Charlie Pike - Jacob's Ladder - Prepare to be Born Anew - Book Review - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

This is another exciting YA book from a debut Irish author. In this case, the author is Charlie Pike and it was such a privilege to receive a copy of this book to review. Jacob's Ladder will hit the shops on the 1st April 2019 and has been published by The O'Brien Press in Ireland. It's a brilliantly written dark fantasy story that will hook you from the very first page. Set in the year 2203 (dystopian style vision) the earth is dying, birds are falling out of the sky and people are living in fear of what is to come. 

The story is very brutal and hard-hitting with some scenes that would be more appropriate to late teen/adult fiction, in my opinion. It has an epic fantasy landscape which is incredibly well written. The imagination certainly draws the reader into the world of war, destruction, and chaos. The story takes you into a mission of salvation based on a series of mystery messages, which go like this...

We have heard your call
You no longer need to fear
You will receive five messages, of which this is the first.
The last message will inform you of the time and place of your salvation. 

This sets up the story leading the reader into a tangible feeling of what might lie ahead. The main character Leon is to come of age in his warrior culture and sets out into an unknown world. The climatic adventure starts from here. However, it is impossible to predict what is going to happen in the story. You'll hurtle through the bizarre plot whilst being showered by a world of dark fantasy and violence. The main characters are devoid of empathy (almost brainwashed) which makes the plot very edgy and intriguing. Interestingly, the narrative changes the more that you travel into the complex world, as the character's perspectives change through the course of their dangerous adventures.

I really enjoyed this book due to the creativeness of the story and the complex feelings of the characters. Ulya is my favourite character as she is mysterious, resilient and very loyal. It's both heartbreaking and emotionally challenging for the reader to follow her. I was on tenterhooks hoping for a better outcome throughout the story as you are led into an immersive dystopian adventure that becomes a living nightmare. You will journey through a world of chaos and maggots in this action-packed thriller that you will not be able to tear yourself away from. 

The ending was not the one I was hoping for. However, the story went in a new direction and the encounters with the worms made me run for cover.  So, if you like chaotic dark Irish fiction with a big dollop of Sci-fi fantasy this is definitely a book for you. I loved every page of this book and would highly recommend it. Don't delay - make sure you find a copy to read and experience this thrilling adventure. 

Synopsis: We have heard your call You no longer need to fear. You will receive five messages, of which this is the first. The last message will inform you of the time and place of your salvation. Two hundred years from now, the earth is dying, scorched by powerful flares from the sun. A series of messages from an alien civilization sent to humanity over two centuries promise rescue to those strong enough to survive on their planet. Initiate Leon is a member of the True Path warrior culture and preparing for his Rising. But when his test comes - to kill in cold blood - he cannot do it. To redeem himself, he must journey to find the earth's fifth and final message from the Saviours, with the help of his resourceful servant, Martha. Out in the wild, Leon discovers alarming changes in his body - he can drink water through his skin and has poison barbs buried deep in his flesh. Martha reveals to him the secret that the True Path has kept from him all this time: Jacob's Ladder, an adaptation for life on the alien planet, has lain dormant in his genes and is now being activated. He is part alien and part human, and he is in grave danger from those who wish to take what is in his body.

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Dave Rudden - The Knights of the Borrowed Dark - Book Review

The first book in a new series about an orphan boy who discovers he is part of a secret army that protects the world from a race of shadowy monsters.

Grey placed his finger in the middle of the shadow.
'What's this?' he asked.
Denizen frowned. 'It's a shadow.'
'No, it isn't,' Grey said. 'It's a door.'

Denizen Hardwick doesn't believe in magic - until he's ambushed by a monster created from shadows and sees it destroyed by a word made of sunlight.

That kind of thing can really change your perspective.

Now Denizen is about to discover that there's a world beyond the one he knows. A world of living darkness where an unseen enemy awaits.

Fortunately for humanity, between us and the shadows stand the Knights of the Borrowed Dark.

Unfortunately for Denizen, he's one of them . . .

Sorry for the early review. I know that I'm very naughty, but I really wanted to share this book with you .....

What can you expect from this debut Irish author? Well, come a little closer and I will tell you my dear reader. Let's turn the opening pages to this Irish fantasy and walk the thrilling tight rope of The Knights of the Borrowed Dark. This first instalment is an epic 11+ fantasy adventure trilogy based around a boy called Denizen Hardwick. It will be published by the mighty Puffin books in the UK on the 7th April 2016 and much later in the US by Random House Books (16th August 2016). Make sure that you check out the brilliant book cover by Owen Freeman. 

If you put all your favourite Irish childrens' authors into a bowl and give it a mighty whisk, then this is the type of story that I would expect to unfold. There are many trademark features of fantastic authors all under the cover of this great book.The first amazing ingredient is a fantasy plot brimming with great imagination. The likes of such that we would often associate with the great Eoin Colfer. Then there is the creative art of making up the scary monsters - ones that are not your normal mundane type that you may find in some books. I am talking about real monsters that appear on the edges of your subconscious mind leaving you feeling very unsettled. In my opinion, Darren Shan does it better than anyone else, especially within The Demonata series which will always be one of my favourite series and the monsters in this book match up to this quality. Then we mix in a big dollop of dark magic which is topped off with a chilling and skittish atmosphere. Again, resonant of the great Derek Landy, who is a master of this and is incorporated very well into this plot. 

Denizen is an orphan boy, who finds himself caught up in an ancient and secret battle between an order of magic-wielding humans. A shadowy race of monsters, known as the Tenebrous, and their powerful master, the Endless King, are locked in battle with the humans as they try to wreak havoc over the human world. Denizen is not a natural hero; he is very much a loner - he reads far too many books, questions everything and lacks confidence in the real world. 

On a particularly dark night, the electric energy flows and the gates of Crosscaper Orphanage open. A car growls with power into the driveway of the Orphanage and the mysterious adventure begins. The car and the man in it retrieve Denizen with the promise of introducing him to a long-lost aunt. But on the ride into the city, they are attacked. Denizen soon learns that wicked angelic-like monsters can grow out of the shadows. Once you start to read this exceedingly good adventure, you will soon be compelled to turn the pages. Like a maelstrom, you will be swirled and sucked into a vortex of monsters, a magical world and a secret order that might change your perspective.           

This book is very cool. It has a very effective plot which is blended with humour and memorable monsters playing havoc in an atmospheric world of darkness. I loved the aloofness of some of the characters. This leaves you never really knowing them or what they are thinking or doing, which makes you guess what's coming next. This book will have you running from your shadow and fleeing from the darkness of your imagination. It is a story to read at your peril and a fantastic start to a trilogy. Can you keep this high standard and amazing story writing flowing, Dave? I am sure that you can and I look forward to reading the next book in the trilogy.

Shane Hegarty - Darkmouth Illustrated by James de la Rue - Book Review (HarperCollins)

Synopsis: Around the world, there are various towns where the border between our dimension and the dimension of the monsters - properly called Legends - is weak. Legend Hunters keep the population safe. But for a while now, the Legends have stopped crossing over. Apart from in one place: Darkmouth, in Ireland where Legend Hunters are very much in demand. Our hero Finn is the son of the last remaining Legend Hunter. In a society where Legend Hunting skills are passed down through generations, Finn will carry on that tradition. The only problem? He's really not very good at it. And in a fabulous bit of timing, it turns out there's an extraordinary and disturbing reason that it's all gone a bit quiet everywhere else.

HarperCollins has always been known for its particularly strong connections with Irish horror writers both past and present. Shane Hegarty has recently joined the infamous corridor of fame alongside the likes of Darren Shan and Derek Landy. His recent book, Darkmouth, was hotly contested at this year's Bologna Book Fair. Shane Hegarty, the former Arts Editor for the Irish Times, has since negotiated a four-book deal in this series.

Darkmouth is an imaginative adventure for 8-12 year olds which is full of monster-hunting action. It definitely marks the arrival of a major new voice in children's books. Fresh, fun and very witty; it is incredibly cool and will pull in readers of all ages who love a good story. 

It was a real pleasure reading this fantastic story. Shane has forgone the more popular route in my opinion. There are NO Vampires, NO Zombies, NO Werewolves and NO mundane ghosts. In fact, it was a breath of putrid air reading this book. I'm sure that you are asking, so what will I find in this book? Well, you will find a range of monsters routed in folklore and others that have been dreamt up from the good old-fashioned imagination. Shane plays with the reader very cleverly feeding off your emotions. You will laugh your pants off one minute and then the dark explosive plot will scare the socks of you the next. 

Copyright © James de la Rue 2104 

You'll notice that another extra special element are the layered illustrations throughout this story. The fantastically detailed black and white pencil sketches are by the talented James de la Rue (aka PencilsMcDraw). These really enhance the fantasy horror shenanigans immensely as they create a parallel world between words and images. You will be easily transported between these two elements from the start of the book right until the very end.        

All images are subject to Copyright 2014 by James de la Rue. Always get permission before using any images. Contact  James de la Rue at the following website :http://www.jamesdelarue.co.uk/

It's a monster quest for Finn, a boy who must follow fifty generations of his family to become a Legend Hunter, and save the world from monsters who wish to destroy it. However, the huge problem is that Finn is not very good as a Legend Hunter - you might want to PANIC now! Fortunately, help is on hand from his dad and a mysterious girl called Emmie. The relationship between these two characters is captured incredibly well and adds extra appeal as it pulls you through a turbulent dimension. 

At the time, it felt that the beginning of the book perhaps started a little too slowly, but on reflection this was perhaps needed to create the world and introduce the story. I recognise that this is particularly important for the first book in a series in order to establish future books and storylines. 

I have to say that this is one of the most promising debut books that I have read for a long time. The tone has been set for a fantastic new series which I'm really looking forward to reading. MG horror is on the up with another name in Irish writing. 

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank James de la Rue for granting me special permission to share the above illustrations from the book.

Published by HarperCollinsChildren's Books (29 Jan 2015).