Review: Lockwood & Co: The Hollow Boy by Jonathan Stroud

Lockwood & Co. might be the smallest (some might say shambolic) Psychic Detection Agency in London. But its three agents - Lockwood, Lucy and George - are exceptional Talents. And they get results. When an outbreak of ghostly phenomena grows to terrifying levels in Chelsea, Scotland Yard is left baffled.

Even more baffling is that Lockwood & Co appear to have been excluded from the huge team of Agents investigating the Chelsea Outbreak. Surely this is the perfect chance for them to show once and for all that they're actually the best in town? Well, that's if they can put aside their personal differences for long enough to march into action with their rapiers, salt and iron . . .

To my great shame, I have just realised that I have not featured reviews of either of the first two Lockwood & Co. books on this blog. This discovery has caused no small amount of confusion as well, as I was pretty sure I had posted a review of at least one of the books, but all I can find is a brief mention of The Screaming Staircase in my Books of 2013 post. Maybe I just wrote the reviews in my head? Hey, whatever, they are both flippin' brilliant so if you haven't done so and you like horror stories with a dash of comedy (or comedy stories with a massive dollop of the spooky) then make it a priority, and definitely before you read this third outing, The Hollow Boy.

I have been a fan of Jonathan Stroud's writing ever since I first read The Amulet of Samarkand, and he continues to impress all these years later (twelve years since the first Bartimaeus book! Can you believe it?). In fact, great as the first two Lockwood & Co. books were, this one is even better and certainly confirms Stroud as one of the best MG/YA writers around (and so begins the discussion - is Lockwood & Co. YA or MG? I'd have to ignore those often overlapping categories and go for a more specific 11+ in this case I think).

At the end of The Whispering Skull we were left with something of a cliffhanger - whilst the main story had been brought to a satisfying conclusion, Lockwood was finally about to reveal something of the mystery of his past to his two fellow agents, Lucy and George. The Hollow Boy doesn't exactly pick up where things were left - we have to wait a handful of chapters of ghost hunting for that - and when we do finally find out, the reveal leaves us with almost as many questions as answers. And we are not the only ones left wanting more - the ever-inquisitive Lucy Carlyle is also left wondering, something which obviously continues to cause friction throughout the story. And that's not the only cause of tension between Lucy and Lockwood - due to the increase in their cases since their successes in The Whispering Skull, Lockwood deems it necessary to take on an assistant in the form of the seemingly perfect Holly Munro. Cue that ole' green eyed monster that is jealousy taking a firm root in Lucy's mind.

Not only does Stroud use The Hollow Boy to really develop Lucy's character, he also gives us a much greater understanding of the alternative London/world that he has created, especially with regards to the scale of the 'Problem' and how it affects whole populations and not just individuals who are unlucky enough to live in a haunted house. It's also a much darker instalment for Lockwood and his friends, to the point where as readers we are not entirely sure whether all of them will make it to the final page alive. As narrator, Lucy also drops the occasional hint that things do not turn out perfectly for the team, and this just ramps up the tension even more.

There are reveals and developments aplenty in The Hollow Boy, but I feel the book also needs to come with an advisory notice as by the end we are most definitely left with even more questions than we had at its beginning, and even worse - the cliffhanger at the end is even bigger and more jaw dropping than that at the end of The Whispering Skull. And unlike that previous episode, even the main plot line of this book does not have a neat and tidy ending and we are cruelly left with all kinds of (most likely hideously incorrect) suppositions and conjectures floating around in our minds.

And now we have to wait for another year for book four, but resat assured I will be putting in my preorder as soon as it is listed in a certain online store, just as I did with The Hollow Boy.

Lockwood and Co. Blog Tour: Guest Post by Jonathan Stroud

I am delighted to be joined today by Jonathan Stroud whose brilliant new book, Lockwood and Co, is officially released today. I have been a fan of Jonathan's writing ever since I first read The Amulet of Samarkand and it was wonderful to finally meet him earlier this year at the Random House Blogger Brunch. I carted all of my Stroud books on the train into London (hardback as well so rather heavy) and Jonathan very patiently signed every single one of them. My review of Lockwood and Co will appear here shortly (it's brilliant - that's all you need to know really so go and buy it now), but in the meantime here is Jonathan telling us a little about the must-have equipment every good ghost hunter should carry with them at all times:

Ghost-hunting: Tools of the Trade by Jonathan Stroud

Hello. Fancy yourself a paranormal investigator? Keen on stepping into haunted rooms at midnight and facing your darkest nightmares? I’m impressed. And frankly a little sceptical. Still, you’ll need to take the right equipment if you want to survive. Here’s the Lockwood & Co. cut-out-and-keep guide to the essential bits of kit every self-respecting ghost-hunter needs.

Iron Chain

          

Since time immemorial iron’s been the metal of choice to keep wicked spirits at bay. That’s why horseshoes are traditionally hung above windows, and why a good length of iron chain has to be the first thing to go into your duffel bag. Lay it on the floor, and you’ve a protective circle to stand inside when a Phantasm comes calling. Or use it more assertively to hem your enemy in.

Iron Filings

More flexible than the chains, and good for scattering over a wider area to make life uncomfortable for your spectral quarry.

Sword

Made of iron again, of course; plastic wouldn’t cut it in a variety of ways. Some swords go one better and have a silver tip. Use it for slicing through ectoplasm and warding off aggressive spirits. Also great just to have at your belt as you swagger about town, thus showing everyone your caste and status.

Silver nets/boxes etc

Silver’s another metal that since ancient times has been effective against unnatural things, including the restless dead. Pricier than iron, but excellent for sealing up the ‘Sources’ through which the ghosts access the living world.

Salt bombs

Salt’s not quite as potent as iron and silver, but still good at driving a ghost away. Carry a handful of salt bombs (essentially plastic bags that break on impact) for chucking whenever necessary.

Magnesium flares

The weapon of last resort. Canisters which, when thrown, explode in a shower of hot salt, iron and magnesium – the bright white light is also harmful to spirits. Not to be used casually in confined areas.

Torch

For looking inside crypts, tombs, airing cupboards, etc.

Thermometer

For tracking unexpected drops in temperature – a sure sign of a coming manifestation.

Crowbar

For opening sarcophagi, coffin lids, breaking through fake walls.

Tea and biscuits

The final, crucial component of every psychic agent’s kit bag. The best way of staying calm in any haunted house is to crack open the chocolate digestives and get a brew on. Some agents go as far as to bring along a kettle; others rely on thermos flasks, though this practice is of course somewhat frowned upon by traditionalists. 

News: Live Facebook chat with Jonathan Stroud

Just over a week ago I featured a piece by Jonathan Stroud, in which he told us about Lockwood & Co., his new book that is coming out later in the year. I know there are a lot of people who are as excited as I am about this book, and so I thought I would bring this extra piece of news to your attention.

Tomorrow (Monday 11 February) at 5pm GMT, Jonathan will be taking part in a live chat session over at his Facebook fan page (for US fans, that is 12 noon EST and 9am PST). Unfortunately I will not be able to join in as I will be in a meeting at work, but for those of you who want to ask Jonathan a question about his work then head on over to 

http://www.facebook.com/JonathanStroudAuthor

Coming Up In 2013 #7: Lockwood & Co. by Jonathan Stroud

I have already featured some great looking books in my 'Coming Up In 2013' feature, but this one is right near the top as far as my personal sense of excited anticipation is concerned. I totally love Jonathan Stroud's Bartimaeus books, and when, at the last Random House Bloggers' Brunch, I was informed that he had written the first book in a new series, due out later in August 2013, I couldn't help but let out a delighted yelp. I am so please to welcome Jonathan to The Book Zone today, to tell us a little more about his new series, Lockwood & Co.:

Want to hear a story? Okay. Here’s how it starts. Two kids, a boy and a girl, walk up to the front door of a large house in London. It’s a late November afternoon. Fog swirls around the dark trees of the garden. The boy is tall, thin, well-dressed. He has a long, sharp sword hanging at his belt. The girl wears one too. They carry heavy bags filled with magnesium flares and iron chains. They make a few jokes as they wait on the doorstep, but they can’t conceal their tension. They’ve come to the house to deal with a dangerous ghost that lurks there, and they know they may not leave the place alive…

             That’s the beginning of The Screaming Staircase, and I wrote it a couple of years ago. Just two or three pages. Then I stopped. Why? Because I didn’t have a clue what happened next. What I DID know for sure was that I loved ghost stories, and I loved adventure stories, and I wanted to combine the two things into something great.

            Books often start like that for me – just a little scene, with lots of possibilities. The thing to do is let the idea take shape. So I let the scene sit in my head for a while until, like a dark figure slowly materialising out of the fog, the rest of the set-up came into focus. We’re in modern Britain and there’s an epidemic of ghosts. No one knows why, but more and more of them are appearing after dark, and they’re causing big trouble. Some are fairly harmless, but others are ravenously hungry for contact with the living – and if they touch you, watch out.

So who’s in the front line of the ongoing battle against the phantoms? Kids are. They’re the only ones who have the ability to clearly see (or hear) the supernatural enemy. Adults are hopeless at it. They get ghost-touched before they can figure out where the danger’s coming from. Only children are sharp-eyed and quick enough to survive.

The Screaming Staircase follows the early history of Lockwood & Co, a small, rather ramshackle Psychic Investigation Agency in London. It’s got three employees, all of them in their early teens: Anthony Lockwood (the leader), George Cubbins (his sidekick) and Lucy Carlyle, their newest recruit. They’re talented, but not so lucky, and when one of their cases ends in disaster, they have a single chance of redemption left. Unfortunately this involves spending a night in the most haunted house in England, and trying to escape alive…

Let’s face it: ghosts, scares, conspiracies, jokes, kids with big swords… Who could ask for anything more? I’ve had a lot of fun developing Lockwood’s world, and I hope you love it too when it comes out late this summer. Meanwhile, I’ve got to start writing the sequel, where things get even deeper, darker and stranger than before. The fog’s drawing in, the shadows are lengthening, and Lockwood & Co are about to step away from the light…  Stay tuned!

News: The Ring of Solomon Lost Chapter by Jonathan Stroud (Bartimaeus)

Today sees the publication of the paperback edition of Jonathan Stroud's The Ring of Solomon, his brilliant prequel story to the equally brilliant Bartimaeus trilogy. To celebrate this there are two exciting things happening today:

At 9am this morning Jonathan will post an extract from an early draft of the story on his Facebook Fan Page. Supposedly it will feature Bartimaeus, Faquarl, a wicked magician and his shadow, and will be "completely different from anything that made it into the eventual book". You can access that page by clicking here.

And even more exciting.....

At 4pm today UK time Jonathan will be logging on to that very same Facebook Fan Page to answer any questions about Bart, the lost chapter or his other books.

Review: Bartimaeus - The Ring of Solomon by Jonathan Stroud

Bartimaeus, the djinni with attitude, is back. The inimitably insolent Bartimaeus has returned - as a slave to King Solomon, wielder of the all-powerful Ring. Until a girl assassin shows up with more than just murder on her mind and things start to get.... interesting.

Shocking although this may sound coming from someone who writes a blog about books for children and Young Adults, but I only read the original Bartimaeus trilogy for the first time at the beginning of this year. For this reason they never featured in my personal Top 20 books of the last decade, something I would rectify if only I could travel back in time. However, to look on the bright side, I therefore only had a few months to wait between finishing Ptolemy's Gate, and receiving a proof of a new book featuring Jonathan Stroud's awe-inspiring creation, the djinni Bartimaeus.

If you're currently in the position I was in back in January then have no fear, you do not have to read through the original trilogy before diving into this book as it is not a continuation of the series. I guess it could best be described as a prequel, although not in the sense that it is creating back-story to lead into The Amulet of Samarkand, the first book in the trilogy. In the books in that original series we were treated to many, many footnotes, some of which alluded to events from Bartimaeus's past, and the vast array of magicians he had served throughout his very long life. So in this outing we find ourselves in Jerusalem and its surrounding area in the year 950 BC, a period when Solomon was on the throne, a ruler seen by many to be a ruthless magician of exceptional power, thanks to the all-powerful ring that he wears at all times.

The beginning of the story sees Bartimaeus being summoned by Khaba, a cruel and very ambitious magician. Khaba is one of a select group of magicians who serve the mighty Solomon, each of which has a djinn, or some other sort of spirit, bound to them in a form of magical slavery. These magicians do not actually hold any magical abilities themselves, all their powers come from the spirits that they control. Mastery of spirits is not an easy task, and these men have spent years learning and mastering the incantations that will summon and bind a spirit to them. Most spirits resent this enforced servitude, and Bartimaeus is no exception; he is constantly seeking ways to break the control his master has over him (something that would prove rather bad for Khaba's health).

As well as Bartimaeus and Khaba, in The Ring of Solomon we are introduced to a huge array of colourful characters, both human and otherworldly. There is Asmira, a young assassin sent by the Queen of Sheba to deal with Solomon and steal the fabled ring, before the king invades their lands. Asmira is devoted to her queen, she has grown up in a society where the females are the warriors and royal guards and she has been waiting all of her relatively short life for the opportunity to serve her queen in this way. Asmira's quest brings a heavy does of action and adventure to the story, in a plot that is almost as fast paced as it is funny. Much of the humour comes from the interaction between Bartimaeus and the many other spirits, although there are also many deliciously funny scenes shared by Bartimaeus and Asmira as she binds him to her in order to aid her reach her goal.

If you haven't 'met' Bartimaeus yet then you are in for one hell of a treat - in my opinion he is one of the greatest character creations in modern children's literature, and he is certainly in my top ten favourite characters from any book, adult or child. He is every naughty schoolboy you ever knew, but with an an adult sense of humour based on sarcasm developed over centuries. He is arrogant, witty, irascible, mischievous, intelligent, lazy.... I could go on and on! He is the kind of character that most children's authors might dream of creating, but Jonathan Stroud got there first and not only that, but he has the writing skills to make us come back for more and more. However, one small word of warning - I know several people who have tried reading a Bartimaeus book and have nearly given up after a few chapters; if you find yourself not 'getting' him then please persevere - he really will grow on you.

Another element of these stories that some readers have not warmed to is Jonathan Stroud's extensive use of footnotes. The author uses these for many reasons: at times they add detail; they provide back history; they can add humour to the story. Personally I love these and feel that they make the stories even more uniquely special, but others have found that they interrupt the flow of the story and their reading pleasure is thereby diminished slightly. At the end of the day, this is all down to personal preference; I guess the story could be read without them, but as I have never tried to do this then it is something I couldn't state for definite.

The Ring of Solomon is definitely a book for the more confident of young readers, but it is also a book that can be thoroughly enjoyed by all ages, from 11 upwards. And yes, I am including adults in this. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if there are more adult fans of Bartimaeus than there are younger fans. I am sure that there will be many readers who will pick this book up, discover the irascible djinn for the first time and then want to read more, thus adding to the already huge group of Bartimaeus fans out there. Whatsmore, with five thousand years of Bartimaeus history to cover, Mr Stroud could be writing these for many years to come. Bartimaeus: the Ring of Solomon was released on 14th October, and my thanks go to Rosi at Random House for sending me a copy to review.