Monkey Wars Synopsis
From BAFTA-nominated screenwriter Richard Kurti comes a gripping and original thriller exploring the dangers of power. When a troop of Langur monkeys attacks a group of Rhesus monkeys, a terrifying struggle for power begins. A young Langur, Mico, attempts to stop the bloodshed, but becomes entangled in the Langur leadership's dangerous secrets. Mico has to choose between right and wrong, but when monkeys turn on each other, there can be no survivors... Nominated for the CILIP Carnegie Medal and the UKLA Book Award and described as "strikingly original" by Anthony Horowitz, author of the Alex Rider and Power of Five series.
About This Edition
ISBN: |
9781406346107 |
Publication date: |
2nd May 2013 |
Author: |
Richard Kurti |
Publisher: |
Walker Books Ltd an imprint of Walker Books |
Format: |
Paperback |
Pagination: |
397 pages |
Suitable For: |
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Recommendations: |
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About Richard Kurti
As a child I grew up in Harlow, Essex, where I spent a lot of time climbing trees, building Lego, playing football and mooching with friends. After seeing Steven Spielberg’s first film, Duel, I became a movie fanatic, watching everything from German New Wave to American blockbusters, and dreaming of becoming a film director. Somewhere along the line I started working insanely hard at school to try and get good enough grades to get to University.
As an adult I studied Philosophy & English at Cambridge University, which was a completely mind-expanding experience. After graduating, I trained at the BBC as a TV sound recordist, working on everything from Blue Peter to the Barcelona Olympics. In the meantime, I started directing short films and documentaries, and this led on to scriptwriting… which soon turned into a full time job. I have written screenplays for Hollywood studios, as well as TV shows like Robin Hood, Primeval and Sinbad, and am currently developing a TV series of the Quatermain books. Ever since I can remember, I have wanted to write a novel; one day I decided to stop dreaming and start doing something about it. Because I had to fit the novel in around my screenwriting, I started getting up an hour earlier every day… I bought a tiny laptop that stayed with me all the time, so that every spare minute could be used for writing … three years later Monkey Wars was finished.
As a writer I will write anywhere that I can set up my laptop and put on a pair of headphones! When I’m out and about, Costa Coffee is my favourite place to write – you can make a cappuccino and some biscuits last for two hours and no-one throws you out. Trains are another great place to write, especially one hour journeys – just enough time to get a couple of pages done, not so long that you get bogged down. At home I’ve got a room set aside just for writing – all my notes and dictionaries are laid out, so I can just dive straight in. Before I submit a draft, I always like to read it out loud to myself. I’ve read bedtime stories to my son ever since he was 6 months old, and I think hearing words said out loud can alert you to things you miss when you read silently in your mind.
Things you didn’t know about Richard Kurti
1. I love riding water slides – the steeper the better.
2. I hate wearing ties.
3. I always listen to music when I write.
4. My fingers are double-jointed, so I can do some weird things with them.
5. I refuse to buy an Apple MAC – long live the PC!
6. Toast and Marmite is my favourite food.
7. I suffer from formophobia (fear of filling in forms).
8. I love skiing, and wish I’d started doing it 20 years ago.
9. I will do (almost) anything for chocolate.
10. One day I would like to build a clock.
More About Richard Kurti