Salt Spring Reads is an online book club/review. For this column I try to find books that you might love to discover, books with a Salt Spring connection. Reviewed books are available at the Salt Spring Library and in local bookstores. Feel free to share your comments to discuss this book online with others.
The variety of books written on Salt Spring Island is amazing. This month I am sharing with you a sci-fi novel for readers (ages 12 and up) who enjoy fantastical tales of dragon like creatures and other planets.
Raptor Night by W. James Dickinson
Every fifteen years on Mandeler’s planet there are great black winged creatures, the Raptors, which come in the night to kill and take people away to their distant lair. On his sixteenth birthday, Mandeler is gifted with a remarkable red stone, but it also coincides with the return of the Great Raptors. Driven by his tormented dreams of flying with the Raptors, he sets out on a quest to warn others of the advancing attacks.
He is accompanied on his journey by one of the planet’s strange creatures, a denzel. As their path takes them into unknown dangers, the young Mandeler meets the street smart Gwenelle. Together they set out to find the mythical olive raptor to help them face the greatest danger of all.
Richard Foy of Cochrane says of this book: "I thoroughly enjoyed reading Raptor Night. It was easy to become absorbed in its mystical world. The writing stimulated all five of my senses, resulting in a set of multi-level word pictures. The “voice” and language evoked a sense of this far-away mystical world, which became believable as the story progressed. Also, the dialogue technique of “mind-speak” was very creative, allowing for another layer of plot and character development that I have not seen before. I hope there is more to come!”
The novel is packed with adventure and excitement.
For more details and to read an excerpt, go here: http://wjamesdickinson.com
Raptor Night, W. James Dickinson
ISBN 978-1-77084-562-6
Margriet Ruurs is a Salt Spring Island author of over 30 books. Her latest title Stepping Stones, A Refugee Family’s Journey, is a Canadian bestseller.