My thanks to the good people at Doubleday for sending the book. So, although it's a five star book for fantasy fans, those looking for something a little bit different may feel slightly disappointed, especially after all the hype. You can see the influence of Potter and Middle Earth particularly, and flashes of Narnia too - but The Emerald Atlas doesn't really bring anything fresh to the table. Every trope of the genre is covered: orphaned children, good vs evil, a dark lord, a quest, magic, a hidden world, a prophecy to be fulfilled. I will say, though, that there really is nothing new to see here. It's not surprising there's a big online buzz about it. Junior fantasy fans are going to love this book, and with a dedicated website including extracts and a really imaginative series of videos, there are plenty of chances to interact. The writing is perfectly judged for the tween market - as a television writer, John Stephens knows how to make things visual, and it's accessible but not too simplistic. I'm not a fan of cliffhangers and I was very happy not to see one here. Although we know there is more to come and there are plenty of loose ends to speculate about, the main narrative is resolved. I also liked the episodic structure of this first in a trilogy. It's pacy and tense and I loved the rollercoaster feel of it - as one battle is over and you breathe a sigh of relief, another crisis begins. The goodies show real heroism and the baddies are incorrigible. The supporting cast are all vivid and eccentric, just as they should be. And feisty Emma is impetuous and pugnacious. Kate is so used to taking care of her younger siblings, she finds it difficult to be open and to relinquish control of events.

I did enjoy The Emerald Atlas - it's a great fantasy quest story, with a good balance in its three central characters, each of whom have flaws to overcome. Caught up in a world of magic, dwarves and time travel, they are the children of an ancient prophecy surrounding three magical books of great power. And if Kate, Michael and Emma can't save them, nobody can.

They're the only children in residence, the housekeeper seems to think they are members of the French royal family, and the town is in the middle of a barren wasteland and is bereft of children.Īnd then the children find a mysterious old book, slip a photograph inside it and are transported back to the past, to a time when there was still a thick forest near Cambridge Falls and when the town still had children.

But the orphanage at Cambridge Falls is unlike any other. Nobody wants to adopt three children together - least of all when the youngest has a strong penchant for using her fists whenever she can - and so when we meet them, they're on their way to yet another. Whisked away from their parents in the dead of night ten years ago, Kate, Michael and Emma have seen more than their fair share of orphanages.

The emerald atlas book series