In the Earth world, Ben is no-one special. Living with his horrid aunt, he longs to know what happened to his parents and wishes to vanish to lands unknown. In the Elf world he is the one they have been waiting for; the Ninth Dreamer who can save their world and his from being plunged into eternal darkness and wiping all the memories of those who live.
When Ben awakes in the world of the elves he has know idea who he is, nor does he understand the golden torch or engraved compass that he pulls from his pocket. He soon learns that the elf world is under threat; the dangerous and malevolent Null has put a spell on the torch and for many moons the elves have being plagued by forgetfulness and now hang their precious memories in jars.
Now Null will stop at nothing to get the torch and become the most powerful being to ever have lived. The only way to put an end to this madness and stop the darkness…light the Golden Torch. But can the boy with no memory be the hero that two worlds need…
In a vividly imagined mythical world, magic and mystery, elves, supernatural creatures, power-hungry characters, dark sorcery, an epic quest, a race against time and a search for memories await any reader lucky enough to pick up Thomas Leeds’ debut that shines as brightly as the violet flame that erupts out of the golden torch. It is a unique adventure of courage, hope and friendship, with light overcoming darkness, good defeating evil, and the needs of the many triumphing over the power hungry and selfish desires of the few. Inspired by the author’s personal experiences of losing all of his memories following an accident, Leeds gives readers something that I have not experienced in a children’s book before, an immensely powerful depiction of living with seizures, brain injury and memory loss. Navigating life with no memories and the constant threat of suffering from a seizure must be incredibly challenging but with Jayben we have a brilliant hero who epitomises overcoming life’s difficulties. Children who suffer similar things to Jayben will find comfort in his anxieties, confusion and the sense of vulnerability that he feels, for others it provides the opportunity to better understand. A superb fantasy adventure that leaves many questions unanswered and plenty of loose threads that need exploring further. With this being marketed as ‘book 1’ I am fully invested in Jayben’s story and filled with intrigue and excitement as I wait with anticipation to see where Thomas, Jayben, friends and the golden torch take us next. With huge thanks to Hachette for the copy I received in exchange for an honest review. Recommended for 9+.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
March 2024
|