Wolf Crown

Having beaten the White Prince in the race for the Midnight Treasure and having discovered that they are, in fact, twins, Tibor and Roza now know that they are heirs to the throne of Princeland. However, now mortal, having lost their powers using the Dark Lantern, reclaiming their inheritance seems an impossibility as they face a new race against time to find the long-lost Wolf Crown which seems to offer their only chance of defeating the White Prince once and for all.

No summary could ever do justice to the richly-told, superbly plotted dream of a book which is ‘Wolf Crown’. I absolutely adored ‘Midnight Treasure’ - and this sequel is even better!

Separated, Roza and Tibor are forced to follow different paths on their journey to defeat the White Prince. During their adventures, they discover much about themselves, showing great courage and determination on the way. They learn to accept help from others, to consider different possibilities and ultimately that everyone has light and dark within them, but each individual can decide ‘how much and when’. Together, they are strong and together, they share the crown.

Each character in the story is carefully developed from the Grimoire to (my new favourite!) Tiny Tibor, who may be ‘only’ a small, smooth newt, but whose contribution to discovering the Crown is incalculable!

The incredible world building started in ‘Midnight Treasure’ continues throughout the story with wonderfully detailed, evocative descriptions. A map at the beginning of the book allows readers to chart the twins’ progress on their adventures. It was a joy to revisit this world and leave Roza and Tibor poised for new and exciting possibilities. Perfect for anyone looking for a challenging, satisfying and exciting read!

Wolf Crown

Piers Torday

Quercus ISBN: 978-1786541451

You can read my review of ‘Midnight Treasure’ here.

Midnight Treasure

Baron Ambrus is a powerful vampir, who lives in luxury in the House of Gold. With him live two orphans, Tibor, a werwolf and Rosa, a vampir who the Baron transformed into a dog to act as Tibor’s companion. When a powerful wizard, Kira Halim, visits them, bringing a magical statue, Tibor is told that he must take go on a quest to find the Midnight Treasure…

A new novel from Piers Today is always something to look forward to - and ‘Midnight Treasure’ is an incredible fantasy, perfect for this (or any!) time of year! Completely enthralling, I read this in one sitting, unable to drag myself away from Tibor and his world.

Gripping from the outset, the plot romps along at a pleasing pace, perfectly balancing world building with action and tension. Beautifully imagined and rich in description, the story builds towards a satisfying conclusion which still leaves plenty of potential for future books. Although pitched at a 9+ audience, this is a story which will be enjoyed by older children (and adults!) who will revel in the level of detail of this breath-taking world.

Tibor is such an engaging character, full of longing for the family he has never known and seeking to find his place in the world. Constantly supported by Rosa with whom he shares a deep bond, he gains the friendship and trust of other characters along the way, most notably Oldest, Slightly and Smallest, fierce warriors, and Bear Man and the tree bears.

It is really hard to review this book without giving too much away and spoiling it for others who have the joy of reading it yet to come. This is a world readers will long to return to, and I, for one, cannot wait for Tibor and Rosa’s next adventure.

Midnight Treasure

Piers Torday

Quercus ISBN: 978-1786541420