Morpheus Road #2: The Black by D.J. MacHale

This book is the second in the series, and I gave it a rating of four out of five. The plot follows similar events to the first book, but it's told from Cooper's point of view. However, as you know from book one, Cooper is dead and has gone to the Black. The Black is where spirits go until they complete unfinished business from their time in the Light. Cooper finds out that a spirit named Damon caused his death, and now Damon is threatening Cooper's best friend's life unless Cooper helps him destroy a crucible. Damon was a savage war leader when he was alive a couple thousand years ago, and now he hopes to bridge the gap between the spirit world and the living. He will then return to the Light and seek his revenge against all humankind. Cooper must learn the rules of the Black, and maybe even break them, in order to save his friend and the Light. He also enlists the help of a girl named Maggie; she is an outcast who supposedly murdered her parents in a barn fire.

The plot had many twists and turns, and I was never quite sure about Cooper's motivations. I don't think he was sure either. The are a few surprising characters who make appearances and become major players in the conflict. It was interesting to recall events from the first book through Cooper's eyes and to see how he was able to influence events in the Light. Damon seemed to be unbeatable, so his conflict with Cooper was even more suspenseful.