by Marcus Sedgwick (Author)
The days between 27 December and New Year's Eve are dead days, when spirits roam and magic shifts restlessly just beneath the surface of our everyday lives. There is a man, Valerian, whose time is running out, who must pay the price for the pact he made with evil so many years ago. His servant is Boy, a child with no name and no past; a child he treats with contempt, but who serves his master well and finds solace in the company of his only friend, Willow. Unknown to any of them it is Boy who holds the key to their destiny. But before that is revealed, Boy and Willow are held captive in the palace of the Emperor Frederick. Here they are plunged into a world of gilded finery and splendour. Beneath the golden veneer lies cruelty and madness. They are in terrible danger as they confront the whirlwind furies of the Emperor, the calculating ambitions of his confidante, Maxim, and follow a trail which will lead them to the murderous Phantom. THE BOOK OF DEAD DAYS and THE DARK FLIGHT DOWN are mesmerising stories of sorcery and desperate magic spanning dark cities, deadly courtrooms, and the threatening, frozen countryside. The truth about Valerian's past, Boy's identity and many other shattering secrets are laid bare as the Book of Dead Days is opened for the final time...
Format: Paperback
Pages: 512
Edition: New Ed
Publisher: Orion Children's Books
Published: 20 Sep 2007
ISBN 10: 1842556002
ISBN 13: 9781842556009
Children’s book age: 12+ Years
Book Overview: Acknowledged as breakthrough titles for the author. THE BOOK OF DEAD DAYS was longlisted for the Guardian Children's Fiction Award and with DARK FLIGHT DOWN has sold over 104,000 in hardback and paperback. Marcus has been published in 15 languages. Works in publishing and is known to many booksellers. 'This is an elegantly plotted, exquisitely gothic tale which confirms Sedgwick's status as one of our finest contemporary children's authors.' Joanne Owen, The Bookseller Audio edition of THE BOOK OF DEAD DAYS is available.