Just So Stories

Ford St Publishing

July 2023

ISBN:9781922696311

RRP: $17.95

This is just a riotous, joyful comic adventure from the very first page, and, I tell you now, your kids from middle school to upper will eat it up with relish! 14 year old Winton is apprenticed to a very dodgy wizard named Faramond – a lazy, ignorant shyster if ever there was one. Also, not a very adept practitioner, so Winston’s vast superiority in both brainpower and magic has to be carefully obfuscated in order for the boy to have at least some semblance of a peaceful existence.

Given that Winston is a very unwilling apprentice with no other options, this makes his lot even more miserable. When the pair are summoned to the presence of the heinous sorceress, Yolantha (she who must be obeyed) and commanded to be instrumental in her plans to release even more enslaved magical beings from the Black Tower, things look grim indeed. Mix into this a fierce but not particularly astute would-be-warrior girl, a cranky and dangerous, but essentially idle dragon, as well as a super-clever demon, and you have the makings of one of the finest fantasy-adventures I’ve read in quite some time.

But there’s more to this novel than just fantasy, adventure and humour! Interwoven throughout are scientific references, courtesy of Sean McMullen, which readers will find fascinating and also, plenty of actual historical tidbits such as boar hunting. All in all, this is one delightful package.

It gave me such pleasure to write teaching notes for this one as there was so much that could be unpacked, and it was such a joy to read something entirely fresh and different. I highly recommend it to you for your readers from around 11/12 years upwards. It would definitely make for a fabulous read-aloud!