The kind of fantasy quest that will kickstart your child’s love of reading.
Feature image credit: Allen & Unwin
As one of Australia’s most popular children’s authors, Emily Rodda almost comes with her own guarantee that anything she writes is going to be brilliant. She lives up to her reputation in her latest project: the epic middle-grade fantasy series Landovel. In an Australian publishing first, the three books of the series (The Poison Taster, The Secret Keeper, and The Truth Teller), have been released at once, as part of an inclusive three-book box set with packaging that book lovers will die for (this is not a drill; I’m talking sprayed edges and metallic-foil text).
Protagonist Derry lives in Landovel, a land shrouded in myth and folktales that has been divided into the progressive Free Landovel and the comparatively not-free True Landovel. In the first book, the orphaned Derry serves as poison taster to the horrible Cram, also secretly reading to his master. Then a mysterious stranger frees him from his servitude, and he begins to discover that the legends he reads about in his books may be retellings of the truth.
Though a fantasy tale, this story has a dystopian feel thanks to the history of Landovel, resulting in the division of territory and a dictatorship rising in one of the new regions. We have a flawed hero and a gang of lively, funny characters that nicely fulfils the found family trope. Young readers will likely feel like they belong in the group of Derry’s new friends. The series is aimed at children and yet is rich in immersive detail and beautiful prose, so adults reading along can enjoy it too.
The action-packed plot has been tightly planned and executed, and Rodda shows once again that she is a master of revealing and concealing as she builds up a sense of mystery and suspense. Along with building an intricate fantasy world, she explores themes that will resonate with the target audience, including friendship and loyalty. Characters that you don’t know if you can trust are particularly helpful to this end, while Rodda also navigates the concept of slavery in a digestible way for the target audience. The pace builds slowly in the first book, and at times Derry feels a little passive, but his arc as he comes into his own is worth the wait.
Without giving away any spoilers, the endings to each story will leave you eager to read the next instalment, so it’s just as well that readers get all three at once. They suit the given volume format rather than working as stand-alone novels. Considering the three-books-in-one deal and the gorgeous gift box, this would make the perfect gift for a kid who loves reading, or better yet, the perfect way to kickstart that love.
Reviewed by Vanessa Elle
Instagram: @vanessaellewrites
The views expressed in this review belong to the author and not Glam Adelaide, its affiliates, or employees.
Distributed by: Allen & Unwin
Released: October 2024
RRP: $39.99
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