Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by thatgirlinblack
The Last of the Sky Pirates by Paul Stewart, Chris Riddell
4.0
This book is set several decades after the adventures of Twig and Cowlquape in [b:Midnight Over Sanctaphrax|334012|Midnight Over Sanctaphrax (Edge Chronicles, #3)|Paul Stewart|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320502808s/334012.jpg|324508]. It's a bleak world now. A strange sicknesses has come on the floating rocks, causing sky ships to crash, putting an end to sky-pirating, and dragging New Sanctaphrax to the ground. Cowlquape has been ousted from office by the jealous, treacherous Vox. Along with him, the Guardians of the Night have taken power, and they persecute the true scholars and librarians, who have taken refuge in the sewers.
Our protagonist in this book is Rook Barkwater, a Librarian with a sad, clouded past. He and two other young Librarians are picked to be Librarian Knights and go out to the dangerous world to study a subject each, adding to the body of learning. They must navigate some dangerous parts of Undertown while avoiding goblins, as well as get through the Market that the vicious bird-creatures, the Shrykes, control. They have several dedicated guides who put themselves on the line for their young charges. A spy from the Guardians of the Night complicates things. But the spy, Xanth, has misgivings about his current occupation. I look forward to seeing his return in subsequent books. Rook's studies about banderbears, travels through the forest, and flight in the fleet of Librarian Knight Captain Varis Lodd lead him to make new friends and discover things about himself he'd forgotten.
The biggest surprise is finding the last of the sky pirates, and discovering his identity. (Though if you've read the previous books, that won't be hard to guess.) A climactic battle in the style of a "storming of the castle" finishes things off.
It's nice to find out what happened to the old characters we've come to know through the previous books, namely Twig and Cowlquape. We get to find out what happened when Twig set off to reunite with his old crew. It didn't turn out how I'd expected.
Rook is a cool character (combined book lover and warrior?! Oh yeah!) and I look forward to reading more about him.
As always, there's everything I love about the Edge Chronicles: an easy read, depth and mystery, imaginative settings, memorable characters, action and adventure, moral values, and no romance!
Our protagonist in this book is Rook Barkwater, a Librarian with a sad, clouded past. He and two other young Librarians are picked to be Librarian Knights and go out to the dangerous world to study a subject each, adding to the body of learning. They must navigate some dangerous parts of Undertown while avoiding goblins, as well as get through the Market that the vicious bird-creatures, the Shrykes, control. They have several dedicated guides who put themselves on the line for their young charges. A spy from the Guardians of the Night complicates things. But the spy, Xanth, has misgivings about his current occupation. I look forward to seeing his return in subsequent books. Rook's studies about banderbears, travels through the forest, and flight in the fleet of Librarian Knight Captain Varis Lodd lead him to make new friends and discover things about himself he'd forgotten.
The biggest surprise is finding the last of the sky pirates, and discovering his identity. (Though if you've read the previous books, that won't be hard to guess.) A climactic battle in the style of a "storming of the castle" finishes things off.
It's nice to find out what happened to the old characters we've come to know through the previous books, namely Twig and Cowlquape. We get to find out what happened when Twig set off to reunite with his old crew. It didn't turn out how I'd expected.
Spoiler
His story ends in a bittersweet way :-(Rook is a cool character (combined book lover and warrior?! Oh yeah!) and I look forward to reading more about him.
As always, there's everything I love about the Edge Chronicles: an easy read, depth and mystery, imaginative settings, memorable characters, action and adventure, moral values, and no romance!