The Mirror of Pharos - J.S. Landor - Book Cover
Young Adult & Juvenile

The Mirror of Pharos – J.S. Landor

*Children’s Book*Young Adults*

An unusual messenger goes to a lot of trouble of delivering a peculiar package to Jack Tideswell. The tragic deaths of his parents on an archaeological mission caused Jack to hate adventures. But he is captivated by the magical contents of the package and before he knows it, he is head over heels in an exciting adventure of his own…

Introduction 

Jack Tideswell is a twelve-year-old boy living with his Grandmother after his parents had died on an archaeological mission. His parents’ accidental death caused Jack to hate adventures. But then, against his will, he is captivated by the contents of the package and by a stranger he meets. Before he knows it, he is in over his head much against his Grandmother’s wishes.

Storyline

Number 12, Hill Rise, Morton Muxloe is the place a seagull is most desperate to deliver a brown parcel to – what is in it, we do not know but somehow, the wind insists on preventing the seagull from reaching the house. In the shadows, “two amber eyes patrolled the sky.” and yet again, we have no idea what is going on. If only Jack Tideswell knew what had happened while he was still in bed he might have woken differently but, as it turns out, this will take some time. For Jack, it is an ordinary Monday and that means: the weekend is over, back to school where his constant tormentors are ready to bully him as usual. Jacks Grandmother has no idea, he dares not tell her but his best friend, Charlie Day, an adventurous girl who is never afraid to speak her mind, is aware of the bullying but is sworn to secrecy. Involving his Grandmother will make things worse, Jack is positive. But even Charlie is puzzled when Jack tells her how he spent his afternoon…

It had all to do with the contents of the brown package – “a round piece of metal about the size and shape of a compact disc.” The CD feels warm and slowly, a pulsing sensation takes control of Jack’s mind. He tries to get a grip but everything is rapidly spiralling out of control for Jack and before he knows it, he finds himself… where? Aboard a ship! And not just any ship but one that is about to capsize! Jack has no idea how he found himself in such a dangerous and life-threatening situation and, to top it all, there are people who seem to know him! He has no time to think or consider because there are dead bodies and he has to escape but then he hears a little girl, Lily, crying for her parents. Lily’s only hope of rescue is Jack but with the coldness of the seawater surrounding them… A blur and a feeling of darkness all around … and Jack is back in his own room in Morton Muxloe with Charlie. Both are clueless as to what has happened. And why is his computer showing an image of a lighthouse? A word materialises: “Pharos.” What dangers will await them? Follow me and find out!

My Thoughts

As someone who loves magic and tales of adventures, and who has devoured the Harry Potter books, The Mirror of Pharos was too good not to be read! I enjoyed the adventures and the magical journeys – and how everything is not quite what it seems…. jack Tideswell is an endearing character, a victim of bullying but nonetheless, a fighter. Since his parents died, he dislikes anything adventurous but somehow, he is drawn into events beyond his control … one after another. I loved Charlie, his best friend. She is courageous and plucky and stands up for what she believes in! And of course, I have to mention Jack’s Grandmother or ‘Nan’ as he calls her. She is lovely and the author has described her so well that you can easily picture her baking in the kitchen, with her apron and chaos all around her!

With ‘The Mirror of Pharos,’ the author has created an imaginative and exciting modern fairy tale, a wonderful YA story for all ages that flows well and captivates you from the beginning!

About the Author

J.S. Landor Author Image

J.S. (Jenny) Landor grew up in Luton, an industrial town famous for making hats until the family decided to emigrate to Canada. The crossing took a whole week, an epic voyage for a five-year-old. That amount of rolling sea is not easily forgotten! Nor the seagulls. No surprise that years later the ship (or a fictional version of her) sailed right into one of the author’s stories: The Mirror of Pharos.

J.S. Landor studied literature at university and edited a magazine called Magus (look out for that word in the story). Later she became a journalist, a farmer and eventually a publishing editor. But all the while another adventure was beckoning. Someone had whispered a secret to her on a school field trip when she was just seven. Looking back it shaped her destiny. It’s the reason Jenny Landor became a storyteller.

Book Info

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Paperback  344 pages
 Publisher  Matador (24 Oct. 2017)
 ISBN  978-1788039208
 eBook  3546 KB (Troubador (22 Oct. 2017)
 ASIN  B076PYW8N2

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