Author goes on another fun adventure in the land of Foo

All is well in the land of Foo. This magical place, when the dreams of all mankind go to live on in hope, had a rough go of it for a while, as the evil Dearth and his henchman Sabine tried to take over. But through the efforts of a Lithen named Geth (who spent time as a tree and then a toothpick), a Sycophant named Clover and a boy brought from Reality by the name of Leven Thumps, peace and hope were restored.

So, all is well. But perhaps, for the heroes who were involved in the life-and-death struggles for so long, maybe a little boring?

Not to worry. As the curse offered by the ancient Chinese says: May you live in interesting times.

And Geth and Clover are about to encounter something vitally interesting as they set off to explore Foo's borders.

Author Obert Skye will continue the adventures in a new trilogy. The first volume, "Beyond Foo: Geth and the Return of the Lithens" (Shadow Mountain, $14.99) is being released May 9.

Though smaller and somewhat more lighthearted than the Leven Thumps series, this is one series Skye always planned on writing.

"In that series, I deliberately kept the borders of Foo untalked-about. My intention was to go back for another nonstop adventure, but a funnier one," said Skye in a telephone chat from his home "in America, near a thin, winding road," where he loves to eat jawbreakers.

You don't actually need to read the Leven series before you read this one; Skye provides a "Foo-nopsis" that tells what readers need to know about the characters and the setting.

"I think for some people this will be a gateway series," Skye said. "They'll read this and then go back and read the other series."

But for those who have read about Leven Thumps, it will be a fun reunion

There's plenty of adventure in "Beyond Foo," with various and sundry creatures such as the shaggy onus, tree-like boors, the stone holders and the evil Payt. There are dirt balloons that rise out of the soil, a booby-trapped castle and a pyramid of dreamy cheerleaders. And there's lots of advice and philosophy from Skye himself, such as "finding something unexpected can be a great confidence booster," and "there are times when falling isn't too bad."