The International Writers Magazine:Kids Book Review

---

Illmoor Chronicles - The Dwellings Debacle by David Lee Stone Hardcover (January 5, 2006) Publisher: Hodder Children's Books ISBN: 0340893680 - Young Adult • A Keren Arnold review 'Narnia for the Tarantino generation...' So, the not so especially ancipated book four of the relatively unknown 'Illmoor Chronicles' has arrived. Has the fantasy series already began to outstay it's welcome, like the increasingly tedious and repetitive Lemony Snickett and his series of never-ending...er...sorry, unfortunate events? Or is it rather beginning to match the dizzying heights acheived by each installment of a certain school-boy wizard saga?

The answer is - something in between. In case this rather long-winded introduction leaves you somewhat confused, let me just reassure you, its good, just like the three that came before it.

Stone writes with a wit and realism that mean while his books may lack the depth and wonder of such books for teens like, say, Pullman's 'His Dark Materials,' he manages to come accross as, well, a damn sight cooler than any of his contemporaries. Stone isn't some stuffy proffessor scribbling in his tweed jacket, he's a young guy, who likes playing computer games, and remembers what its like to be younger still. If you read this book to a class of eleven year-olds, its guaranteed to spark some debate, (as well as some interesting games in the playground afterwards.) If you talk to most people who like the books, they will tell you the same thing, that they can't understand why they aren't more popular. Indeed, it would be a shame for them to be lost in a sea of Children's fantasy-fiction, for they really are rather good. However, Mr. Stone could well develop a cult following, there is much of the influences of Douglas Adams and Python to be found here.

So where to begin with this book? First of all, the cover is great, like a RPG character thumbnail at its most chilling. Delve a little further, and become immersed in a world of gritty yet colourful characters and a fast-paced story. The book tells the story of an investigator, Enoch Dwellings, as he tries to solve the mystery behind the kidnapping of the Viscount of Dullitch, along with others he picks up along the way, including his assistant Wheredad, a half-vampire and his rather attractive daughter, as well as a tracker named Parsnip Daily and a young thief, Jimmy Quickstint. The story is good, but its the characters that really steal the show. Dwellings is Sherlock Holmes meets Basil Fawlty, arrogant and cunning, with just enough of the human faults about him to create set-backs which trigger his maniacal out-bursts. Parsnip Daily on the other hand, hired to track down the kidnappers, is plain hilarious. He has severe short-term memory loss, described by dwellings himself as being, 'as annoying as it is unfortunate.'

After some sleuthing, our band of adventurers set off to find the people behind the kidnapping plot. This is unfortunately one of the moments when the plot most be called into question, why a motley crew consisting of the characters in the paragraph above with the minor addition of a dead hamster should set out confident of being able to take-on a snake AND a lion shape-shifter, a sword-master extrodinare and various bulky henchman requires some sort of thought process by-pass, but it can be forgiven, as the ensuing skirmsh is so good. There is no side-stepping conflict, which is bloody and brutal. Most teenage boys will no doubt enjoy the endless descriptions of swords being plunged into people's chests willy-nilly, but the more delicately dispositoned reader may wish to avoid. It is gripping adventure fantasy, Narnia for the Tarantino generation, and they will love it.

The Illmoor Chronicles are great books for children of around 10+ who enjoy fantasy-fiction and epic stories, especially boys. However, at the moment, they seem to be lacking the crossover power of, say, a Terry Prattchett novel perhaps, and are also, sadly, simply not good enough to compete with the giants of modern day children's fiction, such as Rowling and Pullman.
But they ARE good. And who knows what more we may see from an author who is still comparatively young, and undoubtably talented. Watch this space.

© Keren Arnold Feb 14 2006
glorifiedcookie at hotmail.com

More Reviews here

Home

© Hackwriters 1999-2006 all rights reserved - all comments are the writers' own responsibiltiy - no liability accepted by hackwriters.com or affiliates.