Reviewed by Kira M for TeensReadToo.com
Set in a post-apocalyptic England, Lilly Melkun has a fairly ordinary life. Each day, she and her seacat go out fishing and come back to a home-cooked supper that Granny has made. One day, however, when she returns home, she discovers the village has been ransacked by raiders, the visiting Prime Minister's daughter has been kidnapped, and Granny has been killed.
Angry at the villagers for not retaliating against the raiders, the Prime Minister shows up in the village, presses all able-bodied young men into fighting the war he wants to start, arrests all leaders in authority, and threatens to hang the lot of them if they turn out to be traitors.
When the Prime Minister's sister asks Lilly to come to her house in the village, she discovers that the raiders were after a jewel that the woman has from her husband. Determined to save the day, Lilly cuts off her hair in order to look like a boy, and steals the jewel and the letter explaining to whoever cares what the object is and why she has it.
Trouble finds her quickly, though, when Lilly arrives in London and gets pushed into the mud by the son of the raider who ransacked her village. Followed everywhere by the raider boy, she comes up with a plan involving befriending the boy in order to rescue the Prime Minister's daughter.
What will happen when the boy discovers what she's really up to? Will Lilly save the day and stop a war from killing off everyone she cares about?
RAIDERS' RANSOM is an action-packed adventure filled with humor, suspense, and even a talking head. The characters are endearing and entertaining. The plot is fast-paced and well-developed, with lots of twists and turns. Readers will enjoy the surprises that lie in store for them when they read this story.
Those who like fantasy, adventure, and science fiction will all have a hard time putting this book down - and will hope the author writes a sequel.
Set in a post-apocalyptic England, Lilly Melkun has a fairly ordinary life. Each day, she and her seacat go out fishing and come back to a home-cooked supper that Granny has made. One day, however, when she returns home, she discovers the village has been ransacked by raiders, the visiting Prime Minister's daughter has been kidnapped, and Granny has been killed.
Angry at the villagers for not retaliating against the raiders, the Prime Minister shows up in the village, presses all able-bodied young men into fighting the war he wants to start, arrests all leaders in authority, and threatens to hang the lot of them if they turn out to be traitors.
When the Prime Minister's sister asks Lilly to come to her house in the village, she discovers that the raiders were after a jewel that the woman has from her husband. Determined to save the day, Lilly cuts off her hair in order to look like a boy, and steals the jewel and the letter explaining to whoever cares what the object is and why she has it.
Trouble finds her quickly, though, when Lilly arrives in London and gets pushed into the mud by the son of the raider who ransacked her village. Followed everywhere by the raider boy, she comes up with a plan involving befriending the boy in order to rescue the Prime Minister's daughter.
What will happen when the boy discovers what she's really up to? Will Lilly save the day and stop a war from killing off everyone she cares about?
RAIDERS' RANSOM is an action-packed adventure filled with humor, suspense, and even a talking head. The characters are endearing and entertaining. The plot is fast-paced and well-developed, with lots of twists and turns. Readers will enjoy the surprises that lie in store for them when they read this story.
Those who like fantasy, adventure, and science fiction will all have a hard time putting this book down - and will hope the author writes a sequel.
