John Boyne's The Boy in Striped Pyjamas will no doubt acquire many readers as a result of the subsequent film of the novel, but viewers of the latter would do themselves a favour by going back to the spare and powerfully affecting original book. Bruno is nine years old, and the Nazis’ horrific Final Solution to the ‘Jewish Problem’ means nothing to him. He's completely unaware of the barbarity of Germany under Hitler, and is more concerned by his move from his well-appointed house in Berlin to a far less salubrious area where he finds himself with nothing to do. Then he meets a boy called Shmuel who lives a very different life from him -- a life on the opposite side of a wire fence. And Shmuel is the eponymous boy in the striped pyjamas, as are all the other people on the other side of the fence. The friendship between the two boys begins to grow, but for Bruno it is a journey from blissful ignorance to a painful knowledge. And he will find that this learning process carries, for him, a daunting price.

A legion of books have attempted to evoke the horrors of the Second World War, but in this concise and perfectly honed novel, all of the effects that John Boyne creates are allowed to make a maximum impact in a relatively understated fashion (given the enormity of the situation here). The Boy in Striped Pyjamas is also that rare thing: a novel which can affect both children and adults equally; a worthy successor, in fact, to such masterpieces as To Kill a Mockingbird and The Catcher in the Rye -- both, of course, books, dealing (as does this one) with the loss of innocence. --Barry Forshaw

Clever and gripping, 02 Dec 2008
I thought this book was cleverly written, from the view of a 9 year old boy - it is only because we have historical hindsight of the events that are being described by the boy, who does not understand, that the full story plays out in your imagination as the story unfolds.
I did not expect the story to end the way it did. I was gripped.

Try something different, 01 Dec 2008
This book was recommended to me and when I eventually got round to buying it, I was hooked fairly quickly and finished it in a couple of days. There are some annoying repetitions with words which are used as substitutes for the real-life words, but apart from that it was a very easy book to read. I will not say that the book was enjoyable in the normal sense, as the subject matter is one which cannot be enjoyed, but it was a really good, easy to read book with a twist which just took my breath away.

A real twist in the tail!, 01 Dec 2008
I borrowed this book from the library for my son who's very into WW2 but he didn't want to read it so I did. I loved it and was taken by surprise at the tragic ending. I will remember it for a very long time.

Unbelievable Patronising, 30 Nov 2008
I bought this book from Amazon after seeing that there was a film coming out about the book. I can honestly say this is one of the worst books about the holocaust that I have ever read in terms of inaccuracies, patronising views and poor writing.

The author is Irish and is writing as if he is a Concentration Camp officers son. The kid is ridiculously naive in that he has never heard of "The Fuhrer" and doesn't know anything about the Jews. Every German child - especially one of such a 'high ranking official' would have been a part of the Hitler Youth and would have been indoctrinated with this ever since he could remember. The fact that he can openly sit and chat with a 9 year old polish jew - Schmuel and pass food under the fence is ridiculous beyond belief.

Boyne has also put sum idiotic puns in the book such as "outwith" for Auschwitz and "Fury" for Fuhrer. Boyne seems rather proud of these puns (which were he actually thinking in German they would not translate) and uses them throughout the book. The fact that the main character Bruno and his friends Daniel, Karl and Martin all have English names makes you wonder whether the author researched the holocaust at all or just wrote a twee English public school book and thought he'd include the holocaust to make it different.

I really would not recommend this book to anyone and definitely not for children. If this is their first experience of the Holocaust it is terribly inaccurate and would not educate them at all. Books like Hannah Goslar Remembers, The Diary Of Anne Frank and Schindlers List although heartbreaking are recommended.

Surprising, 23 Nov 2008
Ever since this book was released I have been attracted to it. In need of a "quick" read this weekend, I decided to purchase it and I am so glad that I did.

I wont tell you the story because that would spoil the book for you but what I will tell you is that it is a story about a boy called Bruno aged 9 and totally innocent and the story is told through his naive eyes.

I read the book in two days and it was a pleasure to read. The style was simple but evocotive.

The ending was a total surprise, there were no hints at what was coming and I felt the desolation as the story ended.

I am not sure if this book would right for a younger reader but certainly one in the early teens and definately adults like me.

Clever and gripping, 02 Dec 2008
I thought this book was cleverly written, from the view of a 9 year old boy - it is only because we have historical hindsight of the events that are being described by the boy, who does not understand, that the full story plays out in your imagination as the story unfolds.
I did not expect the story to end the way it did. I was gripped.

Try something different, 01 Dec 2008
This book was recommended to me and when I eventually got round to buying it, I was hooked fairly quickly and finished it in a couple of days. There are some annoying repetitions with words which are used as substitutes for the real-life words, but apart from that it was a very easy book to read. I will not say that the book was enjoyable in the normal sense, as the subject matter is one which cannot be enjoyed, but it was a really good, easy to read book with a twist which just took my breath away.

A real twist in the tail!, 01 Dec 2008
I borrowed this book from the library for my son who's very into WW2 but he didn't want to read it so I did. I loved it and was taken by surprise at the tragic ending. I will remember it for a very long time.

Unbelievable Patronising, 30 Nov 2008
I bought this book from Amazon after seeing that there was a film coming out about the book. I can honestly say this is one of the worst books about the holocaust that I have ever read in terms of inaccuracies, patronising views and poor writing.

The author is Irish and is writing as if he is a Concentration Camp officers son. The kid is ridiculously naive in that he has never heard of "The Fuhrer" and doesn't know anything about the Jews. Every German child - especially one of such a 'high ranking official' would have been a part of the Hitler Youth and would have been indoctrinated with this ever since he could remember. The fact that he can openly sit and chat with a 9 year old polish jew - Schmuel and pass food under the fence is ridiculous beyond belief.

Boyne has also put sum idiotic puns in the book such as "outwith" for Auschwitz and "Fury" for Fuhrer. Boyne seems rather proud of these puns (which were he actually thinking in German they would not translate) and uses them throughout the book. The fact that the main character Bruno and his friends Daniel, Karl and Martin all have English names makes you wonder whether the author researched the holocaust at all or just wrote a twee English public school book and thought he'd include the holocaust to make it different.

I really would not recommend this book to anyone and definitely not for children. If this is their first experience of the Holocaust it is terribly inaccurate and would not educate them at all. Books like Hannah Goslar Remembers, The Diary Of Anne Frank and Schindlers List although heartbreaking are recommended.

Surprising, 23 Nov 2008
Ever since this book was released I have been attracted to it. In need of a "quick" read this weekend, I decided to purchase it and I am so glad that I did.

I wont tell you the story because that would spoil the book for you but what I will tell you is that it is a story about a boy called Bruno aged 9 and totally innocent and the story is told through his naive eyes.

I read the book in two days and it was a pleasure to read. The style was simple but evocotive.

The ending was a total surprise, there were no hints at what was coming and I felt the desolation as the story ended.

I am not sure if this book would right for a younger reader but certainly one in the early teens and definately adults like me.

Slow, boring in places., 11 Nov 2008
Please dont let him write another. Great Britain has the worlds greatest authors.
Anthony Horowitz; Alex Rider, Jason Steed, Ravens Gate, Necropolis.
Joe Craig: Jimmy Coates.
Robert Muchamore: Cherub.
All three authors have proved themselves as being the best teen spy writers not only in the country but the world.
Joe Craig who brought us Jimmy Coates is also the couson of James Bond Actor Daniel Crag.
Yet we have comedian Charlie Higson and part time author writing the young adventures of the great fictional character in the world.

By Royal Command is slows. and has James out of character, fleeing the country. The chapters are slow and boring in places.
When the wolrd is reading books by Anthony Horowitz and Stephenie Meyers this is a let down. Take the James Bond name away and you have nothing. I can see why they have not made a film on the series yet made a film about Alex Rider and are going to make a film on the Cherub series.

A Fantastic end to a Brilliant Series, 07 Nov 2008
This book was thoroughly enjoyable to read, and after reading all of the previous of the Young Bond series this was no worse than the others. I can't say it was any better as they are simply amazing page turners which have you going for 'just one more chapter'. I read both (young) James Bond and Alex Rider and the two are both superb.
This is worth the pennies, so go and get it NOW! If you haven't read the first 4, do that!

100% great.

A let down. Ok its alright but it out classed, 30 Oct 2008
A huge let down. This was Ok, thats all. Boring in a few places, typical in the next. James falls in love this time and acts way out of character compared to the other James Bond books. I am sorry to say the worst of Young James Bond.
Alex Rider author Anthony Horowitz and Jimmy Coates author Joe Craig, Twilight Author Stephene Meyers and Jason Steed author Mark Cooper know how to write about teenagers, love and spys.
Charlie Higson has the ground work done by Ian Flemming yet he does not use it. Please dont let him write another. This sereis should be a number one seller. Its not and never will be, I can see now why they wont make a young Bond movie.
However I give it three stars. Its just after reading Twilight, Jason Steed, The Boys in Stripped Pyjamas, Jimmy Coates and Alex Rider this book is a let down. Its just 'outclassed'
I would still read it if you have read the other boks. Silverfin was good.

A little slow, 15 Oct 2008
Not what I thought it would be. very slow, going on and on about facts not required, It seems the author is trying very hard to get a film made of the series, giving details of music ect as someone is killed and lots of non-requored details. The ending was good, but Charlie Higson sems to lack the skill of Ian Flemming or Anthony Horowitz.

A Satisfying end to a surprisingly good series, 09 Oct 2008
So we come to a close to the 'young bond' series, which i have to admit was far better than i expected it to be. Praise to Charlie Higson for handling the task emmensly well and for creating a very entertaining series. 'By Royal Command' is the final book in the series and this is the fifth time James Bond, a fourteen year old kid, has managed to get in to some mad far fetched adventure invovlving spies and this time round the prince of whales. So you have to completly abondon any plausability factor and by that i mean it's difficult to beleive that one boy can get mixed up in so many adventures, but still these books are entertaining and if you have read the others the chances are you won't be dissapointed with this. All the right ingrediants are there - the action, the locations, the girls, the allies and of course a larger than life villian, in fact in this story it's difficult to tell who's a friend or an enermy of our hero. There are some nice plot twists, even though the plot does waver in places. Compared to Hurricane Gold there is a lot less action, but there is still ample to keep younger readers fixed. Roan - the love interest is the strongest female friend to appear in the series so far, as her character is given more depth than anyone previously. This makes her the ownly believable thing in the book, but makes for a good love interest for Bond. Considering this is for children i'd have to say Higson over steps the mark on violence throughout the climax. It even made me feel sick let alone a thirteen year old. I wouldn't say that it is the best of the bunch, but it is still a entertaining read and is a satisfying close to a good series. well done Mr Higson.

Clever and gripping, 02 Dec 2008
I thought this book was cleverly written, from the view of a 9 year old boy - it is only because we have historical hindsight of the events that are being described by the boy, who does not understand, that the full story plays out in your imagination as the story unfolds.
I did not expect the story to end the way it did. I was gripped.

Try something different, 01 Dec 2008
This book was recommended to me and when I eventually got round to buying it, I was hooked fairly quickly and finished it in a couple of days. There are some annoying repetitions with words which are used as substitutes for the real-life words, but apart from that it was a very easy book to read. I will not say that the book was enjoyable in the normal sense, as the subject matter is one which cannot be enjoyed, but it was a really good, easy to read book with a twist which just took my breath away.

A real twist in the tail!, 01 Dec 2008
I borrowed this book from the library for my son who's very into WW2 but he didn't want to read it so I did. I loved it and was taken by surprise at the tragic ending. I will remember it for a very long time.

Unbelievable Patronising, 30 Nov 2008
I bought this book from Amazon after seeing that there was a film coming out about the book. I can honestly say this is one of the worst books about the holocaust that I have ever read in terms of inaccuracies, patronising views and poor writing.

The author is Irish and is writing as if he is a Concentration Camp officers son. The kid is ridiculously naive in that he has never heard of "The Fuhrer" and doesn't know anything about the Jews. Every German child - especially one of such a 'high ranking official' would have been a part of the Hitler Youth and would have been indoctrinated with this ever since he could remember. The fact that he can openly sit and chat with a 9 year old polish jew - Schmuel and pass food under the fence is ridiculous beyond belief.

Boyne has also put sum idiotic puns in the book such as "outwith" for Auschwitz and "Fury" for Fuhrer. Boyne seems rather proud of these puns (which were he actually thinking in German they would not translate) and uses them throughout the book. The fact that the main character Bruno and his friends Daniel, Karl and Martin all have English names makes you wonder whether the author researched the holocaust at all or just wrote a twee English public school book and thought he'd include the holocaust to make it different.

I really would not recommend this book to anyone and definitely not for children. If this is their first experience of the Holocaust it is terribly inaccurate and would not educate them at all. Books like Hannah Goslar Remembers, The Diary Of Anne Frank and Schindlers List although heartbreaking are recommended.

Surprising, 23 Nov 2008
Ever since this book was released I have been attracted to it. In need of a "quick" read this weekend, I decided to purchase it and I am so glad that I did.

I wont tell you the story because that would spoil the book for you but what I will tell you is that it is a story about a boy called Bruno aged 9 and totally innocent and the story is told through his naive eyes.

I read the book in two days and it was a pleasure to read. The style was simple but evocotive.

The ending was a total surprise, there were no hints at what was coming and I felt the desolation as the story ended.

I am not sure if this book would right for a younger reader but certainly one in the early teens and definately adults like me.

Slow, boring in places., 11 Nov 2008
Please dont let him write another. Great Britain has the worlds greatest authors.
Anthony Horowitz; Alex Rider, Jason Steed, Ravens Gate, Necropolis.
Joe Craig: Jimmy Coates.
Robert Muchamore: Cherub.
All three authors have proved themselves as being the best teen spy writers not only in the country but the world.
Joe Craig who brought us Jimmy Coates is also the couson of James Bond Actor Daniel Crag.
Yet we have comedian Charlie Higson and part time author writing the young adventures of the great fictional character in the world.

By Royal Command is slows. and has James out of character, fleeing the country. The chapters are slow and boring in places.
When the wolrd is reading books by Anthony Horowitz and Stephenie Meyers this is a let down. Take the James Bond name away and you have nothing. I can see why they have not made a film on the series yet made a film about Alex Rider and are going to make a film on the Cherub series.

A Fantastic end to a Brilliant Series, 07 Nov 2008
This book was thoroughly enjoyable to read, and after reading all of the previous of the Young Bond series this was no worse than the others. I can't say it was any better as they are simply amazing page turners which have you going for 'just one more chapter'. I read both (young) James Bond and Alex Rider and the two are both superb.
This is worth the pennies, so go and get it NOW! If you haven't read the first 4, do that!

100% great.

A let down. Ok its alright but it out classed, 30 Oct 2008
A huge let down. This was Ok, thats all. Boring in a few places, typical in the next. James falls in love this time and acts way out of character compared to the other James Bond books. I am sorry to say the worst of Young James Bond.
Alex Rider author Anthony Horowitz and Jimmy Coates author Joe Craig, Twilight Author Stephene Meyers and Jason Steed author Mark Cooper know how to write about teenagers, love and spys.
Charlie Higson has the ground work done by Ian Flemming yet he does not use it. Please dont let him write another. This sereis should be a number one seller. Its not and never will be, I can see now why they wont make a young Bond movie.
However I give it three stars. Its just after reading Twilight, Jason Steed, The Boys in Stripped Pyjamas, Jimmy Coates and Alex Rider this book is a let down. Its just 'outclassed'
I would still read it if you have read the other boks. Silverfin was good.

A little slow, 15 Oct 2008
Not what I thought it would be. very slow, going on and on about facts not required, It seems the author is trying very hard to get a film made of the series, giving details of music ect as someone is killed and lots of non-requored details. The ending was good, but Charlie Higson sems to lack the skill of Ian Flemming or Anthony Horowitz.

A Satisfying end to a surprisingly good series, 09 Oct 2008
So we come to a close to the 'young bond' series, which i have to admit was far better than i expected it to be. Praise to Charlie Higson for handling the task emmensly well and for creating a very entertaining series. 'By Royal Command' is the final book in the series and this is the fifth time James Bond, a fourteen year old kid, has managed to get in to some mad far fetched adventure invovlving spies and this time round the prince of whales. So you have to completly abondon any plausability factor and by that i mean it's difficult to beleive that one boy can get mixed up in so many adventures, but still these books are entertaining and if you have read the others the chances are you won't be dissapointed with this. All the right ingrediants are there - the action, the locations, the girls, the allies and of course a larger than life villian, in fact in this story it's difficult to tell who's a friend or an enermy of our hero. There are some nice plot twists, even though the plot does waver in places. Compared to Hurricane Gold there is a lot less action, but there is still ample to keep younger readers fixed. Roan - the love interest is the strongest female friend to appear in the series so far, as her character is given more depth than anyone previously. This makes her the ownly believable thing in the book, but makes for a good love interest for Bond. Considering this is for children i'd have to say Higson over steps the mark on violence throughout the climax. It even made me feel sick let alone a thirteen year old. I wouldn't say that it is the best of the bunch, but it is still a entertaining read and is a satisfying close to a good series. well done Mr Higson.

Still got the magic, 14 Oct 2008
I just finished reading Artemis Fowl and The Time Paradox and I'm happy to say that I really enjoyed it. It's difficult to sustain a series without it getting old and repetitive, but I think Colfer has managed it. Maybe it's because it's been a while since the last in the series came out, I don't know, but I loved it. I was gripped by the action while still learning new things about the characters and having a laugh along the way as well. Bring on the next one!

By Angus Nicholson, 07 Oct 2008
Artemis Fowl is a fantasy book about a teenage criminal mastermind who discovered subterranean fairies. It is an action-packed book filled with wacky characters and jokes.
The plot is about Artemis having to travel back in time to find a cure to save his mother. The cure is a lemur which Artemis had killed when he was ten-years old because Mother had spent the money that Artemis was going to use to help try and get back his father who was taken by the mafia. This was a childish piece of revenge and he's now going to have to retrieve it from his younger-self's clutches.
Artemis, until recently, had been a criminal sought on becoming the most powerful one in the world until he discovered that that wasn't the most important thing in life. Now, he had a new outlook on life and was using his brains, power and wealth to help the environment and he had now given up his criminal lifestyle. You see that Artemis is now a family man with two younger brothers and is set on making his family's life as enjoyable as possible.
The storyline was brilliantly thought out with characters from the different books reappearing. However, you started to become slightly confused as you began to wonder who was from the present and who was from the past, so it started to turn into mayhem. Once having discovered where you were in the book (after reading it back a few times), it was a very entertaining read. The story kept going at a fast pace so you were always on the edge of your chair. I was gripped from start to finish so the author succeeded in that department yet the plot became, in some places, too thick to handle.
Overall, it was a great book and I would happily re-read it over and over again as it was a vastly enthralling experience.


Not one of the better AF books, 04 Oct 2008
I would definitely agree with Guest Reviewer Mo's write-up that this is the weakest of all the AF books, particularly after 'The Lost Colony', which was just brilliant. It does feel that Colfer is re-visiting old stuff and rehashing it, although there is a good twist at the end. Having said this, it was still a good read, and fans of the AF series will like it.

Fowl wishes, 19 Sep 2008
It's been two years since the last entry in the Artemis Fowl series, and although Eoin Colfer's Airman was enough to sustain me during that time I would prefer them to come once every year. But I do understand that authors need to try something new one in a while.

This entry has Artemis and Holly jump eight years into the past to find a cure for a rare disease that is about to be lost forever with an nearly-extinct species of lemur. But since Young Artemis was the one responsible for the animal's demise it's not going to be so easy for them to outwit and outmaneuver their rivals. Obviously the plan does not go smoothly and the mayhem escalates until the closing chapters.

Anyone who hasn't read the previous five books (and if not, why not?) won't have a clue what's going on here, and sound knowledge of the series is needed in order to fully keep up with the story. I did begin to notice a few plot holes here and there and a couple of bits that didn't make exact quantum physical sense, but that's why it's called 'The Time Paradox' after all. Colfer must have a wonderfully active imagination to keep a hold of all this in his mind before writing it down.

It sets up the story for another sequel but I would like to see Artemis and Holly move on as friends next time instead of them always falling in and out, I've had enough of that, and the lack of love between them cost this entry a star. Still, a solid 4/5 though.

Pure Genius!!!, 15 Sep 2008
I can't even explain the fantastic plot twists that riddle this book.
The tension of one Criminal Genius against another, with an old, surprise character from earlier in the series it's completely enthralling.
both Artemis's have trouble hanging on to life especially when K....... comes into the fray!

Clever and gripping, 02 Dec 2008
I thought this book was cleverly written, from the view of a 9 year old boy - it is only because we have historical hindsight of the events that are being described by the boy, who does not understand, that the full story plays out in your imagination as the story unfolds.
I did not expect the story to end the way it did. I was gripped.

Try something different, 01 Dec 2008
This book was recommended to me and when I eventually got round to buying it, I was hooked fairly quickly and finished it in a couple of days. There are some annoying repetitions with words which are used as substitutes for the real-life words, but apart from that it was a very easy book to read. I will not say that the book was enjoyable in the normal sense, as the subject matter is one which cannot be enjoyed, but it was a really good, easy to read book with a twist which just took my breath away.

A real twist in the tail!, 01 Dec 2008
I borrowed this book from the library for my son who's very into WW2 but he didn't want to read it so I did. I loved it and was taken by surprise at the tragic ending. I will remember it for a very long time.

Unbelievable Patronising, 30 Nov 2008
I bought this book from Amazon after seeing that there was a film coming out about the book. I can honestly say this is one of the worst books about the holocaust that I have ever read in terms of inaccuracies, patronising views and poor writing.

The author is Irish and is writing as if he is a Concentration Camp officers son. The kid is ridiculously naive in that he has never heard of "The Fuhrer" and doesn't know anything about the Jews. Every German child - especially one of such a 'high ranking official' would have been a part of the Hitler Youth and would have been indoctrinated with this ever since he could remember. The fact that he can openly sit and chat with a 9 year old polish jew - Schmuel and pass food under the fence is ridiculous beyond belief.

Boyne has also put sum idiotic puns in the book such as "outwith" for Auschwitz and "Fury" for Fuhrer. Boyne seems rather proud of these puns (which were he actually thinking in German they would not translate) and uses them throughout the book. The fact that the main character Bruno and his friends Daniel, Karl and Martin all have English names makes you wonder whether the author researched the holocaust at all or just wrote a twee English public school book and thought he'd include the holocaust to make it different.

I really would not recommend this book to anyone and definitely not for children. If this is their first experience of the Holocaust it is terribly inaccurate and would not educate them at all. Books like Hannah Goslar Remembers, The Diary Of Anne Frank and Schindlers List although heartbreaking are recommended.

Surprising, 23 Nov 2008
Ever since this book was released I have been attracted to it. In need of a "quick" read this weekend, I decided to purchase it and I am so glad that I did.

I wont tell you the story because that would spoil the book for you but what I will tell you is that it is a story about a boy called Bruno aged 9 and totally innocent and the story is told through his naive eyes.

I read the book in two days and it was a pleasure to read. The style was simple but evocotive.

The ending was a total surprise, there were no hints at what was coming and I felt the desolation as the story ended.

I am not sure if this book would right for a younger reader but certainly one in the early teens and definately adults like me.

Slow, boring in places., 11 Nov 2008
Please dont let him write another. Great Britain has the worlds greatest authors.
Anthony Horowitz; Alex Rider, Jason Steed, Ravens Gate, Necropolis.
Joe Craig: Jimmy Coates.
Robert Muchamore: Cherub.
All three authors have proved themselves as being the best teen spy writers not only in the country but the world.
Joe Craig who brought us Jimmy Coates is also the couson of James Bond Actor Daniel Crag.
Yet we have comedian Charlie Higson and part time author writing the young adventures of the great fictional character in the world.

By Royal Command is slows. and has James out of character, fleeing the country. The chapters are slow and boring in places.
When the wolrd is reading books by Anthony Horowitz and Stephenie Meyers this is a let down. Take the James Bond name away and you have nothing. I can see why they have not made a film on the series yet made a film about Alex Rider and are going to make a film on the Cherub series.

A Fantastic end to a Brilliant Series, 07 Nov 2008
This book was thoroughly enjoyable to read, and after reading all of the previous of the Young Bond series this was no worse than the others. I can't say it was any better as they are simply amazing page turners which have you going for 'just one more chapter'. I read both (young) James Bond and Alex Rider and the two are both superb.
This is worth the pennies, so go and get it NOW! If you haven't read the first 4, do that!

100% great.

A let down. Ok its alright but it out classed, 30 Oct 2008
A huge let down. This was Ok, thats all. Boring in a few places, typical in the next. James falls in love this time and acts way out of character compared to the other James Bond books. I am sorry to say the worst of Young James Bond.
Alex Rider author Anthony Horowitz and Jimmy Coates author Joe Craig, Twilight Author Stephene Meyers and Jason Steed author Mark Cooper know how to write about teenagers, love and spys.
Charlie Higson has the ground work done by Ian Flemming yet he does not use it. Please dont let him write another. This sereis should be a number one seller. Its not and never will be, I can see now why they wont make a young Bond movie.
However I give it three stars. Its just after reading Twilight, Jason Steed, The Boys in Stripped Pyjamas, Jimmy Coates and Alex Rider this book is a let down. Its just 'outclassed'
I would still read it if you have read the other boks. Silverfin was good.

A little slow, 15 Oct 2008
Not what I thought it would be. very slow, going on and on about facts not required, It seems the author is trying very hard to get a film made of the series, giving details of music ect as someone is killed and lots of non-requored details. The ending was good, but Charlie Higson sems to lack the skill of Ian Flemming or Anthony Horowitz.

A Satisfying end to a surprisingly good series, 09 Oct 2008
So we come to a close to the 'young bond' series, which i have to admit was far better than i expected it to be. Praise to Charlie Higson for handling the task emmensly well and for creating a very entertaining series. 'By Royal Command' is the final book in the series and this is the fifth time James Bond, a fourteen year old kid, has managed to get in to some mad far fetched adventure invovlving spies and this time round the prince of whales. So you have to completly abondon any plausability factor and by that i mean it's difficult to beleive that one boy can get mixed up in so many adventures, but still these books are entertaining and if you have read the others the chances are you won't be dissapointed with this. All the right ingrediants are there - the action, the locations, the girls, the allies and of course a larger than life villian, in fact in this story it's difficult to tell who's a friend or an enermy of our hero. There are some nice plot twists, even though the plot does waver in places. Compared to Hurricane Gold there is a lot less action, but there is still ample to keep younger readers fixed. Roan - the love interest is the strongest female friend to appear in the series so far, as her character is given more depth than anyone previously. This makes her the ownly believable thing in the book, but makes for a good love interest for Bond. Considering this is for children i'd have to say Higson over steps the mark on violence throughout the climax. It even made me feel sick let alone a thirteen year old. I wouldn't say that it is the best of the bunch, but it is still a entertaining read and is a satisfying close to a good series. well done Mr Higson.

Still got the magic, 14 Oct 2008
I just finished reading Artemis Fowl and The Time Paradox and I'm happy to say that I really enjoyed it. It's difficult to sustain a series without it getting old and repetitive, but I think Colfer has managed it. Maybe it's because it's been a while since the last in the series came out, I don't know, but I loved it. I was gripped by the action while still learning new things about the characters and having a laugh along the way as well. Bring on the next one!

By Angus Nicholson, 07 Oct 2008
Artemis Fowl is a fantasy book about a teenage criminal mastermind who discovered subterranean fairies. It is an action-packed book filled with wacky characters and jokes.
The plot is about Artemis having to travel back in time to find a cure to save his mother. The cure is a lemur which Artemis had killed when he was ten-years old because Mother had spent the money that Artemis was going to use to help try and get back his father who was taken by the mafia. This was a childish piece of revenge and he's now going to have to retrieve it from his younger-self's clutches.
Artemis, until recently, had been a criminal sought on becoming the most powerful one in the world until he discovered that that wasn't the most important thing in life. Now, he had a new outlook on life and was using his brains, power and wealth to help the environment and he had now given up his criminal lifestyle. You see that Artemis is now a family man with two younger brothers and is set on making his family's life as enjoyable as possible.
The storyline was brilliantly thought out with characters from the different books reappearing. However, you started to become slightly confused as you began to wonder who was from the present and who was from the past, so it started to turn into mayhem. Once having discovered where you were in the book (after reading it back a few times), it was a very entertaining read. The story kept going at a fast pace so you were always on the edge of your chair. I was gripped from start to finish so the author succeeded in that department yet the plot became, in some places, too thick to handle.
Overall, it was a great book and I would happily re-read it over and over again as it was a vastly enthralling experience.


Not one of the better AF books, 04 Oct 2008
I would definitely agree with Guest Reviewer Mo's write-up that this is the weakest of all the AF books, particularly after 'The Lost Colony', which was just brilliant. It does feel that Colfer is re-visiting old stuff and rehashing it, although there is a good twist at the end. Having said this, it was still a good read, and fans of the AF series will like it.

Fowl wishes, 19 Sep 2008
It's been two years since the last entry in the Artemis Fowl series, and although Eoin Colfer's Airman was enough to sustain me during that time I would prefer them to come once every year. But I do understand that authors need to try something new one in a while.

This entry has Artemis and Holly jump eight years into the past to find a cure for a rare disease that is about to be lost forever with an nearly-extinct species of lemur. But since Young Artemis was the one responsible for the animal's demise it's not going to be so easy for them to outwit and outmaneuver their rivals. Obviously the plan does not go smoothly and the mayhem escalates until the closing chapters.

Anyone who hasn't read the previous five books (and if not, why not?) won't have a clue what's going on here, and sound knowledge of the series is needed in order to fully keep up with the story. I did begin to notice a few plot holes here and there and a couple of bits that didn't make exact quantum physical sense, but that's why it's called 'The Time Paradox' after all. Colfer must have a wonderfully active imagination to keep a hold of all this in his mind before writing it down.

It sets up the story for another sequel but I would like to see Artemis and Holly move on as friends next time instead of them always falling in and out, I've had enough of that, and the lack of love between them cost this entry a star. Still, a solid 4/5 though.

Pure Genius!!!, 15 Sep 2008
I can't even explain the fantastic plot twists that riddle this book.
The tension of one Criminal Genius against another, with an old, surprise character from earlier in the series it's completely enthralling.
both Artemis's have trouble hanging on to life especially when K....... comes into the fray!

Great book, 17 Nov 2008
I reallly enjoyed this book, like all of the series but i was shocked how they seem to have skipped the other books into making them into audio books i was really looking forward to listening to Maximum Secruity but it seems they have decided to only realese the new books not the old ones.

Solid stuff, 15 Nov 2008
After ten books Robert Muchamore has put a new spin on the CHERUB series, creating a title that focuses on a massive training exercise in the Nevada desert.

It's a great story. My only qualm would be that the plot assumes some prior knowledge. I'd reccommend new readers start with one of the earlier books in the series, or better yet start from the beginning by reading The Recruit (or the hardback Ultimate Edition which contains the first two books at a bargain price).

Muchamore is a marvellous man!, 11 Nov 2008
The General is one in a fantastic series of books. I first thought they would be very much like Agent Cody Banks - unrealisitc and americanised. I was refreshed to find out that these books are gritty, realistic (as much as they can be) and totally believable. I'm beginning to wonder whether there really is a group of children agents among us, especially seeing how some children act today - maybe they're all on secret missions, which would explain some of the bizarre behaviour from the children at the school I work at!
This is a fantastic book for children, enough escapism to get your imagination going, but enough facts to pull you further into the book.
It is also a fun and enjoyable read for adults alike - a nice change to some of the tough going adult fiction around!

Much ado about Nothing, 25 Sep 2008
Robert Muchamore is an author who always delivers - until now!

The first in the Cherub series, The Recruit, had me hooked from the start on the adventures of child spy James Adams and his sister, Lauren. No other spy books - Alex Rider, Young James Bond, Jimmy Coates etc - could touch Cherub for quality, excitement or pure enjoyment.

However, I feel very let down by The General. Much of Muchamore's talent comes from creating believable and likeable characters, characters you invest your emotions in - characters you come to care about. In The General, however, he dwells less on the people and more on the action. His characters become cartoon-like, one-dimensional - with no real depth to them.

The story within The General is also sadly lacking. Although the book enjoys a tense and exciting opening chapter, it rapidly descends into a fiasco of plot, involving plans to rob a Las Vegas casino using MI5 spying equipment and "fighting dirty" in a tedious training exercise. Like another reviewer said, the series really does jump the shark here.

The success of the Cherub series, for me, was that you could 'just about' believe that a spy school for orphan kids was plausible - as crooks would certainly be less wary of kids than adults. However, I found much of the plot of The General - especially that of a teacher plotting with James to commit theft on a grand scale - just too ridiculous to swallow. Perhaps Muchamore is running out of ideas, perhaps he was working to a tight deadline and had to rush things. Whatever the problem, this book is certainly the weakest link in the Cherub chain.

I expected much, much more of Muchamore - but the hype surrounding the release of this book turned out to be much ado about nothing!




generally excellent!, 21 Sep 2008
This cherub book is special because instead of starting with a training exercise and ending with a mission it turns it round and starts with a mission and ends with a massive training exercise.The mission and the big training exercise are really good bits of the book which grip you throughout and times which are a bit funny (especially with kazakov who hates americans and trys to start a fight with lots of them).A very good read.

Clever and gripping, 02 Dec 2008
I thought this book was cleverly written, from the view of a 9 year old boy - it is only because we have historical hindsight of the events that are being described by the boy, who does not understand, that the full story plays out in your imagination as the story unfolds.
I did not expect the story to end the way it did. I was gripped.

Try something different, 01 Dec 2008
This book was recommended to me and when I eventually got round to buying it, I was hooked fairly quickly and finished it in a couple of days. There are some annoying repetitions with words which are used as substitutes for the real-life words, but apart from that it was a very easy book to read. I will not say that the book was enjoyable in the normal sense, as the subject matter is one which cannot be enjoyed, but it was a really good, easy to read book with a twist which just took my breath away.

A real twist in the tail!, 01 Dec 2008
I borrowed this book from the library for my son who's very into WW2 but he didn't want to read it so I did. I loved it and was taken by surprise at the tragic ending. I will remember it for a very long time.

Unbelievable Patronising, 30 Nov 2008
I bought this book from Amazon after seeing that there was a film coming out about the book. I can honestly say this is one of the worst books about the holocaust that I have ever read in terms of inaccuracies, patronising views and poor writing.

The author is Irish and is writing as if he is a Concentration Camp officers son. The kid is ridiculously naive in that he has never heard of "The Fuhrer" and doesn't know anything about the Jews. Every German child - especially one of such a 'high ranking official' would have been a part of the Hitler Youth and would have been indoctrinated with this ever since he could remember. The fact that he can openly sit and chat with a 9 year old polish jew - Schmuel and pass food under the fence is ridiculous beyond belief.

Boyne has also put sum idiotic puns in the book such as "outwith" for Auschwitz and "Fury" for Fuhrer. Boyne seems rather proud of these puns (which were he actually thinking in German they would not translate) and uses them throughout the book. The fact that the main character Bruno and his friends Daniel, Karl and Martin all have English names makes you wonder whether the author researched the holocaust at all or just wrote a twee English public school book and thought he'd include the holocaust to make it different.

I really would not recommend this book to anyone and definitely not for children. If this is their first experience of the Holocaust it is terribly inaccurate and would not educate them at all. Books like Hannah Goslar Remembers, The Diary Of Anne Frank and Schindlers List although heartbreaking are recommended.

Surprising, 23 Nov 2008
Ever since this book was released I have been attracted to it. In need of a "quick" read this weekend, I decided to purchase it and I am so glad that I did.

I wont tell you the story because that would spoil the book for you but what I will tell you is that it is a story about a boy called Bruno aged 9 and totally innocent and the story is told through his naive eyes.

I read the book in two days and it was a pleasure to read. The style was simple but evocotive.

The ending was a total surprise, there were no hints at what was coming and I felt the desolation as the story ended.

I am not sure if this book would right for a younger reader but certainly one in the early teens and definately adults like me.

Slow, boring in places., 11 Nov 2008
Please dont let him write another. Great Britain has the worlds greatest authors.
Anthony Horowitz; Alex Rider, Jason Steed, Ravens Gate, Necropolis.
Joe Craig: Jimmy Coates.
Robert Muchamore: Cherub.
All three authors have proved themselves as being the best teen spy writers not only in the country but the world.
Joe Craig who brought us Jimmy Coates is also the couson of James Bond Actor Daniel Crag.
Yet we have comedian Charlie Higson and part time author writing the young adventures of the great fictional character in the world.

By Royal Command is slows. and has James out of character, fleeing the country. The chapters are slow and boring in places.
When the wolrd is reading books by Anthony Horowitz and Stephenie Meyers this is a let down. Take the James Bond name away and you have nothing. I can see why they have not made a film on the series yet made a film about Alex Rider and are going to make a film on the Cherub series.

A Fantastic end to a Brilliant Series, 07 Nov 2008
This book was thoroughly enjoyable to read, and after reading all of the previous of the Young Bond series this was no worse than the others. I can't say it was any better as they are simply amazing page turners which have you going for 'just one more chapter'. I read both (young) James Bond and Alex Rider and the two are both superb.
This is worth the pennies, so go and get it NOW! If you haven't read the first 4, do that!

100% great.

A let down. Ok its alright but it out classed, 30 Oct 2008
A huge let down. This was Ok, thats all. Boring in a few places, typical in the next. James falls in love this time and acts way out of character compared to the other James Bond books. I am sorry to say the worst of Young James Bond.
Alex Rider author Anthony Horowitz and Jimmy Coates author Joe Craig, Twilight Author Stephene Meyers and Jason Steed author Mark Cooper know how to write about teenagers, love and spys.
Charlie Higson has the ground work done by Ian Flemming yet he does not use it. Please dont let him write another. This sereis should be a number one seller. Its not and never will be, I can see now why they wont make a young Bond movie.
However I give it three stars. Its just after reading Twilight, Jason Steed, The Boys in Stripped Pyjamas, Jimmy Coates and Alex Rider this book is a let down. Its just 'outclassed'
I would still read it if you have read the other boks. Silverfin was good.

A little slow, 15 Oct 2008
Not what I thought it would be. very slow, going on and on about facts not required, It seems the author is trying very hard to get a film made of the series, giving details of music ect as someone is killed and lots of non-requored details. The ending was good, but Charlie Higson sems to lack the skill of Ian Flemming or Anthony Horowitz.

A Satisfying end to a surprisingly good series, 09 Oct 2008
So we come to a close to the 'young bond' series, which i have to admit was far better than i expected it to be. Praise to Charlie Higson for handling the task emmensly well and for creating a very entertaining series. 'By Royal Command' is the final book in the series and this is the fifth time James Bond, a fourteen year old kid, has managed to get in to some mad far fetched adventure invovlving spies and this time round the prince of whales. So you have to completly abondon any plausability factor and by that i mean it's difficult to beleive that one boy can get mixed up in so many adventures, but still these books are entertaining and if you have read the others the chances are you won't be dissapointed with this. All the right ingrediants are there - the action, the locations, the girls, the allies and of course a larger than life villian, in fact in this story it's difficult to tell who's a friend or an enermy of our hero. There are some nice plot twists, even though the plot does waver in places. Compared to Hurricane Gold there is a lot less action, but there is still ample to keep younger readers fixed. Roan - the love interest is the strongest female friend to appear in the series so far, as her character is given more depth than anyone previously. This makes her the ownly believable thing in the book, but makes for a good love interest for Bond. Considering this is for children i'd have to say Higson over steps the mark on violence throughout the climax. It even made me feel sick let alone a thirteen year old. I wouldn't say that it is the best of the bunch, but it is still a entertaining read and is a satisfying close to a good series. well done Mr Higson.

Still got the magic, 14 Oct 2008
I just finished reading Artemis Fowl and The Time Paradox and I'm happy to say that I really enjoyed it. It's difficult to sustain a series without it getting old and repetitive, but I think Colfer has managed it. Maybe it's because it's been a while since the last in the series came out, I don't know, but I loved it. I was gripped by the action while still learning new things about the characters and having a laugh along the way as well. Bring on the next one!

By Angus Nicholson, 07 Oct 2008
Artemis Fowl is a fantasy book about a teenage criminal mastermind who discovered subterranean fairies. It is an action-packed book filled with wacky characters and jokes.
The plot is about Artemis having to travel back in time to find a cure to save his mother. The cure is a lemur which Artemis had killed when he was ten-years old because Mother had spent the money that Artemis was going to use to help try and get back his father who was taken by the mafia. This was a childish piece of revenge and he's now going to have to retrieve it from his younger-self's clutches.
Artemis, until recently, had been a criminal sought on becoming the most powerful one in the world until he discovered that that wasn't the most important thing in life. Now, he had a new outlook on life and was using his brains, power and wealth to help the environment and he had now given up his criminal lifestyle. You see that Artemis is now a family man with two younger brothers and is set on making his family's life as enjoyable as possible.
The storyline was brilliantly thought out with characters from the different books reappearing. However, you started to become slightly confused as you began to wonder who was from the present and who was from the past, so it started to turn into mayhem. Once having discovered where you were in the book (after reading it back a few times), it was a very entertaining read. The story kept going at a fast pace so you were always on the edge of your chair. I was gripped from start to finish so the author succeeded in that department yet the plot became, in some places, too thick to handle.
Overall, it was a great book and I would happily re-read it over and over again as it was a vastly enthralling experience.


Not one of the better AF books, 04 Oct 2008
I would definitely agree with Guest Reviewer Mo's write-up that this is the weakest of all the AF books, particularly after 'The Lost Colony', which was just brilliant. It does feel that Colfer is re-visiting old stuff and rehashing it, although there is a good twist at the end. Having said this, it was still a good read, and fans of the AF series will like it.

Fowl wishes, 19 Sep 2008
It's been two years since the last entry in the Artemis Fowl series, and although Eoin Colfer's Airman was enough to sustain me during that time I would prefer them to come once every year. But I do understand that authors need to try something new one in a while.

This entry has Artemis and Holly jump eight years into the past to find a cure for a rare disease that is about to be lost forever with an nearly-extinct species of lemur. But since Young Artemis was the one responsible for the animal's demise it's not going to be so easy for them to outwit and outmaneuver their rivals. Obviously the plan does not go smoothly and the mayhem escalates until the closing chapters.

Anyone who hasn't read the previous five books (and if not, why not?) won't have a clue what's going on here, and sound knowledge of the series is needed in order to fully keep up with the story. I did begin to notice a few plot holes here and there and a couple of bits that didn't make exact quantum physical sense, but that's why it's called 'The Time Paradox' after all. Colfer must have a wonderfully active imagination to keep a hold of all this in his mind before writing it down.

It sets up the story for another sequel but I would like to see Artemis and Holly move on as friends next time instead of them always falling in and out, I've had enough of that, and the lack of love between them cost this entry a star. Still, a solid 4/5 though.

Pure Genius!!!, 15 Sep 2008
I can't even explain the fantastic plot twists that riddle this book.
The tension of one Criminal Genius against another, with an old, surprise character from earlier in the series it's completely enthralling.
both Artemis's have trouble hanging on to life especially when K....... comes into the fray!

Great book, 17 Nov 2008
I reallly enjoyed this book, like all of the series but i was shocked how they seem to have skipped the other books into making them into audio books i was really looking forward to listening to Maximum Secruity but it seems they have decided to only realese the new books not the old ones.

Solid stuff, 15 Nov 2008
After ten books Robert Muchamore has put a new spin on the CHERUB series, creating a title that focuses on a massive training exercise in the Nevada desert.

It's a great story. My only qualm would be that the plot assumes some prior knowledge. I'd reccommend new readers start with one of the earlier books in the series, or better yet start from the beginning by reading The Recruit (or the hardback Ultimate Edition which contains the first two books at a bargain price).

Muchamore is a marvellous man!, 11 Nov 2008
The General is one in a fantastic series of books. I first thought they would be very much like Agent Cody Banks - unrealisitc and americanised. I was refreshed to find out that these books are gritty, realistic (as much as they can be) and totally believable. I'm beginning to wonder whether there really is a group of children agents among us, especially seeing how some children act today - maybe they're all on secret missions, which would explain some of the bizarre behaviour from the children at the school I work at!
This is a fantastic book for children, enough escapism to get your imagination going, but enough facts to pull you further into the book.
It is also a fun and enjoyable read for adults alike - a nice change to some of the tough going adult fiction around!

Much ado about Nothing, 25 Sep 2008
Robert Muchamore is an author who always delivers - until now!

The first in the Cherub series, The Recruit, had me hooked from the start on the adventures of child spy James Adams and his sister, Lauren. No other spy books - Alex Rider, Young James Bond, Jimmy Coates etc - could touch Cherub for quality, excitement or pure enjoyment.

However, I feel very let down by The General. Much of Muchamore's talent comes from creating believable and likeable characters, characters you invest your emotions in - characters you come to care about. In The General, however, he dwells less on the people and more on the action. His characters become cartoon-like, one-dimensional - with no real depth to them.

The story within The General is also sadly lacking. Although the book enjoys a tense and exciting opening chapter, it rapidly descends into a fiasco of plot, involving plans to rob a Las Vegas casino using MI5 spying equipment and "fighting dirty" in a tedious training exercise. Like another reviewer said, the series really does jump the shark here.

The success of the Cherub series, for me, was that you could 'just about' believe that a spy school for orphan kids was plausible - as crooks would certainly be less wary of kids than adults. However, I found much of the plot of The General - especially that of a teacher plotting with James to commit theft on a grand scale - just too ridiculous to swallow. Perhaps Muchamore is running out of ideas, perhaps he was working to a tight deadline and had to rush things. Whatever the problem, this book is certainly the weakest link in the Cherub chain.

I expected much, much more of Muchamore - but the hype surrounding the release of this book turned out to be much ado about nothing!




generally excellent!, 21 Sep 2008
This cherub book is special because instead of starting with a training exercise and ending with a mission it turns it round and starts with a mission and ends with a massive training exercise.The mission and the big training exercise are really good bits of the book which grip you throughout and times which are a bit funny (especially with kazakov who hates americans and trys to start a fight with lots of them).A very good read.


a story for all time, all ages, 20 Jul 2008
This is a classic story for children, set in the 50's, it is about time, memory and friendship.
Tom, lonely and isolated as he is in quarantine, finds his way back in time, at night (when the hall clock strikes 13), to a wonderful old garden and a little girl called Hattie, who, to his curiosity, is dressed in old fashioned clothes. The two lonely children become friends and I don't want to give away the beautifully devoloped plot, but Tom slowly realises that Hattie is growing up, while he remains the same age.
The atmosphere of the story is both mysterious and engaging, as Tom slowly works out where he is and who Hattie really is.
The end of the story takes in the biblical idea of time coming to and end, or the modern notion of not existing at all and the recognition that Tom and Hattie can/could be friends across time and for always.





Let your imagination soar into your own midnight garden, 13 Jul 2008
Tom, quarantined from his brother's measles and sent off to relatives, faces several weeks in a house converted into flats with no other kids, no playground and nothing at all for a boy of his age to do. A grandfather clock that tells the correct time but clangs different hours stands in the hallway of the house. One night, when the clock chimes a mysterious thirteenth hour, Tom goes down to investigate.

What he finds is an entirely different house with rich decorations and carpeting. And, behind the back door that in the daytime gives out to an alley, is his fondest wish - a vast garden to play in and a friend with whom to explore every tree and hedge and even the meadow and river beyond.

Time is the great mystery in this book. For Tom only 24 hours may have gone by since his last visit but seasons have passed in the garden. As for his friend, a girl named Hatty, sometimes she appears younger than he is and sometimes, she is almost an adult. And while he may spend a whole day in the garden, the grandfather clock shows that he only spent a few minutes out the door.

As with all good stories, the reader is not only immersed in the mystery and the enjoyment while reading, her imagination is stirred. And who knows what kind of concoction boils up when that happens? Oh to find one's own secret garden and a good friend behind a seemingly mundane door!

This book is not only for children but for adults as well. I would translate Tom's adventures to Zoe's Mid-afternoon Caribbean Cabana in which a cubicle-dwelling computer programmer enters a supplies closet in that hazy time between lunch and tea and finds a white sand beach, a hammock, a chick-lit novel and a cold, umbrella-decorated cocktail.

Essential reading, , 22 Jan 2008
A beautiful and tradtional story of magic, freindship & growing up. Adored by my children, loved by me.
Every school shelf should be stocked with this classic and every home shelf too.
When the trend for books is to 'gross out' young readers, this story reminds us that there is and always will be space for beautifully written well told enchanting stories.

A timeless classic, 13 Nov 2007
Tom is sent away to stay with his uncle and aunt in their small flat when his brother gets the measles. He misses his brother and their garden but one magical night, the grandfather clock in the hall strikes thirteen and Tom discovers a secret garden outside. Over the next few weeks, he spends time in the garden and befriends Hatty, a lonely orphan girl. But time obeys different rules in the "midnight garden" and gradually Hatty grows up and away from Tom...
This is a breathtakingly beautiful book. Not only are the descriptions of the garden and the frozen river lovely and evocative but the book raises all sorts of interesting questions about the nature of time, about ghosts, about dreams, about growing up and about the power of the imagination. It is quite similar in theme and feeling to "The Children of Green Knowe" - another book about a lonely boy who meets children from the past in a big garden - but is none the worse for that.
I read this book to my son, aged 7. He's probably still a little young for it but loved it all the same and I hope he'll read it for himself when he's older.

Absolutely timeless!, 04 Jun 2007
I first read this book when I was about ten and I still absolutely love it! Despite the fact it was written nearly half a century ago it has not dated at all and however many times I re-read it I still enjoy every page of it.

An absolutely magical book about time, growing up and long hours playing in leafy gardens, not just for kids but for everyone!

Go and read it, if you haven't already. And then read it again.

Clever and gripping, 02 Dec 2008
I thought this book was cleverly written, from the view of a 9 year old boy - it is only because we have historical hindsight of the events that are being described by the boy, who does not understand, that the full story plays out in your imagination as the story unfolds.
I did not expect the story to end the way it did. I was gripped.

Try something different, 01 Dec 2008
This book was recommended to me and when I eventually got round to buying it, I was hooked fairly quickly and finished it in a couple of days. There are some annoying repetitions with words which are used as substitutes for the real-life words, but apart from that it was a very easy book to read. I will not say that the book was enjoyable in the normal sense, as the subject matter is one which cannot be enjoyed, but it was a really good, easy to read book with a twist which just took my breath away.

A real twist in the tail!, 01 Dec 2008
I borrowed this book from the library for my son who's very into WW2 but he didn't want to read it so I did. I loved it and was taken by surprise at the tragic ending. I will remember it for a very long time.

Unbelievable Patronising, 30 Nov 2008
I bought this book from Amazon after seeing that there was a film coming out about the book. I can honestly say this is one of the worst books about the holocaust that I have ever read in terms of inaccuracies, patronising views and poor writing.

The author is Irish and is writing as if he is a Concentration Camp officers son. The kid is ridiculously naive in that he has never heard of "The Fuhrer" and doesn't know anything about the Jews. Every German child - especially one of such a 'high ranking official' would have been a part of the Hitler Youth and would have been indoctrinated with this ever since he could remember. The fact that he can openly sit and chat with a 9 year old polish jew - Schmuel and pass food under the fence is ridiculous beyond belief.

Boyne has also put sum idiotic puns in the book such as "outwith" for Auschwitz and "Fury" for Fuhrer. Boyne seems rather proud of these puns (which were he actually thinking in German they would not translate) and uses them throughout the book. The fact that the main character Bruno and his friends Daniel, Karl and Martin all have English names makes you wonder whether the author researched the holocaust at all or just wrote a twee English public school book and thought he'd include the holocaust to make it different.

I really would not recommend this book to anyone and definitely not for children. If this is their first experience of the Holocaust it is terribly inaccurate and would not educate them at all. Books like Hannah Goslar Remembers, The Diary Of Anne Frank and Schindlers List although heartbreaking are recommended.

Surprising, 23 Nov 2008
Ever since this book was released I have been attracted to it. In need of a "quick" read this weekend, I decided to purchase it and I am so glad that I did.

I wont tell you the story because that would spoil the book for you but what I will tell you is that it is a story about a boy called Bruno aged 9 and totally innocent and the story is told through his naive eyes.

I read the book in two days and it was a pleasure to read. The style was simple but evocotive.

The ending was a total surprise, there were no hints at what was coming and I felt the desolation as the story ended.

I am not sure if this book would right for a younger reader but certainly one in the early teens and definately adults like me.

Slow, boring in places., 11 Nov 2008
Please dont let him write another. Great Britain has the worlds greatest authors.
Anthony Horowitz; Alex Rider, Jason Steed, Ravens Gate, Necropolis.
Joe Craig: Jimmy Coates.
Robert Muchamore: Cherub.
All three authors have proved themselves as being the best teen spy writers not only in the country but the world.
Joe Craig who brought us Jimmy Coates is also the couson of James Bond Actor Daniel Crag.
Yet we have comedian Charlie Higson and part time author writing the young adventures of the great fictional character in the world.

By Royal Command is slows. and has James out of character, fleeing the country. The chapters are slow and boring in places.
When the wolrd is reading books by Anthony Horowitz and Stephenie Meyers this is a let down. Take the James Bond name away and you have nothing. I can see why they have not made a film on the series yet made a film about Alex Rider and are going to make a film on the Cherub series.

A Fantastic end to a Brilliant Series, 07 Nov 2008
This book was thoroughly enjoyable to read, and after reading all of the previous of the Young Bond series this was no worse than the others. I can't say it was any better as they are simply amazing page turners which have you going for 'just one more chapter'. I read both (young) James Bond and Alex Rider and the two are both superb.
This is worth the pennies, so go and get it NOW! If you haven't read the first 4, do that!

100% great.

A let down. Ok its alright but it out classed, 30 Oct 2008
A huge let down. This was Ok, thats all. Boring in a few places, typical in the next. James falls in love this time and acts way out of character compared to the other James Bond books. I am sorry to say the worst of Young James Bond.
Alex Rider author Anthony Horowitz and Jimmy Coates author Joe Craig, Twilight Author Stephene Meyers and Jason Steed author Mark Cooper know how to write about teenagers, love and spys.
Charlie Higson has the ground work done by Ian Flemming yet he does not use it. Please dont let him write another. This sereis should be a number one seller. Its not and never will be, I can see now why they wont make a young Bond movie.
However I give it three stars. Its just after reading Twilight, Jason Steed, The Boys in Stripped Pyjamas, Jimmy Coates and Alex Rider this book is a let down. Its just 'outclassed'
I would still read it if you have read the other boks. Silverfin was good.

A little slow, 15 Oct 2008
Not what I thought it would be. very slow, going on and on about facts not required, It seems the author is trying very hard to get a film made of the series, giving details of music ect as someone is killed and lots of non-requored details. The ending was good, but Charlie Higson sems to lack the skill of Ian Flemming or Anthony Horowitz.

A Satisfying end to a surprisingly good series, 09 Oct 2008
So we come to a close to the 'young bond' series, which i have to admit was far better than i expected it to be. Praise to Charlie Higson for handling the task emmensly well and for creating a very entertaining series. 'By Royal Command' is the final book in the series and this is the fifth time James Bond, a fourteen year old kid, has managed to get in to some mad far fetched adventure invovlving spies and this time round the prince of whales. So you have to completly abondon any plausability factor and by that i mean it's difficult to beleive that one boy can get mixed up in so many adventures, but still these books are entertaining and if you have read the others the chances are you won't be dissapointed with this. All the right ingrediants are there - the action, the locations, the girls, the allies and of course a larger than life villian, in fact in this story it's difficult to tell who's a friend or an enermy of our hero. There are some nice plot twists, even though the plot does waver in places. Compared to Hurricane Gold there is a lot less action, but there is still ample to keep younger readers fixed. Roan - the love interest is the strongest female friend to appear in the series so far, as her character is given more depth than anyone previously. This makes her the ownly believable thing in the book, but makes for a good love interest for Bond. Considering this is for children i'd have to say Higson over steps the mark on violence throughout the climax. It even made me feel sick let alone a thirteen year old. I wouldn't say that it is the best of the bunch, but it is still a entertaining read and is a satisfying close to a good series. well done Mr Higson.

Still got the magic, 14 Oct 2008
I just finished reading Artemis Fowl and The Time Paradox and I'm happy to say that I really enjoyed it. It's difficult to sustain a series without it getting old and repetitive, but I think Colfer has managed it. Maybe it's because it's been a while since the last in the series came out, I don't know, but I loved it. I was gripped by the action while still learning new things about the characters and having a laugh along the way as well. Bring on the next one!

By Angus Nicholson, 07 Oct 2008
Artemis Fowl is a fantasy book about a teenage criminal mastermind who discovered subterranean fairies. It is an action-packed book filled with wacky characters and jokes.
The plot is about Artemis having to travel back in time to find a cure to save his mother. The cure is a lemur which Artemis had killed when he was ten-years old because Mother had spent the money that Artemis was going to use to help try and get back his father who was taken by the mafia. This was a childish piece of revenge and he's now going to have to retrieve it from his younger-self's clutches.
Artemis, until recently, had been a criminal sought on becoming the most powerful one in the world until he discovered that that wasn't the most important thing in life. Now, he had a new outlook on life and was using his brains, power and wealth to help the environment and he had now given up his criminal lifestyle. You see that Artemis is now a family man with two younger brothers and is set on making his family's life as enjoyable as possible.
The storyline was brilliantly thought out with characters from the different books reappearing. However, you started to become slightly confused as you began to wonder who was from the present and who was from the past, so it started to turn into mayhem. Once having discovered where you were in the book (after reading it back a few times), it was a very entertaining read. The story kept going at a fast pace so you were always on the edge of your chair. I was gripped from start to finish so the author succeeded in that department yet the plot became, in some places, too thick to handle.
Overall, it was a great book and I would happily re-read it over and over again as it was a vastly enthralling experience.


Not one of the better AF books, 04 Oct 2008
I would definitely agree with Guest Reviewer Mo's write-up that this is the weakest of all the AF books, particularly after 'The Lost Colony', which was just brilliant. It does feel that Colfer is re-visiting old stuff and rehashing it, although there is a good twist at the end. Having said this, it was still a good read, and fans of the AF series will like it.

Fowl wishes, 19 Sep 2008
It's been two years since the last entry in the Artemis Fowl series, and although Eoin Colfer's Airman was enough to sustain me during that time I would prefer them to come once every year. But I do understand that authors need to try something new one in a while.

This entry has Artemis and Holly jump eight years into the past to find a cure for a rare disease that is about to be lost forever with an nearly-extinct species of lemur. But since Young Artemis was the one responsible for the animal's demise it's not going to be so easy for them to outwit and outmaneuver their rivals. Obviously the plan does not go smoothly and the mayhem escalates until the closing chapters.

Anyone who hasn't read the previous five books (and if not, why not?) won't have a clue what's going on here, and sound knowledge of the series is needed in order to fully keep up with the story. I did begin to notice a few plot holes here and there and a couple of bits that didn't make exact quantum physical sense, but that's why it's called 'The Time Paradox' after all. Colfer must have a wonderfully active imagination to keep a hold of all this in his mind before writing it down.

It sets up the story for another sequel but I would like to see Artemis and Holly move on as friends next time instead of them always falling in and out, I've had enough of that, and the lack of love between them cost this entry a star. Still, a solid 4/5 though.

Pure Genius!!!, 15 Sep 2008
I can't even explain the fantastic plot twists that riddle this book.
The tension of one Criminal Genius against another, with an old, surprise character from earlier in the series it's completely enthralling.
both Artemis's have trouble hanging on to life especially when K....... comes into the fray!

Great book, 17 Nov 2008
I reallly enjoyed this book, like all of the series but i was shocked how they seem to have skipped the other books into making them into audio books i was really looking forward to listening to Maximum Secruity but it seems they have decided to only realese the new books not the old ones.

Solid stuff, 15 Nov 2008
After ten books Robert Muchamore has put a new spin on the CHERUB series, creating a title that focuses on a massive training exercise in the Nevada desert.

It's a great story. My only qualm would be that the plot assumes some prior knowledge. I'd reccommend new readers start with one of the earlier books in the series, or better yet start from the beginning by reading The Recruit (or the hardback Ultimate Edition which contains the first two books at a bargain price).

Muchamore is a marvellous man!, 11 Nov 2008
The General is one in a fantastic series of books. I first thought they would be very much like Agent Cody Banks - unrealisitc and americanised. I was refreshed to find out that these books are gritty, realistic (as much as they can be) and totally believable. I'm beginning to wonder whether there really is a group of children agents among us, especially seeing how some children act today - maybe they're all on secret missions, which would explain some of the bizarre behaviour from the children at the school I work at!
This is a fantastic book for children, enough escapism to get your imagination going, but enough facts to pull you further into the book.
It is also a fun and enjoyable read for adults alike - a nice change to some of the tough going adult fiction around!

Much ado about Nothing, 25 Sep 2008
Robert Muchamore is an author who always delivers - until now!

The first in the Cherub series, The Recruit, had me hooked from the start on the adventures of child spy James Adams and his sister, Lauren. No other spy books - Alex Rider, Young James Bond, Jimmy Coates etc - could touch Cherub for quality, excitement or pure enjoyment.

However, I feel very let down by The General. Much of Muchamore's talent comes from creating believable and likeable characters, characters you invest your emotions in - characters you come to care about. In The General, however, he dwells less on the people and more on the action. His characters become cartoon-like, one-dimensional - with no real depth to them.

The story within The General is also sadly lacking. Although the book enjoys a tense and exciting opening chapter, it rapidly descends into a fiasco of plot, involving plans to rob a Las Vegas casino using MI5 spying equipment and "fighting dirty" in a tedious training exercise. Like another reviewer said, the series really does jump the shark here.

The success of the Cherub series, for me, was that you could 'just about' believe that a spy school for orphan kids was plausible - as crooks would certainly be less wary of kids than adults. However, I found much of the plot of The General - especially that of a teacher plotting with James to commit theft on a grand scale - just too ridiculous to swallow. Perhaps Muchamore is running out of ideas, perhaps he was working to a tight deadline and had to rush things. Whatever the problem, this book is certainly the weakest link in the Cherub chain.

I expected much, much more of Muchamore - but the hype surrounding the release of this book turned out to be much ado about nothing!




generally excellent!, 21 Sep 2008
This cherub book is special because instead of starting with a training exercise and ending with a mission it turns it round and starts with a mission and ends with a massive training exercise.The mission and the big training exercise are really good bits of the book which grip you throughout and times which are a bit funny (especially with kazakov who hates americans and trys to start a fight with lots of them).A very good read.


a story for all time, all ages, 20 Jul 2008
This is a classic story for children, set in the 50's, it is about time, memory and friendship.
Tom, lonely and isolated as he is in quarantine, finds his way back in time, at night (when the hall clock strikes 13), to a wonderful old garden and a little girl called Hattie, who, to his curiosity, is dressed in old fashioned clothes. The two lonely children become friends and I don't want to give away the beautifully devoloped plot, but Tom slowly realises that Hattie is growing up, while he remains the same age.
The atmosphere of the story is both mysterious and engaging, as Tom slowly works out where he is and who Hattie really is.
The end of the story takes in the biblical idea of time coming to and end, or the modern notion of not existing at all and the recognition that Tom and Hattie can/could be friends across time and for always.





Let your imagination soar into your own midnight garden, 13 Jul 2008
Tom, quarantined from his brother's measles and sent off to relatives, faces several weeks in a house converted into flats with no other kids, no playground and nothing at all for a boy of his age to do. A grandfather clock that tells the correct time but clangs different hours stands in the hallway of the house. One night, when the clock chimes a mysterious thirteenth hour, Tom goes down to investigate.

What he finds is an entirely different house with rich decorations and carpeting. And, behind the back door that in the daytime gives out to an alley, is his fondest wish - a vast garden to play in and a friend with whom to explore every tree and hedge and even the meadow and river beyond.

Time is the great mystery in this book. For Tom only 24 hours may have gone by since his last visit but seasons have passed in the garden. As for his friend, a girl named Hatty, sometimes she appears younger than he is and sometimes, she is almost an adult. And while he may spend a whole day in the garden, the grandfather clock shows that he only spent a few minutes out the door.

As with all good stories, the reader is not only immersed in the mystery and the enjoyment while reading, her imagination is stirred. And who knows what kind of concoction boils up when that happens? Oh to find one's own secret garden and a good friend behind a seemingly mundane door!

This book is not only for children but for adults as well. I would translate Tom's adventures to Zoe's Mid-afternoon Caribbean Cabana in which a cubicle-dwelling computer programmer enters a supplies closet in that hazy time between lunch and tea and finds a white sand beach, a hammock, a chick-lit novel and a cold, umbrella-decorated cocktail.

Essential reading, , 22 Jan 2008
A beautiful and tradtional story of magic, freindship & growing up. Adored by my children, loved by me.
Every school shelf should be stocked with this classic and every home shelf too.
When the trend for books is to 'gross out' young readers, this story reminds us that there is and always will be space for beautifully written well told enchanting stories.

A timeless classic, 13 Nov 2007
Tom is sent away to stay with his uncle and aunt in their small flat when his brother gets the measles. He misses his brother and their garden but one magical night, the grandfather clock in the hall strikes thirteen and Tom discovers a secret garden outside. Over the next few weeks, he spends time in the garden and befriends Hatty, a lonely orphan girl. But time obeys different rules in the "midnight garden" and gradually Hatty grows up and away from Tom...
This is a breathtakingly beautiful book. Not only are the descriptions of the garden and the frozen river lovely and evocative but the book raises all sorts of interesting questions about the nature of time, about ghosts, about dreams, about growing up and about the power of the imagination. It is quite similar in theme and feeling to "The Children of Green Knowe" - another book about a lonely boy who meets children from the past in a big garden - but is none the worse for that.
I read this book to my son, aged 7. He's probably still a little young for it but loved it all the same and I hope he'll read it for himself when he's older.

Absolutely timeless!, 04 Jun 2007
I first read this book when I was about ten and I still absolutely love it! Despite the fact it was written nearly half a century ago it has not dated at all and however many times I re-read it I still enjoy every page of it.

An absolutely magical book about time, growing up and long hours playing in leafy gardens, not just for kids but for everyone!

Go and read it, if you haven't already. And then read it again.

Lived up to expectations, 03 Dec 2008
I was curious as to how the CLimax of the series was going to take place.

I thought.. where, how is it going to link, how will they find each other.. whats going to happen, will there be a battle of some sorts. but no.. Maerad and Hem are led to each other by fates way.. they are guided.. and the defeating of the darkness isnt overdone... its impressive, simple, effective, and it made me sad that it ended, but glad because it wasnt rushed. the endings of soem books can be rushed and tied off loose ends for the sake of it, but this was done well. well thought out, well written and was a fantastic end to a brilliant series.

Fantastic!, 07 Nov 2008
This was a great read and an even greater conclusion a very nice way to say goodbye to Edil-Amarandh.

A solid but slightly disappointing finale - Contains Spoilers, 03 Oct 2008
The three earlier books in this series are amongst the best fantasy novels I've ever read. Unfortunately, 'The Singing' is not, in my opinion, nearly so good. 'The Riddle', for instance, is a thrilling book from start to finish. It's shocking and visceral - the sort of book that has you anxious for the safety of its characters throughout. The problem, for me, with 'The Singing' is that it has nothing close to that excitement. In fact, it has very little tension, very few if any surprises, and most importantly didn't demand an engagement with its characters from this reader in the way 'The Riddle' demanded you sat up straight and paid attention.
Maered is so powerful in this book I didn't fear for her in the slightest. The amoral'elemental' potential towards evil at the root of her character (introduced in 'The Riddle') was really the aspect of her that would, considering her powers, make her interesting - again, I felt this aspect of her was just hinted at, and again, failed to generate tension or complexity in this novel. All the set pieces are anti-climaxes - neither the Landrost nor the Nameless One are seen, the battles with them are 'psychological'. The overall effect is woolly and unaffecting. Hem's story, perhaps surprisingly, (though 'The Crow' was excellent too!) has more tension and a sense of things being at stake - the scene where Hem fights for Saliman's life is the most powerful in the book. It's a terrible shame I feel because it was just the most brilliant series. My suspicion is that Alison Croggon wanted to provide a timely portrait of a world beset by war and environmental crisis, but the emphasis on flooded landscapes and wartorn communities alongside a slow paced, very 'psychological' novel produced, for me, a very muted, anticlimactic conclusion to this series.

I wished it went on!, 01 Oct 2008
I have been waiting for this book for over a year since I read the first book, and was kept in suspense when it was meant to be a trilogy to begin with!
The Singing continued the story of Maread, Cadvan, Hem, Saliman and Irc. I do agree with one reviewer and that it was an anticlimax and the final showdown was a disappointment. I was also diasppointed with Croggan for not really developing the relationship between Maread and Cadvan, and so when the ending did come, it felt like I had skipped a few chapters and missed it all! I am looking forward to reading her next books, whatever that may be.

Not as impressive as The Crow, 21 Sep 2008
It was a very good read but a bit disapointing.
there were no main battle scenes at all. In the end it was a dull journey story. when maerad finally sung the treesong was boring and you ended up wanting it to end. This book is ok but not the best in the quartet.

Clever and gripping, 02 Dec 2008
I thought this book was cleverly written, from the view of a 9 year old boy - it is only because we have historical hindsight of the events that are being described by the boy, who does not understand, that the full story plays out in your imagination as the story unfolds.
I did not expect the story to end the way it did. I was gripped.

Try something different, 01 Dec 2008
This book was recommended to me and when I eventually got round to buying it, I was hooked fairly quickly and finished it in a couple of days. There are some annoying repetitions with words which are used as substitutes for the real-life words, but apart from that it was a very easy book to read. I will not say that the book was enjoyable in the normal sense, as the subject matter is one which cannot be enjoyed, but it was a really good, easy to read book with a twist which just took my breath away.

A real twist in the tail!, 01 Dec 2008
I borrowed this book from the library for my son who's very into WW2 but he didn't want to read it so I did. I loved it and was taken by surprise at the tragic ending. I will remember it for a very long time.

Unbelievable Patronising, 30 Nov 2008
I bought this book from Amazon after seeing that there was a film coming out about the book. I can honestly say this is one of the worst books about the holocaust that I have ever read in terms of inaccuracies, patronising views and poor writing.

The author is Irish and is writing as if he is a Concentration Camp officers son. The kid is ridiculously naive in that he has never heard of "The Fuhrer" and doesn't know anything about the Jews. Every German child - especially one of such a 'high ranking official' would have been a part of the Hitler Youth and would have been indoctrinated with this ever since he could remember. The fact that he can openly sit and chat with a 9 year old polish jew - Schmuel and pass food under the fence is ridiculous beyond belief.

Boyne has also put sum idiotic puns in the book such as "outwith" for Auschwitz and "Fury" for Fuhrer. Boyne seems rather proud of these puns (which were he actually thinking in German they would not translate) and uses them throughout the book. The fact that the main character Bruno and his friends Daniel, Karl and Martin all have English names makes you wonder whether the author researched the holocaust at all or just wrote a twee English public school book and thought he'd include the holocaust to make it different.

I really would not recommend this book to anyone and definitely not for children. If this is their first experience of the Holocaust it is terribly inaccurate and would not educate them at all. Books like Hannah Goslar Remembers, The Diary Of Anne Frank and Schindlers List although heartbreaking are recommended.

Surprising, 23 Nov 2008
Ever since this book was released I have been attracted to it. In need of a "quick" read this weekend, I decided to purchase it and I am so glad that I did.

I wont tell you the story because that would spoil the book for you but what I will tell you is that it is a story about a boy called Bruno aged 9 and totally innocent and the story is told through his naive eyes.

I read the book in two days and it was a pleasure to read. The style was simple but evocotive.

The ending was a total surprise, there were no hints at what was coming and I felt the desolation as the story ended.

I am not sure if this book would right for a younger reader but certainly one in the early teens and definately adults like me.

Slow, boring in places., 11 Nov 2008
Please dont let him write another. Great Britain has the worlds greatest authors.
Anthony Horowitz; Alex Rider, Jason Steed, Ravens Gate, Necropolis.
Joe Craig: Jimmy Coates.
Robert Muchamore: Cherub.
All three authors have proved themselves as being the best teen spy writers not only in the country but the world.
Joe Craig who brought us Jimmy Coates is also the couson of James Bond Actor Daniel Crag.
Yet we have comedian Charlie Higson and part time author writing the young adventures of the great fictional character in the world.

By Royal Command is slows. and has James out of character, fleeing the country. The chapters are slow and boring in places.
When the wolrd is reading books by Anthony Horowitz and Stephenie Meyers this is a let down. Take the James Bond name away and you have nothing. I can see why they have not made a film on the series yet made a film about Alex Rider and are going to make a film on the Cherub series.

A Fantastic end to a Brilliant Series, 07 Nov 2008
This book was thoroughly enjoyable to read, and after reading all of the previous of the Young Bond series this was no worse than the others. I can't say it was any better as they are simply amazing page turners which have you going for 'just one more chapter'. I read both (young) James Bond and Alex Rider and the two are both superb.
This is worth the pennies, so go and get it NOW! If you haven't read the first 4, do that!

100% great.

A let down. Ok its alright but it out classed, 30 Oct 2008
A huge let down. This was Ok, thats all. Boring in a few places, typical in the next. James falls in love this time and acts way out of character compared to the other James Bond books. I am sorry to say the worst of Young James Bond.
Alex Rider author Anthony Horowitz and Jimmy Coates author Joe Craig, Twilight Author Stephene Meyers and Jason Steed author Mark Cooper know how to write about teenagers, love and spys.
Charlie Higson has the ground work done by Ian Flemming yet he does not use it. Please dont let him write another. This sereis should be a number one seller. Its not and never will be, I can see now why they wont make a young Bond movie.
However I give it three stars. Its just after reading Twilight, Jason Steed, The Boys i