Pe larg, asa cum reiese inca din prima propozitie, avem de-a face cu o poveste care incorporeaza balada Mioritei noastre impreuna cu legendele clasice despre vampiri. Set in the isolated, hostile environment of the forests of seventeenth century Romania, My Swordhand Is Singing tells of the enigmatic Tomas and his adolescent son, Peter, woodcutters and outsiders who cannot seem to find a place to settle. They have spent longer in the village of Chust than they have in any place before and Peter is finally beginning to put down some roots. He has even begun a fledgling romance with draper's daughter, Agnes. However, secrets bristle the air at home, erecting a large and painful barrier between Peter and his father. But family tensions are the least of Peter's worries. Strange and menacing things are happening in Chust. A man who recently died in mysterious circumstances is said to be visiting his wife at night. Something is very, very wrong. I cannot say this is the creepiest book I've read in my life, but I admit it gave me many chills up my spine. The atmosphere and the writing were factors that contributed to it: Both were dark and gothic.

One of the things I enjoyed about his writing is the way he instantly brings the reader into the terror of the characters. Peter doesn’t understand why his father has done this, nor why his father carries a long battered box everywhere they go, and why he is forbidden to know its mysterious contents. But when a band of gypsies comes to the village Peter’s hard existence is turned upside down. When we first meet Tomas and his brother Peter they are heading from their hut on the outskirts of the village to attend the funeral of Radu. I have a pet raven called Edgar, though he doesn’t say much, eat much, or indeed, move much. There’s a possibility that he’s stuffed, I guess. I am reading this book right now for the carnegie award and i have a feeling it is the best book out of all of the different ones ot read.This story of wintry forests, family secrets and the ancient threat of the undead, is highly recommended for all confident (and self-confident) readers over ten. Tomas and Peter don’t have a particularly close relationship. “It seemed to Peter it had always been like that, living in the same room, but like leaves that fall from the same tree, always spinning ever father apart.” Marcus also wrote with his brother Julian, and contributed to a short story collection with fellow YA authors. This book, even when it may not appeal all YA readers, is easier to grasp and might be more enjoyable for the masses than, say, Revolver or the other ones I read before. This is not to say that this has less quality than the other ones - what I mean is that in this one there's more action and "entertainment" factors. In the bitterly cold Transylvanian forest Tomas and his son, Peter, arrive in Chust and despite the hostility of the villagers, settle there as woodcutters. Tomas digs a channel of fast-flowing waters around their hut so they have their own little island kingdom.

As the book progresses Peter learns more about the undead and about the real reason he and his father have moved around a lot. Tomas scoffs at this and tells Peter that Agnes’ mother has been saying the same. Peter is angry with his father for not telling him sooner as Peter feels he and Agnes have feelings for each other despite neither of them having expressed those feelings yet. What age did you first start writing and when did you think that one day you'd write a novel that would actually be published? This is a truly good book. It’s addictive, a quality that all good books need. It’s gripping. Full of suspense. And twists and turns. It follows Peter. The son of a woodcutter who just also happens to be a drunk. They now live in a village called Chust, after living a nomadic lifestyle, never being welcome wherever they choose to stay. And then things in Chust take a dark and sinister turn. Things begin to happen that can’t be explained. Deaths. The slaughter of animals. Bodies drained of blood. But Tomas seems to know something about it, and hides a deep secret. Now he knew who it was. The Gypsy girl, the singer. “You ride very badly!” she said, pointing a finger right at him. “Me?”

Yet when Peter discovers the truth about his father’s forbidden box, the dead rise from their graves – looking for a sword. Drawing on extensive research of the vampire legend which permeates traditions throughout the world and set in the forbidding and remote landscapes of the 17th century, this is the story of a father and his son, of loss, redemption, salvation, and the acceptance of death. Here we go again. To all of you who love this book, I'm sorry. For me one description sums this books up.....: Book Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Historical, Historical Fiction, Horror, Paranormal, Supernatural, Teen, Vampires, Young Adult Dupa un timp in sat se zvoneste ca vaduva lui Radu e vizitata noapte de noapte de catre sotul ei mort si ca este din ce in ce mai bolnava si slabita, fiind foarte palida la fata. Aceste zvonuri sunt intarite de convingerea ca Regina Umbrei trebuie sa soseasca si ca va pune stapanire pe sat. Petru insa, desi naiv si speriat, are totusi o arma cu care sa se apere: sabia magica a tatalui sau.

The book's dark and brooding pace suits the story's mood. Written in third person, the tale oversees the life of Peter whose secretive father hides a tragic past and whose distant and offhanded demeanour makes growing up in the cold wild of 17th century Romania difficult. After moving from place to place we find father and son beginning to settle on the fringes of the village of Chust. Here, Peter tries to forge relationships with the guarded locals, but all is not as it seems as the nights are plagued by vampires. Peter finds himself not only entangled a web of deceit within the village but also in the grip of his father's past which will not leave them alone. There is a little bit of romance in this book, but it isn’t in a Twilight way as I previously mentioned. No hostage/human loving. And it isn’t even an important theme. More of a sub-plot.

Browse articles by Author

We’ve found one,” Sofia said. “Are you-?” “I’m all right,” Sofia said. “Hurry. We have to try.” She got to her feet. “Come on!” It was so hard. What they were doing was so hard, and the ferocity of the snowstorm only made it harder. They are not well liked in the village of Chust and are considered to be outsiders. Peter is used to his own company because they have moved around a lot and his father Tomas is a taciturn man. Peter knows his father is troubled by something but as usual he is unwilling to share.

In a time of typewriters and steam engines, Iris Winnow awaits word from her older brother, who has enlisted on the side of Enva the Skyward goddess. Alcohol abuse led to her mother’s losing her job, and Iris has dropped out of school and found work utilizing her writing skills at the Oath Gazette. Hiding the stress of her home issues behind a brave face, Iris competes for valuable assignments that may one day earn her the coveted columnist position. Her rival for the job is handsome and wealthy Roman Kitt, whose prose entrances her so much she avoids reading his articles. At home, she writes cathartic letters to her brother, never posting them but instead placing them in her wardrobe, where they vanish overnight. One day Iris receives a reply, which, along with other events, pushes her to make dramatic life decisions. Magic plays a quiet role in this story, and readers may for a time forget there is anything supernatural going on. This is more of a wartime tale of broken families, inspired youths, and higher powers using people as pawns. It flirts with clichéd tropes but also takes some startling turns. Main characters are assumed White; same-sex marriages and gender equality at the warfront appear to be the norm in this world. I started to write as a teenager a bit, but properly when I was in my mid-twenties. It took a few years to think it might actually happen!

About Marcus Sedgwick

It was a single line, the first line in the book in fact. I'd had it for ages but didn't know where I was going to use it until the character of Edgar came along: "I suspect I may have fleas again". Come. Come away.” She pulled Peter’s hands, dragging him deeper into the wood, and he knew she was right. He shook himself. “This way,” he said. “I’ve got Sultan with me.” They ran. I found this book slow. The characters were dull and the plot was predictable. The author’s writing style was more middle grade and less adult, which is not the standard I’d expect for a gothic novel. With that being said, I enjoyed learning about the mythology and starting point of vampires. The tone of the novel was beautiful and I think I would enjoy more from the gothic genre *if* it were written with more depth and adventure. The characters need to be fleshed out and the speech between them needs to be seriously upgraded beyond the level of a 9 year old.