Knights of the Borrowed Dark by Dave Rudden
| Knights of the Borrowed Dark by Dave Rudden | |
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| Category: Confident Readers | |
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Reviewer: Z J Cookson
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| Summary: An enjoyable read in the tradition of Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl and Skulduggery Pleasant. | |
| Buy? Maybe | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 368 | Date: April 2016 |
| Publisher: Puffin | |
| ISBN: 978-0141356600 | |
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Denizen Hardwick has spent the last eleven years – since he was two – at Crosscaper orphanage. He knows nothing about his family and is, therefore, surprised when he's suddenly summoned to visit an Aunt he didn't know he had. This is, however, only the first of many surprises. Before he even arrives at his Aunt's house, Denizen's world is abruptly turned upside down as he's introduced to a hidden world of shadows and an unseen enemy in the form of the Tenebrae. He soon discovers he has hidden powers but is he prepared for the cost of using them? Is he prepared to join the Knights of the Borrowed Dark? Does he really have a choice?
A secret world hidden within ours. A child protagonist who saves the day. Humour and adventure. The Knights of the Borrowed Dark promises an exciting story in the tradition of Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl and Skulduggery Pleasant. The plot is well structured and the characterisation strong but, although a thoroughly enjoyable read, it sadly falls just short of these children's classics.
All the characters in the book are strong and distinctive. The lead, Denizen, is well drawn and sympathetic. However it is the supporting cast who really jump off the page, especially the orphanage's Director (Ackerby), Denizen's best friend (Simon), and his determined and cold Aunt Vivian. There is some great dialogue and a handful of inspired moments of humour (one that made me laugh out loud). Equally the plot is full of action with plenty of twists and turns and a dramatic climax.
Separately this book has every ingredient required to become the next hit series. However, when put together, it doesn't quite work for me. Why? I think it comes down to the writing. Debut author, Dave Rudden, clearly has talent – and lots of it. The book is beautifully written with some amazing lyrical phrases and truly impressive use of imagery. But I suspect this might be the problem – over and over again I found myself distracted by the language and found myself having to flip back a paragraph or a page to check what had been happening prior to the description. This is not something I want to be doing in an adventure story.
Overall, however, Knights of the Borrowed Dark is a very enjoyable read. If you liked this you might also enjoy Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer or Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Knights of the Borrowed Dark by Dave Rudden at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy Knights of the Borrowed Dark by Dave Rudden at Amazon.com.
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