Top 20 Young Adult's fantasy books

Torak is now alone and scared. His father is dead, slain by a demon in the form of a great bear. Torak must keep going; his only friend is another orphan, a small wolf cub. Evil stalks the forest and Torak must face a foe that stalks him silently and cannot be shaken.

Wolf Brother: Chronicles of Ancient Darkness Book 1 (Amazon.co.uk)

Author: Michelle Paver
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 256
Publication date: 2005-05-27
Publisher: Orion Childrens

RRP: £6.99
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From extensive research about how the people of Northern Europe may have lived more than six thousand years ago, Michelle Paver has fashioned a remarkable debut novel for children. Wolf Brother, the first instalment of her six-book Chronicles of Ancient Darkness sequence, takes its readers back in time to an atmospheric world of snow, hunter-gatherers, tribes, clans, mountains, forests, bears and unearthly superstitions. For humans then, life was hard and Paver's narrative taps wonderfully into all the sensations they must have experienced living amidst such an unforgiving landscape.

The book begins dramatically with the death of Torak's father, the mage, Fa, from mortal wounds inflicted by a giant, possessed bear. Fa's dying words bind Torak to a quest to find the mythical Mountain of the World Spirit. Only there will Torak find the strength needed to defeat the demonic creature and killer of men.

Having lived apart from other Clans, and burdened by such an impossible task, Torak is bereft by the death of his only companion in life and struggles to survive in the harsh conditions he now finds himself in. Then, instead of killing an orphaned wolf cub for food, Torak spares the tiny animal and together they travel north.

Torak gains a further companion for his arduous journey in the form of Renn, a headstrong and feisty girl of his own age whose Clan Torak inadvertently has an altercation with. Renn believes Torak to be The Listener--a prophesised being who will save the world--and together they escape from danger. into a different sort of peril.

Paver's novel is strong on detail and the authenticity of her settings is breathtaking. She cleverly weaves a fantastical, but believable, layer onto her narrative that enriches her story and makes it all the more readable. (Age 10 and over) --John McLay
Amazon.co.uk Review

Thomas Ward is the seventh son of a seventh son and has been apprenticed to the local Spook. The job is hard, the spook is distant and many apprentices have failed before him. Somehow Thomas must learn how to exorcise ghosts, contain witches and bind boggarts. But when he is tricked into freeing Mother Malkin, the most evil witch in the Country, the horror begins…

The Spook's Apprentice: No.1 (Amazon.co.uk)

Author: Joseph Delaney
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 336
Publication date: 2005-06-30
Publisher: Red Fox

RRP: £5.99
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Five hundred years into the third age of flight and mighty phraxships steam across the immensity of the Deepwoods, plying their lucrative trade between the three great cities. Nate Quarter, a young Lamplighter from the mines of the eastern woods is propelled on an epic journey of self-discovery that encompasses tournaments, battles, revolutions and a final encounter with the Immortals themselves.

The Immortals (Edge Chronicles) (Amazon.co.uk)

Author: Chris Riddell
Binding: Hardcover
Number of pages: 384
Publication date: 2009-02-05
Publisher: Doubleday & Co Inc.

RRP: £12.99
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When Pepper Roux was born his aunt foretold that he would not live past 14 years of age. Throughout his childhood his parents haven't bothered with him much, knowing that his life would be short-lived. So when Pepper wakes up on his 14th birthday he knows this will be the day that he'll die. But as the day wears on, and Pepper finds himself still alive, he decides to set off to sea in an attempt to try and avoid death for as long as possible. As time goes on Pepper steps into many roles and personas and has numerous outrageous adventures. But can he stay one step ahead of death? Or will fate catch up with him? And, if he does live, which of his many lives will he choose to adopt? This riot of a story is a wonderful adventure, and Pepper is an unforgettable character who stays with you long after his story has been told.

The Death Defying Pepper Roux (Amazon.co.uk)

Author: Geraldine McCaughrean
Binding: Hardcover
Number of pages: 256
Publication date: 2009-10-01
Publisher: OUP Oxford

RRP: £12.99
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Ella is given a blessing at birth by a very stupid fairy: She gets the gift of obedience! but the blessing turns into a horror for Ella who literally has to do what anyone and everyone tells her, from sweeping the floor to giving up a precious necklace! She has to battle with ogres and wicked stepsisters, make friends and loose them, and even deny she loves her Prince Char to save his life and his kingdom. The story overthrows the stereotypes of the original Cinderella when Ella breaks the curse -- not the prince -- saving not only herself, but Prince Char as well. And Ella rejects his proposal of marriage, at least until she decides herself to propose to him! And the curse is only broken because she's said 'No!' rather than 'Yes!'.

Ella Enchanted (Amazon.co.uk)

Author: Gail Carson Levine
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 240
Publication date: 2000-09-04
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books

RRP: £5.99
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Alice in Wonderland was Lewis Carroll’s first novel and its fantasy plot, humorous rhymes and brilliant use of nonsense was revolutionary. Nineteenth-century children’s writing usually served moral or educational purpose, but Alice was written firmly and purely for the amusement of children. Critical response was lukewarm, but the book was still a great success, and remains a hugely influential classic of children’s literature.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: AND Through the Looking Glass (Penguin Classics) (Amazon.co.uk)

Author: Lewis Carroll
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 400
Publication date: 2003-03-27
Publisher: Penguin Classics

RRP: £6.99
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Through the Looking-Glass was published in 1971, and is the famous sequel to Alice in Wonderland. Like the first Alice book, Looking-Glass is a brilliantly plotted, wonderfully inventive nonsense story, full of humour, riddles and rhymes. The two books were revolutionary: while most children’s novels had been written to educate and instruct, Carroll’s two book were produced firmly to amuse.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: AND Through the Looking Glass (Penguin Classics) (Amazon.co.uk)

Author: Lewis Carroll
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 400
Publication date: 2003-03-27
Publisher: Penguin Classics

RRP: £6.99
Lowest new price: £2.44
Lowest used price: £3.14

‘Who is Charlie Keeper?’ is the shockingly paced fantasy novel that tells the tale of Charlie, an iron-willed, twelve year old girl suffering an unjust and unhappy fate. Forced to flee her home in the gloomy, rain-drenched landscape of London by a bloodthirsty and terrifying new foe, she escapes to the vibrant, parallel land of Bellania with nothing more than her common sense and razor-sharp wits to keep her safe. Bellania, a land of myth, magic and marauding giants with bad attitude and poor anger management.

Who Is Charlie Keeper? (Amazon.co.uk)

Author: Marcus Alexander
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 387
Publication date: 2008-07-11
Publisher: Marcus Alexander Publishing

RRP: £6.99
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The great modern classic and prelude to The Lord of the Rings. Also known as There and back again, this tale was written for Tolkien's own children and has become one of the most loved children's fantasy's books of all time.

The Hobbit (Amazon.co.uk)

Author: J. R. R. Tolkien
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 400
Publication date: 1993-03-19
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

RRP: £6.99
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Poor Bilbo Baggins! An unassuming and rather plump hobbit (as most of these small, furry- footed people tend to be ), Baggins finds himself unwittingly drawn into adventure by a wizard named Gandalf and 13 dwarves bound for the Lonely Mountain, where a dragon named Smaug hordes a stolen treasure. Before he knows what is happening, Baggins finds himself on the road to danger. Wizards, dwarves and dragons may seem the stuff of children's fairy tales, but The Hobbit is in a class of its own--light-hearted enough for younger readers, yet with a dark edge guaranteed to intrigue an older audience. In the best tradition of the archetypal hero's quest, Bilbo Baggins sets out on his fateful journey a callow, untested soul and returns--tempered by hardship, danger and loss--a better man--er, hobbit.

This book is the predecessor to Tolkien's masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings, and though that trilogy can be thoroughly enjoyed without first reading The Hobbit, much that happens in the later novels is foreshadowed here. A word of caution, however: as Bilbo discovers early on, travel and adventure are addictive things; embark on this journey to the Lonely Mountain with Tolkien's reluctant hero, and you might not be able to stop there. And the road taken to the distant mountains of Mordor in the ensuing trilogy is an even more perilous one.
Amazon.co.uk Review

The Forgotten Beasts of Eld is a magical tale set in a time of war. The story centres on Sybel whose story begins when, at the age of sixteen, she is given a baby to care for. Born and raised on the titular Eld Mountain, Sybel knows little of mankind, magical creatures summoned by wizardry having been her main source of companionship. The arrival of the baby takes Sybel out of her comfortable life and into realms unknown.

The Forgotten Beasts of Eld (Fantasy Masterworks) (Amazon.co.uk)

Author: Patricia A. Mckillip
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 336
Publication date: 2005-11-10
Publisher: Gollancz

RRP: £7.99
Lowest new price: £1.47
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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is the second book in C.S. Lewis's Narnia Chronicles and was first published in the U.K. in 1950.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia) (Amazon.co.uk)

Author: C.S. Lewis
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 176
Publication date: 2001-05-08
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books

RRP: £5.99
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When Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy took their first steps into the world behind the magic wardrobe, little do they realise what adventures are about to unfold. And as the story of Narnia begins to unfold, so to does a classic tale that has enchanted readers of all ages for over half a century.

This stunning version of the classic The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, illustrated by Christian Burningham, comes with a special recording of the story which features a full production and specially composed music which transports the listener straight to the heart of Narnia. An absolute must for Narnia fans, and an excellent way of introducing the magical story to a new generation of readers. --Susan Harrison
Amazon.co.uk Review

The final installment in the 'His Dark Material' trilogy brings together religion: original sin, the afterlife, God; and science: quantum physics, chaos theory; together with theology: man is the maker of his own destiny and ultimately therefore his destruction, in a cataclysmic finale that is as gripping as it is heart-wrenching. Lyra must travel to the Land of the Dead to once again rescue her friend Roger, whilst Will must first rescue her from the clutches of Mrs Coulter. It is during this rescue attempt that the subtle knife is broken and it is Iorek Byrnison that must repair it, but at what price? Lord Asriel continues to wage war on The Authority who it now appears is a senile old man, over thrown by his right hand angel Metatron. A great war is brewing and it is upon her arrest by the Magisterium, who have lost all faith in Mrs Coulter, that she aligns herself with with Lyra's father in the battle to overthrow the church and preserve the true purpose of Dust. Whilst these events unfold it is the character of Mary Malone, a scientist from Will's world that Lyra enlists to help in her continuing search for the meaning of Dust, who travels through the original window Will found in The Subtle Knife, and after a long journey finds herself in the land of the Mulefa.

The Amber Spyglass (His Dark Materials) (Amazon.co.uk)

Author: Philip Pullman
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 368
Publication date: 2007-03-05
Publisher: Scholastic

RRP: £8.99
Lowest new price: £2.32
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Philip Pullman brings The Amber Spyglass to the spellbinding His Dark Materials sequence, which dazzles everyone who reads it, children and adults alike. After the original Northern Lights, he kept up the quality in The Subtle Knife, the second title in the trilogy. Now he brings the series to an extraordinary conclusion. Will and Lyra, the two children at the heart of the books, have become separated amidst great dangers. Can they find each other, and their friends? Then complete their mysterious quest before it's too late? The great rebellion against the dark powers that hold Lyra's world, and many others, in thrall is nearing its climax. She and Will have crucial parts to play, but they don't know what it is that they must do, and terrible powers are hunting them down.

The pace of the book is compelling, the writing powerful. Pullman's plotting is intricate and cunning, surprising the reader again and again. Perhaps what is most striking of all, however, is the depth of the characterisation. Lord Asriel, Mrs Coulter, Iorek Byrnison the king of the armoured bears, a host of minor characters, most of all Will and Lyra themselves: the book is a library of beautifully drawn, remarkably convincing characters walking in worlds of marvels.

In this volume the cosmic dimensions of the story become more prominent, as a great conflict across many universes comes to a head--how well the narrative sustains such immensely weighty resonances is a question critics may well disagree on. The author's beliefs also come more into the open, and with them a polemic anti-religious theme that will please some readers and alienate others.

Philip Pullman's writing commands immense respect; more than that, it is raising the profile of the best children's books among adults, as demanding critics of all ages fall in love with this remarkable trilogy. --David Pickering
Amazon.co.uk Review

Voldemort is and growing stronger as is his following and dangerous times are ahead for our hero and his friends. Dumbledore enlists Harry’s help, to convince his old friend and retired professor Horace Slughorn to return to his old teaching post at Hogwarts.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Harry Potter 6)[Children's Edition] (Amazon.co.uk)

Author: J.K. Rowling
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 608
Publication date: 2006-06-23
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

RRP: £8.99
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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the sixth book in J.K. Rowling's bestselling series, picks up shortly after we left Harry at the end of The Order of the Phoenix. Lord Voldemort is acting out in the open, continuing his reign of terror which was temporarily stopped almost 15 years beforehand. Harry is again at the Dursleys, where the events of the previous month continue to weigh on his mind, although not as much as the impending visit from his Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. Given their last meeting, Harry is understandably confused as to why the old wizard would want to visit him at home.

Rowling opens with a chapter she had wanted to use for the first book, of The Philosopher's Stone--Lord Voldemort has been creating chaos in the Wizard and Muggle communities alike, the war is in full swing and the Wizarding community now lives in fear. The press have been questioning the events at the Ministry which led to the admission of Voldemort's return, and of course Harry's name is mentioned a number of times. Harry's got his problems, but his anxiety is nothing compared to Hermione's when the OWL results are delivered. There's a new Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher, an assortment of new characters and creatures, and startling revelations about past characters and events.

Gone is the rage-filled Harry of The Order of the Phoenix--he's not being kept in the dark any more, his unjustified Quidditch ban has been lifted and he has matured considerably in his short time out of school. Half-Blood Prince follows Harry into the world of late-teens, and his realisation that nobody is infallible has made his growth that much easier. Accepting his destiny, Harry continues to behave as teenagers do, enjoying his time with his friends, developing his relationships outside of his usual circle, and learning more about how he must, eventually, do what he is destined to do.

J.K. Rowling delivers another fantastic tale which will have the readers gasping for more, capturing the characters perfectly and continuing a tale which readers will enjoy over and over again. --Ziggy Morbi
Amazon.co.uk Review

Harry has left Hogwarts to dedicate himself to the quest for final Horcruxes, together with his friends Ron and Hermione. Harry is also searching for the answers he feels Dumbledore has left unanswered and his feelings for his beloved old headmaster veer from anger and bitterness to painful loss. Voldemort continues his rise and nowhere seems to be safe anymore. With three gifts, bequeathed by Dumbledore to our intrepid trio, they set off on their deadliest task yet and know that this could be the end of everything they hold dear, even themselves. With Voldemort ever closer our hero must not hesitate; the final battle is coming and no one knows what the outcome will be.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7) [Children's Edition] (Amazon.co.uk)

Author: J.K. Rowling
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 608
Publication date: 2008-07-10
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

RRP: £8.99
Lowest new price: £2.99
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The Final Chapter
Harry has been burdened with a dark, dangerous and seemingly impossible task: that of locating and destroying Voldemort's remaining Horcruxes. Never has Harry felt so alone, or faced a future so full of shadows. But Harry must somehow find within himself the strength to complete the task he has been given. He must leave the warmth, safety and companionship of The Burrow and follow without fear or hesitation the inexorable path laid out for him.

In this final, seventh installment of the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling unveils in spectactular fashion the answers to the many questions that have been so eagerly awaited. The spellbinding, richly woven narrative, which plunges, twists and turns at a breathtaking pace, confirms the author as a mistress of storytelling, whose books will be read, reread and read again.

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Begin at the Beginning

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Hardcover Paperback

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Hardcover Paperback

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Hardcover Paperback

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Hardcover Paperback

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Hardcover Paperback

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Hardcover Paperback

Why We Love Harry
Favourite Moments from the Series
There are plenty of reasons to love Rowling's wildly popular series--no doubt you have several dozen of your own. Our list features favourite moments, characters, and artefacts from the first six books. Keep in mind that this list is by no means exhaustive (what we love about Harry could fill ten books!) and does not include any of the spectacular revelatory moments that would spoil the books for those (few) who have not read them. Enjoy.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

* Harry's first trip to the zoo with the Dursleys, when a boa constrictor winks at him. * When the Dursleys' house is suddenly besieged by letters for Harry from Hogwarts. Readers learn how much the Dursleys have been keeping from Harry. Rowling does a wonderful job in displaying the lengths to which Uncle Vernon will go to deny that magic exists. * Harry's first visit to Diagon Alley with Hagrid. Full of curiosities and rich with magic and marvel, Harry's first trip includes a trip to Gringotts and Ollivanders, where Harry gets his wand (holly and phoenix feather) and discovers yet another connection to He-Who-Must-No-Be-Named. This moment is the reader's first full introduction to Rowling's world of witchcraft and wizards. * Harry's experience with the Sorting Hat.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

* The de-gnoming of the Weasleys' garden. Harry discovers that even wizards have chores--gnomes must be grabbed (ignoring angry protests "Gerroff me! Gerroff me!"), swung about (to make them too dizzy to come back), and tossed out of the garden--this delightful scene highlights Rowling's clever and witty genius. * Harry's first experience with a Howler, sent to Ron by his mother. * The Duelling Club battle between Harry and Malfoy. Gilderoy Lockhart starts the Duelling Club to help students practice spells on each other, but he is not prepared for the intensity of the animosity between Harry and Draco. Since they are still young, their minibattle is innocent enough, including tickling and dancing charms.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

* Ron's attempt to use a telephone to call Harry at the Dursleys'. * Harry's first encounter with a Dementor on the train (and just about any other encounter with Dementors). Harry's brush with the Dementors is terrifying and prepares Potter fans for a darker, scarier book. * Harry, Ron, and Hermione's behaviour in Professor Trelawney's Divination class. Some of the best moments in Rowling's books occur when she reminds us that the wizards-in-training at Hogwarts are, after all, just children. Clearly, even at a school of witchcraft and wizardry, classes can be boring and seem pointless to children. * The Boggart lesson in Professor Lupin's classroom. * Harry, Ron, and Hermione's knock-down confrontation with Snape.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

* Hermione's disgust at the reception for the veela (Bulgarian National Team Mascots) at the Quidditch World Cup. Rowling's fourth book addresses issues about growing up--the dynamic between the boys and girls at Hogwarts starts to change. Nowhere is this more plain than the hilarious scene in which magical cheerleaders nearly convince Harry and Ron to jump from the stands to impress them. * Viktor Krum's crush on Hermione--and Ron's objection to it. * Malfoy's "Potter Stinks" badge. * Hermione's creation of S.P.E.W., the intolerant bigotry of the Death Eaters, and the danger of the Triwizard Tournament. Add in the changing dynamics between girls and boys at Hogwarts, and suddenly Rowling's fourth book has a weight and seriousness not as present in early books in the series. Candy and tickle spells are left behind as the students tackle darker, more serious issues and take on larger responsibilities, including the knowledge of illegal curses.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

* Harry's outburst to his friends at No. 12 Grimmauld Place. A combination of frustration over being kept in the dark and fear that he will be expelled fuels much of Harry's anger, and it all comes out at once, directly aimed at Ron and Hermione. Rowling perfectly portrays Harry's frustration at being too old to shirk responsibility, but too young to be accepted as part of the fight that he knows is coming. * Harry's detention with Professor Umbridge. Rowling shows her darker side, leading readers to believe that Hogwarts is no longer a safe haven for young wizards. Dolores represents a bureaucratic tyrant capable of real evil, and Harry is forced to endure their private battle of wills alone. * Harry and Cho's painfully awkward interactions. Rowling clearly remembers what it was like to be a teenager. * Harry's Occlumency lessons with Snape. * Dumbledore's confession to Harry.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

* This book is much darker than the rest. Lord Voldemort has been creating chaos in the Wizard and Muggle communities alike, the war is in full swing and the Wizarding community now lives in fear. * It is much more emotional. The story turns at the whim of a temperamental teenager from war and life-changing tragedy, to euphoria and glistening happiness.

Magic, Mystery, and Mayhem: A Conversation with J.K. Rowling

"I am an extraordinarily lucky person, doing what I love best in the world. I'm sure that I will always be a writer. It was wonderful enough just to be published. The greatest reward is the enthusiasm of the readers." --J.K. Rowling

Find out more about Harry's creator in our exclusive interview with J.K. Rowling.

Did You Know?

The Little White Horse was J.K. Rowling's favourite book as a child.

Jane Austen is Rowling's favourite author.

Roddy Doyle is Rowling's favourite living writer.

Amazon.co.uk Review

Lirael and Sameth have reached the safety of the Abhorsens House after fleeing from Necromancer Hedge and his dead minions. Now trapped by his agent Chlorr and many Dead Hands, Lirael and Sam must find a way to warn the King and Abhorsen of the mounting danger their subjects face in the Old Kingdom and the real threat this new evil 'The Destroyer' will bring to every living thing. Together with Mogget and The Disreputable Dog, Lirael and Sam must find a way to save Sam's friend Nick, now an unwitting puppet of Hedge, and the Southerling refugees from a fate much worse than death. Our heroine must also face her past as well as her future if she is to succeed in her quest to put an end to this very grave foe who's only desire is to end all life and the Charter itself.

Abhorsen (Amazon.co.uk)

Author: Garth Nix
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 400
Publication date: 2005-01-03
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books

RRP: £6.99
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The third book in Garth Nix's Abhorsen trilogy is everything it promised to be and everything it could ever have been, coming as it did after Sabriel and Lirael--two of the most riveting fantasy novels in recent years. More a continuation of Lirael than Sabriel, which was set 20 years before it's sequel, Abhorsen nevertheless completes this outstanding sequence of books with considerable style and a consistent quality of prose that is enviable and to be admired.

The book opens in the Abhorsen's house in the Old Kingdom where Lirael, the Abhorsen-in-waiting and Prince Sameth, Sabriel's heir, are contemplating their next manoeuvre. They are surrounded on all sides by the dead, marshalled into action by Chlorr of the Mask--a Greater Dead in league with the necromancer Hedge. He in turn is working towards the resurrection of Orannis, the Destroyer. With no word from Sabriel or King Touchstone, the situation is perilous. The Old Kingdom and its neighbouring Ancelstierre are in political turmoil, unaware of the menace that is about to be unleashed from it's subterranean prison.

With the expert company of the Disreputable Dog and mysterious cat Mogget, both wielders of powerful free magic, Lirael and Sam must escape in order to save all Life from doom. Their subsequent trek across these magical lands is perilous and spectacular. and not without a high cost.

Volumes one and two of this altogether thrilling saga are essential reading before attempting to grapple with Abhorsen. Nix's worlds are complex and rich and his characters many and multi-dimensional. From the unexpectedly devastating prologue, through to the nail-biting dénouement, the author demonstrates just how at home he is in this genre. His imagination is raw and exciting, and his novels don't get much better than this. (Age 10 and over) --John McLay
Amazon.co.uk Review

Torak still misses Wolf. He is now part of the Raven Clan and when disease hits forest clans he sets out to find the Seal Clan and a cure. Torak must learn to spirit walk and become another creature to discover the truth behind the Soul-Eater.

Spirit Walker: Chronicles of Ancient Darkness Book 2 (Amazon.co.uk)

Author: Michelle Paver
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 288
Publication date: 2006-06-28
Publisher: Orion Childrens

RRP: £6.99
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Soul Eater is set 6,000 years ago in Northern Europe, after the end of the last ice age, the novel takes place along a wooded coastline, inhabited by wandering clans whose cultures revolve around totemic animals or trees: the Raven Clan, the Wolf Clan, the Willow Clan and so on.

Soul Eater: Chronicles of Ancient Darkness book 3 (Amazon.co.uk)

Author: Michelle Paver
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 272
Publication date: 2007-06-07
Publisher: Orion Childrens

RRP: £6.99
Lowest new price: £0.25
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The Spook’s Mistake is the fifth book in The Wardstone Chronicles, a series of novels for young-adults written by Joseph Delaney. As danger increases in the Country, Tom is sent north by his master to be trained by Bill Arkwright, another spook. Arkwright lives in a haunted mill on the edge if a treacherous marsh and his training methods are harsh. He has toughened up many previous apprentices though and now must do the same for Tom.

The Spook's Mistake (Wardstone Chronicles) (Amazon.co.uk)

Author: Joseph Delaney
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 480
Publication date: 2009-06-04
Publisher: Red Fox

RRP: £5.99
Lowest new price: £1.60
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When Japan invades China, Ashley and Uncle Sung are forced to flee. It is a perilous journey across the Himalayas, and they struggle to survive. Then Ashley is captured. Who are these strange creatures that revere him as their king?

King of the Cloud Forests (Amazon.co.uk)

Author: Michael Morpurgo
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 192
Publication date: 2006-09-04
Publisher: Egmont Books Ltd

RRP: £4.99
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Under the harsh regime of an ambitious master, Eon is training to become a Dragoneye – a powerful Lord able to command wind and water to nurture and protect the land. But Eon also harbours a desperate secret that, if revealed, will mean certain death.

The Two Pearls of Wisdom (Amazon.co.uk)

Author: Alison Goodman
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 448
Publication date: 2008-09-11
Publisher: Bantam Press

RRP: £11.99
Lowest new price: £0.66
Lowest used price: £0.35

Book View Cafe is a cooperative site created by a group of writers - including internationally renowned authors Katharine Kerr, Ursula Le Guin and Vonda N. McIntyre - who want to take advantage of the internet's possibilities for reaching a wider audience and to distribute their work directly to their readers. The Book View Cafe is a place where you can find free, original fiction plus the authors' best and out-of-print work for a fee. Fantasy Book Review spoke to Book View Cafe member, science fiction author and memoirist Chris Dolley in February 2010.

Lewis Carroll, the elusive author of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, has been the subject of enduring fascination for the past hundred years. The destruction of many major documents about his personal life by his descendants has only magnified the mystery. Jenny Woolf's biography, published to coincide with the release of the new Tim Burton Alice in Wonderland film, lays waste to the myths and suspicions that have obscured Carroll's reputation by placing him firmly in the context of his own time.