fantasy

John Stephens talks to NZ about The Emerald Atlas

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Stay tuned for our review of The Emerald Atlas tomorrow. If you think it sounds like a book you would love to read, make sure you enter our Week 2 Reading Crusade Challenge for your chance to win a copy (we’ve got 5 copies to give away).

The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens

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Do you miss Harry Potter and wish that there was another series you could read that’s similar?  Look no further thanThe Emerald Atlas by John Stephens, a magical new fantasy story and the first in The Books of Beginning Trilogy.

Kate, Michael and Emma have never really known their parents who disappeared in the dead of night 10 years ago.  They were taken by a mysterious stranger, left at an orphanage and have been moved around ever since.  When the children are sent off to another orphanage in Cambridge Falls they think this place will be the same as the last, but they are very, very wrong.  No-one seems to have heard of Cambridge Falls, and they discover that it is kept hidden from the world by a magic spell.   In their new home they meet the mysterious Dr Pym, who Kate seems to recognise.  While exploring their new home, they discover an old leather book and set in motion an ancient magical prophecy which will take them on the adventure of a lifetime.

The Emerald Atlas is a fast-paced, magical adventure through a world filled with dwarves, horrible creatures, a beautiful but sinister witch, and a mysterious book with the power to change the world.  The story will suck you in and keep you guessing to the very end.  I loved the dwarves who always seemed to be cursing and arguing, but pulled together to help the children.  If you love stories like Harry Potter, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Series of Unfortunate Events and The Golden Compass, then you’ll love The Emerald Atlas.

The Travelling Restaurant by Barbara Else

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In the land of Fontania magic has been outlawed.  Ever since The Great Accident, even uttering the word ‘with five letters that began with ‘m’, had a ‘g’ in the middle and ended with ‘c’ was completely and utterly forbidden.’  The land is ruled by the Provisional Monarch, Lady Gall who keeps herself beautiful by injecting a special fluid called Beauteen into her wrinkles.  Jasper’s father, Dr Ludlow, is the inventor of Beauteen and works for Lady Gall, but when Jasper discovers that his sister, Sibilla was poisoned by Lady Gall, the family must escape.  When Jasper falls asleep on the docks, his family leave him behind.  While he’s looking for their ship he finds the Travelling Restaurant, a colourful ship run by Polly and Dr Rocket.  On the Travelling Restaurant, Jasper embarks on a wild adventure across lakes and oceans.  He faces raging rapids, troublesome monkeys and hungry pirates in the search for his baby sister, who might just be the key to saving Fontania.

The Travelling Restaurant is a magical story, set in a magnificent kingdom filled with colourful characters. My favourite character was Jasper, who is an incredibly brave boy who gets into some dangerous situations, in the hope of finding his sister.  The descriptions of the food that they prepare on the Travelling Restaurant will make your mouth water and your stomach grumble.  Barbara Else has created a world that you will never want to leave.  Recommended for 9+     9 out of 10

Farewell to Brian Jacques and Redwall

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I was sad to learn today that the author of the Redwall series, Brian Jacques, died on 5 February 2011. Brian has written many books in the Redwall series, including Rakkety Tam, The Legend of Luke, Marlfox, and The Pearls of Lutra, as well as the fantastic Flying Dutchman series. Here’s some interesting facts about Brian Jacques:

  • He was caned by a teacher, who could not believe a 10-year-old could write so well, when he wrote a short story about a bird who cleaned a crocodile’s teeth.
  • He left school at 15 and traveled the world as a merchant seaman.
  • He wrote his first story, Redwall, for children at Royal Wavertree School for the Blind in Liverpool. Because the children were blind, he made his writing as descriptive as possible, painting pictures with words so that they could see them in their imaginations.
  • He has worked as a railway fireman, a longshoreman, a long-distance truck driver, a bus driver, a boxer, a bobby (Police Constable), a postmaster, and a stand-up comic.
  • He has sold over 20 million books worldwide and they have been translated into 29 languages.

What’s your favourite Brian Jacques book?