The Princelings of the East
The Princelings of the East, no. 1
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- $2.99
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- $2.99
Publisher Description
The Princelings of the East is the first of a trilogy telling of the adventures of Fred and George. Over three stories they solve problems caused by unintended consequences, commercial greed, unprincipled actions and blind prejudice yet still find time for troubled love affairs and disastrous inventions.
Book 1 opens with our Princeling heroes at the Castle in the Marsh. When the King's Birthday feast is ruined by an unnatural power drain, they 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 ages 10 and over, The Princelings of the East is a fantasy adventure with the charm of the Wind in the Willows in a complete world reminiscent of Anne MacCaffrey's Pern.
The 2nd Edition amends the longer sentences but leaves the long words which kids liked. Some conversations which were described in a paragraph are now detailed in up to two pages, especially for the discussions of the time tunnel. I hope you like the changes.
The trilogy is also available as a single paperback - see link for details.
The Buzz
"The Princelings of the East is an enchanting tale that will delight boys and be very much enjoyed by girls. This fourth to sixth grade chapter book will keep young readers enthralled for hours on end. You will find well-rounded characters, an interesting plot and many adventures within the pages of this book. I truly enjoyed the tale and loved the telling. It relates a completely new idea in a medieval fantasy setting. The plot will be enjoyed by all the inventors or thinkers in your home. It will be a welcome volume in any home, school, or library shelves. " - Reader's Favorite
"The Princelings of the East is a suspense-filled mystery strong on character development, with a deliciously complex and engaging plot, that is sure to be enjoyed by older tweens and adults alike." - Mother Daughter Book Reviews
Customer Reviews
First installment of a fun fantasy series!
The Princelings of the East is the first installment of a fun fantasy trilogy chronicling the adventures of twin time-traveling young royals Fred and George.
The year is 2009. Or is it 2021? Hm... whatever the year, no one can argue there are Strange Doings afoot. The King's birthday celebration has been ruined by a mysterious Energy Drain. Princelings Fred and George, two bright kids with too much time on their hands to just sit and Think (in Fred's case) or build ingenious machines (that would be George), decide their august adult counterparts have leapt to all the wrong conclusions, and they want to take matters into their own hands.
The question is... how? They are just two mere (if industrious in their own ways) lads; what can they possibly do to solve this Vexing Problem for everyone's benefit? Especially when they have trouble convincing anyone to listen to them, let alone to believe what they say. To say nothing of the possible consequences if they make too much trouble for the King—perhaps even banishment from the only home they have ever known!
In the midst of their ruminations, they find a mysterious tunnel, which in due course leads them to all manner of amazing wheres and whens and whats and whos, many of whom are not who they seem. Most amazing of all, they meet adults who not only listen but even value what they have to say.
Fred and George, in essence, get to live every ingenious, thoughtful kid's dream.
In the book's synopsis, it's likened to The Wind in the Willows, and I can most assuredly see that in the characters' interactions and relationships to one another. However, the literary similarity that struck me most, from the very first page, was A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh. Everything from Fred's propensity to sit and Think (Pooh), to various characters' fussing (Rabbit) and pontification (Owl) about the cause of the Energy Drain and how to solve it made me smile all throughout my reading of the book.
The main—and laugh-out-loud zany—scientific issues presented in The Princelings of the East, especially regarding how the world's diet cola becomes "diet" and the process's effect upon the environment, pleasantly brought to mind The Starlight Barking by Dodie Smith, sequel to her much more famous work, The Hundred and One Dalmatians.
The synopsis also describes The Princelings of the East as being "suitable for =good= readers aged 10 and over," emphasis mine. Girls as well as boys will enjoy following Fred and George's adventures to other castles and eras, but it does require some mental calisthenics to keep everything sorted.
And I view that as a Very Good Thing. In today's culture where the propensity is to dumb down children's programming and literature, the world could do with more Princelings to help our kids hone their mental faculties while presenting fun puzzles and fascinating scenarios. The good news is that there are several more Princelings novels in this series!
Brava, Jemima Pett, and do please keep up the great work.