Just So Stories

Allen & Unwin

October 2024

ISBN:9781761069758

Publisher:A&U Children’s

Imprint:A & U Children

RRP: $39.99

A new Emily Rodda title is always a reason to be excited. When it arrives as a stunning 3 part trilogy in a very handsome slipcase, it’s like an early Xmas.

A hero fights against the tide,
Companions battle by his side.
Danger, magic, secrets, lies,
A tyrant King who never dies,
A Prophecy that must be cheated,
Evil that must be defeated,
The menace of the fabled El…
This is the tale of Landovel.

The Poison Taster

I ate up this first one over a couple of nights and was completely enthralled. This is Emily’s fantasy adventure at its very best [move over Rowan, you’ve now been usurped] with an unlikely hero and a cast of unforgettable characters.

Derry remembers nothing of his life before being captured on board a ship that encountered both a storm and slavers. The only reason he escaped death like the rest of the survivors was the fact that he could read – a rare skill in Landovel at all, let alone for a refugee child from True Landovel.

Captured by the vicious and violent Cram he is the poison taster and (secret) reader for the cruel captor for three long years. His only comfort is the many books plundered from many ships, which he now reads aloud to Cram.

The Rock, Cram’s kingdom, is an isolated and dangerous place for the slaves, most of whom are only children. When a strange woman arrives, bursting through the Rock’s gates by somehow bewitching the ‘gater’ slaves, and seeks out Cram’s quarters and, in fact, Derry, she is closely followed by two assassins.

Before she plunges into the sea, she has secretly passed both a message and a small book to Derry, while Cram has killed the pair following her. It becomes apparent that they are El executioners, both Cram and Derry recognise the signs because of the stories of El they have read. What then follows is a complete deteroriation in Cram’s leadership and after some time, a rescue ship arrives, liberates the child slaves and takes them to a secure facility in Free Landovel.

Landovel has been divided for aeons after a meteorite split the land asunder and since then there has been an uneasy simmering discord between the two. Now Free Landovel wants to launch a mission to infiltrate True Landovel and for that they need clever, resourceful agents – namely Derry and carefully selected companions, Straw and Cat, along with Num, an innocent who clearly has a major part to play despite his obvious divergence from neuro-typical.

This whole first instalment relates the history and current state of Landovel, along with the insights into the slaves, and their rescuers, chiefly Lehane (the librarian and guardian of the Book Vault) and Zeena, the pryer. Derry and the others have been chosen for the mission after the weeks of health care, training and testing by Lehane and Zeena, as having the most highly developed intelligences, resilience and resourcefulness. What an exciting start to the trilogy this is!

Next up – part 2: The Secret Keeper.

The four rescued slaves are taken via a submersible across the strait caused by the comet catastrophe and landed near a unguarded beach. That is to say, unguarded by humans but well-fortified naturally by the plentiful crocodiles happy to munch on any intruders.

They have few instructions but know that they should meet some supporters and know they can remain discreetly in touch with Free Landovel via the blue screen. From the outset it appears clear that Cat is determined to ignore the guidance the group has received, with his fixation on being ‘gifted’ paramount in his objectives.

The foursome inch their way closer to the Scarlet City via the old-times Green Way encountering their two contacts along the way, and becoming more and more aware of the incredible hardships imposed on the people of True Landovel.

Derry finds his special senses and skills becoming sharper and his connection with Num intensifies. This, apart from anything else, results in his becoming highly attuned to nuanced dangers and unspoken thoughts. The search for Hant is uppermost in his mind and he is completely convinced now that Hant must still be alive, if only he can be found.

He is much relieved, and astonished, that Num has successfully hidden V’s secret journal and it is the ability to decipher the password book that is a huge advantage in his search. When the group encounters Nissa, a talented young harpist but also, obviously, a skilled ‘evader’ of authority, Derry is completely confident that she can be trusted, although he cannot determine why it is so.

But things go amiss when Cat takes off, gets a back-alley gifting which completely alters not just his strength but intensifies all his worst traits, and after skirmishes and mishaps the group finds itself split up.

Derry, narrowly escapes capture by the King’s guard and finds himself, strangely in the King’s own meditation garden. The tyrant and perpetrator of all the evils in True Landovel, seems conversely to be gentle, reasonable and innocent, in all senses. Derry must work his way through conflicting emotions to establish what is true, what is false, who is/are villainous and untrustworthy and, most of all, salvage the plan to find Hant and avoid the war.

Sorry, for that all being long-winded but, trust me, that’s just the scanty outline [and there’s the next one!]. This is wondrously complex and readers will enjoy deciphering intentions and making predictions for themselves. I greedily read it during our flight to Adelaide and in spite of burning to know the ending, made myself wait to read the third book on the trip home.

Part #3: The Truth Teller

Derry is not only bemused by the supposedly tyrant King Grenville but confused. He really senses that this man really is as gentle, mild and innocent as he appears. And now it seems the King has taken to him in like regard and appreciates that Derry is open (it appears) with him. He is so impressed, that he appoints Derry as his ‘truth teller’.

This is almost an open invitation to Derry to unravel the mystery of Hant’s last days and find out how and why the King has, firstly, lived apparently forever but secondly, what plans there are for the attack on Free Landovel. But there are deep and dark machinations in the undercurrents of both the palace and it’s corrupt administration.

In fact, there is a truth so monstrous that it is diabolical and I’m not saying anything more about the plot because really, any reader deserves to put together the pieces themselves and reach the final conclusion, just as I did.

Emily Rodda has created such a magnificent world of adventure, courage, fantasy, treachery and loyalty and utter, true friendship beyond all boundaries and difficulties. I loved, loved, LOVED it. I have always loved her work and shared it so many times with children over the past 25 years as a t-l. I have had the pleasure of meeting and sharing meals with Emily twice in the past and I just wish I could spend just a few minutes with her now to tell her, how absolutely marvellous this trilogy is. It’s fantastic.

We hear ‘modern classic’ ad nauseum, and often about completely unworthy titles that will not even be remembered in ten years time. Just as Rowan is still a favourite with readers 30 years on, Derry and Landovel will still be resonating with readers for generations to come for decades. A 5 👑👑👑👑👑 rating seems inadequate. Get it for your library, for your classroom, for your own children……….you will not be sorry.