This is the second book in the Young James Bond series, and I gave it a rating of four out of five. James visits his cousin on an island off the coast of Italy. While there, he disovers a man who is trying to resurrect the Roman Empire to control most of Europe. The man has a phobia about dirt and sometimes is angered to the point of killing people over it. James visits the man's giant fortress that is built in the mountains on the island. The huge dam that he's created ends up being his downfall.

I enjoyed the plot, but the book seemed to be lacking a little bit of something. I don't think it contained as much action or mystery as the first book in the series. The part of the rising action just before the climax was exciting, but I wish there had been more of that earlier in the plot. The change in the pirate's character was surprising, but enjoyable.

347 STRON.