Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Princelings of the East Blog Tour

The Princelings of the East by Jemima Pett

About the Book

Title: The Princelings of the East (Princelings of the East Trilogy, Book 1; 2nd edition)
Author: Jemima Pett
Year published: originally published 2011
Publisher: Princelings Publications
Number of pages: 103
Recommended age: 10+
Summary (Amazon):
The Princelings of the East is the first of a trilogy telling of the adventures of Fred and George. When the King's Birthday feast is ruined by an unnatural power drain, our Princeling heroes leave their scientific experiments to set out in search of answers. They encounter the enigmatic businessman Hugo, the impressive Prince of Buckmore, the wise Lady Nimrod, the irrepressible barkeeper Victor, but find themselves threatened by those with vested interests. The scene shifts from a rural, feudal setting to the towers and heights of the curious Isle of Hattan, but where, or when, are they? Time is of the essence in solving this puzzle, and our heroes must keep their wits sharp and their heads clear if they are to survive. Suitable for good readers aged 10 and over, The Princelings of the East is a fantasy adventure with the charm of the Wind in the Willows in a world reminiscent of Anne MacCaffrey's Pern.
 

Purchase

The Princelings of the East by Jemima Pett

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The Buzz

"Jemima Pett has woven a suspenseful mystery featuring a cast of memorable characters headed by the two charismatic guinea pigs, Fred and George. Pett dives into the story right away introducing Fred and George and establishing the crux of the plot early in the book - namely, the mysterious Energy Drain. The plot line, with its many twists and turns, is very intricate and complex; thus, making it enjoyable for older tweens and even adults. Science fiction aficionados in particular will be interested in the element of time-travel in this book." ~ Mother Daughter Book Reviews, 5 Stars
"It was easy for me to settle into Pett's writing style; it's been a while since I've read anything by Anne McCaffrey or J.R.R. Tolkien, and Pett's writing is a welcomed reminder of how that style of writing can really add to a good plot-line. I have to say that I was impressed with the novel overall. Although it is for older children, it's still written in a way that will appeal to many adults." ~ Megan, Amazon, 5 Stars
"After reading The Princelings of the East, I felt as if my IQ had gone up a few points with Ms. Pett's vocabulary choices - what refreshing text. This true adventure book which includes a fight, time travel and mysterious strangers is reminiscent of Wind in the Willows - with a twist...I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. I enjoyed it very much and look forward to reading the next book in the Princelings series." ~Christine M. Goodreads, 5 Stars.
 

About the Author: Jemima Pett

Jemima Pett Author I've been writing since I was about 8 years old. When my mum died in 2003, I found a small booklet in her box of treasures, written in a very childish hand, entitled The Little Stream. I've been writing articles and reports for newsletters and magazines ever since, but I couldn't find interesting characters and plot for a novel! I worked in business for many years. I wrote manuals, reports, science papers, blogs, journals, anything and everything that kept the words flowing. Finally the characters jumped into my head with stories that needed to be told, and THE PRINCELINGS OF THE EAST was born. I now live in Norfolk with my guinea pigs, the first of whom, Fred, George, Victor and Hugo, provided the inspiration for my stories. And the picture is me with Fred. That's Princeling Fred, of course!

Book Website: http://princelings.co.uk/

Author Website: http://jemimapett.com/

Twitter: @Jemima_Pett

Facebook: The Princelings of the East

Pinterest: Jemima Pett

Google+: Jemima Pett

Goodreads: Jemima Pett

 

The Princelings of the East Blog Tour Schedule (2013)

September 23
September 24
September 25
September 26
September 27
September 28
September 29
September 30
October 1
October 2
October 3
October 4
October 5
October 6
October 7
 

*** The Princelings of the East Blog Tour Giveaway ***

The Princelings of the East Trilogy by Jemima PettAmazon 25 gift card
                  Prize: One winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card or PayPal cash + a paperback copy of The Princelings of the East Trilogy by Jemima Pett Contest runs: September 23 to October 20, 11:59 pm, 2013 Open: WW How to enter: Enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. If you have any additional questions - feel free to send us an email! a Rafflecopter giveaway MDBR Book Promotion Services

My Review:

Princelings George and Fred leave the safe confines of their home, Castle Marsh, to investigate a mysterious and recurring Energy Drain that ruined their grandfather, King Cole’s birthday feast (and led to a lot of good food being wasted too!). They must find the answers since this situation cannot go on forever. Soon, there might be no power left. Leaving the castle is easier than they imagined; in fact the very mention of how useful a tunnel would be is enough for a tunnel to obligingly appear. A Great Adventure calls. Fred and George, inseparable, find themselves separated but they make the best of it. They meet a number of mysterious and sometimes vaguely sinister characters, particularly the ones with a vested interest in the situation. Is the production of a delicious and popular cola drink really the problem?  And is time getting messed up somehow…?
George and Fred, although twins, are appealing and different characters. George (the Brains – he is a Thinker) and Fred (the Brawn – he is the Adventurer) make a great team, relying on each other all the time. When their adventure separates them, they must learn to rely on themselves and make decisions and choices depending on the circumstances that confront each one. They are inventive, curious, brave, and sharp-witted, no mean feat to survive in a variety of situations where petty politics rule. Both George and Fred go on a real journey of discovery, but in fact, much of the journey is internal as they miss each other’s presence, but make those vital choices alone in the end.

Author Jemima Pett creates a charming and endearing world that is a fantastical mix of medieval with technology. Detailed descriptions sink the reader right into each new location and paint vivid pictures of sights and sounds, and the way the inhabitants live. The secondary characters entertain and amuse as well, with a quaint turn of phrase, or a deep, dark purpose (depending on who it is) to give them definition. Lovely idiosyncrasies such as habits and speech patterns ensure the secondary players are fully rounded in this tale. Ms. Pett’s tongue-in-cheek humour will also give many a laugh to slightly older readers.

There is a useful list of characters and locations in the front of the book, which will help younger readers through the twists and turns of this surprisingly complex plot. The author’s illustrations that preface each chapter are delightful and help cement the reader in the context. A lovely read for all ages, with enough action, adventure, inventiveness, and fun to satisfy the most demanding reader. Fans will be delighted to learn that George and Fred’s adventures continue with the second and third books in the series. PS: George and Fred are Guinea Pigs, extremely clever ones, as you will find out!

5 comments:

Renee C. said...

Thank you so much for your thorough review of The Princelings of the East. I agree that given the complexity of the plot (complex in a GOOD way!) and the richness of the character development, the book is much more suited to a slightly older audience. It's difficult to find good books for upper middle grade that are complex and challenging enough without having violence and gore and dark themes. Thanks for taking part in the tour Fiona. :)

Jemima Pett said...

Thank you so much for the lovely review, Fiona! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for taking part in the blog tour, it is much appreciated. :)

Jambo said...

Fabulous review Fiona. I just knew you would love this one as much as I did. Congrats to Jemima.

Fiona Ingram said...

While reading, I kept thinking how useful George's inventions would be in solving the energy crisis in the world and ensuring a greener future.

Jemima Pett said...

Well, the strawberry juice power plant is out there - although it runs on hydrogen, not strawberry juice - and is called a fuel cell. Technological change usually goes hand in hand with social change, and George's world won't be immune to that.

But our intentions are good!

I'm glad it provoked these thoughts though. Thanks again for a lovely review.