Kip Bramleys’ life has been shattered since the strange accident which took his sister from them and robbed his mother of her memory. But when he unexpectedly receives a enigmatic message, delivered by a beetle-shaped drone (that seems to be breathing!), that’s all about to change…dramatically. Kip has been selected to attend Quicksmiths’ Academy of Strange Energy; a rare invitation given to very few children who have demonstrated unique gifts and abilities. Before long, Kip is chasing riddles and solving puzzles, sent on a bizarre treasure hunt set 400 years ago by Eartha Quicksmith, a mysterious genius with a foresight that enabled her to see into a time in the future when dark forces would gather to control and manipulate scientific energies for their own purposes. And the only thing that can stop them is a hero with the unique capability to solve the cryptic clues she has left behind. That time is now. That hero is Kip. But he will need all the help he can get.
An exciting and fascinating debut novel, this takes you into a world that stretches imagination and possibility. A world of puzzles, riddles, friendship, danger and incredible adventure opens up within these pages and demands ‘thinking outside the box.’ Kip is a wonderful character; very intelligent, extremely curious, battling his own insecurities and fears while trying to fit in. When he enters Quicksmiths’ Academy, he sees the possibility of actually belonging somewhere, in spite of the challenges he faces there; a place where his “weirdness” doesn’t mark him as an outsider and he is encouraged to explore possibilities, no matter how unlikely they may seem. The plot is filled with twists and turns that keep the reader guessing. This is indeed a strange new world; inventive, imaginative, intelligent, full of mystery and humourous mayhem. The first in a new series; it’s simply wonderful.
The Ten Riddles of Eartha Quicksmith by Loris Owen is published by Firefly Press.
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