Today I’m sharing with you, A Tale from the Badlands, ‘The Book of Mysteries by J.R. Wallis. Although this is the third book in the series, it works incredibly well as a stand alone and despite not having read the first two, the world is established quite quickly and I soon became lost in the Badlands. The Badlands is a place full of monsters and creatures that hide in the shadows waiting on their prey. These fearsome beasts are not the stuff of fairy tales and nightmares but real life and they are kept at bay by the Badlanders who are sworn to protect mankind. Ruby is determined to prove that she is worthy to be a Badlander but despite her record of defeating monsters the order is reluctant to admit her because it is the preserve of men. When a divided vote casts Ruby’s fate into uncertainty she is challenged with an impossible task to prover her worth, she most solve a unsolvable case from The Book of Mysteries. Together with her friend Jones they must travel to Great Walsingham, a place where no Badlander has ever returned. Can they solve the mystery before it’s too late?
This is such an intriguing and compelling story, that I was immediately swept away into this brilliantly imagined world of the Badlands. I love when two worlds collide and the thought of living in a place where monsters hide in the shadows makes this story more chilling and believable, allowing the reader to feel on edge throughout. The characterisation is excellent, Ruby is a well thought out character with an interesting mix of flaws and strengths which make her frustrating and endearing in equal measures. Both Ruby and Jones are dealing with inner turmoil as well as external threats, creating a more complex and layered story that makes you race through the book desperate to know if they will succeed in this impossible task. Compelling storytelling meets superb world building in this frenetic and thrilling adventure.
The Book of Mysteries – J.R. Wallis
To celebrate the release of this marvellous book, J.R Wallis is sharing chapters from his book and I’m delighted to share one on the blog today from the home of:
University of Cambridge Centre for Creative Writing
Thank you to Simon and Schuster for sending me a gifted copy of the book. All of the books in the series are available to buy now online or from your local bookshop. Click on the title to find out more:
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