Conrad Mason - The Girl in Wooden Armour - Book Review - Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books

When you are looking for a ray of sunshine then a new book by Conrad Mason is just the tonic. The Girl In Wooden Armour will be published on 1st April, 2021 by David Fickling. The book cover illustration is amazing; I have been recently informed it's been produced by the talented illustrator George Ermos (one of my favourite illustrators). It certainly enticed me and made me want to dive in straight away. After reading other books by Conrad Mason, I have a certain expectation of what to find. This did not fail but it lived up to my expectations in different ways. 

The story is about sorcery, witchcraft, and possibly a warrior or two. It's very dark and essentially is a middle-grade fantasy horror story. Conrad Mason appears to be stretching his fantasy wings and going into new territory.  Just like the main character in the book (Hattie), he is strapping on his wooden armour and getting ready to do battle with the readers' mind. It's a plot about a family that has secrets and a very unusual granny. 

One day Hattie gets a mysterious letter calling for help so she and her younger brother Jonathan visit her granny for the first time in years. The plot thickens and the veil of an ancient evil is cast over the reader as the characters launch into their adventure. At this point, this is not what I was expecting; I was looking for pirate swashbuckling and some spilled grog. However, what we get is a very strange place called Brokewood-on Tandle (a great name for a place) and an all-action-packed narrative that will be loved by all armchair readers. 

Unfortunately, Granny has disappeared and a dark shadowy place called the Un Forest is introduced. I really liked Un Forest and would have loved to have seen this explored in more detail. It had so much potential for the plotline and is what reading is all about - being transported to an imaginary world with mystery, mayhem, and madness. Nevertheless, we escape into a sinister world of scary monsters who are lurking around every corner (some of which would fit nicely into a Darren Shan novel). They are very imaginatively written and definitely sent shivers down my spine. Empathy is another element that has been injected into the story. It faces issues that many of us might be feeling at the moment: loneliness, sadness, and losing a loved one.  

This is a great book with many twists and turns. It doesn't have a set agenda instead it is about good quality storytelling that will grip you and captivate your fantasy brain. It has a courageous female heroine who will be adored regardless of gender or age. It's a thrilling read with a dynamite ending to capture readers and light up their imaginations. 

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Great New Summer Children's Publications by David Fickling Books

Conrad Mason - The Hero's Tomb - Published by David Fickling - Hardback ISBN:978-1910200346 - Out Now!

Azurmouth! In all the Old World there is no city so vast, so sprawling . . . or so dangerous.

Half-goblin boy Joseph Grubb has come to find the truth about his parents. His friend Tabitha has followed him across the ocean, hoping to protect him from the deadly white-coated butchers of the League of the Light. Meanwhile her guardian Captain Newton is determined to recover an ancient artifact stolen by the League’s sinister Duke of Garran.

But in Azurmouth nothing is as it seems. Old enemies will rise. Long-buried secrets will be uncovered. And the League will awaken an ancient power, threatening the Old World with a terrifying new dawn.

Soon Joseph, Tabitha and Newton will have to face their deepest fears, and a final reckoning, at the Hero’s Tomb . . .

Mal Peet - The Murdstone Trilogy - Published by David Fickling - Paperback ISBN: 978-1910200216 - Out Now! 

Philip Murdstone is a writer.

He writes subtle YA books about sensitive boys. Subtle books which don’t sell.

He does NOT write fantasy. He HATES fantasy - even the faintest whiff of goblins and elves brings him

out in hives. But - his agent Minerva Cinch informs him - his career as a writer is kaput if he DOESN’T

write fantasy.

Luckily for Murdstone, it is at this exact moment that he meets a strange creature from another realm.

What could possibly go wrong?

Jon Walter - My Name's Not Friday - Published by David Fickling - Hardback ISBN: 978-1910200438 - Out Now!

Samuel’s an educated boy. Been taught by a priest. He was never supposed to be a slave.

He’s a good boy too, thought- ful and kind. The type of boy who’d take the blame for something he didn’t do, if

it meant he could save his brother.

So now they don’t call him Samuel anymore.

And the sound of guns is getting ever closer . . .

Jon Walter’s second novel is a beautiful and moving story about the power of belief and the strength of the human spirit, set against the terrifying backdrop of the American Civil War.

For more cracking reads check out the David Fickling Website: http://www.davidficklingbooks.com

Book Review: Conrad Mason - The Goblin's Gift - Tales of Port Fayt 2

Picking up the story from the first book (Demon's Watch) the newest recruit Joseph Grubb, and his fellow Watchmen, have their work cut out protecting Port Fayt once again. From page one onwards we are flung into a second madcap adventure as the characters set sail to Port Fayt. However, trouble is brewing from the League of Light - the Duke of Garran and his fleet of ships are trying to wipe them off the map.  The only hope for Port Fayt is to persuade the magical merfolk to fight alongside them, but the merfolk won't go to war. At least not until their princess is returned, which creates a magical split story setting. My favourite part of the story involved a nine year-old underground super villain known as The Boy King. Ruthless ruler of the Ebony Ocean, he is a crazy bully boy who loves a brutal song and a dance or two. One of his star acts includes Princess Pallione - a voice of the gods and a demon shark fighter. However it's up to Joseph and his blue-haired friend, Tabitha, to rescue the mermaid princess from the gangsters clutches. I have to say that I was so immersed in the story from the start, that in a blink of an eye I was half-way through the book in no time. I really liked the style of writing involving the split story setting between the different characters - each immersed in their own battles and dealing with a range of encounters. In my opinion this worked really well as it certainly showed the many different angles to the story. Packed full of filling, this story incorporates lots of well thought out ideas that keeps the reader on their toes such as Joseph's secret from the past. This certainly turned part of the story onto its head and made sure that the reader took a new course of direction. Hugely entertaining, this second book has certainly built upon the magical setting from the first book. The author has delivered another high adventure on sea and land transferring both into a well written story. All lovers of the fantasy genre will want to read this story. The bickering, fighting and waves of emotion are memorable parts of the story as well as the timely sprinkling and inclusion of wit. However, be warned, the loveable characters from the first book may not make it through to the very next book. Hopefully this isn't a cheeky spoiler from me - I don't usually make a habit of giving away such elements of insight! Conrad wraps the book up with a whirlpool of action and plot which will keep you transfixed until the very end. It leaves you with a satisfied feeling having been led onto the subtle path that he has created for the next adventure. This is a superbly written magical fantasy that is up there with the best. It has barrel loads of imagination, action galore, and a huge dollop of mayhem and mischief. The author has triumphantly built on the great foundations of the first book and made this one even more enjoyable. I am looking forward to the next book to be further led along the path that has been started. Published by David Fickling Books - 4th April 2013

Conrad Mason - The Demon's Watch - Happy Launch Day - March 1st 2012

Many thanks to Conrad for taking the time to write a little post about his exciting debut book which is out today. I for one loved it, so check out the review Here
I hope that you enjoy the blog post below. If it grabs your attention then go and buy a copy of the book so that you can have an amazing amount of fun reading it. 
If you've already read the book then please let us know what you thought of it. Don't be shy and write a few words in the comments part at the bottom of this page. I look forward to reading all your thoughts and comments soon. 


When I was young, I thought it would be cool to read a book which had magic, elves and goblins, but in an 18th century style setting - with pirates, tricorne hats and muskets. I never found that book, so years later I decided to write it.
There are a lot of fantasy stories in which a young farmboy goes on a quest to defeat a dark wizard, facing evil creatures along the way (usually orcs of one sort or another) and discovering that he is the chosen one, destined to rule the kingdom. I love this kind of story. But for The Demon's Watch I wanted to do something different. So my hero is a goblin boy, and there's nothing special about him at all. My villains are the League of the Light - self-righteous humans who want to rid the world of anyone who isn't like them. It's a sort of fantasy-in-reverse.

Here's a bit about the story:

Port Fayt - where humans live in peace alongside trolls, goblins and fairies alike. Captain Newton and his men are the Demon's Watch, keeping the town safe from pirates and smugglers. But now Fayt is under threat from a much more deadly enemy - the all-human, all-powerful League of the Light. And to make matters worse, a dangerous witch has just arrived in town.

Half-goblin boy Joseph Grubb works in his uncle's tavern, the Legless Mermaid, and has only ever heard stories of the Demon's Watch. But when he runs away from his uncle and finds himself deep in a criminal underworld, Grubb might be the one person who could help the watchmen save Port Fayt.

The Demon's Watch is my first book, and it's out in March with David Fickling Books. I've tried to pack it full of action, humour and mystery, with some big twists along the way. I like to think the younger me would have enjoyed it. I hope you will too. 

Conrad Mason's website: www.conrad-mason.com