Ironheart

Legend of Ironheart #1

by Allan Boroughs

‘First comes the iron and then comes the snow, and then comes the winter when nothing will grow.’ Since her father went missing while prospecting for oil in Siberia, life has been tougher than ever for India Bentley. Little does she know that he was actually searching for Ironheart, a legendary fortress containing the secrets of the old world. A place some say could save humanity . . . or destroy the world. Along with tech-hunter Verity Brown and her android, Calculus, a killer from the old world turned protector in the new, India must make the journey to remote Siberia to try to find her father and finish his work. But there are others fighting to find Ironheart too – and they have very different goals in mind. If India fails, it won’t just be her father who pays the price. It will cost her the Earth.

Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Adventure, Dystopia, Childrens

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 2, 2014

About the author

Librarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Nope - they're both me. AB

Reviews

[Kalilah · Rating 4 out of 5]

My reading instincts served me well!
I had a strong suspicion that I would enjoy this book - and I really did! *places a gold star on personal achievements chart*

This is the sort of apocalyptic read I have been hoping to cross paths with for quite some years. And while it is true; there are many apocalyptic/ dystopian books out there - none of them quite fitted my highly-strung brief.

All too often I find Children's/YA fiction to be very poorly written. I always get the sensation that I'm reading something written by a bunch of year-four students. Not to undermine the creativity and talent of year-fours' or anything. Also, the characters are always so samey and dumb it makes me want to hurl the book(s) across the room and perform a body-slam on top of it out of frustration.

I get that it is nigh impossible to create COMPLETELY unique characters and plots, but really; there are too many identical twins in the modern world of literature. It's as though Roald Dahl's Great Automatic Grammatizator has materialised and is responsible for churning out half the disposable junk that's being published these days.

But NO!
Ironheart is quite the contrary.
-> The writing is just right; not dumbed down for the kiddies, nor too fancy and Elizabethan either.
-> We have a female protagonist who ISN'T socially challenged (the Lord be praised!). In fact, dare I say it; she has quite the perfect assemblage of emotions and personality. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that her strength and wisdom didn't peter out as soon a potential suitor came on to the scene. It was also wonderful how a torch wasn't promptly alighted to the seat of her trousers, causing her to become easily agitated by the potential suitor, because I was expecting either of the two things to happen. So, extra kudos for that!

->Also, there's this really cool android that reminds me of a chirpier version of Master Chief from the Halo series. If that's not example enough of excellent character selection I'm at lost as to what is. Even more points earnt!

->Oh, and the plot.
Well, the story is set in the foreseeable flood-ridden future. Humanity has taken a giant leap backwards; food resources have drastically dwindled, technology is next to nonexistent and humans have... well; they still behave like animals so no change there.
ALAS! Something even more tragic is about to happen, and if the world ain't already dead, well it could just get even deader.

Okay, you know; I'm just going to stop there. I've never been much good at describing the plots of books in a coherent manner. Just read the synopsis. And trust in me *eyes spin hypnotically* jusssst in meeeee!

Thank-you to Lovereading4kids for sending me a free copy.
This book is available in their online store. So's my review, along with all the other panel reviewers here.

P.S: Ironheart reminds me a lot of Flood Child by Emily Diamand. So if you've read and enjoyed the latter, you may also enjoy the former.

[Nahla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t finish this book and don’t plan on finishing it but as far as I’ve read the whole plot seemed pretty basic and similar to many other stories. The wold is destroyed because of something called the great rains and now they have to look for clues to the place that has all the resources to restore it-ironheart , meanwhile there’s a crazy rich villain looking for it as well and is trying to stop them from finding it first.

It’s not bad, it’s just nothing new imo. That being said I did enjoy the writing of the actual book. The character development was great and I liked India’s bravery and determination.
Although I think that some of the characters lacked creativity like Lucifer stone-he is just your basic rich and manipulative villain.

Overall it’s a pretty basic plot but the writing style makes it interesting despite it being slightly predictable at times.

I didn’t finish the book so my review isn’t really accurate but this is based on the first 15 chapters. The story will definitely develop, this is just my review base on what I’ve read.

[Tatum Flynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. By the end of the first chapter, Ironheart is up and running at turbo speed and doesn't let up till the end. An absolutely enthralling, original, brilliantly-plotted adventure story, with thoughtful, inventive world-building and wonderfully individual characters - from ice pirates and kindly androids to scary villains and the brave and likeable main character, India, herself. Not to mention a scene near the end with a small green book that left me teary-eyed. This was astonishingly accomplished for a debut novel, and am delighted to see there'll be a sequel coming out next year. I can't wait for the next nail-biting adventures of India and co.

[Wilde Sky · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young girl joins forces with a mysterious woman and an android to search for her lost father and a mythical treasure trove.

This book some took time to get into but the story was good with plenty twists of turns and it had a fast pace.

If you enjoy dystopian future world stories this is probably worth a look.

[Mary Enck · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I started to read this story, I never expected to plunge into such an adventure. Everything about it is so satisfying it is a challenge to decide where to begin to explain how much I loved it. The characters are each so real and have such strong personalities, they are a joy to get to know. Even those who are not of the best intentions are fascinating and often amusing. At the end of the book, I felt I knew what to expect from them in their roles. They have been so well crafted, if I met them in real life, I would know them instantly.

The travels took me to places that were harsh and filled with danger. It would take great strength to go on that path to the destination and becomes the greatest dare of all. The locations are alive and real because the author has taken the time to use just the right amount of sensual detail to breathe life into the surrounding landscapes.

This is a journey you should not miss. It would be entertaining for any age. I highly recommend that you get your copy and make it your very next experience. Now, I am off to read the next book in this exciting series by Allan Boroughs, Bloodstone.

[Katia M. Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

This grabbed me from the start and kept me turning the pages. The characters were 3D and I became emotional about them, particularly Calculus, bless him. Full of action but still heartfelt. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very enjoyable first book in this new & exciting apocalyptic series! I did really like the characters & the overall feel & storyline of it. Everything you could want from this genre & I do recommend!

[Diane Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating story. Edge of the seat action. India is quite brave to venture in search of her father. The characters are well drawn, making the reader either like or hate them.

[Lilly Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the adventure in it. I also like the characters.

[lydia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok 👌,if you want a winter quest then read it 😁

[Harry Sincock]

Amazing book! after thew first chapter I was hooked and when the young girl met the robot it was amazing and thrilling!

[Credence · Rating 1 out of 5]

Horrific stereotypes and a 13 year old protagonist killed this book before it had barely gotten started.

Interesting concept but was rushed

[sharon davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining

This was a fun adventure. Characters are interesting. A quick not serious read.
Lots of action. I will read the next one.

[Beth (bibliobeth) · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, a big thank you to the author, Allan Boroughs who gave me a copy of his thrilling debut novel for children in exchange for an honest review. Our story begins in a future, dystopian London where the floods have rolled in, leaving the area almost unrecognisable from its former state. London at this time is a dangerous place to be with food shortages, mutant fish in the waters, pirates and other criminals as the population struggles to get through everyday life. Enter our main character, a thirteen year old girl named India Bentley who is having her own share of troubles. Her father disappeared while searching for oil in Siberia and she is left with a younger sister, Bella, under the care of a (wicked) step-mother who doesn't particularly care about India's welfare and has hopes of marrying her off to a much older (and rather disgusting) man, the aptly named Mr Clench. Both girls have their own pendant inscribed with their names which was left to them by their father and it is India's only real comfort in these difficult times.

Luckily for India, her life is about to change forever. Whilst out foraging for food one day, India runs into a woman called Verity Brown and her bodyguard, a wonderful android called Calculus, or Calc for short. They happen to have "business" with her step-mother and India notices that Verity holds a card which has the same picture on it that her father had on his overalls. They want to keep everything about the meeting very quiet and India is not sure that she can trust them although she is instantly intrigued and excited that their visit may have something to do with her lost father whom she has never given up hope.

When Verity and Calc appear at her stepmother's door that evening, it turns out India is about to embark on the biggest adventure of her life. Verity explains that India's father was not simply prospecting for oil in Siberia (the official story) but searching for a legendary fortress called Ironheart which has the potential to save or destroy the world, depending on whose hands it is placed in. Verity believes that India's father may have found Ironheart before he disappeared but for some reason has kept its whereabouts shrouded in secret. India offers up her father's journals as they may hold valuable clues but in return she demands that she should accompany Verity and Calc on their trip to Siberia as it might be a way of finally locating her father. Unfortunately, there is another group of people also desperate to unlock the secrets of Ironheart for their own evil purposes - Lucifer Stone and his son Sid and they will stop at nothing to make sure they are the first to tap on and utilise its power. This makes it a very dangerous time for India, especially if she any knowledge about Ironheart in her possession.

So the adventure begins! And what an adventure it is. The group manage to commandeer a ship under the watchful eye of the proud pirate-rigger Captain Bulldog who is delighted to assist them on their quest. Hot on their heels however is a frustrated Lucifer Stone, desperate to capture India and reach Ironheart before they do:

"There is enough treasure to satisfy the greediest pirate, but there is much more. The men who built it chose it as the place to store their greatest achievements. I'm talking about weapons...old-world weapons of horrific purity. Missiles that can lay waste to entire cities, chemicals that will shroud the land in poison gas and diseases for which the cure would only be available to the highest bidder. All of these toys lie hidden at Ironheart - can you imagine what fun I will have with them?"

Ironheart is a terrific adventure story that I'm really glad I had the opportunity to read. The action and tension in this novel packs an almighty punch and it had me absolutely glued to each page, hungry to know what would happen next. Allan Boroughs has created some fantastic characters in the form of heroes such as the brave and strong India Bentley, the confident and hilarious Captain Bulldog and the loveable and very human-like android Calculus, but also in his villains - our twisted and power-hungry Lucifer Stone, his loyal and blood-thirsty son Sid and Mr Clench, who ooze evil from their every pore but are undeniably exciting and very readable. In Ironheart, the author has written a thrilling story that will appeal to countless children (and adults, myself included!) that has the potential to turn into many more adventures for India & co, and make its characters amongst the most beloved in children's literature. Personally, I can't wait for the next instalment, entitled Bloodstone, to see what the gang get up to next.

For my full review please see my blog at http://www.bibliobeth.com

[Abi Elphinstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

For quite some time Moontrug has been on the hunt for an 8-12 years action-adventure story, a book with original characters, a journey to remote lands and a fast-paced plot. And Allan Borough’s debut novel, Ironheart, is all that – and more… Since her father went missing while prospecting for oil in Siberia, life has been tougher than ever for India Bentley. Little does she know that he was actually searching for Ironheart, a legendary fortress containing the secrets of the old world. A place some say could save humanity. Along with tech-hunter, Verity Brown, and her android, Calculus, a killer from the old world turned protector in the new, India must make the journey to remote Siberia to try to find her father and finish his work. But there are others fighting to find Ironheart too – and they have very different goals in mind…

India’s impoverished, waterlogged London is realistically described – and it reminded Moontrug of Emily Diamand’s dystopian setting in her award-winning Flood Child. Boroughs gives us a frighteningly real depiction of a world post nuclear wars. And it works as a powerful contrast to the icy realms of Siberia, a land steeped in magic ‘where ancient spirits lived beneath mountains and living shadows stalked the forests’. It’s the perfect setting for an ice rig pirate like Bulldog, though even he seems on edge at the country’s forbidding climate: ‘It’s minus sixty in the winter and as dark as a witch’s armpit.’ Boroughs spent time travelling through Siberia and it seems he was struck by the otherworldly magic of the place – where shadows can suck the life from a man’s body if you happen to step on them. Yikes. Boroughs’ icy setting is so vividly portrayed that you can almost feel the frost and hear the biting wind in his pages. It’s right up there with Lyra’s journey to Svalbard in Northern Lights – powerful stuff.

And so it is into this world of spirits and shadows that India must journey, past ‘bird-black’ shapes with ‘streams of smoky darkness trail[ing] behind them like ragged silk.’ Oooooh that’s good. And it’s not just the mysterious shadows India must escape from. There’s the odious money-grabbing Clench (great name) who will stop at nothing to find his fortune, and the terrifying Lucifer Stone whose quest for power is all-consuming. Lucifer Stone is a brilliantly created villain – Boroughs nails it from the very first description of him right through to his heartless actions: ‘He wore a floor-length fur coat, tied with a thick leather belt and had shaggy black hair with one furry eyebrow that ran right across his forehead. His beard was plaited into black ropes and there were pieces of bone tied into the ends. He looked like a story-book troll that had crept out from under a mountain.’

India may be up against all that but she’s got a fantastic (albeit surprising) team around her. Fearless ice pirate Bulldog, feisty tech-hunter Verity and the ever-loyal android, Calculus – or Calc. Moontrug’s not normally a fan of robots and techy things (she struggles to do anything other than call on a mobile phone and still has no idea what an APP is) but Calc totally won her over. Boroughs combines wisdom, compassion, loyalty and humour in Calc, with the result that he’s as likeable as Tinman in The Wizard of Oz, as India discovers.

The plot pushes forward with relentless energy, unforeseen twists (loving the surprise at the end of Chapter 15 ‘The Lone Wolf’ – Moontrug’s stomach flipped at the last sentence!) and secret codes hidden in the unlikeliest of places. And the mix of new world tech and old world magic is superbly combined. Think armies of android killers and shamans who can take the shape of a bird and fly across the land or control a person’s dreams… Ironheart is a fantastic read for boys and girls aged 8-12 years, perfect for fans of Eoin Colfer’s WARP or Chris Columbus’ House of Secrets. Moontrug’s only hope is that we haven’t seen the last of soul-voyager India Bentley. Surely she and tech-hunter, Verity Brown, have more adventures ahead of them?

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent book, pacy and well written. India is an engaging character, but in fact all the characters we meet are well rounded and authentic. I particularly enjoyed the worldbuilding, from the desolation of a ravaged London to the icy Arctic bleakness of Siberia. The book is aimed at a younger audience, but all ages will enjoy this exciting adventure. It is a fabulous romp and I enjoyed it immensely.

[Anna Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

India Bentley is fighting for her family’s survival in dystopian London, but when a stranger and her android appear with questions about her missing father’s mission she is drawn into a race to find the legendary Ironheart in frozen Siberia. With a cast of step-mothers, pirates, androids, killers, baddies, traitors and more she discovers the secrets of the world, her family and herself as she goes.

This book was crazy. But, I think, good crazy! After all these miserable dystopias this was a bit silly fast moving, packed full of adventure, magic, mystery, technology, danger and a lot of fun. I think I would have loved this when I was younger, and I really enjoyed it now too!


This felt like a book that wasn’t trying to take itself too seriously. The bizarre, weird and wonderful happened, we had vastly extreme characters and a huge variety all bunched together and it turned into an exciting adventure.

Also, the dystopia was refreshing. Though there was enough to make you disgusted; the much older man who India’s Step-Mother wants her to marry, the teen boy killer, the monsters and baddies – it doesn’t seem like it’s trying to make any sort of point, and there is no evil ruling class. Which is different, which is good.

It’s also set up well for future books. There’s plenty of mystery and scope to go further, and the characters are ones I wouldn’t mind knowing better. We could have perhaps got to know them better this time, but I didn’t mind too much. I’m looking forward to finding out more about the whole thing!

So it’s not a work of great literature, or probably a book that teens will fall in love with like Twilight, Hunger Games etc. But it is a LOT of fun and I’d recommend it!

[Katy W · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think that the author's childhood English teacher (or possibly present day editor) must have encouraged him to use all his senses in his descriptions. As well as telling us what the characters can see and hear, he tells us what they can smell every other chapter. The thing is, when you're travelling in a heavy diesel vehicle, the overpowering smell is of diesel fumes and there's a limit to how many times the reader needs to be reminded of that.
Despite that frequent distraction, Ironheart makes a good read for 8-10 year olds who like adventure stories.

[Lucy Saint-smith · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was such a disappointment. The premise is great, a snowy-steampunk (snowpunk?) adventure with some great character ideas. It is so badly written, however, that I struggled to read it. The characters are ciphers, who move on rails between each pre-determined plot point. They had no agency at all, and didn't feel at all real, just vehicles for the plot. I might perhaps have enjoyed this as a younger reader, but overall I would recommend something like Emily and the Hollow World by Martha Wells instead.

[Gee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fast and gripping, Ironheart delivers adventure with the speed of a comet and the heart of an intrepid explorer. It tells of a dystopian London where a worthy heroine, India Bentley, who has more pluck than an overstuffed haggis, journeys to Siberia in search of her father, finding along the way, more adventure than you can shake a dozen sticks at. A well-crafted tale and a brilliant début.

[Kieran Fanning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic adventure set in Siberia, featuring a plucky young heroine and a colourful cast of secondary characters including pirates and an android. The writing is flawless, pacey and action packed. Go read it!

[B · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book! I bought Ironheart after a friend recommended it (I normally go for different genres), and I was pleasantly surprised. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it from the beginning to the end. I found the opening chapter especially striking. The author establishes the world in a fascinating and visual way and the characters come to life. The plot moves along nicely; it has clearly been constructed with a lot of careful thought. I couldn't put Ironheart down. I look forward to reading more books by this author.