Mr Ripley's Book Review: Wild Boy and the Black Terror - By Rob LLoyd Jones

Welcome to another roller coaster ride following Wild Boy and Clarissa. In this book the case is known as the Black Terror. It is a Sherlock-esq detective novel set in London, but it has a slight twist. Wild boy is not your conventional hero-type character. He is classed as a circus freak due to his hairy appearance, but he soon finds himself running from the circus and his past. Clarissa, his sidekick and troublemaker from the circus, teams up with Wild boy once again, as they dodge the danger and mayhem that they soon find themselves facing once more.

This story is a delight to read - deliciously dark and very compelling. The duo hurtle into danger. They visit the darkest corners of Victorian London from the vilest slums to the grandest of palaces. Transported into a fantastically imagined plot, a poisoner stalks LONDON leaving his victims mad with TERROR and then dead.

Wild boy and Clarissa are the city's last hope in finding the killer as well as the cure for the BLACK TERROR. The darkness slowly creeps into the readers' bones - a merry dance ensues with the possibilities: Who is the killer?  Many options keep the reader guessing right to the very end of the book. The strong element of intrigue and mystery lives in every pore of the page. It certainly keeps the reader on their little tentative toes.

The crisp narrative of this book is equally as good as the first book, so if you enjoyed the first encounter then you will not be disappointed by this one. It firmly places this series as one of my favourites. The book looks and feels great - the period touches by Owen Davey really enhance the look of the book whilst the effective use of typography and colour really burst off the page. These are all great touches and really build up to the start of a very worthy story.

The book had some very surreal moments to fuel the imagination to the darkest levels. The story hurtles forward at a hundred miles an hour. A frenzy of fast-paced action and humour entertains the reader in every chapter. One of my favourite sections of the book involved the task of breaking and stealing a precious stone in Oberstein's showroom. However, as I don't want to reveal the outcome, I will say no more other than it had me gripped . . . . fantasy gold.

The ending did not let this book down- all of the loose ends were tied together and created a thrilling ending. I would definitely recommend this book and series to anyone and everyone. It is an epic triumph - hopefully more adventures and books will come in the future.

Published by Walker Books - July 2014

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books: Huw Powell - Spacejackers - Published by Bloomsbury

This is one of the coolest book covers around at the moment. The cover illustration was designed by the talented Alex Fuentes. Bright, vibrant and eye-catching it will certainly help lift the book off the bookshelves by an eager reader. Spacejackers is a brand new trilogy featuring Jake Cutler and his new-found friends; it is a cracking action-packed debut from Huw Powell. 

The story is a space romp full of aliens, fantastic space monsters and an abundance of technology and cool gadgets. The mysterious start fills you with intrigue; the futuristic world catapults the reader into a fast paced page turner crafted with a high energy tempo that will have the reader lapping up the pages. 

Jake Cutler, a boy searching for his destiny in the company of a ship full of ruthless space pirates and some special cargo, is abandoned as a baby on the Planet Remota, where he is left in the care of a group of cyber-monks. After living a sheltered life, it all changes when his home is invaded by ruthless space pirates with just one target: him. Jake is now on the run with a bounty hunter and the suspicious-looking crew of a spaceship called the Dark Horse. However, Jake Cutler's destiny to find his home planet soon uncovers the truth about his past. 

This book should be dubbed as SPACECRACKERS, as it is funny, full of explosive mayhem and zero-gravity antics that you will all love. Nevermind the well-written crazy characters, vast alien worlds, shipwrecks and one mighty black hole. This book is full of high-octane space battles and planet skirmishes which is a fantasy strong point. I loved the detail in the story - it's very well imagined, highly overactive which, in my opinion, leaves the plot feeling a little quirky and delivers a sense of fun which I really enjoyed. I love a great space story and this one ticks all of the boxes - it should do very well.

This is a great interstellar delight full of exciting adventure for the young and the old. The dramatic and climactic ending leaves the story ready to be continued in 'The Sword of Altus' which is due to be published in March 2015. NEVER TRUST A SPACE PIRATE. OUT NOW IN ALL GOOD GALACTIC BOOKSHOPS. 

Mr Ripley's Book Review: Neil Gaiman - The Graveyard Book - Graphic Novel Volume One - Adaptation By P. Craig Russell

In the UK, Bloomsbury is due to release the first volume in a graphic novel adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book which is both a Carnegie and Newbery medal-winning novel. In fact this is the only novel to have won both prestigious awards. The book will be published on July 31st with Volume 2 due to hopefully follow at some point in September.

The Graveyard Book Graphic Novel: Volume 1 is adapted by P. Craig Russell, who has over forty years of experience producing graphic novels, comic books and illustrations. However there are also a number of star performers involved in illustrating each chapter such as: Kevin Nowlan, P. Craig Russell, Tony Harris, Scott Hampton, Galen Showman, Jill Thompson, and Stephen B. Scott. All contribute to the chapters in their key signature styles. Volume 1 will cover Chapter One through to the Interlude whilst Volume 2 will cover Chapter Six to the very end.

The story follows Nobody "Bod" Owens, a normal boy who lives in a graveyard, and is being raised by the graveyard’s ghosts and an otherworldly guardian.  There are adventures to be had in the graveyard, but Bod must not leave it, or he will have to face the man Jack, who killed Bod’s family.

So it was that Bod was taken in by the graveyard folk – the ghosts of those long since passed – and raised as one of their own. With centuries of knowledge between them, Bod’s education is eclectic if somewhat arcane, but it will stand him in good stead for what his fiercely inquisitive nature will lead him to encounter both inside the graveyard and when he strays oh so dangerously out. Fortunately he has a quiet yet determined guardian in Silas, the very tall man with the very pale skin and the very dark hair. Silas is no ghost as you have probably gathered; nor is he still amongst the living.

The Graveyard retains the adventure and mystery, but now it's picture perfect through a world of illustrations and images. The realism and imagery that Russell brings to the table sharpens the characters and intensifies the gruesome elements of the tale. The story is fully brought to life; the surreal and the sublime are delivered fully. It delivers a classic masterpiece to a new audience of readers and will have to be noted as one of my favourite Graphic Novels for some time. 

I really loved the idea of having six artists all working together on one novel. They all bring their own style and character to the pages through a display of immense technical skill. The use of colour brings an ambience to the story which conveys the mood of each chapter to the reader. It's a theatre of mix media that everyone should appreciate. I'm really pleased to see a favourite story of mine get this treatment and be converted into a graphic format. 

A hand moved in the darkness holding a knife of graphic colour to raise the imagination. The lurking horror that you encounter will grab you by the throat and lead you through the story like no other. It will certainly leave you wanting Vol 2 to arrive very soon. 

This is an enjoyable visual delight that has a fantastic story at heart....

Mr Ripley's Book Review: Tim Hall - Shadow of the Wolf - David Fickling

Robin Hood has been reinvented like you've never imagined before in this thrilling debut by Tim Hall. There are no Merry Men, no maidens in distress and no stealing from the rich to give to the poor. This story is loaded with mystery, suspense and a large helping of fantastic atmospheric action. The plot will have you turning the pages in a whirlwind.  This is a savage telling about Robin of Loxley, who was left in the woods by his father at the age of seven years old, but when he returns to the village his family have disappeared without explanation. From this point on, Robin leaves the village to make his own way in life. He receives no help from anyone except nature and the wild lands of the Winter Forest.

This is a mouthwatering adventure that has been chosen as a launch title for the newly independent David Fickling Books. It's deliciously dark, twisted and very gritty. Robin soon sets out to find Marion Delbosque, his only friend, who was taken under mysterious circumstances. The rage boils inside him, as he sets out to find his only friend. Robin's character goes through many changes in this story, without giving too much away, it is a really fascinating read. Never mind the dark and nasty events that occur on the way to make your blood boil.

The surreal setting and elements of the plot feel like you are watching part of the story unfold inside a swirling mist - it really feeds your imagination. At times, I got a little lost from the complexity of it at times, but nevertheless, I really enjoyed it.

Nothing stirs without his notice - the vixen in the undergrowth, the woodcock in the bracken, every disturbance tells him a story.  Robin finds himself roaming around the Winter Forest amongst strange, powerful Gods and a host of dangerous monsters. The epic battles and skirmishes make the story sing with dark intensity that I really gulped up with gusto. This book is an epic adventure that you can't put down; it is a fast paced action with arrows whispering through the trees with magical intensity that never miss their target. Many a swinging axe, sword on flesh and spilled blood keep the reader gripped by revenge, death and survival.

This is perfect pitch book for the hungry teenager. The fantastic book cover image from Richard Collingridge will draw any reader into picking up this book and giving it a chance; it certainly won't let you down. Forget everything that you've ever heard about Robin Hood as the truth is a lot darker than you could ever imagine. Be prepared to witness a new series that has a new spin and a sting in its tale! This is a cracking read from Tim Hall - David Fickling fans of my blog should truly love this book. Grab yourself a copy now.... I'm looking forward to hearing your comments.

The Big Idea Competition - Barry Cunningham/Tess Daly - Have You Got One?

GREAT NEW IDEAS FOR CHILDREN’S STORIES GET THE CHANCE TO BE TOLD!

Tess Daly joins nationwide search to discover the next big story idea for children

Judged by experts from the book, film, TV and theatre world

Challenging convention on how great ideas become stories today

Britain has created some of the greatest children’s stories in history. From J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan to J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, the nation has produced ideas that have become part of our cultural heritage and captivated audiences around the world. 

Now the search is on to find Britain’s next ‘big idea’ with a major new competition to discover original story ideas for children. The Big Idea will be encouraging the nation to get creative this summer, giving participants the chance to see their ideas nurtured and developed by experts in the world of family entertainment. The competition challenges convention on how ideas can be brought to life and made into new narratives in book, film, TV, theatre or gaming.

The Big Idea is working with six respected judges who have a wealth of relevant industry experience between them:

·               Tess Daly – TV broadcaster

·               Neil Blair –  J.K. Rowling’s agent

·               Barry Cunningham OBE – Children’s publisher

·               Debra Hayward – Film producer

·               Sonia Friedman – Theatre producer

·               Philip Ardagh – Children’s author and literary critic

The judges will work together to choose six winning ideas. The winners will each receive £1000 plus the chance to see their idea come to life, with one overall winner offered the prize of a publishing contract and the promise of their idea being nurtured, developed and written by a well-known author. As Neil Blair explains, ‘The Big Idea is an exciting new way to bring new children’s stories to life by going to the heart of every one of them: the big idea at their core.’

The overall winner’s publishing contract will be in line with industry standards, with a shared royalty on every copy sold. The six winners could additionally see their idea work across a variety of media platforms, including film, TV, gaming, websites, apps and stage, with a commensurate royalty share.

Entering couldn’t be easier, and creative writing ability isn’t a requirement – entrants simply need to outline their original idea in up to 750 words, describing what happens in the story, who’s in it, where it takes place and the type of audience it’s intended for. Entrants can visit the website at www.thebigideacompetition.co.uk for creative advice and look out for top tips and inspiration on The Big Idea’s social media channels. The competition opens on Monday July 7^th and the winning ideas will be announced in early November.

Tess Daly adds, ‘All the best children’s books come from a great idea, and a great idea can come from anywhere! I’ve joined forces with The Big Idea to celebrate Britain’s talent for storytelling and creativity. There are so many people who have a seed of an idea for a book, film or TV programme but don’t know what to do with it, so this is their chance to get support from the best. I love sharing and making up my own stories with my children – so I can’t wait to help uncover the next big story idea to be loved by adults and children alike.’

Competition closing date: 2nd September 2014

Mr Ripley's Guest Post: Paul Durham - The Luck Uglies - HarperCollins - Happy Publication!

DREAMS, THICK SKIN, AND UGLY LUCK

Dreams don’t come easy. I suppose they aren’t meant to.

Since I was a child, my dream was to see my fiction published. Sometimes I wished I’d aspired to be an astronaut or professional athlete instead. That’s how difficult the road to publication seemed at times.   

I started my first novel nineteen years ago. It was heavy-fisted, testosterone-laden stuff, filled with gritty characters and grimy settings. I labored over it for seven years until finally, finished work in hand, I braved the literary agencies’ slush piles. Most agents didn’t accept e-mail queries back then and the rejections mounted as fast as the postage.

It had been months when finally, unexpectedly, an agent at a great New York agency agreed to represent me. Needless to say, this was an exciting time and soon the agent was submitting my work to publishers with much optimism. Then another unexpected thing happened. Rejections began piling up again. They came with promising words and invitations to send my next book, but the ultimate message was always “no thank you.”  Eventually, there was nowhere left to go. I joked that I had been read and rejected by every major (and not-so-major) publisher in Manhattan.  

I promised to get the agent my next novel, and over the next few years I did—in a sense.  Fifty pages of one novel, a hundred pages of another. All of them stories started but never finished. With a wife, two young daughters, and a demanding career that already kept me away from them for too long, it grew harder and harder to justify even more hours toiling alone in front of a computer with the voices in my head. Finally, after so many stops and starts, I quit writing altogether.

In the years that followed, I focused on my family and my career, but a hollow remained.  I found myself tormented by the fact that I wasn’t creating much of anything at all. Then, upon reflection, I realized that I was. Every day, with two little girls who seemed to be bitten at birth by the same creative bug that I had, I sketched and painted and told stories. Lots of stories.  Late one fall, when my oldest was six and our thoughts turned to Christmas, I asked what she might want for a gift. She asked if I would write her a story. One we could read together. And, with that one simple request, everything changed. Little did she know that she was the one who had given a gift to me.

I was writing again. A children’s story. I truly had no aspirations to seek an agent for this work, nor to have it published. My goals were far more modest but at the same time all the more important. I simply wanted to finish a story for my daughter. I met that first deadline and my family gathered around the fireplace on Christmas Day as I read what would become the first chapters of my next novel. It was called The Luck Uglies and I completed it over the next three months, one chapter per week, each read aloud by the fire to my enthusiastic audience.

When the manuscript was done, those old aspirations started to creep back into my mind.  Dreams die hard I suppose. Either that or I’m a glutton for punishment. But this time things ended differently. As I write these words, HarperCollins has published The Luck Uglies in the United States and the United Kingdom. A Norwegian language version is in the works. It’s humbling to think that families around the world may soon be reading my little story around their own fireplaces.   

I never dreamed of writing books for children. Now I can’t imagine writing books for anyone else. As strange as it sounds, I am fortunate that my first novel was never published. I’m grateful for that twist of ugly luck so many years ago.

For those of you with similar dreams and aspirations, I wish you good writing, thick skin, and your own dose of ugly luck in unexpected places.  

Please check out Mr. Ripley's book review here:  http://www.mrripleysenchantedbooks.com/2014/05/book-review-paul-durham-luck-uglies.html

Mr Ripley's Adult Sci-fi Fantasy Book Picks - Solaris 2014 - UK Post (July, Sept, October)

James Lovegrove - World of Fire - Published by Solaris (11 Sep 2014)
Dev Harmer, reluctant agent of Interstellar Security Solutions, wakes up in a newly cloned host body on the planet Alighieri, ready for action. It's an infernal world, so close to its sun that its surface is regularly baked to 1,000 C, hot enough to turn rock to lava. But deep underground there are networks of tunnels connecting colonies of miners who dig for the precious helium-3 regolith deposits in Alighieri's crust. Polis+, the AI race who are humankind's great galactic rivals, want to claim the fiery planet's mineral wealth for their own. All that stands between them and this goal is Dev. But as well as Polis+'s agents, there are giant moleworms to contend with, and a spate of mysterious earthquakes, and the perils of the surface where a man can be burned to cinders if he gets caught unprotected on the day side...

Christopher Fowler - Nyctophobia -  Published by Solaris (7 Oct 2014)
There are two things you need to know about haunted houses. One, there's never been an actual authenticated haunted house. Two, it's not the house that's haunted, but the person. Callie is a young architectural student who marries Mateo, a wine importer, and moves to a grand old house in Southern Spain. Hyperion House is flooded with light, it also has a mute gardener, a sinister housekeeper and a sealed, dark servants' quarters that nobody has the keys for. And although initially happy, and taking care of Mateo's daughter, Callie can't help being drawn to the dark empty rooms at the back of the house, and becomes convinced that someone is living in there. Uncovering the house's history, she discovers the shocking truth.
As Callie's fear of the darkness returns, she comes to understand the true nature of evil...

Christopher Priest, Garth Nix & Other - Fearsome Magics - Published by Solaris (9 Oct 2014)
A cabinet of magic! A cavalcade of wonder! A collection of stories both strange and wondrous, of tales filled with wild adventure and strange imaginings. Fearsome Magics, the second New Solaris Book of Fantasy, is all these things and more. It is, we think the best book you will read all year. Award-winning editor Jonathan Strahan has invited some of the best and most exciting writers working in fantasy today to let their imaginations run wild and to deliver stories that will thrill and awe, delight and amuse. And above all, stories that are filled with fearsome magic! Authors committed to take part in Fearsome Magics include Christopher Priest, Garth Nix, Catherynne M. Valente, Ellen Klages, Isobelle Carmody, Nalo Hopkinson, Frances Hardinge, Scott Lynch, Robert Shearman, Justina Robson, Christopher Rowe, Karin Tidbeck, K J Parker, and Justina Robson.

Eric Brown - Jani and the Greater Game - Published by  Solaris (31 July 2014)
It's 1910 and the British rule the subcontinent with an iron fist - and with strange technology fuelled by a power source known as Annapurnite - discovered in the foothills of Mount Annapurna. But they rule but at the constant cost of their enemies, mainly the Russians and the Chinese, attempting to learn the secret of this technology...This political confrontation is known as The Greater Game. Into this conflict is pitched eighteen year old Janisha Chaterjee who discovers a strange device which leads her into the foothills of the Himalayas. When Russians spies and the evil priest Durja Das find out about the device, the chase is on to apprehend Janisha before she can reach the Himalayas. There she will learn the secret behind Annapurnite, and what she learns will change the destiny of the world for ever...Jani and the Greater Game is the first book in a rip-roaring, spice-laden, steampunk action adventure series set in India and featuring a heroine who subverts all the norms.

Website: http://www.solarisbooks.com/
Twitter: @SolarisBooks 

Mr Ripley's Children's/Teens Fantasy New Books - Post US Publication July 2014

Livia Blackburne - Midnight Thief - Published by Disney-Hyperion (July 8, 2014)
Growing up on Forge's streets has taught Kyra how to stretch a coin. And when that's not enough, her uncanny ability to scale walls and bypass guards helps her take what she needs. But when the leader of the Assassins Guild offers Kyra a lucrative job, she hesitates. She knows how to get by on her own, and she's not sure she wants to play by his rules. But he is persistent-and darkly attractive-and Kyra can't quite resist his pull.

Tristam of Brancel is a young Palace knight on a mission. After his best friend is brutally murdered by the Demon Riders, a clan of vicious warriors who ride bloodthirsty wildcats, Tristam vows to take them down. But as his investigation deepens, he finds his efforts thwarted by a talented thief, one who sneaks past Palace defenses with uncanny ease.
When a fateful raid throws Kyra and Tristam together, the two enemies realize that their best chance at survival-and vengeance-might be to join forces. And as their loyalties are tested to the breaking point, they learn a startling secret about Kyra's past that threatens to reshape both their lives.

In her arresting debut novel, Livia Blackburne creates a captivating world where intrigue prowls around every corner-and danger is a way of life.

Marianne Malone - The Secret of the Key: Sixty-Eight Rooms - Published by Random House Books  (July 22, 2014) 

Filled with magic, mystery, miniatures, and adventure, the Sixty-Eight Rooms is the perfect series for fans of Chasing Vermeer, The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, and The Dollpeople!
 Chicago sixth graders Ruthie and Jack think they’ve learned everything about the magic of the Art Institute’s Thorne Rooms. But the magic starts to act strangely when Ruthie and Jack discover two rings that are out of place—and out of time—and a portal that shouldn’t be open but somehow is. Ruthie and Jack follow the clues to seventeenth-century England and the Brownlow house, where they meet the Brownlow’s governess, Rebecca. But Rebecca has a few secrets of her own—and she might even be in the wrong century! Can Ruthie and Jack discover the truth about Rebecca’s mysterious past, or will they end up stuck in the wrong century themselves? Their quest for answers takes them from 1930s New York City and San Francisco to turn-of-the-century China. The only one who can truly answer their questions may be the woman who started it all: the room’s creator, Narcissa Thorne. But to talk to Mrs. Thorne, they’ll have to go back in time and find her!
 

Aprilynne Pike - Earthquake (Earthbound) - Published by Razorbill (July 8, 2014)
Tavia Michaels has discovered that she’s an Earthbound—a fallen goddess with the power to remake the Earth—and that a rival faction of Earthbounds, the Reduciata, has created a virus that is literally wiping swaths of the planet out of existence. 
 Tavia is captured and imprisoned before she can act on this information, along with her eternal lover, Logan. Huddled in a claustrophobic cell, they lose track of the days, their attempts to escape proving as ephemeral as Tavia’s newly gestating powers. But then Tavia and Logan are mysteriously rescued. 

They’re brought to the underground headquarters of the Curatoria, another group of Earthbounds that Tavia doesn’t fully trust. There, she’s told that she can save the Earth before it disappears. She agrees.

Tavia quickly realizes that she isn’t like other Earthbound, and as her abilities continue to awaken, they begin to threaten her centuries-long relationship with Logan. When Benson—Tavia’s former best friend and romantic interest—appears at Curatoria headquarters, Tavia will again have to make a choice about who to be with even as she tries to stop the virus that is destroying the world and uncover the truth about the two Earthbound organizations that have her tangled up in their webs.

Lex Thomas - Quarantine #2: The Saints - Published by Egmont USA (July 8, 2014)
New in paperback! A cross between the Gone series and Lord of the Flies, Quarantine #2: The Saints continues this frenetically paced and scary young adult series that illustrates just how deadly high school can be. Nothing was worse than being locked in--until they opened the door...

McKinley High has been a battleground for eighteen months since a virus outbreak led to a military quarantine of the school. When the doors finally open, Will and Lucy will think their nightmare is finished. But they are gravely mistaken.

As a new group of teens enters the school and gains popularity, Will and Lucy join new gangs. An epic party on the quad full of real food and drinks, where kids hook up and actually interact with members of other gangs seemed to signal a new, easier existence. Soon after, though, the world inside McKinley takes a startling turn for the worse, and Will and Lucy will have to fight harder than ever to survive.

Mr Ripley's Enchanted Children's/Teens Book Picks - UK Post Two

Derek Landy - Armageddon Outta Here ( The World of Skulduggery Pleasant)  - Published by HarperCollins Children's Books (3 July 2014) 

One AMAZING new novella.

Three GRIPPING new stories.

In the ULTIMATE story collection.

We all know that doors are for people with no imagination so smash the glass, climb through the window and enter the awesome world of Skulduggery Pleasant with this ultimate story collection.

For the first time, every Skulduggery Pleasant short story – plus The End of the World, the World Book Day novelette – is collected into one magnificent volume. But that's not all…

Written specially for this collection, there is an entirely new novella that will drag you into a nail-biting American horror story, Skulduggery-style, and three brand-spanking-new stories spanning the last 150 years. Join Gordon Edgley as he parties like it's 1985, watch Valkyrie Cain face a vampire in a fight to the death, and see the Dead Men as you've never seen them before. And then read the exclusive chapter from the final book…

Introduced by Derek, these are the hidden stories of the skeleton who saves the world… and the girl who's destined to destroy it.

Zoe Marriott - Darkness Hidden ( The name of the Blade) - Walker (3 July 2014)

Against all odds, Mio, Jack and Shinobu have defeated the terrifying Nekomata and got home alive. But Mio is still compelled to protect the katana, and now the Underworld has spawned a worse monster - one carrying a devastating plague that sweeps through London like wildfire. As Mio struggles to protect the city and control the sword's deadly powers, she realizes that this time there is no way she can keep everyone she loves out of the line of fire.

Charlie Fletcher - Dragon Shield Bk 1 - Published by Hodder Children's Books (3 July 2014)

The start of a thrilling, action-packed trilogy from Charlie Fletcher, set in a world where statues come to life and dragons and heroes battle.

Something dark has woken in the British Museum, and it has stopped time, literally freezing the city in its tracks. The people are there, but unmoving, unseeing - like statues. The statues, on the other hand, can move, and are astonished at what they see.

In the Great Ormond Street Hospital, Will and Jo are suddenly plunged into this world of statues - and find themselves pursued by murderous dragons. With help from a couple of friendly statues, Will and Jo must escape the evil that stalks them in the streets of London.

With beautiful illustrations by Nick Tankard.

Emily Carroll Through the Woods - Published by Faber & Faber (3 July 2014)

It came from the woods. Most strange things do.'

Five mysterious, spine-tingling stories follow journeys into (and out of?) the eerie abyss.

These chilling tales spring from the macabre imagination of acclaimed and award-winning comic creator Emily Carroll.

Come take a walk in the woods and see what awaits you there...

Mr Ripley's Random Children's and Teen Picks - July 2014 - UK Post

Amy McCulloch - The Shadow's Curse - Published by Corgi Children's - 3, July 2014

Raim is no closer to figuring out the meaning of the broken vow that sentenced him to exile for life. But with his former best friend now a tyrannical Khan who is holding the girl Raim loves captive, he finds it hard to care. Every day, he and Draikh learn more about their powers, but it quickly becomes clear that he will never be able to stop Khareh and free Wadi unless he can free himself from the ultimate taboo of his people. Reluctantly, Raim begins the long journey down to the dangerous South, to find the maker of his oath.

In Khareh's camp, Wadi is more than capable of devising her own escape plan, but she's gradually realizing she might not want to. The more she learns about Khareh, the more confused she becomes. He's done unquestionably bad things, horrific even, but he's got big dreams for Darhan that might improve their dire situation. What's more, rumours of a Southern king massing an army to invade Darhan are slowly gaining ground. Only if the Northern tribes can come together under a single ruler will they have the strength to fight the South - but what if that ruler is an impulsive (albeit brilliant) young man, barely able to control his ever-growing power, and missing the one part of him that might keep him sane? Whoever conquers the desert, wins the war. And the secret to desert survival lies in Lazar, which is set to become the heart of a great battle once again.

Polly Ho-Yen  - Boy in the Tower - Published by Doubleday Childrens 3, July 2014

When they first arrived, they came quietly and stealthily as if they tip-toed into the world when we were all looking the other way.

Ade loves living at the top of a tower block. From his window, he feels like he can see the whole world stretching out beneath him.

His mum doesn't really like looking outside - but it's going outside that she hates.

She's happier sleeping all day inside their tower, where it's safe.

But one day, other tower blocks on the estate start falling down around them and strange, menacing plants begin to appear.

Now their tower isn't safe anymore. Ade and his mum are trapped and there's no way out . . .

Simon Rae - Medusa's Butterfly - Published by Yearling 3, July 2014

A box is left on Marcus's doorstep in the rain. Fussy Aunt Hester has told Marcus not to open the front door under any circumstances. But she's out - and just this once can't hurt . . . can it?

Except the parcel isn't embroidery supplies for Aunt Hester. Or fishing tackle for Uncle Frank. Whatever is in there, it's alive. And it's ANGRY.

The thing in the box sends Marcus's life spinning horrifyingly out of control ­- controlling his mind and testing his will so that every moment is deadly. Can Marcus overcome the pull of the Gorgon's gaze, and use her power for good? Because he received that box for a reason ­- but he must find out what it is, before the terrible, beautiful Medusa turns everyone he holds dear to stone . . . and then comes for him.

John Flanagan - Brotherband: Slaves of Socorro - Published by Yearling 3, July 2014

When the Heron brotherband become the Skandian duty ship to the Kingdom of Araluen, they're excited at the challenges ahead. Hal, Stig, Thorn and the Herons eagerly set off for the trip - with an unexpected new crew member aboard. But an enemy from their past returns, causing the Herons to be thrown into a dangerous quest to free captured Araluans from the slave market in Socorro. Even with the help of an Araluan Ranger, the task may be too much.

Mr Ripley's New Fantasy Book Picks - July 2104 - Post One

Joe Abercrombie - Half a King ( Shattered Sea, Book One ) - Published by Harper Voyager (3 July 2014)

Prince Yarvi has vowed to regain a throne he never wanted. But first he must survive cruelty, chains and the bitter waters of the Shattered Sea itself. And he must do it all with only one good hand.

Born a weakling in the eyes of his father, Yarvi is alone in a world where a strong arm and a cold heart rule. He cannot grip a shield or swing an axe, so he must sharpen his mind to a deadly edge.

Gathering a strange fellowship of the outcast and the lost, he finds they can do more to help him become the man he needs to be than any court of nobles could.

But even with loyal friends at his side, Yarvi’s path may end as it began – in twists, and traps and tragedy…

Jon Robinson - Anywhere (Nowhere Book 2) Published by Penguin (3 July 2014

'We're miles from anywhere, and we don't have a clue where we're going' Deep in a snow-covered forest Alyn, Jes, Ryan and Elsa have escaped from prison. Now they're being hunted. They quickly realise they have a special talent - they can control the world around them.Now they must use this skill to stop themselves falling into greater danger. But can they master it before their deadly enemies close in - for good? This gripping sequel will leave you clamouring for the next instalment. Jon Robinson was born in Middlesex in 1983. When he's not writing, he works for a charity in central London.

Lindsey Barraclough - The Mark of Cain - Published by Bodley Head (3 July 2014)

1567

Aphra is not a normal child. Found abandoned as a baby among the reeds and rushes, the two outcast witches who raise her in their isolated cottage are never sure if she was born, or just pushed up through the foul, black mud for them to find. Little Aphra's gifts in the dark craft are clear, even as an infant, but soon even her guardians begin to fear her.

When a violent fire destroys their home, Aphra is left to fend for herself. Years of begging and stealing make her strong, but they also make her bitter, for she is shunned and feared by everyone she meets.

Until she reaches Bryers Guerdon and meets the man they call Long Lankin - the leper. Ostracized and tormented, he is the only person willing to help her.

And together, they plot their revenge.


1962

Four years have passed since the death of Ida Guerdon, and Cora is back in Bryers Guerdon in the manor house her aunt left to her. It is a cold, bitter winter, and the horrifying events of that sweltering summer in 1958 seem long past.

Until Cora's father arranges for some restoration work to take place at Guerdon Hall, and it seems that something hidden there long ago has been disturbed. The spirit of Aphra Rushes - intent on finishing what she began, four centuries ago.

Paul Durham - The Luck Uglies - Published by HarperCollins Children's Books (3 July 2014) - See Review.
Luck Uglies was a name whispered around the docks and darkest taverns, places the law dare not tread…
Rye has grown up hearing the legend of the Luck Uglies – notorious deadly outlaws who once stalked the streets. Now they have faded to ghosts and rumours and Rye isn’t sure they ever existed. Then on the night of the Black Moon, a mysterious stranger known only as Harmless, steps from the shadows to save Rye’s life and Rye learns that sometimes it takes a villain to save you from the monsters…
Enter a thrilling world of secrets and fantastical adventure from a phenomenal new writing talent.

Book Review: Paul Durham - The Luck Uglies

Book review: The Luck Uglies is the first book in a fantasy adventure trilogy which will be published by HarperCollins UK, this coming July. However, if you're reading this review from the US then you're very lucky as this has already been published, but with another snazzy book cover. 

From the very first page, the words conjure up a special moment in fantasy. There is a sense that something good is going to happen. That gut feeling pulls you into the author's magical world through every word that you read, and with every page that you breath. The pages are turned more quickly as the reader hurtles along the path revealing a world full of secrets, mystery and mayhem. There are sparks of very inventive imagination that really work for me. 

Written by a debut voice, this first book promises to develop into a great trilogy. It is a middle grade adventure but I feel that everyone will love this on so many different levels. Some of the great characters feel rather real - some you will easily love whilst others you'll run screaming from, especially the Bog Noblins. However the feisty female character will leave you willing and rooting for her.

The plot is dark and twisted - it will leave you sinking in the bog on a dark and shady night. Full of great places with amazing names such as The Dead Fish Inn, which is worth a lingering visit, and The Willow's Wares which is a shopping haven for the stupid or the superstitious. The world is potentially a magical and dangerous place. Action packed, full of scary monsters and unsavoury people, this story is filled with a great dollop of horror, a dash of humour and a twirl of heroic midnight adventures 

I really loved this story; I was captivated by the quirky twists and turns. It brought me back to my childhood once again and reinforced that "the bad guys sometimes can be good guys". 

"Luck Uglies was a name whispered around the docks and the darkest taverns....." In the dark alleyways, the whisper is that this book is a cracking good read. It is definitely recommended by me.

ABOUT THE LUCK UGLIES
Strange things are happening in Village Drowning. Not that there’s much eleven-year-old Rye O’Chanter hasn’t already seen. Rye has grown up on Drowning’s treacherous streets—its twisted rooftops and forgotten cemeteries are her playground. But a terrifying encounter on the night of the Black Moon has Rye half-convinced that the monstrous Bog Noblins have returned from the forest Beyond the Shale. It's the same forest that mysteriously swallowed Rye’s father soon after she was born.

Rye’s mother insists the Bog Noblins are extinct…but what if she’s wrong? There’s nobody left who can protect the village from the vile creatures. There was once—an exiled secret society so notorious that their name can’t be spoken out loud.

The Luck Uglies.

Now a stranger named Harmless has stepped from the shadows, leading Rye to question everything she’s been told as she dives into Drowning’s maze of secrets, rules, and lies. What she’ll find is the truth behind Drowning’s legend of outlaws and beasts…and realize that it may take a villain to save them from the monsters.

PRESS RELEASE: THEAKSTONS OLD PECULIER CRIME NOVEL OF THE YEAR LONGLIST REVEALED 2014

(Last years book winner 2013 - Beasts and Gods, by Denise Mina)

Giants of the genre are pitted against each other as the longlist is announced for the tenth Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award.

One of the most prestigious crime writing prizes in the country, 2014 sees past winners Lee Child, Mark Billingham and Denise Mina in the running.

Lee Child who won the Award in 2011 returns to the longlist with his 17th Jack Reacher novel, A Wanted Man. Sizing up to the phenomenal bestseller is two-time award winner, Mark Billingham for his Tom Thorne novel, The Dying Hours.

Denise Mina, who has won the past two years’ could make it a hat trick and defend her title with her brilliantly plotted The Red Road, said to rival Ian Rankin’s best. Number one bestseller Ian Rankin also represents Tartan Noir, with Standing in Another Man’s Grave, his first new Rebus novel in five years.

A new Scot is on the block to take on the old guard, Malcolm Mackay is one of just two debut authors to feature on the longlist with The Necessary Death of Lewis Winter. The first in a trilogy, it’s been praised as an intriguingly odd, remarkably original debut.

South African author Lauren Beukes’ The Shining Girls was a phenomenal bestseller and after being praised by Stephen King, it’s a hot contender.

Irish author Stuart Neville’s first three novels were previously longlisted for this award, and he’s back this year with his hugely gripping thriller, Ratlines. Stav Sherez is also back on the longlist with Eleven Days, his superior police procedural and sequel to A Dark Redemption.

No stranger to awards Belinda Bauer is the CWA 2010 Gold Dagger Award-winning author; her latest novel Rubbernecker has received glowing reviews.

Elly Griffiths also makes an appearance with her intriguing crime story, Dying Fall, which effortlessly brings together neo-Nazis, New Age hippies in Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

Now in its tenth year, the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award was created to celebrate the very best in crime writing and is open to crime authors whose novels were published in paperback from 1 May 2013 to 30 April 2014. The 2014 Award is run in partnership with T&R Theakston Ltd, WHSmith, and Radio Times.

The long list, comprising 18 titles, is selected by an academy of crime writing authors, agents, editors, reviewers, members of the Crime Writing Festival Programming Committee and representatives from T&R Theakston Ltd and WHSmith.

The longlist in full:

Rubbernecker, Belinda Bauer, Transworld Publishers

The Shining Girls, Lauren Beukes, HarperCollins

The Dying Hours, Mark Billingham, Little, Brown Book Group

Like This, For Ever, Sharon Bolton, Transworld Publishers

A Wanted Man Lee Child, Transworld Publishers

The Honey Guide, Richard Crompton, Orion

The Cry, Helen Fitzgerald, Faber & Faber

Dying Fall, Elly Griffiths, Quercus

Until You're Mine, Samantha Hayes, Random House

The Necessary Death of Lewis Winter, Malcolm Mackay, Pan Macmillan

The Chessmen, Peter May, Quercus

I Hear The Sirens In The Street, Adrian McKinty, Profile Books

The Red Road, Denise Mina, Orion

Ratlines, Stuart Neville, Vintage, Random House

Standing in Another Man's Grave, Ian Rankin, Orion

Children of the Revolution, Peter Robinson, Hodder & Stoughton

Eleven Days, Stav Sherez, Faber & Faber

Weirdo, Cathi Unsworth, Profile Books

From 22 May to 19 June, longlisted titles will feature in a four-week campaign across all 600 WHSmith stores and 80 library services, representing a total of 1645 library branches. The longlist will be whittled down to a shortlist of six titles which will be announced on 30 June.

The overall winner will be decided by a panel of Judges which this year comprises of Executive Director of T&R Theakston Ltd. and title sponsor Simon Theakston, Festival Chair Steve Mosby, Radio Times’ Alison Graham, and Head of Fiction at WHSmith, Dave Swillman, as well as members of the public. The public vote opens on 3 July and closes 15 July at www.theakstons.co.uk