Picked up at a charity shop, specifically for BookCrossing purposes...

Planning to release at the Halloween-themed BC Meetup in York, tomorrow evening...

releasing, as promised...

Picked up at the York Hallowe'en themed meet; I've heard about this book, local author, supposed to be a rebuttal or response to Philip Pullman's Dark Materials trilogy (which I love) so thought I'd give it a go - look at both sides etc.

Oh dear. There was some ribaldry when I picked this book up, from people who know my religious leanings (away from it, mostly), and I said I couldn’t give a damn if it’s written by a vicar, as long as he can write...

Well, he can’t. I ploughed on to the end, determined to give this book a fair chance (or possibly enough rope to hang itself!), but it is utterly, utterly dreadful.

It consists of shallow, one-dimensional stereotypical characters who you don’t believe in or really care about, and who change their characteristics at will from one moment to the next - e.g. Kate, the feisty, fearless pistol-wielding heroine in boy’s clothes suddenly becomes a snivelling wet hen about halfway through. And *what* a coincidence, this is just after the Christ-figure Raphah comments unfavourably on her attire and she changes into more "suitable" women's clothing. Another female character starts off as a hard-nosed, hard-drinking strong character, but immediately after Raphah performs a miracle on her son, suddenly becomes warm, motherly and 'respectable', and takes off all her makeup. I'm starting to see a pattern developing here in Taylor's opinion of women...!

Demurral, the main villain, is a pantomime baddie; I don't think he said “Mwahahaha!!” at any point, but I wouldn’t have been surprised if he had. Everyone speaks in stilted dialogue and clichés (and in the case of Raphah, in long Bible quotations) and runs around frantically from one random set-piece chase and fight scene to another, which are linked together by dull and clunky prose in an unconvincing, incoherent ‘plot’. Monsters are introduced randomly merely to be cannon-fodder, with no explanation of who they are, where they’re from or what they want...then much explanation after the fact from a character who suddenly knows all about them because he’s touched one - despite the fact that they were a complete mystery on the last page. Magical artefacts and people just appear in a deus-ex-machina stylee when needed for the plot, with no reference to their existence previously...a few interesting ideas (the Azimuth) are introduced, glossed over and then more or less forgotten about, never to be revisited.

And just to put the tin lid on this dodgy sword-n-sorcery-meets-Famous-Five mashup, there is the heavy-handed Christian preaching (calling god and the devil by the names "Riathamus" and "Pyratheon" fools *nobody*, you know). But the relentless slating of all other religions and belief systems (with especial reference to Wicca) as 'from the devil' and tarot cards, beer and strong minded women as bad, is more laughable than anything. Honestly, this stuff makes CS Lewis look like a master of subtlety and understatement. And at least CS Lewis could write and knew how to put a plot together.

"You can protest all you like, Kate, but inside you is a spirit that is eternal. You were created by Riathamus to live in this world, then be transformed in the next. This is the truth and the truth shall set you free... Don't fear that which destroys the body, but fear the one who can destroy the soul." Oh yep, that’s subtle stuff, you could miss it if you weren’t looking out for it!

I gather the Reverend Author has claimed that the book is intended as a counterpoint to Philip Pullman and JK Rowling. Now, I don’t rate the Harry Potter books particularly highly – great ideas let down by an awkward, clunky writing style. But for Rev. Taylor to seriously think that his effort can stand beside (or even in the same room as) Pullman’s gloriously imagined, tightly plotted and beautifully written His Dark Materials trilogy... now *that’s* what I call fantasy!

I almost feel guilty about releasing such a dreadful piece of tat to other people, but in the spirit of Bookcrossing, you takes yer chances... don't say you haven't been warned!

Heard about this, kind of curious as it's set local in Whitby (I seem to be randomly reading a lot of books set in Whitby without planning, so far all really good!); I'd heard it was supposed to be the good version of Harry Potter (not a road I've gone down). And it's supposed to be another Dark Materials??? Hmmm. I have read the first 2 books in that series recently and really enjoyed them. And having read Moondark's thoughts on the matter, I am rather apprehensive now. That was one well-written rant about the book. I hope I don't come back and say it was the best thing I did read in/about this book after I've given it a go =) We shall see.....

So, I wanted to read this because of the Whitby connection, I'd heard it was good, and then heard it was supposed to be another Dark Materials. What a disappointment. I started off reading it thinking... this isn't very good... but I carried on with a bit of skim reading. Still not any better. Skim reading increased drastically, and I actually got about two thirds through and then I thought, what am I doing? I am wasting my time. So I quit. This book really isn't anybody's effort.

I appreciate it's a kid's book, so you can't expect the same kind of characters and plots you would of an adult's book, but really, I think we can do better than this! This book swung from being overwritten where it didn't need to be (dull descriptions of people's appeareances being one that sticks in my mind) to being severely underwritten, in plot and dialogue so that it just rolls at an unbelieveable pace, with so many coincidences. There is no sense of place or atmosphere, so as far as the Whitby connection is concerned, it's a waste of time. And the characters are on the most part bland, 2D and you really can't give a monkeys about any of them. And then there's the baddie, Demurral. Words can not describe how ridiculously written he is - it's embarassing to read quite frankly. The man has hissy fits throwing things around because... well, for no reason. He's the pantomine villian on speed or something, and it's not fun to read. I skim read through all the self-righteous preaching... this book really hasn't been my thing at all!

It does seem a little silly to take a book you hate to a bookclub meet up... but I dont know what else to do with this, and maybe there will be someone there who has just been desperate to read this book??? Anyway, its set in the part of the world I come from.

Found on the table at the convention.

This seems interesting, but since it is the first in a series, and I don't have that much time to read at the moment, it will have to move on.

I brought it home with me from our bookcrossing meet-up at Espresso House this evening.

Well...this is curious...
Usually I don't read earlier reviews until after I've read the book. I cannot really explain why I did so this time. I just wanted to check in before starting to read and see how many journalers there where before me (because I had forgotten since I picked it up).
Perhaps it was because you had written quite long reviews.
Having read I actually decided not to read the book. The things you point out that you don't like are things I tend to really dislike myself. So...thanks a lot for sparing me the time and effort! :) ;)

I'll get rid of this book by sending it to the bookcrossing convention in Oxford for some poor sod - sorry; I meant another reader - to pick up.

Ps. And MoonDark and Apechild; your reviews where a delight to read. The only reason for me to read this book would be in order to write something like that myself, but I doubt I would pull it off as nicely. :)

Mailing the book to the bookcrossing convention. I'm unable to attend.

One of the left-overs from the Oxford Convention book buffet...

Released somewhere in Oxford.
For you to find.