The Beggar's Curse

Dark Powers #2

by Ann Pilling

When Colin, Prill, and Oliver arrive to stay in the village of Stang, they soon realize that there's something terribly wrong with the place.

Prill feels something sinister in the ancient rituals of the village play. Colin knows the 'accidents that keep happening are something much more gruesome. Only Oliver seems to know the truth. He understands the dark secret the village is hiding and senses that it comes from the black waters of Blake's Pit. He can even feel the terrible power of the-the beggar's curse...

Genres: Horror, Childrens, Fiction

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Born in 1944 in Lancashire, British poet and children's author Ann Pilling read English at King’s College, London, where she wrote her thesis on C.S. Lewis' fiction. She has published over thirty books for children, one of which - Henry's Leg - won The Guardian Prize for Children’s Fiction. She has two sons, six grandchildren, and currently lives in the Yorkshire Dales. Since 2003, she has concentrated on writing poetry, rather than fiction.

Reviews

[Chloe · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had to force myself to finish this book purely because I can't start a new one without finishing it.

I was bought this book by my elderly next door neighbours as they know I'm a bookaholic!

This book falls under the 'Horror and Ghosts' section on Book Depository (http://www.bookdepository.com/Beggars...) and I felt this was so boring! I don't tend to read horror books purely for the fact I get nightmares SO easily, but this was very mundane to read. I didn't find it at all scary, and to be honest, the Ghost references were very much depicted like it was all a dream.

It seems to have good reviews on Amazon but I don't think I'll be picking up any other Ann Pilling books, and this book will definitely be going on my ReaditSwapit list!

[Teno Q. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm sorry to say that this is not one of those books overlooked by people that deserves more attention. I found the characters ridiculous-they all felt like cardboard puppets, except Oliver, who, being cold, calculating, whiny and secretive, had some dimension to him.

Any tension slowly deflated like a punctured balloon about midway through the book, but I kept going because I was anticipating the ending. To prove my point, let me tell you as much as I can about the climatic scene of the Beggar's Curse without being too spoilery: a little kid and an old man fake a sword fight. Everything goes downhill after that.

[donna craig · Rating 2 out of 5]

boring and confusing just hate not finishing books

[Doodles McC · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a teenager I liked this collection of children ghost stories. Well written, easy to follow and enjoyable, but also simple and not earth shattering.