From Publishers Weekly
First published in Britain in 1989 and making its first appearance on American shores, book one of the Deptford Mice Trilogy is a spooky and enthralling animal fantasy just right for Redwall fans. In an abandoned old house known as the Skirtings in the London borough of Deptford, a colony of gentle mice lead tidy, sheltered lives, follow their ancient traditions and worship the Green Mouse (a kindly god who resembles the agricultural deities of ancient Britain). Meanwhile, deep in the foul recesses of the sewers, brutish ratsDwhose primary diversion is hunting and eating miceDtoil at endless digging. Jupiter, a villain par excellence, rules over the rats and emanates a nearly palpable aura of evil. These worlds collide when the mouse Albert Brown is magically lured into the sewers. Albert's daughter, Audrey, armed with a special "brass" bequeathed to her by the Green Mouse, ventures into Jupiter's realm to rescue her father; her brother and a band of loyal friends eventually follow her. Numerous hair-raising encounters with the bloodthirsty rats ensue, until at last the valiant mice come face-to-face with Jupiter in a climactic showdown. Jarvis provides counterpoint to the heart-racing adventure with scenes of haunting beauty, including Audrey's mystical encounter with the Green Mouse and the country mouse Twit's nocturnal flight over London. The author conveys a sense of place powerful enough to elevate the South London boroughs of Greenwich and Blackheath to requisite stops on any bookish child's literary tour of the British capital. Ages 10-up. (Sept.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 5-9-This animal adventure tale pits a varied cast of mice against sewer-dwelling rats. Commanded by an evil creature named Jupiter, the rat hordes labor on a huge tunnel that will somehow bring their leader great power. Several mice are drawn into the sewer and eventually work together to thwart the project. With multiple protagonists, the action gets disjointed at times. Brave young Audrey gets captured early on, and doesn't reappear until several chapters later, detracting from the tension of her plight. Some characters, like Audrey's brother Arthur, are not developed beyond some basic traits. The action alternates between various mice trying to rescue Audrey and the terrible rats who are caught up in Jupiter's scheme and their own wicked designs. Jupiter himself is a compelling villain, never seen by even his closest henchman, whose magical powers increase as his evil plan unfolds. The best scenes in the novel involve danger and action, often with gruesome details. The rats not only kill mice, they skin and eat them, so the narrow escapes and close calls are exciting, especially the final scene in which the mice finally battle Jupiter. Brian Jacques's "Redwall" series (Philomel) is more tightly plotted and Kenneth Oppel's "Silverwing" books (S & S) are more suspenseful, but The Dark Portal will appeal to fans of both.
Steven Engelfried, Deschutes County Library, Bend, OR Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.