Borgon the Axeboy and the Prince's Shadow

By Author / Illustrator

Kjartan Poskitt

Genre

Adventure

Age range(s)

Publisher

Faber & Faber

ISBN

9780571307357

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

05-03-2015

Synopsis

Borgon the Axeboy and his friends are going to watch the Shadow Trials - the most dangerous contest in the Lost Desert. But they didn't mean to join in! Then one of the contestants challenges Borgon . . . and barbarians NEVER refuse a challenge! After all, all he has to do is race up a deathly mountain, cross a sabre-tooth bear pit, avoid the vultures and escape a skeleton. What could possibly go wrong?With Asterix-style illustrations from award-winning author/illustrator Philip Reeve, this series is set to have you rolling in the desert with laughter.

Reviews

'Soap - it smells like a flower threw up on you ...' I can think of many, many children I know who will enjoy this book! A sort of barbaric 'Goblet of Fire' for younger readers..., this book is action packed, humourous and easy to access. The historic setting makes it different from many books out there, and one that I'll probably use during one of our history topics at school! This book has a lot of axe-wielding, stone throwing, fighty bits, however the humorous undertones make it not scary, just incredibly entertaining - a good choice for those with adventurous tastes and silly senses of humour! Borgon is an unlikely hero who finds himself competing in trails to become a bodyguard for a prince; the story follows this hilarious boy overcome tricks and treacherous situations whilst being supported by an unlikely group of friends (including one stone-eating savage!). The plot is easy to follow and I have really enjoyed this book; the characters are entertaining and ridiculous but also somehow seem real, the events are completely ridiculous but entertaining and the ending is immensely satisfying in a bizarre way!