Stormchaser

STORMCHASER by Paul Stewart & Chris Riddell
The Edge Chronicles Book II
Doubleday - 1999
ISBN 0385600046 - Hardcover
Fantasy
Ages 12 & Up

Reviewed by Rachel Hyde, MyShelf.com
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Twig is back – no longer wandering lost and alone in the forest but this time with his sky pirate captain father Quintinius Verginix and the rest of the crew in the skyship Stormchaser. But Twig fails to prove himself worthy and soon the ship is in jeopardy necessitating a trip to their greedy creditor Mother Horsefeather. They have one chance to make some money now which is told to Twig by the caterbird whose hatching he witnessed in the first book. The floating island citadel of Sanctaphrax is in danger of drifting away unless enough Stormphrax can be gathered from the eye of a Great Storm. This substance is heavy enough to weight down the citadel and replace what has been sold as a drinking water purifier by the evil High Academe Vilnix Pompolnius.

Many adventures lie ahead of Twig in this thrilling story – the dreaded Lost Knights of the Twilight Woods, the dangerous Mire in which lives Screed Toe-Taker (and just what does he want all those toes for?) seedy Undertown and the exalted hall of Sanctaphrax. Profusely illustrated by Chris Riddell this is a rare gem of modern juvenile literature in that it manages to entertain from beginning to end without being twee or preachy. A rare feat and I for one look forward to Book III which is going to be called Midnight Over Sanctaphrax.

The first book in the series is called Beyond the Deepwoods.