'Stories aren’t all about fighting and revenge. You have to have a bit of character development. Some suspense, some atmosphere’. So says the bard telling the story of rabbit hero Podkin One-Ear, and his tale certainly has all those things. Podkin is son of the chieftain of the Munbury warren but forced to flee with his baby brother and capable big sister Paz when their home is invaded by the terrifiying Gorm, iron-clad monster rabbits turned evil by greed and enchantment. The story of how their little band grows to start the fight back against the Gorm is full of magic, narrow escapes and heroic deeds. Written in a very engaging style, regular breaks when the bard discusses the story with his audience both building and easing tension, this is a great bit of storytelling. Readers will hope for more adventures for Podkin and Paz.
For more stories of animals fighting evil see Brian Jacques's Redwall series or Robin Jarvis’s equally thrilling Deptford Mice books.
The Five Realms: The Legend of Podkin One-Ear Synopsis
A thick white blanket covers the wide slopes of the band of hills known as the Razorback Downs...
Podkin is the son of a warrior chieftain. He knows that one day it will be up to him to lead his warren and guard it in times of danger. But for now, he's quite happy to laze around annoying his older sister Paz, and playing with his baby brother Pook.
Then Podkin's home is brutally attacked, and the young rabbits are forced to flee. The terrifying Gorm are on the rampage, and no one and nowhere is safe. With danger all around them, Podkin must protect his family, uncover his destiny, and attempt to defeat the most horrifying enemy rabbitkind has ever known.
Kieran Larwood was born in Kenya. He moved to the UK when he was 2 and lived in various places before settling on the Isle of Wight where he can still be found: exploring rockpools, climbing trees and writing - slowly disappearing behind a mountain of notebooks and empty coffee mugs. He taught Reception class in a primary school for fifteen years before becoming a full-time author.
Kieran’s books have won several awards, including the Blue Peter Best Story and the Prix Sorcières.
He is inspired by a life-long love of fantasy stories, which all began when – as a young boy – he picked up a copy of The Hobbit and saw the map inside. It just goes to show – you never know where opening a book will lead…
