by Bryony Pearce
Published by Stripes Publishing
From award-winning author Bryony Pearce, comes this gripping YA trilogy set in a future world where fossil fuels have run out and democracy has collapsed. An outlawed pirate crew fight for survival on their ship, the Phoenix, kept afloat by whatever they can salvage or scavenge from the debris-filled seas. Their enemy, the crew of the Banshee, lives for hunting down the Phoenix, and now they are closing in.
From the outset older readers should not be put off by the pirate word – this novel is so much more than a romp on the high seas. It brings a reality to what might happen when the world is on its knees and it’s every human for themselves.
The book opens with newspaper cuttings headlining our demise, setting the tone for our future. And then the narrative begins. Set on the Phoenix and seen through the eyes of Toby, the ship’s engineer and son of the captain, Barnaby Ford, Pearce creates a miniature society with deftly crafted characters. The action aboard ship never stops and each of the subsidiary characters, including Polly, an AI parrot, play important roles in the growing maturity of Toby.
The character of Ayla who has spent her whole life on board the Banshee, preparing for the moment when the ship will face its ultimate enemy, changes as she meets Toby, complicating her preordained life. Exciting times lie ahead for this dystopian journey if this first novel is anything to go by – an excellent read with super character development!
Ink Pellet has 5 copies of Phoenix Rising to give away to readers. For your chance to win, just email the editor with your name and address by August 31st.
Review by Dawn Hopley