The Battles of Ben Kingdom: The City of Fear

The City of Fear is the third in the series of books featuring Ben Kingdom and the Watchers and their battles against the forces of evil and wickedness, known as the Legion. It follows the pattern of the previous books, following the action over a period of five days. Little snippets of background are given for the characters as they appear so that someone who has not read either of the first two books should still be able to follow the plot, though perhaps they would get more out of it if they were better acquainted with the characters; Jago Moon and Josiah, for example, are described only briefly in this book but feature prominently in the first. London in 1892 is a city surrounded by an impenetrable wall, trapping many people on the wrong side with the Legionnaires and their evil partners, the Feathered Men. Queen Victoria is being held hostage and the army cannot attack for fear of provoking Mr Sweet into executing her. Ben and the Watchers, however, are planning Revolution Day when they hope to defeat the forces of evil, free the Queen and return London to its normal bustling self. The Feathered Men, meanwhile, are searching for the Gehenna Key and, with it, the power to unleash untold evil. The story moves along swiftly, from one perilous encounter to the next. Ben, his father and brother, Lucy and Ruby face mortal danger at every turn, not knowing who to trust. A number of the characters helping them were once followers of the Legion but can they be sure that they do not intend to betray them? The final chapter builds to a thrilling climax, leaving the option open for further adventures for Ben and the Watchers in places much further afield than London.
304 pages / Ages 10+ / Reviewed by June Hughes, school librarian

Suggested Reading Age 9+