For a start, one of my very favourite writers, Jacqueline Wilson, sent me a postcard telling me she thought was Phoenix was brilliant (and yes, she actually underlined the word 'brilliant'), structurally perfect, and a total page-turner! And then she wrote a piece on her website about her summer reading, which says she 'especially loved Phoenix'! When one of your heroes says something like that, it really means the world, especially when their own work is so brilliant in every way... I can't wait to read her next one, Diamond, which is out in September!
Then I got a text from Paul Stewart, the awesome author of The Edge Chronicles, Wyrmeweald and Barnaby Grimes, saying that he'd started reading Phoenix on Wednesday, couldn't stop, and had just finished it on Friday morning! He apologised for reading it in two days when it had taken me seven years to write – but he knows what a compliment that is, something every writer dreams of hearing... I couldn't thank him enough, particularly as I find his own work unputdownable...
And then there've been some fantastic reviews in the past few days. I particularly love this one by Shelagh Rowan-Legg on Dorkshelf, who also interviewed me for the same site. She says Phoenix is:
"one of my best reading experiences this year. A science fiction story with amazing and real characters, dramatic action, a fascinating mythology and incredible artwork by Dave McKean, I can’t recommend this enough... At nearly 500 pages, the book may seem daunting, but it’s the kind you can’t put down... A remarkable adventure story for any age."Click here to read the full piece!
My son loved 'Varjak Paw' and though he's now a fair bit older than when he read that, he's become a keen SF reader so I'll set about ordering 'Phoenix' for him. Wishing you much success with the book!
ReplyDeleteSam's mum
Thank you so much, that really means a lot to me! And please give my best wishes to Sam - I hope he enjoys it! I think it probably is for a slightly older readership than Varjak Paw - my publisher thinks it's 9 and up; I certainly hope that teenagers and adults will enjoy it too...
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