Cressida Cowell - Which Way to Anywhere - Book Review - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

 

Which Way to Anywhere is the brand new magical adventure written and illustrated by the no.1 bestselling author of How to Train Your Dragon and The Wizards of Once, Cressida Cowell. This gorgeous book will fly into the shops (via the back of magical hoovers) on the 15th of September 2022. It has been published in glorious hardback by Hodder Children's Books. 

The first words of this book were written over 25 years ago. Written in spidery, messy longhand they have lay waiting in the writer's writing shed. The pages yellowing as the magic slowly seeps away from the dormant story; waiting its turn for a new audience. However, that audience is now us and we are to be taken on a spectacular ride in this brilliant new series. Hold your breath, we're going in...

We plunge into a brilliant world of escapism from the very first page. In my opinion, this is the best story the author has written. It is also the most personal as it pays a silent and respectful nod to her father. 

Now come with me if you dare. It's time to be introduced to a family that has a magical secret; a child with a powerful gift to draw maps. However, these maps become real worlds that can be visited in a heartbeat. You will find yourself being escorted by the unlikely heroes of K2 O'Hero, his twin sister Izzabird, and their waring stepsiblings. You'll visit worlds with six hundred moons, burning rivers and dark, twisty jungles alive with plants that hunt by the smell of fear. Maybe there's time to visit Excelsiar way beyond the distant poles but watch your step as you GO! 

Without a shadow of a doubt, this will be one of the best reads of the year. The story strikes a quirky balance of wild and outrageous storytelling that only great authors can dream up. It is full of brilliant characters, dialogue, and a daring rescue mission with terrible beasts and a robot assassin. Everything about this story makes it a fantastic compulsive read. As a story sat lingering over the years, this book has now been turned into an epic read that radiates fun and magic.  Dream BIG and travel well. 

Mr Ripley's Book Review - Nick Cook - Cloud Riders - Three Hares Publishing

I really loved the look of this book; from the fantastic eye catching cover, designed by Jennie Rawlings, to the interesting synopsis that I did actually read. When I was asked if I wanted to review this book I did not hesitate - I was really happy to say yes and I am very glad that I did.

Cloud Riders is the first book in a new series that will power your mind as it takes you on a journey that will deeply immerse you in a Sci-Fi/Steampunk fantasy. The story is told from the perspective of Dom. Living with his mom in Tornado Alley, this is the setting for the frantic action that follows.  After a year of long droughts, the family diner is on the verge of going bust, but then the first twister in months appears and, from nowhere, an airship emerges from the spout.

I was really drawn to the initial idea of the story; the chasing after and filming of a deadly twister. A tornado consisting of a violent rotating column of air that is in contact with the surface of the earth. This is a really fascinating natural phenomena and a refreshing idea that drew me into the story. However it didn't stop there as another dimension soon appeared, literally, in the form of a new world. 

As well as a fantastic idea, there are also a host of characters to intrigue the reader. There is Dom's long time best friend Jules and a feisty mysterious character known as Angelique. Both have a history with Dom that soon becomes known to the reader and allows us to relate to the emotional state of each character. We encounter a love triangle, as well as a range of mysteries and secrets with some timely twist and turns. The author is certainly not afraid to tackle the theme of tragedy within this story.

This book was a bag of tricks; it had the personality and blend of some of my favourite books. It was a very enjoyable read as it still brought something new to the literary table. Energetic spaceship battles, steampunk gadgets, and out of this world voyages have been very creatively written. The ending was incredibly frantic and explosive, which I wasn't too sure about. Nevertheless it created a great start for the next book which, I have to say, I am really looking forward to reading.

I would recommend this book, especially to readers who loved Philip Reeve's 'Mortal Engines' and Garth Nix's 'A confusion of Princess'. The only problem that you may have is being able to track down a copy, but it is out now for you to try.

Also check out his guest post, to the Moon and Beyond HERE

Published by Three Hares Publishing - (6 May 2014)