The Peculiar
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
A brilliantly written steampunk faery fantasy by a dazzling young talent, this is JONATHAN STRANGE AND MR NORRELL for kids, mixed with a dash of THE BARTIMAEUS TRILOGY…
Bartholomew Kettle won’t live long. Changelings never do. The child of a human mother and a faery father, he is despised by both his races. But one day Bartholomew suddenly finds himself at the centre of a web of intrigue and danger that spans the entire country. A powerful figure sits in the shadows, pushing the pieces in place for some terrible victory. Something is coming for Bartholomew. But when you’re a changeling, there’s nowhere to run.
Reviews
“Bachmann’s prose is beautiful, and his story is swift, strong, and entertaining. Highly recommended.”—Christopher Paolini
"Stefan Bachmann's sparkling debut is sure to get a lot of well-deserved notice. He breathes fresh life into ancient magic."—Rick Riordan
About the author
Only 18 years of age, Stefan Bachmann is a prodigy. He attends the Zurich Conservatory where he is studying composition. As well as writing novels and writing music, he plays the organ, piano, violin, recorder, and harmonica. THE PECULIAR is his debut novel, and he has composed music to accompany it.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
When a teenager writes a publishable book, it's noteworthy, but when the book is this good, it's something special. Bachmann sets his tale in a polluted, steampunk Victorian England rendered even stranger by a faery invasion in the previous century. Some of the fay like Lord Lickerish, Lord Chamberlain of England have grown powerful, but most live in poverty, deeply distrusted by the natives, with the half-human changelings despised by everyone. Bartholomew, a changeling, sees a friend abducted by magic in broad daylight and later learns it is the latest in a string of disappearances. Meanwhile, a government official, Arthur Jelliby ("a very nice young man, which was perhaps the reason why he had never made much of a politician"), finds dangerous information linking Lord Lickerish to the kidnappings. Together Jelliby and Bartholonew uncover a horrible secret that might destroy England. Bachmann, now 18, has a polished and witty writing style; his characters are skillfully developed, the action is nonstop, and his faery society is fascinating. An absolute treat for readers of any age. Ages 8 12.
