Guardian Review of The King's Shadow

A lovely reader's review of The King's Shadow was in The Guardian today. Here it is.

TV reviews: The Last Kingdom and The Last Panthers, for The Telegraph

I've reviewed Episode 4 of The Last Kingdom, and Episode 1 of The Last Panthers for the Telegraph.

Cover for THE KING'S REVENGE

Next year, the final part in the Darkening Path trilogy will be out - THE KING'S REVENGE. Here's the front cover, which I think you'll agree is rather splendid:

Visit to Dorset House Preparatory School

A couple of weeks ago I went back to my old prep school, Dorset House, which is in a Norman manor house nestled in the Arun valley. My childhood was spent roaming the beautiful river banks, running through the woods, with Amberley and Arundel castles not far away: a timeless landscape, pretty much as it must have been when the Normans settled there. It was naturally a powerful influence on my imagination, and my first novel, The Other Book, was certainly inspired by the location. The West Sussex County Times have written up the visit here - though the current piece erroneously states I was there in the 1980s; I was in attendance in the mid-90s. We had about two CDs - Queen's Greatest Hits and Nirvana's Nevermind.

The Boy at the Top of the Mountain by John Boyne: review

I've reviewed John Boyne's new book, The Boy at the Top of the Mountain, for the Guardian, available here.

Interview with Annabel Pitcher for Books for Keeps

Morning all: I've interviewed Annabel Pitcher for Books for Keeps. The piece is available here.

News roundup and Waterstones Piccadilly Event

I will be doing an event at Waterstones Piccadilly on the 15th September, with the authors Sally Gardner, Chris Priestley and Taran Marathu. It's at 6.30pm - do come along. We will be exploring other worlds - not literally, of course, but do bring an astronaut's suit should you so wish.

More details here. This event is free but please email Piccadilly@Waterstones.com to RSVP

I've reviewed three books whilst I've been away: firstly, Cressida Cowell's How To Fight a Dragon's Fury, for the Telegraph, available here. 

Secondly, Tessa Hadley's new novel, The Past, done for the Independent on Sunday, available here.

And finally, Harry Mount's new book, Harry Mount's Odyssey, I reviewed for Literary Review; not available online, but you can go in actual personhood to an actual newsagent and buy a copy of the September issue, which has got reams of other splendid stuff to read.