Lake of Skulls

I've just turned 13 and I think Freelance and the Lake of Skulls is a funny horror book which has the things to make it a good horror story, like an evil lord and a brave hero. It has an exciting plot. Another good book by Paul and Chris. Can't wait for book three, better get book two.

I first was drawn to this book because my ten year old son read several of the Edge Chronicles' books and loved them. My eight year old son had the same response to the Knight's Story 1 - Lake of Skulls. In fact, I have never seen him take to a book like this story and believe me I have tried a lot of books. The illustrations are wonderful and appeal to the children without being gory. Hooray for a great job done by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell! Keep writing! Every mother loves to see their children read.

Freelance, a knight and warrior who doesn't hold a steady job, but rather free lances his services to people as needed, is heading through the Badlands looking for work that will give him enough money for food and shelter during the cold winter months, when he meets up with an evil lord. The evil lord promises to give Freelance money, as well as food and board, if he retrieves a magical crown from the Lake of Skulls. Freelance thinks that the job will be a piece of cake, and heads out. However, once there, he encounters a group of evil hags with sharp teeth and even sharper scythes, who will do anything to protect the magical crown from falling into the wrong hands. Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell's A KNIGHT'S STORY, is an interesting short novel that is sure to appeal to middle readers, especially males. The prose, by Paul Stewart, is engaging and interesting, and the illustrations by Chris Riddell, while a little strange, will keep the reader turning the pages until the very end. Overall, this was an interesting start to an enjoyable new series. Erika Sorocco Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

Lake of Skulls is a quick read that would really appeal to boys who are not that into reading. It's full of odd illustrations from the bestselling author and illustrator of the Edge Chronicles. In this story we follow a free lance knight who calls himself Freelance, on his adventures traveling through the badlands to recover a magical crown from the Lake of Skulls. There are many fight scenes, won of course by Freelance and at times very Middle Ages graphic for me but sure to appeal to young boys.