the Territories they visit (the bad guy is not so careful and revels in causing havoc). In The Quillan Games, Nevva Winter (the Quillan Traveler) betrayed her fellows and joined Saint Dane. And, back home on Second Earth, Bobby's old friend Mark was manipulated by Andy (who bullied him through childhood) to develop a technology that would change the futures of all the worlds. And so this episode opens: 'The future isn't what it used to be.' Mark has started a 'chain reaction that caused serious damage throughout Halla' and has gone missing. Now Bobby's friend (and acolyte) Courtney journeys with him to Third Earth in the year 5010. After the obligatory attack on arrival, they find a new Third Earth, filled with dados (robots in Mark's image). They then head to First Earth, seeking to find Mark and prevent the actions that changed history. When they're attacked again, the two separate - Courtney to continue seeking Mark on First Earth and Bobby following Saint Dane's blatant invitation to Ibara. Of course, this low tech tropical island paradise turns out to be full of surprises - and danger. While Bobby deals with contentious teen Siry - who seems to be the next Ibara Traveler - and with regular attacks by Flighters, Courtney finds an ally in hotel bellhop Dodger and races to prevent a murder on First Earth. Bobby turns into an outlaw on Ibara, while Courtney becomes a cruise ship stowaway. As matters become increasingly desperate, Bobby faces a crucial decision - should he go against everything he was taught and mix Territories in a last ditch effort to stop Saint Dane's relentless attacks? I enjoyed The Pilgrims of Rayne even more than The Quillan Games. It has non-stop action, a plot that twists and turns through several different worlds and times, and a cliffhanger ending that raises questions and builds suspense for the next thrilling Pendragon adventure. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Teens books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews