In the Rift Glenraven II

Since her family's refusal to accept her as a pagan, and her lover's suicide from depression, Kate Beacham has been trying to rebuild an independent life for herself as a fine craftsman. Now that life is threatened not only by the religious rightists who have killed her horse but also by a magical book that has deposited four nonhumans and a large monster from a magical land (detailed in the first book in this series, Glenravan) literally on her doorstep. The magical book claims that Kate and these unusual allies must work together both to close the rift that has brought monsters into Glenraven (and is now threatening our world) and to prevent Kate from being killed by her human enemies. But there is a traitor among the outworlders, an evil wizard in Fort Lauderdale and, to further complicate matters, Kate is blind to the workings of her own explosively powerful magic. The bonding between Kate and the outworld woman, Rhiana, is touching, but the authors spend too much time preaching to the converted against sexism, racism and religious intolerance. This and inconsistent plotting render an otherwise entertaining adventure less compelling than it ought to be. (Apr.)