Return to Lan Darr: Heroes of Distant Planets, Book 2 is a young adult fantasy novel written by Anderson Atlas. Allan Westerfield was stunned to see Asantia, his fellow adventurer on Lan Darr, burst into his room during a storm so fierce a lightening strike exploded an oak tree in his yard, causing a branch to break his window and fall into his room. The fourteen-year-old had not expected to see her again for a few more years, as she had promised they'd go on another adventure once he had turned eighteen. She came with grim news: Jibbawk had escaped his captivity and was out for revenge on Allan. When his alarm rang, Allan was surprised to find his window intact, and he realized it had all been a vivid dream. He was off to school -- and it was his fifteenth birthday. His uncle and guardian, Rubic, seemed excited as Allan ate his breakfast, and the reason would have Allan excited as well. Rubic had somehow gotten hold of an all-terrain wheelchair complete with large wheels and tracks that would allow him to climb stairs, navigate sand, and handle uneven terrain unassisted. This meant Allan could go hiking again, and they did. While he did love the outdoors, Allan had another reason for his soon-to-be weekly hikes. The Hubbu Flower's pollen had enabled him to travel to and from Lan Darr earlier that year, and he was determined to go back and see his friend.

Anderson Atlas's young adult fantasy novel, Return to Lan Darr: Heroes of Distant Planets, Book 2, can be read on its own, but I strongly recommend reading the first book in the series, Surviving the Improbable Quest, beforehand. That first book is an example of modern fantasy at its best, and this one builds beautifully from it. The author has built not one, but a number of distant planets that can be reached through the power of the Hubbu pollen, and, so far, each of the planets the reader gets to travel to is intriguing and worthy of exploration. I loved seeing how Allan continues to expand his abilities and regain his perspective after the life-shattering car crash that orphaned the former swimming star, who had dreamed of adventure, and left him in a wheelchair. The adventures continue and now under his own power! Atlas's plot is exciting and fast-paced, and the new places and beings Allan encounters are marvelous indeed. After reading the first book in the series, I expected great things of Return to Lan Darr, and somehow Atlas exceeded my expectations on all fronts. Return to Lan Darr: Heroes of Distant Planets, Book 2 is most highly recommended.

Return to Lan Darr by Anderson Atlas is a wonderful and original fantasy that looks into what the author refers to as ‘Heroes of Distant Planets.’ Written in a lucid and fast paced style, the storyline is designed to awaken the imaginations of young teens and expand their horizons to the far reaches of the universe. The main protagonist is an unlikely young teen named Allan, who has lost the use of his legs and is confined to a wheelchair. Allan now lives with his uncle Rubic, and has an inexplicable dream where he is given a message that a villainous creature named the Jibbhawk has escaped from his prison and is searching for Allan. The Jibbhawk wants to take revenge on Allan and his friends on Lan Darr, because they are responsible for defeating him in an earlier adventure on a fantasy alien planet.

A typically fantastic method of travel to the stars is there on Earth, waiting to be found. A roller coaster ride starts with the search for the Hubbu Flower. Allan in his wheelchair, his old uncle Rubic, a girlfriend of his, the psychotic mother of a missing child, the police searching for them, a flower seller, and many amazing fantastical creatures on several planets form a jigsaw puzzle of excitement and thrills. Mystery abounds with adventure and battles through many fantastical planets of the Milky Way Galaxy. The author, Anderson Atlas, has taken care to weave in many lessons of bravery, ability, and graciousness, as well as courage to face adversity and overcome seemingly impossible obstacles faced by the protagonists. The book is written in present tense and is very readable for its target audience of adolescents. A valiant effort.