Wolfbane Blog Tour

 

I am so excited today to be taking part in the Wolfbane blog tour to celebrate the release of the ninth and final book in the incredible Wolf Brother series by Michelle Paver.

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Written by: Michelle Paver.

Published by: Zephyr.

Format: Hardback.

Released: 26th April 2022.

Rating: 5/5.

Official synopsis: "It is early spring, a turbulent, perilous time of sudden storms, frozen river fractures and drifting ice. Fleeing from a demon intent on devouring his souls, Wolf is swept out to Sea far from the Forest and his pack. The ocean too teems with danger: sea wolves, sharks and hunters of the deep, and the demon is gaining ground. Torak and Renn must race to save their pack-brother, battling the harsh, icy waves and merciless torrents. If they can't find Wolf in time, the bond between them will be severed for ever... Run wild with Wolf Brother for the last time in a Stone Age world we all want to be part of, with three-million-copy-selling author Michelle Paver, Creator of Legends."

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Way back in 2004, a 12 year old boy was stood in Ottakar's looking for something new to read. His eyes searched the shelves, finding familiar names and titles that he had already read when something new popped out at him. An earthy, reddish brown cover with a stick figure image of a person and a wolf. He picked the book up and read the first page before begging his mum to buy it for him. This was his new read. This was the book he had been searching for. As the years went by, the boy followed Torak, Renn and Wolf on their adventures, growing with them as he went. From Forest, to the sea, from the mountains to the dangerous depths of the Deep Forest, the boy found himself a place away from the real world that felt safe, like home. Fast forward to late 2021, that boy, now a fully grown man found himself in possession of a proof copy of the ninth and final book in the series that means so much to him. Reader, the boy is me.

Honestly, I am not quite sure where to really start with this one. This has been a very bittersweet experience for me. Reading Wolfbane. For so long I dreamed of Michelle returning to the world of Torak, Renn, Wolf, Fin-Keddinn, Dark. All of them. And when it was announced in 2019 that that dream was coming true I could not have been happier. But with that joy came impending sadness because I knew back then that I would one day again have to say goodbye to these characters and this world that I love so much. This series has genuinely gotten me through some of my darkest moments. In 2016, when my mum passed away, I completely lost myself and didn't really do much for several months. But after re-reading the series, back then running from Wolf Brother to Ghost Hunter, I felt myself coming back. I had gone home and I loved every second again as if it were the first time I had read the series. That is the beauty of this series. It doesn't matter how many times I read them, I am drawn in so whole-heartedly and that is something truly magical.

First off, the cover, as that's the first thing many will see. Lord, the cover! John Fordham does a wonderful job every time but this one has taken the biscuit. A stunning addition to bring this wonderfully jacketed series to a close! And Geoff Taylor has outdone himself too with the chapter headers in this one. Some stunning illustrations to help bring this ancient story to life!

Right from the start of Wolfbane there is a real sense that the end is coming. There is this foreboding feeling that something bad is going to happen. Something final. Wolf is in danger and Torak must race against time to save his friend and the rest of the Forest in the process. I won't say much because I don't want to spoil it but there is the return of an animal in this book that had me so excited but also scared for Wolf. This particular animal is one of my absolute favourites and to see them again was wonderful. It was nice as well to see many other threads come together within this book. Characters that probably didn't get as much time to flourish because of their late introduction into the original books have their moments and all I will say is that the whole thread surrounding Dark was so wonderful that it made me tear up a few times! It's something I have dreamed of seeing within some of my favourite series, so for it to be a part of my actual favourite series was such a full circle moment for me, validating me and I also hope showing others who either grew up with the series or that may discover the series anew that they're just as valid in the Stone Age as they are today.

The actual ending itself was so beautifully written. As the book races to a thrilling conclusion, it's obvious that the danger is too high. People are going to get hurt. Again, no spoilers but I said to Michelle during a live stream event that she needed to campaign for her publishers to make Wolf branded tissues because they would be needed and I still stand by that. I've read the book twice now and I have to say I cried as much the second time reading it as I did the first and I am not ashamed to admit that! I have spent so much time with these characters, within this world. 18 years. It is hard not to form an attachment. This series has been so influential for me. I've met Michelle several times and every time I have gushed about how much these books have shaped me into the man I am today. That their presence has given me a much needed safe space at times, and for that I will be forever grateful. The fact that this time it really is goodbye, there will be no more additions in years to come is almost too hard to take, but my god what a journey this has been!

Atmospheric, an edge of your seat page turner and filled with heartwarming moments too, Wolfbane was the grand finale that I had hoped for.

If you haven't read the series yet, I only say please please please do not delay. If you have and are about to devour Wolfbane, I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do and enjoy the phenomenal end to this incredible series. 

Thank you Michelle for all of the adventures. Thank you for everything!

Skin Taker by Michelle Paver [Review]

Written by: Michelle Paver.

Published by: Zephyr/Head of Zeus.

Format: Hardback.

Released: 1st April 2021.

Rating: 5/5.

Official synopsis: "In the Dark Time of midwinter, disaster strikes the Forest. Chaos rules. Bears woken from their dens prowl the shadowy valleys. Desperate clans battle for survival. Only demons thrive. With their world in turmoil, Torak, Renn and Wolf are tested as never before. And as a new evil haunts the devastated land, Torak must risk his sanity, his life and even his souls to save everything he loves... Skin Taker carries you back to the Stone Age, to nature, drawing you deeper into an astonishing environment and adventure which began with Wolf Brother and has captivated millions of readers."

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It's a magical time that comes but once a year. It brings with it a sense of joy, but also fear. That's right! It's time for a new Michelle Paver book! The eighth instalment in the worldwide best selling Wolf Brother series! AKA Chronicles of Ancient Darkness. And boy, what a ride Skin Taker is! Right from the very first page, it is a tale of doom and gloom as a natural disaster befalls the Forest and our favourite characters are thrown right into the middle of all of the action as they attempt to drive the evil out of their home! I mean, you almost have to feel sorry for poor old Torak. Chosen by destiny to fight the Soul-Eaters and now that that task is done he still can't catch a break! Bears that would normally be asleep, hibernating, roam the trees. Whispers of evil beings known as skin takers are carried on the wind, fear causing the clans to do terrible things. And enemies that Torak may have thought he would never have to face again may be closer than he bargains for.

I'll make no apologies about it, I am a complete Michelle Paver stan, as I believe I have shown time and time again. Her words are just so well thought out and methodically placed but feel so lyrical, so effortless and they never fail to take me away from the real world and drag me into the world woven within the pages. Skin Taker feels a lot more claustrophobic than the previous books in my opinion. Yes you can read them separately but I believe to truly get the benefit from the story, you need to read them all. Torak has been trapped in caves before. He's been in some very sticky situations. But something about Skin Taker feels very different. Darker, quite literally at some points of the book. Torak and Renn are in the Far North, probably one of my favourite parts of the world that Michelle has created. It's chill just seeps from the page into your bones. Michelle always has such a way of describing the settings, the weather, that just makes them feel so real, so tangible.

I read the book in early December last year, during a particularly cold week and this only added to the feel of the book for me, as the cold seeps in and all hope seems to fade. These characters are some of my favourite I have ever encountered in any series. Yes, we all love Torak, Renn and of course, Wolf. But the supporting cast beyond the main trio are also a brilliant mix. As ever Fin-Keddinn is spellbinding. Dark continues to intrigue and with a host of new characters thrown in, showing different degrees of humanity in the pre-historic setting there is someone for all readers to fall in love with! I really felt for them all the way through this book, facing such adversity and having no choice but to pull together, regardless of clans and beliefs was so interesting to read, especially given the timely aspect of coronavirus and how it is bringing us all together as well!

Every time I read one of these books, it doesn't matter which one, there is always such a sense of safety, of coming home, and honestly it's a feeling I cannot get enough of. Even in the darkest moments, the Forest is a welcome respite from the real world. I can almost smell the tang of pine blood, hear the voices of the trees as they chatter among themselves as I pass.

Can we talk about that cover for a second! I mean! COME ON! John Fordham knocks it out of the park every time. This has to be my favourite cover of the series so far. The colours used. The overall feeling, and especially given that I have read the book, the actual meanings in the cover itself. Fantastic! These have to be some of my favourite covers I have ever had the fortune to own. So unique and easily identifiable within the book world, as well as being fun. Absolute pieces of art in their own right. I'd love to one day get them all framed or something, they're just stunning!

I can never truly get out just how I feel about the books because it just becomes such a gush-fest. I just love them so much. Last year a tv adaptation was announced and with work on that continuing, I can only hope that the team behind it do these characters and the world, and of course Michelle's work, justice and helps to bring a whole new audience to these fantastic books. Yes, they're worldwide bestsellers, but in my opinion, they do not get the recognition they deserve! 

Atmospheric, exhilarating and a complete page turner, Skin Taker is Michelle Paver at her very best. With one last instalment (for real, this time!) due next year, Wolfbane, there are no doubt thrills aplenty still to come. I don't know if I am, personally, ready to say goodbye to these characters that I adore so much. I've done it once before with Ghost Hunter, yes, but getting to walk alongside them on their adventures again has been such a wonderful experience. These characters and indeed the books mean a great, great deal to me so it'll never really be a goodbye, as I reread them quite often actually, but the thought of no more new adventures. Gives me chills far worse than those you experience in the Far North, let me tell you! All I know is that I trust Michelle and know that we are in safe hands, so I will walk confidently into the Forest once more to await the fate of our beloved characters!

My thanks to the wonderful Fiona Kennedy at Zephyr for being so lovely and allowing me to read Skin Taker so early! I am eternally grateful and beyond honoured!

Anticipated Reads for 2021

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Viper's Daugher by Michelle Paver [Review]

Written by: Michelle Paver.
Published by: Head of Zeus.
Format: Hardback.
Released: 2nd April 2020.
Rating: 5/5.

Official synopsis: "For two summers Torak and Renn have been living in the Forest with their faithful pack-brother, Wolf. But their happiness is shattered when Renn realizes Torak is in danger - and she's the threat. When she mysteriously disappears, Torak and Wolf brave the Far North to find her. At the mercy of the Sea Mother and haunted by ravenous ice bears, their quest leads them to the Edge of the World. There they must face an enemy more evil than any they've encountered. Viper's Daughter plunges you back into the Stone-Age world of Torak, Renn and Wolf: a world of demons, Hidden People and exhilarating adventure which has entranced millions of readers."

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Anyone that knows me at all knows that I am a Michelle Paver stan. That's right. Not a fan. A stan. If she released her shopping lists, bound together with a cover, I'd buy it and read it again, and again. Since 2004 when I first read Wolf Brother, the first book in the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series, I haven't looked back and haven't missed a single book that has been released... She's my fave, basically...

So you can imagine the excitement I felt when last year, Michelle announced that there wouldn't be just one, but three, yes THREE, brand new books in the series, taking the total from six, to nine. It had long been teased, and Michelle had said time and time again that she would never say never and that if the ideas came to her then she would of course love to revisit the world of the Forest, and go on adventures again with the lovable Torak, Renn, Wolf and the whole ensemble. And by God I'm glad she had the right ideas because reading this was like stepping back in time (well, obviously it is set 6,000 years ago...) to being that kid again so in awe. 

Reading it felt like coming home. You see, I had a rough patch when I read the series the first time. Most of us do. Adolescence... Ugh... But the books were a constant for me. Somewhere I could escape and feel free, and it didn't matter what was going on in the outside world. I was with Torak, Renn and Wolf, and we, together, fought the Soul-Eater's and the demons of the Forest. Then, when my mum passed away in 2016, I reread the series three times and each time I felt more and more like the me I had been before. 

The moment I picked this book up, I took a deep breath, and I won't lie, I was scared... I had been waiting for this moment for ten years (since the last book, Ghost Hunter was published...). What if it wasn't good. What if it, like a lot of series revisits, just soured what was originally there? I needn't have worried because from the first page I was there. It was back, and oh my, it was magical! I felt like I was home and it was an emotional moment for me!

Despite the fact that she has been away from the world for the best part of a decade, the characters feel as rich as they ever did. Torak is still as head strong as he was in Ghost Hunter, Renn is still as stubborn and Wolf is as lovable as he has ever been in the series. It was so nice to see the characters that we fell in love with in the first place, plus a whole array of new characters, both human and otherwise... We meet clans that we haven't met previously and getting to see their different views and way of living was very interesting. The mixture of cultures within the series was always something I really loved.

And the twist... There is a twist. Who doesn't love a twist? I didn't see it coming and when it hit me I gasped and actually had to put the book down and take a breather for a moment of two before continuing on. The climatic scenes were exhilarating and took the book towards a very satisfying end that leaves you desperate for more, and thank the Guardian's there are still two more to come, so thankfully we get more!

As magical and exciting as ever, her writing more crisp and exciting than ever, Michelle has breathed new life into her own series ready for a new generation of avid readers to fall in love the exact same way that I did. I cannot wait to see what she has in store for us in Book 8, Skintaker, and Book 9!

My thanks to the lovely people at Zephyr for my copy, and to Michelle for signing it. There's a reason your my favourite because as well as being a great writer, you're a lovely person too!

Thin Air by Michelle Paver [Review]

Written by: Michelle Paver.

Published by: Orion.

Format: Hardback.

Released: 6th October 2016.

Rating: 5/5.

Official synopsis: "The Himalayas, 1935. Kangchenjunga. Third-highest peak on earth. Greatest killer of them all. Five Englishmen set off from Darjeeling, determined to conquer the sacred summit. But courage can only take them so far - and the mountain is not their only foe. As the wind dies, the dread grows. Mountain sickness. The horrors of extreme altitude. A past that will not stay buried. And sometimes, the truth does not set you free."

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Imagine it. It's a warm day in the middle of May. The sun is shining, the air is alive with the sounds of birds and insects alike. But you're huddled on the sofa, a verified block of ice. Shivering, jumping at the slightest of movements or sounds you aren't expecting, and have been transported to the snowy landscapes of the Himalayas. That, my friends, is what my experience of reading Thin Air was like. 

I've been a long term fan of Michelle's, for over twelve years since Wolf Brother came out and started an obsession with worlds and words that just won't ever leave me (and I hope it doesn't!). I've always been more of a YA reader. Adult fiction doesn't normally do it for me, but I have authors that are auto-buys, or auto-reads, meaning I will get whatever they choose to publish, be it their masterpiece or a shopping list. And Michelle is right at the top of my auto-read list, so I read her first ghost story, Dark Matter, when it came out a few years ago. I had always hoped Michelle would do another ghost story because I think her writing lends to them so well. She just builds suspense so masterfully and has you absolutely rapt. So when I knew Thin Air was on the way I could not of been more excited. On a personal note the book came on a day when I was feeling particularly down, given the horrendous year I've had, and the proof came with a little note from Michelle herself who is a lovely lady and I hope to meet again some day as I have fond memories of meeting her when I was a teenager!

Anyway, back to the book. It's a chilling tale which will take you right to the deadly peaks of Kangchenjunga. Yes I had to google how to pronounce it. And no, I'm not ashamed! Ha!

It's chilling. Thrilling. And downright scary. From the get go I had chills running up and down my body. I had the shakes at one particular point and had to keep looking up to make sure that I was actually on my own. Such is the power of Michelle's story telling that I felt like there was an unwanted entity with me, watching me, plotting to take me down the way the ghost in the story does. When reading it you really feel the sense of isolation the characters are feeling. You can feel it build, and it almost feels like a physical reaction for you as the reader. You start to second guess things, start to try to think of a logical explanation, even when there isn't place for one. By the end of the book I really felt the paranoia set in and it made me wonder what I would be like in that sort of situation. I could hardly read it without losing my cool, I dread to think what I would be like.

It completely transported me away from the darkness of my own life and if even for a brief moment made me forget and drew me in so wholly that I was lost in this wonderful book, and that is something that seems to be very rare these days. 

I cannot recommend this book enough. If you enjoyed Michelle's previous ghost story, Dark Matter, you'll love this one. If you love anything supernatural, a bit scary, ghostly, then you'll enjoy it too. It's a fantastic read thats absorbing and totally paralysing. Beautifully, lyrically written. A five star read if ever there was one!

My thanks to Orion and Michelle for my early copy and postcard! It really meant a lot and came at a time I really needed a bit of cheering up, so thank you!

The Crocodile Tomb cover and synopsis!

Now if you've been around the last few years you will know that I am OBSESSED with Michelle Paver. I adored her Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series! So much so that I got a tattoo inspired by the books! And I am equally loving her current series, Gods and Warriors, and it hardly seems real to say this, but the fourth and penultimate instalment comes out in August and I cannot wait to read it!

Well, now we have the cover art and the synopsis to whet our appetites and boy oh boy does this sound like a corker!

"A country at the edge of the world. A hidden tomb. A buried secret. Hylas and Pirra have found their way to the mysterious land of Egypt in pursuit of the dagger of Koronos, only to find that the Crows have got there first. Led by Hylas's deadly enemy, Telamon, they are determined to recover the legendary blade, by any means necessary. But the dagger now lies buried beyond the reach of mortals. If Hylas and Pirra want it back, they will have to make the most dangerous journey of all - into the realms of death itself . . ."

Wow! I am so excited to see how Hylas and Pirra react to Ancient Egypt and how things continue! With only 1 more book after The Crocodile Tomb it's an exciting time to be a Michelle Paver fan as she knows how to wrap a series up incredibly well and I cannot wait to see how this one fares! Roll on 6th August!

Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver

Written by: Michelle Paver.

Published by: Orion.

Format: Hardback.

Released: 2nd September 2004.

Rating: 5/5.

Official synopsis: "Thousands of years ago the land is one dark forest. Its people are hunter-gatherers. They know every tree and herb and they know how to survive in a time of enchantment and powerful magic. Until an ambitious and malevolent force conjures a demon: a demon so evil that it can be contained only in the body of a ferocious bear that will slay everything it sees, a demon determined to destroy the world. Only one boy can stop it—12 year old Torak, who has seen his father murdered by the bear. With his dying breath, Torak’s father tells his son of the burden that is his. He must lead the bear to the mountain of the World Spirit and beg that spirit’s help to overcome it. Torak is an unwilling hero. He is scared and trusts no one. His only companion is a wolf cub only three moons old, whom he seems to understand better than any human. Theirs is a terrifying quest in a world of wolves, tree spirits and Hidden People, a world in which trusting a friend means risking your life."

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I genuinely do not know where to start with this one. Not at all. First off, I cannot believe in my four years of blogging I haven't reviewed this series yet! I did like a summary thing about my love for the whole series when I first started but since then, nothing. I know they've been out for a while but these books mean a lot to me and I've always intended to review them all, one by one. And what better time to start than the tenth anniversary of the publication of the first book, Wolf Brother? It hardly seems real. Ten years! Ten years? No way! Get out of here! It can't be ten years already, can it? Answer... Yes it can, and it is. I still remember the day I first saw Michelle and heard her talking about this book. I remember she was on Blue Peter, and I was in awe. She was in a grass field, talking to the presenter, don't ask me who, I can't remember, with a wolf, a real live wolf, walking beside her. She was talking about a book she had written about a boy named Torak who can communicate with a wolf cub, and is the only one who can rid the Forest of a demon bear that is terrorising it. Well, that was me sold!

But enough about my past with this book. It's time to talk about the book itself... I decided that I should re-read the book, re-connect with it and re-learn it, before I reviewed it again. It has been a few years since I last read it and even the best of minds fail at some time and I really wanted to dive back into this wold again so desperately that the tenth anniversary feels like a good time to do that. so I picked up my old hardback and nestled down again, ready to be plummeted into the world of the Forest. Of hunter gathers, of clans, of animals and nature and magic and power and demon bears. 

And as soon as I started reading that first page, I fell instantaneously in love again. It was as if I had never left the leafy protection of a world that meant so much to the me of ten years ago when I fist read this book and as i continued to read this amazing series. Once again I was pulled into a world so real, so vivid and so well described that I could smell the damp bark, hear the soft crunch of leaves under my reindeer hide boots and almost taste the salty fat of a woodgrouse sizzling over a fire. Such is the magic of Michelle's writing. It's so captivating, so encapsulating, so rich.

And I loved meeting the characters just as much as I did the first time too. Torak is one of my favourite main characters of all time. And Renn, Fin-Kedinn, Saeunn, the whole gang. Especially Wolf!

And you know what, I had forgotten just how utterly chilling and terrifying some parts of the book are. The parts with the tokoroths, children possessed by demons, had me literally squirming as they did when I read them ten years ago. It was so good to relive these parts and I'm glad I had forgotten just how scary it was because I got to have those moments all over again. Shamefully there are bits that I had forgotten but that is the beauty of re-reading. It felt like I was experiencing it all over again and it was mesmerising and so so so much fun to delve back in to. In fact, I enjoyed myself so much that I want to read the whole series again, just to experience the magic all over again. I am glad to say that 22 year old Ryan loved Wolf Brother just as much as 12 year old Ryan did ten years ago. That's the true testament to a good story I believe. It transcends age. Yes, it was written primarily as a children's book, but ever since it was published it was well known that the book had massive crossover appeal and now as an adult, albeit a grossly immature one at that, I'm glad that that is the case. I had worried that it wouldn't stand the test of time and that my tastes might of changed over the years. I doubted that it would of because I adore her new series, Gods and Warriors, but the fear was there nonetheless. Thankfully it was unwarranted and left as soon as I opened the book.

If you're a fan of all things nature, magic and adventure, then I implore you to pick up Wolf Brother and indeed the rest of the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness. Whether it is for yourself, your children, your nephews and nieces, cousins, friends, neighbours, whatever. Do it. Pick them up. These little books have so much to answer for as far as I am concerned - they kept me sane in a period of my life when it was very hard to even want to stay sane, they showed me a light that I didn't know was possible and inspired me beyond belief. Michelle knows how much of a fan I am - lord knows I've written to her enough times over the years - but I just cannot stress how much I love these books and think they deserve to be huge. They've done well but Michelle deserves so much more recognition where this series is concerned. It's gold and beautiful and rich and oh so tantalising.

Thank you to Michelle for being so amazing and Orion Children's Books for publishing it in the first guys! Cannot wait to see you here for the 20th Anniversary!!

Buy Wolf Brother from Amazon UK

The Eye of the Falcon by Michelle Paver [Review]

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS THE THIRD BOOK IN THE GODS AND WARRIORS SERIES, SO IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE FIRST TWO BOOKS, THE OUTSIDERS AND THE BURNING SHADOW, THEN PLEASE BEWARE THE SPOILERS!!! THANK YOU!

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Written by: Michelle Paver.

Published by: Puffin.

Format: Paperback.

Released: 7th August 2014.

Rating: 5/5.

Official synopsis: "Winter has been colder than anyone can remember, and there is no spring. The eruption of Thalakrea has shrouded the sky in ash, and blotted out the Sun. Fate brings Hylas to the island of Keftiu. He is desperate to find his friends: Pirra, the daughter of the High Priestess, and Havoc the lion cub. But Keftiu has suffered more than anywhere from the fury of the gods, and the once-prosperous island has been ravaged by cold, famine and plague. As Hylas sets off alone to seek his friends, he is tormented by the fear that Pirra and Havoc may not have survived the winter..."

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Oh boy! It's that time of the year again! No, not Christmas... It's time for my annual Michelle Paver gushfest! In the words of Bing Crosby it most definitely is the most wonderful time of the year. For me, anyway! Year after year, Michelle never fails to amaze me, shock me, draw me into a world so incredibly different from the world that we live in today that I cannot help but fall in love. I've been a mega fan, as you will know if you've been around since my blog began, of Michelle ever since I first picked up Wolf Brother, the first book in the epic Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series! Ten whole years! But more about that in a few weeks! ;)... Ever since I picked up Wolf Brother Michelle has been a huge part of my life as those books came at quite a dark time in my life and helped me through some quite difficult times. Maybe that's why I have such an affinity with Michelle and her work...

But back to present day where The Eye of Falcon, the third book in the stunning Gods and Warriors series has just been published... Oh, be still my beating heart. She's done it again! This series is shaping up to be something pretty damn special and this instalment only solidifies that. After the explosive (literally) conclusion of the last book, The Burning Shadow, Hylas is alone on Keftiu. The world has changed and not for the better. The sun has gone. The land is dying and so are the people and this winter has been the worst known for years. And the gods are angry. The gods have left Keftiu, a forsaken land, but Hylas must seek Pirra, he needs to make amends. And he needs to find the dagger of Koronos soon or else no one will ever be safe.

As per the usual, Michelle's writing is so fluid and elegant, so silky. Her prose almost feel like a warm hug, enveloping you, dragging you deeper down into the story. It's so hard to remove your eyes from the page, in fact sometimes it's nigh on impossible! The characters are so well fleshed out and no one seems to be there just for the sake of it, they all have their own purpose. Including Echo, the falcon. That's one thing I love about Michelle's books. The animal element she incorporates. It's so fresh and so well written that you almost feel as if you are in the animals head, experiencing it's thoughts. She doesn't make them feel human, they feel raw, wild, animalistic. It's so captivating, and now, seeing parts of the story through both the falcon's eyes and those of Havoc, the lion cub, adds an extra dimension to the story. This is something Michelle did so well in the Chronicles, with Wolf, the wolf... and with Spirit the dolphin in the first Gods and Warriors book. It's just so cool!

The stakes are getting higher and this makes for a very exciting read. There are only two more books to come in this series and I cannot wait to see how it ends. Next years instalment, The Crocodile Tomb, cannot come quick enough! Next time we're off to Egypt and given Michelle's talent for bring ancient worlds to life I cannot wait to see her take on ancient Egyptian life. In fact I am so excited it's unreal! The only gripe I had, albeit a minor one, is the death of a major character that happened in between The Burning Shadow and The Eye of the Falcon. It felt a bit brushed over, and I would of liked to see something quite dramatic happen to the character, but other than that I couldn't love this book more if I tried!

One major gripe though, and this isn't towards Michelle and the content of the book... It's to the publisher! I've long vented my fury about cover changes, as I did when they changed the style of the covers in between book one and two of this series... I was livid... But this is worse... They've changed the format! The format! Books one and two were published in beautiful hardbacks with stunning coloured edges, then for some reason with The Eye of the Falcon, they've gone straight to paperback... Now, this is okay because I do have the first two books in paperback as well, and all three covers match... But now I have two obsolete copies, beautiful hardbacks that alluded to a lovely collection and now that has been taken away from me. To say I was gutted when I found out the book wasn't being published in hardback was an understatement. My OCD doesn't allow for format changes and it drove me insane! There is a hardback being released in America next year, but it's a different size so it isn't gone to match the copies I've got so that upsets me a bit! Like I say, it's the only real problem I have about this book... the format change! I just don't get it... I really don't!

But to end on a positive note, because a book of this calibre is nothing but epic, please please please, I beg you, check out this series and check out Michelle's work in general. It's so rich and immersive, I guarantee you will fall in love just as much I have!

Buy from Amazon UK

The Burning Shadow by Michelle Paver [Review]

Written by: Michelle Paver.

Published by: Puffin.

Format: Hardback.

Released: 1st August 2013.

Rating: 5/5.

Official synopsis: "'If an Outsider wields the blade, the House of Koronos burns...' A boy on the run. A deadly prophecy. A race against time. Hylas the Outsider is captured by slavers. Set to work in the terrible underground mines of Thalakrea, he learns to his horror that he's now closer than ever to his murderous enemies, the Crows. He has to escape before they find out he's here. Pirra, the daughter of the High Priestess, is also on the run. When Fate reunites her with Hylas, their survival depends on ancient magic and an orphaned lion cub - unless the Gods have other plans..."

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Ah. What a wonderful day. The arrival of a new Michelle Paver book is always a special event for me. That special day that comes but once a year and it brings with it a sense of wonder, amazement, excitement and a sliver of fear at what might happen next to the characters you're coming to love.

I thoroughly enjoyed Gods and Warriors which was released last year, kick-starting this series of the same name, and I remember saying in my review (which can be found here) that it felt very much a world building book that was setting things out nicely for the series to build upon these foundations and grow, and flourish. And after reading The Burning Shadow, I stand by that comment. We find Hylas trapped - he's a slave, set to work in the copper mines on the side of a mountain in Thalakrea, and he isn't a lone. Hundreds, if not more, are working tirelessly for little or no reward just to appease Kreon, the man who owns them. And to make thing's worse, he's a Crow.

The stakes have risen in The Burning Shadow. Now that some of the Crows know who Hylas is, he risks being caught at every turn. But he's adamant not to get drawn in to the prophecy laid out by the Oracle. He's determined that he'll have no part to play in the bringing down of the House of Koronos. All he wants is to find his sister, Issi, and make sure that she's okay. But the gods themselves have different ideas...

Pirra is also making moves to do what she wants. Her mother, Yassassara, the High Preistess is planning to send her away for good and Pirra is having none of it. She plots a daring escape and when she meets a wise woman called Hekabi she see's a way out. But Hekabi is not what she seems and Pirra is drawn away from Keftiu again into danger, back into the eyesight of the crows, and Hylas.

I don't even know where to begin with my love of this book. I've read Gods and Warriors several times, or The Outsiders as it now known after the paperback re-print..., and I really have come to love Hylas and Pirra. The characters are building, their progression plain to see, none more so than Telamon who... I can't even begin to explain the changes that boy is going through, you need to read it!

So many characters are introduced in this book that it can be a little overwhelming at times. Hekabi. Periphas. Pharax. Alekto. Kreon. So so many, but they're all so well balanced. Some scary. Some not. Some you instantly warm to and some you cannot stand right from the start. But this is needed. It provides a great balance of good and bad. And it's also good to see the return of a character we meet in Book 1, one who I'll be honest I didn't think about until he popped up again - his reappearance however is a good thing because he's an interesting character that I'm looking forward to seeing again and again through the series...

And Havoc! The lion cub. She's rivalling Wolf in Michelle's Chronicles of Ancient Darkness for my favourite fictional animal ever. She's just so beautifully imagined and the way Michelle seems to have gotten in to her head, the way she does for every animal she writes. It's amazing and it adds to the whole magical feel to the story, this kind of mystical edge that makes you tingle. Just so good!

The book, as you'd expect being a Michelle Paver affair, is so well thought out, planned, and so beautifully written that you can't help but become addicted and fly through its 271 pages at breakneck speed. I am loving this world, I'm loving this series and I seriously cannot wait to see what Michelle has in store for us next. The Burning Shadow does an amazing job of taking the foundations laid in Book 1 and building upon them with such grace and thought. I remember seeing a video on her website and on the Puffin Live event she did earlier this year, or maybe it was end of last, I can't remember, where she said Book 3 features a falcon... and we go to Egypt! I cannot wait!

And as with the feeling you get with Christmas, that's it for another year. All that build up and it's gone, so quickly, in the blink of an eye...

Buy The Burning Shadow here...

An Open Letter to Publishers: Cover Changes

Hey guys! So, this is a bit of a different post to my normal stuff on here. This is something which has niggled me, and no doubt most of, or all of, you at some point and personally it annoys me to no end and has done for as long as I can remember. And that is when the look of a series changes mid-way through the series' publication. I would like to point out that this is not a post to attack publishers or to annoy them or to do any other thing than give my own personal opinion, perhaps evoke some discussion and possibly get a reason why. If you agree with anything I have to say, then please do leave a comment - this is something that interests me and peoples opinions on this matter also interest me so I would like to hear what you have to say at least.

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Dear Publishers,

I have been a reader ever since I was very young - and something I have also been since I was very young was a collector. I like to collect a series of books. I like to collect books by certain authors. There are authors that no matter how old I get, no matter how much my tastes differ, I will always read their work because it evokes some kind of magic within me and it's a magic that I love to experience again and again. But something that comes with the territory of being a collector is slight, and sometimes obsessive OCD. It is something that I guess just cannot be helped. It's nice to have a collection that looks nice on the shelf together, or wherever you choose to display your books. But something that makes collecting books a sometimes painful habit is when the look of a series changes. This is something that both enrages and saddens me. I have lost count over recent years where covers have changed for a series either mid-way through, sometimes at the very end, just with the last book and sometimes they've changes several times.

The Lionboy trilogy by Zizou Corder. The look changed just for the final book, The Truth, so my series doesn't match. Vampirates by Justin Somper. The series had a massive over-haul when the fourth book, Black Heart came out. Anthony Horowit'z Alex Rider series. The covers changed slightly for the eighth book, Crocodile Tears - they were somewhat similar but fonts had changed, placements had changed. And then they changed again for the final book, so vastly different that it looks somewhat out of place on my shelf. And now, most recently, one that has niggled me most and inspired this letter is Michelle Paver's Gods and Warriors series.

Gods and Warriors, the first book of the series was published in hardback last August. It had a stunning cover that really excited me and made me want to read the book even more - although because it's by Michelle it was a given that I'd read it anyway - and I just knew that it'd look amazing on my shelf especially when all five books of the series had been released. So cue my excitement when the cover for the second book, The Burning Shadow, popped up online a couple of months ago. It matched the cover for the first book. It had the same kind of feel but it was so colourful and exciting - ooh, the lion cub, the explosion - everything about it made me excited. It fit with the first one and that was important and the wait for the book, due in August continued. 

And then one day I went on Amazon and this happened...

A different cover was showing. What's this? I asked myself. Perhaps this is the one they did before... Hmm... I'll check with Puffin. So I merged the 2 together into one picture and tweeted the publisher asking which one was the one I could expect to see on the hardback and the reply came back saying that it was this new, different cover... Okay... It's not that bad. It's pretty similar to the one they had already posted and yeah, I was probably over-reacting but I was so annoyed and so upset. It looks nothing like the first one. The characters look so much bigger - yeah the colour is still there but it didn't look, to me, as excting as the cover for the book above. And most important of all, it didn't match the cover for the first book. As it is, I am not too disheartened as the paperback for Gods and Warriors is due to sport the same sort of new look and has been re-branded as The Outsiders.

But that doesn't solve my problem that I'm now not going to have a matching set of hardbacks and this saddens me as a collector and as a fan of Michelle Paver. It probably sounds sad, but it's just the way I am and a lot of other people are too. It's nice to have stuff that matches.

As I mentioned in my note before I began this letter, this is not an attack and I am not attacking Puffin in particular, it's just that Gods and Warriors is the most recent example I've seen and one that has a direct affect on me.

I understand that you may want to change the look of a series at some point. Sometimes change is good. Sometimes change makes things better. And sometimes it just makes collectors like me get two or three or even more sets of books. I have The Hunger Games trilogy in multiple sets. The same for the Harry Potter series. It's nice to have a full set that way. But if it were me, and I wanted to change the look of a series, I'd wait till the end of the series. Then the people who have been fans or readers of it from the beginning have a nice neat set that they can re-visit again and again and again for years and years to come. Great! Mission accomplished. A great series read and they look nice too which is a bonus. But as is obvious this doesn't happen some times and it's disheartening. 

I understand that some people just frankly do not care what the book looks like. And I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. It's what is on the pages within the cover that count and I know and appreciate that. But it is also nice for those of us that do have OCD and look forward to the day when we have a series that looks uniform that we are proud to display on our book shelves, mantle tops, tables, desks, anywhere. 

I guess I just want to know why. Why do you do this to us? Why do you torment us so? All we ask is that we get one go at the series without having to fork out more money to get a series that matches - which is something I have done. With Justin Somper's Vampirates books I went out and got the first three in the new cover look just so that my series matches. You want to know they're part of the same whole and the look just adds to this. Just please, spare a thought for the fans, the readers, the collectors. 

Thank you for reading. Again, please understand this isn't an attack. It is a plea. From one book lover to another.

Yours Sincerely

Ryan - Empire of Books

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As I said above guys, any comments or views or anything you want to say at all, please do leave a comment. Thank you.