Feathered Man Review

The Eulogy (From the Publisher): In a German town, long ago, lives a tooth-puller's boy called Klaus. It isn't Klaus's fault that he sees his master steal a diamond from the mouth of a dead man in Frau Drecht's lodging house, or that Frau Drecht and her murderous son want it for themselves.

He has nothing to do with the Jesuit priest and his Aztec companion who turn up out of the blue looking for it, or the Professor of Anatomy who takes such a strange interest in it. No, Klaus doesn't want any trouble.

But when he finds himself with the diamond in his pocket, things really can't get much worse - that is, until the feathered man appears. Then they become a matter of life . . . and death.

The Epitaph (In a Nutshell): A darkly original tale that is both terrifying and gripping. You'll never read anything else like this.

Dearly Departed, 

We are gathered here today to discuss The Feathered Man by Jeremy de Quidt. And first, a story. A few years ago when I was still doing the buying for the children's section of the bookshop I worked in, a publishing rep presented a book to myself and the other buyers. It was marked as middle fiction which meant 9-12 years old, and was an unassuming little hardback. It was passed around the five of us, and when it got to me I cracked it open, only to find...

Terrifying illustrations. The stuff of nightmares. The one that really stuck with me was a picture of a doll with rings of razor sharp teeth and demonic eyes. The other buyers, who weren't fans of horror, passed it up. I made a note to read it, but I never got around to it, and so when I saw this book and realised it was the same author, I eagerly jumped on it.

I'm really glad I did. This is one of those completely unique books that is so unlike any other on the market, both in plot and tone. It's a grim, dark tale, from the thankless life the main character lives apprenticed to a man who pulls out the teeth of dead people, to the horrible Frau Drecht and her penchant for burning young people with hot irons. Maybe it's the German setting, but this reminded me more of a Grimm's tale than anything that's been put out in recent years. And it's not just the poor living conditions of the main characters that gives you chills, the plot itself is genuinely eerie. Without giving anything away, it all centres around an object that many people are eagerly searching for, and when that object was revealed I had chills.

I loved The Feathered Man, because at no point could you grow complacent and guess how it's all going to end up. The sheer originality mixed with the genuine creepiness that pervades the story through character and setting makes this the perfect read for anybody looking for something a bit out of the ordinary.

For Readers: Because of the presentation and tone, I made the mistake of thinking this was for slightly younger readers ten and up, but the content makes it older. I would give it to readers 12+, especially those with unusual tastes who aren't interested in the glut of realistic fiction or romance that's out there.

For Writers: If you're trying to tell a tale that you think is unusual, check this book out to see how well an atypical plot can work. Also have a look at it for a great example of atmospheric horror that doesn't rely on gore.

A Very Unusual Pursuit Review

The Eulogy (From the Publisher):
Monsters have been infesting London's dark places for centuries, eating every child who gets too close. That's why ten-year-old Birdie McAdam works for Alfred Bunce, the bogler. With her beautiful voice and dainty looks, Birdie is the bait that draws bogles from their lairs so that Alfred can kill them.

One life-changing day, Alfred and Birdie are approached by two very different women. Sarah Pickles runs a local gang of pickpockets, three of whom have disappeared. Edith Eames is an educated lady who's studying the mythical beasts of English folklore. Both of them threaten the only life Birdie's ever known. But Birdie soon realises she needs Miss Eames's help, to save her master, defeat Sarah Pickles, and vanquish an altogether nastier villain.

Catherine Jinks, one of Australia's most inventive writers, has created a fast-paced and enthralling adventure story with edge-of-your-seat excitement and chills.

The Epitaph (In a Nutshell): An adventurous tale of a monster hunter, perfect for good readers 10 and up

Review - Robin Hood vs The Plague Undead

The Eulogy (From the Publisher): 
 His lungs were gone. He was completely hollow inside. But he was not dead. Not quite. What happens when Robin Hood and his Merry Men are faced with a plague of zombies? Somehow, Robin must figure out a way to defeat the most difficult and dangerous enemy he's ever faced, and save the country from destruction...

The Epitaph (In a Nutshell): A fantastic idea for a mash-up with some standout characters and some of the grossest gore scenes I've read... which is a very good thing!


Dearly Departed, 
We are gathered here today to discuss Robin Hood vs The Plague Undead by James Black.  I know I shouldn't judge books by their cover, but sometimes when I do I am rather pleasantly surprised. I was very guilty of underestimating this book because I felt like the title and cover art placed it in that mass-produced, throwaway category (although I reckon that 11 year olds will love it, and I fear I'm being a bit of a book snob). WELL! I enjoyed Robin Hood vs the Plague Undead heartily. I really do enjoy a good mashup, and since I love both Robin Hood and zombies, I knew this book was going to be for me. 

The writing was top-notch too, let down only by some editing problems where bits of text were inserted in wrong spots that sometimes made for confusing reading. Some of the gore scenes had me wincing, which is SUCH a good sign because it takes a lot to gross me out. While I did love the portrayals of Robin and his Merry Men, the character who really captured my heart was Mother Maudlin. I hadn't realised she was an actual character in the Robin Hood mythos, and I'm not sure how accurate her portrayal is here, but who cares? She's brilliant! From the pus-dripping pentacle carved into her forehead to her unwholesome beauty, I thought she was really well described and made for an excellent villain to our band of familiar heroes. The only small complaint I have is (WARNING: spoiler ahead, highlight to read) the somewhat happy ending - I really wanted to see a zombie Robin Hood, and I felt it all got wrapped up a bit too neatly. Still, I'm eagerly awaiting the next in this series, Blackbeard's Pirates vs the Evil Mummies.