Xyz

by Frank Lambert

This is the illustrated version of Xyz.

Napoleon Xylophone Book 2.
This story has a different kind of hero; a hero with a walking disability. Xyz is the standalone second book in Frank Lambert's Napoleon Xylophone trilogy, named after his first novel. Isaac Bonnyman doesn't realise that the rogue changeling he is hunting for the Cult of the Clan will lead him to the secret to immortality. It is not until he is dead that he realises that's why the Clan employed him. Once he is dead, he doesn't care about the Clan or changelings; all he cares about is feeding on live prey. Zam doesn't want to ask Bonnyman for help, but having a doppelganger and a wraith chasing him down means he has little choice but to search for Bonnyman in the City of the Dead beneath Edinburgh. He travels to Scotland with two ghosts following him in his high-tech wheelchair that can morph into an exoskeleton one minute and a flying machine the next. When he eventually finds Bonnyman, who agrees to help Zam, they both learn a valuable lesson. One learns that it is possible to undo death if you betray a friend, while the other learns that even after death, friendships can be formed that will last forever... Xyz is an inspirational fantasy novel that will appeal to young adults.

Genres: Contemporary, Book Club, Novels, Drama

241 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 13, 2014

About the author

Frank Lambert always wanted to be a Zangulator, but had to settle for being a Chartered Engineer. He lives in North East England with his family and a Jack Russell who always looks guilty.

Reviews

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The “Doctor Who” vibes continue in the sequel to “Ghost Doors”. I loved getting to spend more time with characters that I came to love in the first installment. The banter and conversation with between them felt natural and like I was part of the conversation, and was probably my favorite part of this book. Lambert built an immersive world where our hero and his gang of friends could use their bravery and wit to overcome all the obstacles and challenges they were faced with, and I loved seeing that carry over and expand from what he set up for us in the first installment.

[Sky · Rating 5 out of 5]

The more I read about Zam, the more I want to know about him and his adventure in the Underworld. It is more than just rescuing his kidnapped grandfather, Eli, in the first book. It is now about Zam himself finding out about his parents and the secrets his grandfather kept from him. With the additional of other characters: Q (I love the banter between Q and Zam), Xara, Hestia (I love her so much!), the butchered ghost, and Bonnyman (there are times I liked and disliked him). Oh, the doppelganger scared me the most amongst many other Underworld creatures. They don't make the story dull and boring even once. Hence I keep turning the pages. Loved how the author chose the title of the book, Xyz and its reason behind it–it was brilliant and unique. Can't wait to get into the last book of this trilogy!

[Billy Buttons · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was recently entered and was a BRONZE MEDAL WINNER in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. This is what our readers thought:

Star Rating: 5 Stars
Number of Readers: 31

Readers’ Comments
‘This book is fantastic! I love the cover and the title is sooooo catchy.’ Boy, aged 13
‘I liked the high-tech wheelchair. Thet was really different. I liked Zam too. He was an interesting character.’ Boy, aged 13
‘The best part was the ghosts. They were really fun. There’s lot of comedy in this book too.’ Girl, aged 13
‘What a fantastic idea: to mix fantasy with life in a wheelchair. It was so fantastic to read a book where the hero had a disability. This, I think, would be a perfect book in any school library.’ Teacher, year 10
‘Q is a super cool superhero.’ Boy, aged 13
‘This is a well written fantasy novel. I think the author is good at keeping up the pace and also keeping it rather light-hearted. There are a number of characters to root for, particularly Q. I read this book in three nights and enjoyed it.’ Girl, aged 15

Stats
Of the 31 readers:
31 thought the cover was good or excellent.
30 would read another book by this author.
21 thought the high-tech wheelchair was the best part of the book.
6 thought the humour was the best.
4 thought the plot was the best.

‘A fantastically plotted, fantasy thriller! Highly recommended.’ The Wishing Shelf Awards

[Anna Devine · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in Frank Lambert's Napoleon Xylophone trilogy, Xyz is an eerie and complex tale that stems more from self-preservation than it does heroism. No matter the character's incentive however, it is through his course of action where the young Napoleon Xylophone proves to be a brave and clever lad. A lad who, when not trying to put his talking wheelchair's insecurities to ease, manages to counsel and comfort a little girl, whose sudden and unexpected death has turned her into a ghost that is more frightened by her new predicament than she is frightening to those around her. As I said, the story's design is complex, but more so, it is beautifully poetic and highly imaginative. Despite its poetics and complexities tho', was still found a curious simplicity with which the author used to tell his tale, as being the quiet catalyst to its truly frightening aspect. A genuinely brilliant book, brought to you from the mind of a true creative, Xyz is a story that still lingers with the dead in the depths of my subconscious, and probably always will.

[Chandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can I give this more than 5 stars? It is no secret how much I loved the first book of this series, Ghost Doors and this one is even better! I would love to give it 10+++! In "XYZ" we continue the story of "Zam" and the crew in a new adventure in the Underworld! He is joined by some familiar beings and a host of new ones! Lambert has created such a detailed, fantastical and complex alternative universe that it is beginning to feel like a real place!
Such a powerful and poetically beautiful ending- i read it with my jaw hitting the floor and the tears flowing! You MUST read this and see for yourself!

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

In book 2 of Napoleon xylophone it starts with the hunter named Bonnyman he is in search of a cannibalistic shape shifter and is task with its death. Unfortunately when battling said shape shifter bonnyman is the last man standing the only problem is he isn’t standing because both of his legs are broken before he knows it to survive he eats the flesh of the Shapeshifter which in turn causes him to be a canna ballistic monster of sorts and he eventually eats the Shapeshifter and all of his dead companions. In a more familiar part of Scotland Xam is that home with grandpa Eli when a monster tries to drag him through Amira and he is only saved by one of Eli‘s inventions given to him for defense and it worked. When he tells grandpa Eli he doesn’t seem surprised at all when he finds out he is going to half to hunt down the monster that tried to take him he tells grandpa Eli they should bring Hestia with them. Xam it’s surprised when grandpa is a little reluctant not that he doesn’t like Hestia but maybe because he likes her a little too much. Hestia is a changeling from book one Ghost Doors it seems the more Xam learns about grandpa Eli‘s world the stranger it gets so when he finds himself hunting down a magical cannibalistic creature with a ghost as a stalker he starts to think all of this must just be par for the course. However the attack through the mirror will not be the last attempt on Xam’s life and during this quest they will see old friends and make new ones as well as enemies this book is full of craziness which is cannibal changelings ghost and so much more and it all makes for a great interesting paranormal sci-fi adventure. I love these books and cannot wait for the third one! Xam is a great poster boy for heroes because even though he is in a wheelchair that may or may not be a Shapeshifter as well he doesn’t let that stop him. I love grandpa Eli Hestia Xara and many other wonderful characters you’ll find in this book as well as great villains. I love this book and highly recommended please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

[A Lamb · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book, Xyz follows up Ghost Doors, featuring Napoleon Xylophone, a clairvoyant teen hero in a wheelchair. I loved the first book and this one doesn't disappoint. You are taken into the Underworld, meeting new and old faces smoothly. It's a dark story, perfect for teens yet enjoyable for adults. Lambert's poetic style adds depth, making the story unique yet engaging. The banter among the characters feels natural, and they are all interesting. Napoleon's bravery shines through, making this such a brilliantly crafted tale that sticks with you, a testament to Lambert's creativity. Recommended.

[Beatrix Starling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Xyz is the sequel to Ghost doors, the series based on Napoleon Xylophone, our wheelchaired teen hero with clairvoyant blood in his veins.
I dearly loved Ghost doors, and Xyz is a worthy follow up.
We get to journey into the Underworld, and meet new and old characters. The new characters blend well into the story, and the story is as dark as the first book: i love how appropriate it is for teen readers, while just as enjoyable for adults.
The author has a nice poetic style, which adds deeper meaning to a lot of things in the book and the story is complex and very engaging.
Definitely highly recommended for anyone (especially young people) with love for the horror genre!

[Rajnish Kumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I said, I was engrossed deeply in this book, and I completed it in one go. This book kept me hooked till the end. The drama, the world, and the interesting characters are gripping, and the tale will drift your attention till the end. Although this book is the second installment of the "Napoleon Xylophone" trilogy, the writing style will equip you with the necessary details from the very start. You can read it without reading its previous part. Unlike other stories, the hero is not perfect here; he has a walking disability, which makes him special and makes us gravitate towards him. The story involves clashes between different clans, hints, killings, doppelgangers, and hidden truths. Some powers will be revealed at a later stage, which makes it more interesting to read. The characters are well written, and the plots are arranged in an interest-grabbing manner. You would be glued to this book if you like a "dark thriller drama."

[Hanna Belle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting horror story that I have not previously seen in other horror books. Very unnerving but kept my attention until the end.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.