Fiona Longmuir - Freya's Gold - Book Review - Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

This is a captivating tale of mystery and adventure. Set in the picturesque and quaint seaside town of Edge, the story follows young Freya and her best friend, Lin. Together, they uncover the secrets hidden within the cliffs and caves of their beloved town. With the wind and rain crashing down on your senses and the biting salty sea captivating your imagination, you really are in for an ice cream treat of a story. 

The author weaves together really well a tale of mystery, buried treasure, smugglers' tunnels, and a race against time to save Edge from an unknown threat. The graphic descriptions of the coastal landscape and the eerie atmosphere of the tunnels create a sense of suspense as Freya has to fight her fears to save her beloved home and town from the devious stranger, Ms Oleander.

With relatable characters, unexpected twists, and a lovely bright and breezy narrative, 'Freya's Gold' is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a thrilling adventure. The amazing storytelling really shines in this contemporary tale of courage, friendship, and the power of facing your fears. 

Published by Nosy Crow Books in June 2024, 'Freya's Gold' is a shining example of quality children's literature that will leave readers eagerly awaiting the next book. Don't miss out on this brilliant adventure that is sure to capture the hearts of readers everywhere."

Philip Caveney - Sebastian Darke - The Prince of Explorers

Mr Ripley's Review

Back in 2006, when the first book was unearthed from the book fair in Bologna, I looked forward to reading this story. Such a great ray of emerging titles were born from Derek Landy's - Skulduggery Plesant and Joanne Harris' - Runemarks, all making their deals at the fair.
So now we are on book three in the adventures of Sebastian Darke.

It starts out with Sebastian, Max and Cornelius venturing off into the deepest depths of the jungle in search of the legendary lost city of Mendip. Philip has written another great adventure, building on the characters' relationships with each other. This is another magical story with great detail; very well written. It has lots of humour and laughter as Sebastian becomes a jester once more. As the book gathers pace, the story takes on a new twist and I found myself feeling sad as the story came to a climax.
Another great read from cover to cover with this on-going adventure which keeps getting better and better. Five out of Five and I'd like to thank Philip for getting a copy of this book sent out to me. Many thanks.



Synopsis


Sebastian, Max and Cornelius are off on their most hazardous adventure yet. Deep in the dense jungles of the south they are searching for the legendary lost city of Mendip when their quest is rudely interrupted by a savage attack by a band of Gograth - armoured apelike beasts. Rescued by jungle girl Keera, they are taken to the village of the Jilith, a primitive tribe of warriors, who are themselves locked in a grim struggle for survival with the Gograth. Sebastian's arrival has been foretold in an ancient prophesy which states that the elf-Lord and his two companions will rid the Jilith of the curse of the Gograth forever.And if Sebastian, Max and Cornelius can achieve this Keera herself will guide them to the Lost City. But first our heroic trio must brave savage battles, hazardous journeys, attacks by fierce beasts and some of the worst jokes in history. And what's more when they finally reach their destination, they have to contend with The Night Runners - the most terrifying foe they have ever encountered; a foe that simply cannot be killed ...because they are already dead.

Biography
Sebastian Darke:

1. Prince of Fools - Published by Bodley Head Children's Books 4 Jan 2007
2. Prince of Pirates - Published by Bodley Head Children's Books 5 Feb 2008
3. Prince of Explorers - Published by Bodley Head Children's Books 5 Feb 2009

Alec Devlin:

1. The Eye of the Serpent - Red Fox 7 Aug 2008
2. Empire of the Skull - Red Fox 6 Aug 2009