Children's Book Reviews
Page One of FourBasilisk by N.M. Browne
Bloomsbury, May, 2004Hardcover, 320 pages
ISBN: 1582348766
Ages Young Adult
Ordering information:
Amazon.com
The town of Lunnzia has suffered some kind of major civil war,
in which the aristocrats were killed or banished underground and
the peasants were sent to live in the cities. The revolution put
the tyrant Arkel and his Council of Ten in charge. The
Council and their bureaucrats enjoy fine wine and luxuries, while
the workers toil ceaselessly and suffer the indignities of communal living.
16 year-old Donna lives Above in Lunnzia and dutifully does her work as a
Scribe, while at night she
dreams of dragons flying in a clear blue sky. Young Rej lives Below;
he also dreams of blue skies and dragons flying free. Below is a dank,
maze of tunnels where survival is chancy at best. Through contacts in the
Resistance, Rej manages to get Above
as a worker to be tutored by Donna. When the two meet, they begin to piece
together the mystery of the Dream Dragons, which have brought them to the
attention of the vicious Arkel, who believes the dream dragons can be harnessed
to bring him great power. Rej and Donna have to grow up very quickly
and find a way to stop Arkel's plans to unleash the Dream Dragons to reign
death and destruction on the people of the catacombs.
British author N.M. Browne has created a tantalizing new fantasy set against an Orwellian city where workers live only to serve the state, while those in power plot, scheme and live in extravagant luxury. The Basilisk is full of vibrant characters: Donna's gorgeous courtesan mother who now runs the resistance movement; the struggling, stenk-addicted Scrubber and the mutilated Immina are all vividly portrayed. Rej and Donna also shine as individuals in this marvelous story full of adventure, hope and biting social commentary.
Faerie Wars by Herbie Brennan
Bloomsbury, September, 2004Paperback, 368 pages
ISBN: 1582349436
Ages Young Adult
Ordering information:
Amazon.com
Henry Atherton has his world torn apart when his
parents announced that they are divorcing. Then, to make matters
worse, he finds out that the split is caused by the fact that his
mother is having a lesbian affair with his father's secretary.
Henry then has his world further rocked by his
discovery of the Faerie, Pyrgus Malvae, whom he
saves from the cat (who thought the unfortunate Faerie was
a butterfly). Pyrgus explains that he is hiding from the
Faeries of the Night who are about to revolt against his
father, the Purple Emperor and King of the Faeries. Pyrgus has been sent via
a portal to Earth to be safe from the plotters. Pyrgus
(who eventually retains his life-sized form) is about
Henry's age, and spends most of his time getting into trouble --
which is most unseemly for a Faerie Prince. Pyrgus found
out the secret ingredient in the evil Silas Brimstone's
popular glue is -- horror of horrors -- kittens. Pyrgus is lobbying
his father to put an end to this animal abuse in the Faerie kingdom.
Now Pyrgus and Henry must join forces to stop the destruction of
all that is good in the Faerie world.
Herbie Brennan has a deft hand with creating characters; he has presented a very likeable protagonist with young Henry Atherton. The world he creates is an interesting one, which mixes magic and science together. Henry's mentor, Mr. Fogarty, the physicist turned bank robber, manages to steal every scene he is in, and Pyrgus, the prince who is a passionate animal rights activist, is also quite memorable. With more characterization and social issues than most young adult fantasies, Faerie Wars will have readers anticipating the sequel, The Purple Emperor.
Children's Book Reviews
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