The Flight of the Griffin

The Flight of the Griffin #1

by C.M. Gray

Librarian Note: This is an alternate cover edition for ASIN: B007TKUD7Y.

Book Description

The Kingdom is dying…
The Darkness is coming… the balance between Order and Chaos is rapidly shifting and the world is falling towards evil and horror, and all the misery that Chaos will bring.
But there is hope…
Pardigan’s had enough, he’s only 12, but he’s breaking into the home of one of Freya's richest merchants... and he’s doing it tonight…
A burglary that will change their lives forever sets four friends upon a quest, a race against time, to locate three magical objects and complete an ancient and desperate spell.
Sailing their boat The Griffin, the crew are quickly pursued by The Hawk, an evil bounty hunter and master of dark sorcery, and Belial, King of Demons and champion of Chaos who seeks to rule the world of man… yet first he must capture the crew of The Griffin and end their quest…

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Paranormal, Amazon, Adventure, Young Adult Fantasy, Ebooks

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 11, 2012

About the author

I was born in England and spent most of my youth growing up in the Essex countryside. It’s a beautiful part of England, up near the Suffolk border, but I was born with a heavy dose of 'travel lust' so as soon as I could get a passport and adventure the world, I packed a rucksack and went exploring!
It was a bit of a risk and my parents weren’t too taken with the idea, but I’m still travelling and have been lucky enough to live and travel in loads of countries all over the world. In fact, I’ve now lived for more years outside of England than I ever spent living there – It is, after all, a great big exciting world!
I’ve worked and trained as a carpenter, and then a house restorer… I’ve picked loads of different types of fruit - from grapes in France to avocados in Israel. I travelled with the Bedouin in the Sanai desert for several months and even did a stint as a stock broker in Hong Kong. I’ve called Buddhist monasteries in the Himalayan Mountains home, and then moved on and loved the clamour of central Hong Kong, it’s been a ride and a blast.
In my later years, I came back to Europe and restored an old farmhouse in deep rural Burgundy, dallied in Amsterdam for a number of years, and then came south in search of the sun again. I’ve always vowed to return and sink some roots back in English soil... but I haven’t got there yet, maybe someday, there are just so many interesting places out there. I do live a little closer to England now, just outside of Barcelona, Spain in the middle of the forest with my dogs and two wonderful children, it’s a great place to write.
As I’m sure you’ve noticed, my writing is mostly fantasy and many of my experiences in Asia, India, Africa and the Middle East come to life in my writing. I’ve seen and done some pretty strange things on my travels and bumped into some incredible characters, so writing fantasy is almost like writing fact for me… sort of. When I started writing Shadowland, I had the intention that there would be no fantasy in it at all, but then came the druids and then one of the main characters, Cal found he had a pretty strange affinity with wolves, so my historical fiction became historical fantasy… but it’s made it a very popular book!

Reviews

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this fast paced magical journey of friendship, courage and adventure, we follow the young heroes in their quest to maintain the balance of good and evil.

Best suited to the Young Adult audience it is aimed at, but accessible to adults too, this is a well developed novel written with a lot of heart and creativity. With a full compliment of likeable heroes and destestable villains this book is sure to spark the imagination.

I enjoyed the way the story was told and that there was always something new to keep you entertained. The characters are new and interesting but still familiar enough that you can relate to them and care about what happens; they somehow take you on their journey with them.

This is an exciting novel that will grab hold of your attention and will not let go until the final page.

[Kath Middleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This YA Fantasy story is a classic Quest tale which involves 4 young lads and a boat. It's a lovely story but not in any sickly sweet meaning of the term. The boys' characters are really believable. They have their individual skills but have their faults too. A real touch of class is Mahra, a shape changer who spends so much time as a cat that when she is in girl form she is often to be found licking her hand! These youngsters are on the side of Order and battle to keep Chaos and Order in balance. They possess (because one of them stole it!) a magic book which unfolds for them they way to find the artefacts they must gather together. The Merchant from whom the book was stolen has enlisted a hunter to find them and in his turn he has recruited some really evil henchmen - Demons.

The story is well written and bounces along nicely. There's plenty of action which will certainly keep a young audience attentive - it kept me happy too! I think there might even be room in the tale for a sequel.

[C.M. Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Living in their old boat ‘The Griffin’ five young characters become the unlikely heroes at the end of time when a burglary sets them on the path to finish the ‘Last great Spell’ - a spell to stop the balance of the World tipping into Chaos...

They become the Magician, Thief, Priest and Fighter when a magical book guides them upon a quest that pits them against magic, demons and ‘The Hawk,’ an evil hunter of men.

Join a race against time to find three crystal skulls that must be brought together, while all the forces of Chaos try everything to stop them!

Available on Amazon Kindle.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Flight-Grif...

[Lora Milton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a YA story and reads like one, yet it has a dark and magical plotline that intrigued me and kept me interested. A young thief makes a special haul on a dare that includes a magical knife. The previous owner of the knife seems to be unaware of its significance or the connection to a small grey cat that has been living with him for several weeks.

The thief and his friends live on a boat, but don't want to sail away too suddenly as the city watch would notice and they would come under suspicion for the significant burglary. In the course of deciding how to stash some of the loot and minimize evidence, they discover some of the unusual properties of the knife.

Their adventures soon begin to look like a gaming campaign or the old Dungeons and Dragons cartoon series, but a lot of imagination goes into the plot and there are some original ideas I found interesting. It's the typical Order vs Chaos scenario with heroes and demons and would be gold for a middle grade reader.

A few too convenient solutions and the innocent nobility of the warrior among the heroes being reluctant to kill an unarmed enemy makes it most appropriate for young readers, but still it had some wonderfully fantastical ideas and the writing itself was flawless.

[Johanna]

I loved the beginning: I felt the opening scene was so alive with all the details in description.

Soon I started to miss more details, there wasn't even told age of all youngsters in the group. And I would have loved to get more details about their personalities. Now they wasn't really alive - villains were almost more so. I was disappointed because I felt that the author had a talent to make things alive but hasn't done it with main characters and that was a shame.

This was really straight-forward adventure, that was really action-packed. Some parts & scenes were really awesome, but the beginning made me to wait for more.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five young heroes, three crystal skulls, magic, demons and an ominous character called “The Hawk” are all that’s needed to ramp up a younger reader’s imagination as they leave this world for the realm of the unknown. What am I saying, younger readers, any reader that loves a well-told tale will fall into the story and become a larger-than-life hero on a quest against evil, I myself was pretty awesome in the background! C. M. Gray’s The Flight of the Griffin is the ultimate quest in the battle against good and evil as four young boys fall into a fantastical journey to save the world from Chaos and are joined by one feisty girl who can shift shapes.

As their journey begins, each becomes uniquely special, have powers and a role to play as a team and it’s all done with the magic as they become the ones to use the Last Great Spell to save the world from Chaos. Will they survive those who would stop them? Will they have what it takes to stand as one in a battle where the world truly needs a hero? Time is running out, there is danger at every turn as they forge into the unknown, the weight of humanity on their shoulders.

Not only has C. M. Gray fueled our imaginations with his words, he has kept his tale easy to follow, allowing younger reader to use one of their most valuable assets, their minds. Young readers do not need the gritty details spelled out, they want the excitement, the thrill and to be part of the good fight without having reality putting limits on them. One of the greatest gifts we can give another is the gift of reading and The Flight of the Griffin has everything a reluctant reader just couldn’t’ resist!

Series: The Flight of the Griffin - Book 1
Publication Date: April 11, 2012
Publisher: C.M.Gray
ISBN: 1471750353
Genre: Fantasy YA/Teen/10 & up
Print Length: 262 pages
Available from: Amazon
Reviewed for: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best magical quest adventure stories I've read in a long time. It has all the makings of a children's to teen's classic. Yet I as an adult enjoyed it immensely. I go as far as to put it on a par with the stories of Alan Garner and Philip Pullman. This is a magical quest for four boys, young teens, Quint, Pardigan, Loras and Tarent along with a magician's daughter, Mahra, who has the added ability as a shape shifter. Character's that are not of contemporary time, place or world as we know it. Lads who from the story's opening you may think of as troublesome, a thief and rogues. Little would you realise the involvement they will have for good, for Order against the encroaching evil of Chaos. Their part in this Quest gives each special abilities and powers that unfold as each part is accomplished. It takes them onto a sea voyage aboard The Griffin, a boat, their home, one with a difference as it undergoes an amazing and magical transformation. There are greedy, mean, even cruel adult characters who want more than justice but vengeance on the young people; adults who consort to commune with some scary, evil demon characters conjured from the hellish place where Chaos reigns supreme. There are descriptive battles (tempered slightly for younger readers rather than adults) between the protagonists for Order and the antagonists of Chaos. Will success or balance reign between the two? I loved this story by C M Gray. It is imaginative and creates a world and places where children are treated as responsible beings, where decisions they take and judgements they make will have an effect on the world they live in. It has hidden yet implicit inferences too regards climate balance, or not judging people by how they look. Lots of positive reinforcement that teaches the reader to keep an open mind yet always strive for what is right and good. It is well written, has been edited and has a very good standard of English. I can't recommend this enough for young and all adults young at heart. 5 stars through and through.

[Helen Baggott · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been many decades since I was a Young Adult. Actually, I never was one – you were either a child or a teenager.

So when I read a novel written for the YA market, what do I think? Well I question what exactly makes a novel fit the category. It must contain certain elements that a reader will expect – imagination, intrigue and adventure. And don’t forget the story.

There was a point, early in CM Gray’s novel - The Flight of the Griffin - when I actually felt a shiver of excitement. The characters were in place, but where were they heading? For a moment I was that child again.

As the plot was set before me I had regained the wonder of a youngster reading, being taken away to the land of my imagination.

Later, during one exciting scene, I almost punched the air when the heroes, my heroes, won a battle – if not the war.

Gray has created a whole new world, inhabited by mystical and magical creatures. But what strikes a chord with children of all ages is that the heroes are the Young Adults who should be reading this book. They’re the dedicated, brave souls that have the future of that strange world in their hands.

The author doesn’t shy away from danger, there’s just enough to keep the reader on their toes. This is an intelligent book, written intelligently. I particularly enjoyed The Hidden – little people that inhabit a wood. Even YA fiction must follow the rules of ‘show not tell’ and Gray illustrated their lifestyle perfectly. I could almost smell those folk!

If you’re selecting a book for a YA to read during the holidays, this is it. If you’re an eternal child yourself, why not lose a few hours with it yourself?

What makes a novel a five star book? Obviously that top score has to be reserved for the very best of writing. I can’t think of a single reason why I could knock this book back to four. Read it and enjoy.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I loved about this book is despite the fact I am in my Thirties *shhhh* and I am a mummy, I thourghly enjoyed this book, it appealed to the child in me and I fully immersed myself in the quest that the four boys along with Mahra set out on to retrieve the crystal skulls and keep the world in order and prevent the demon king from tipping the world into chaos. I felt like I faced the dangers along with the five children

each character had individual powers, gifts and individual personalities, I think Mahra was my favourite she often made me laugh when she acted like a cat even in her human form.

these brave children battle bravely and selflessly and there loyalty to one another was wonderful.

the story moves along at a quick pace and the descriptions are very well "shown" I liked how the perspective was shifted on occasion from the heroes perspective to the bad guys perspective showing us the readers how much danger the heroes were in before they knew themselves

A great story for MG-YA readers but one that even adults can fully enjoy and appreciate

[papasteve · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really fun read, well written storyline. There aren’t too many good books for pre-teen boys, but this is one of them.

[Tara Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's been a while since I picked up a book like The Flight of the Griffin by C.M Gray. I've been reading mostly Amish Fiction lately so it was nice to jump back in to the world of fantasy.

The four friends in this story embark on a Quest that has fallen to them to complete thanks to the skilled thievery of one of their own. With the stolen loot comes a guide that can take the form of a cat, owl, panther, and girl. Mahra. It's her job, although she can't quite remember all of it, to ensure that specific tasks are carried out in a specific order in the hopes that the world will once more balance itself out and Chaos will no longer reign supreme. Their efforts are thwarted by the victim of their theft, his hired thug, and a demon with a hunger for human flesh.

I wish I had read this book when I was younger. Or rather, that it had been around to read. One of my favorite parts of the entire story was when Pardigan, Tarent, Quint, and Loras were transformed in to the version of themselves they it seems they were supposed to be all along. I mean, what young person wouldn't give their left arm to go from being just an ordinary, trouble making dreamer to a super human version of themselves with the ability to turn invisible, or perform outstanding magic, or disappear from one place and reappear in another. It's an amazing story simply for that part of the book. It gives voice to the wishes of countless people who secretly wish they could do the things these 4 do in this story.

I love the world that they live in, minus the bad things that are happening as a result of it being unbalanced. I loved the ugly Hidden and the entertaining Azif. Bartholomew was ridiculous but provided comic relief on more than one occasion. The descriptions of all of these people and the places they were going was such that I could imagine it all in my head as if it were right in front of me. There were also some awesome plot twists, especially toward the end, that made the story that much more... just... wonderful.

There wasn't really one character that I'd call my favorite, I don't think. Each one had something special about him (or her) and a purpose that made them all equally important and interesting to read about. I can tell you, though, that Hawk was definitely my least favorite. Why not the demon he summoned, you ask. Well, a demon is a demon and will act as demons do. It's in their nature. Hawk was the evil behind the demon and the reason for it's existence in the human world.

The fact that there were mysterious characters that appeared or awakened at certain points throughout the story was another of my favorite parts. Kind of reminds me of how, at the end of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Capt. Barbosa is hidden in the back room of Tia Dalma's hut, just waiting to be brought back in to the story.

The Flight of the Griffin was fantastic. It was a fun read and it kept me entertained. It's good for younger readers but can be enjoyed by older readers as well as everyone in between. And I would recommend it to anyone looking for a quick-ish adventurous fantasy novel that's action packed and magical.

[Christina (Ensconced in Lit) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author of this novel asked me to review his book. This does not affect my opinion of the book.

The Flight of the Griffin by C.M. Gray is about a group of boys that happen (ok fine, steal) a magical knife and book, which turn them into heroes whose goal is to keep the balance of Source versus Chaos. They meet a magical cat along the way and battle against demons, and a fat but funny merchant, aptly named Bartholemew. The book is enchanted by a great wizard and he guides the boys into the ultimate battle between Good and Evil.

There's a lot to like about this book. Bartholemew is hilarious as one of the "evil" characters. I loved the magical cat that is the protector of the knife/book. There is gentle humor interspersed throughout. The prose is almost "old-timey" in a good way (reminds me of how the children's books were written a few decades ago).

That said, I had several big issues with the book. First, the wizard speaks in rhyme in the book. The poems are pretty awful. I think it would have been a better decision for him to strictly write in prose. The poetry detracts a lot from the book. Second, I could never tell the difference between any of the boys. They each had "strengths," but if one of them said something, I could imagine any 5 of them saying the same thing in the same way. Third, the perspective kept changing from boy to boy in a very disruptive way. It would almost have been better if we just had the perspective of one boy the entire time. Lastly, it drags in the middle. We get stuck going from port to port with the "Bad guys" almost catching them but not quite. So I ended up skipping to the end after half of the book, and the ending is what I expected. There was one twist, but it was too little, too late.

Overall, a promising premise, but needs work on pacing and characters. I think that Gray will only improve with time.

[E. Bard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a little divided between giving this one a four or five star rating. So I've settled for four and one half. The Flight of the Griffin is a fun fantasy adventure perfect for the middle grade reader. It has likeable young characters, a dastardly villain with his hired hunter/henchman, the struggle between the powers of good and evil (the 'Source' and 'Chaos'), and plenty of magic. It was well paced and contained great little details like including images of the poetic magic book that sets the young heroes on their quest of 'challenges.'

The story follows four boys who fall into a quest that involves finding three very important items necessary to accomplish a spell that will restore the balance of power between the Source and Chaos. To begin their adventure, the boys are transformed into a fighter, a thief, a priest, and a magician. Accompanied by an unusual shape shifting girl, the boys encounter many obstacles and dangerous situations along the way.

I really liked the story and think it would probably appeal to readers who enjoyed Cornelia Funke's Inkheart series and maybe some of the early Robert Jordan Wheel of Time novels. I think it could have used a few more dire situations and little more suspense to keep the reader truly glued to the story, but I think it was very well done.

[Jon · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Flight of the Griffin turned out to be a fairly standard YA fantasy adventure. It features a group of mostly indistinguishable young boys that stumble upon a grand, world-shaping quest via happenstance which pits them against the forces of Chaos. Naturally, in order to champion the cause of Order, the boys magically inherit excessive powers that uniquely affect each one in turn, making their little band unstoppable when confronting demons and others of ill intent. The one human antagonist hired to track them starts out with a mysterious, fierce, and brutal reputation, only to lose any semblance of those qualities by the end while he fulfills the role of generic hunter.

The plot was predictable at most every turn. With the combination of an unoriginal storyline and overpowered young teenagers, I found myself bored by the end...even with everything building up to that point.

Because of my complaints I could have given a lower rating, but there was one remarkable quality that kept it middle-of-the-road. Despite the generic YA market and relatively juvenile plot, the writing was superb. It felt more polished and mature than many other books in a similar vein. The author's words brought me into the story more than any one action sequence or event.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although, I really enjoyed the overall "feel of The Flight of the Griffin, I couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. It seemed that everything I read was mostly just describing something that had already happened, albeit only by a few seconds. There reader always seems to be placed on the sidelines. I just wish there had been more moments where the reader was actually involved in the "battle" scenes... Other than that, it was a fun read that kept me entertained enough to finish it.
As I've already mentioned, I really did enjoy it, and I plan on reading the sequel once I get a chance.
I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys fantasy novels unless they are against historical fiction...

[R.C. Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this fantasy story. The young crew of The Griffin were engaging, their adventures were full of danger and intrigue, and the story line was fun and interesting. The fight of good against evil is a timeless one, but the telling in this version is well worth your time. The author's writing style was lovely - very descriptive but not overkill. And, of course, the bad guys were the kind that you love to hate. This is a story for both young and old.

[David Lurie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Utterly forgettable characters with a trope-heavy and enormously predictable story, which only works if there is significant humour in a book. It wasn't bad enough to be a one-year DNF, but this is a perfect example of why any self-publishing author needs to pay for freelance editing.

While the book isnt full of grammatical errors and spelling mistakes - most self-publishing authors need a proof-reader more desperately than they need an editor - this just makes it sadder, as C.M. is clearly capable of writing prose that makes sense. Self-published authors frequently seem to be under the illusion that good prose is common, when it is astonishingly rare even amongst the most well-known of bestselling authors; the greatest books are frequently on their 4th or 5th draft before final copy-editing begins, and an editor should be involved straight after the first draft.

C.M. doesn't need a proof reader, but desperately needs an an editor to advise on what to cut ("show, don't tell"), what to add ("foreshadow, but don't be predictable") and what to change ("characterisation isn't the same as having characters"). Editing could have turned this book into a solid four star book after another year or two of work, but instead this ended up on the borderline of getting one of my extremely rare one star reviews.

I suggest C.M. hires a freelance editor, gets the book into a much better state, and then submits it to an agent. It's an acorn, but it won't turn into an oak if unnourished.

[J]

Found this book on sale to read on kindle - was rather good but the bad guys were literally demons so super creepy

Anyway group of friends are granted special powers and given a grand quest to restore the balance btw chaos and order - along the way they meet enemies and make friends :)

Happy ending with the bad guys dispatched and the good guys all live 😊

The banter btw friends is quite funny and one of the characters Mara can turn into a cat 💖🐱- she does pretty well at keeping the boys in line as she guides them on their adventures. Took me a while to finish this one as I often forget I have kindle books to read 😅

Overall pretty good story

[R.Z. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A young adult tale that will keep you turning the pages. Four boys and a shape-shifting girl go on a quest to find items that will complete an ancient spell to restore order to the Kingdom of Freya. They sail from place to place on board the Griffin to find these secret and heavily guarded treasures, being chased by greedy and evil men who seek to destroy them. An exciting story and very well-written, it is a great read.

[Melinda Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can four orphaned boys do in a world influenced by chaos to bring order? A fun, good-versus-evil fantasy adventure with sailing, exploring and, yes, even magical flight. I enjoyed the wind in my hair... It's a journey with them on their quest to follow the book of instructions, being led one step at a time, as they press on with the help of a few special friends. I really liked the character of their female counterpart and how they all grew along the way.

[Anna Tan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting adventure

Quite an interesting adventure but I would have liked it better if the protagonists had to work on their skills (or were already in training for it) instead of their talents being magically imbued.

[Carol L. Caldwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were interesting and unique. The plot was different from others I've read. I liked the authors use of descriptive words and his sense of fantasy. Totally well done.

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read fantasy

I am unable to put down looking for the next book I have already purchased



Good for young and old

What a ripper of a book

I hope there is many more to come.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book

You people should just read this book yourselves and write your own review on this novel yourself and I really enjoyed reading this book very much so. Shelley MA

[Sonja Bristow · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok for what it was. Got to be a bit ardous to trudge through.

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good fantasy about good and eviL

Nice wholesome fantasy about a distant land with goid and evil. And a ship of children doing a quest. With magic.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

About The Book:
The Kingdom is dying…

The Darkness is coming… the balance between Order and Chaos is rapidly shifting and the world is falling towards evil and horror, and all the misery that Chaos will bring.

But there is hope…

Pardigan’s had enough, he’s only 12, but he’s breaking into the home of one of Freya's richest merchants... and he’s doing it tonight…

A burglary that will change their lives forever sets four friends upon a quest, a race against time, to locate three magical objects and complete an ancient and desperate spell.

Sailing their boat The Griffin, the crew are quickly pursued by The Hawk, an evil bounty hunter and master of dark sorcery, and Belial, King of Demons and champion of Chaos who seeks to rule the world of man… yet first he must capture the crew of The Griffin and end their quest…

What I Thought:

The Pardigan creeps along in the dark house, everything quiet except for the soft snores and a cats meow. Being there for one sole purpose he must finish his job as quickly as possible, that's not something to hard for Pardigan to do since he's done this many times in the past. He opens the closet, grabs the object, and with barely glancing at the contents he sneaks back out, with a soul noticing.

When he finally gets back to his hideout he opens the bag and dumps everything out on the table. Finding everything he wanted plus some, he pulls a knife and a book from the many things.Setting the knife aside he tries to open the book, but has no luck reading it since it's all in a foreign language. But then something amazing happens the knife glows as he holds it near the book, making the words change to were he can understand it. But the book holds more than he could have ever imagined.

Bartholomew Bask awakens to a mess, his clothes not clean and set out and his food not sitting on the table in his massive room. He talks sternly to his hand maid before getting completely up for the day. Then something just doesn't seem right, he looks around the room. Everything seems to be in order but then he notices a small mess in front of the closet. He races over and snatches the doors open to find his bag gone with nothing left but a little bit of dirt.



The money and jewels gone, is nothing compared to the book and knife missing. The book and knife holding something very powerful gone with out a trace could be dangerous. Especially in the wrong hands, he had to find the person who took it and fast, but how?

About The Author:(in the authors own word)

I was born in England and spent most of my youth growing up in the Essex countryside. It’s a beautiful part of England, up near the Suffolk border, but I was born with a heavy dose of 'travel lust' so as soon as I could get a passport and adventure the world, I packed a rucksack and went exploring!
It was a bit of a risk and my parents weren’t too taken with the idea, but I’m still traveling and have been lucky enough to live and travel in loads of countries all over the world. In fact, I’ve now lived for more years outside of England than I ever spent living there – It is, after all, a great big exciting world!
I’ve worked and trained as a carpenter, and then a house restorer… I’ve picked loads of different types of fruit - from grapes in France to avocados in Israel. I traveled with the Bedouin in the Sanai desert for several months and even did a stint as a stock broker in Hong Kong. I’ve called Buddhist monasteries in the Himalayan Mountains home, and then moved on and loved the clamor of central Hong Kong, it’s been a ride and a blast.
In my later years, I came back to Europe and restored an old farmhouse in deep rural Burgundy, dallied in Amsterdam for a number of years, and then came south in search of the sun again. I’ve always vowed to return and sink some roots back in English soil... but I haven’t got there yet, maybe someday, there are just so many interesting places out there. I do live a little closer to England now, just outside of Barcelona, Spain in the middle of the forest with my dogs and two wonderful children, it’s a great place to write.
As I’m sure you’ve noticed, my writing is mostly fantasy and many of my experiences in Asia, India, Africa and the Middle East come to life in my writing. I’ve seen and done some pretty strange things on my travels and bumped into some incredible characters, so writing fantasy is almost like writing fact for me… sort of. When I started writing Shadowland, I had the intention that there would be no fantasy in it at all, but then came the druids and then one of the main characters, Cal found he had a pretty strange affinity with wolves, so my historical fiction became historical fantasy… but it’s made it a very popular book!

Disclosure: This book was given to me for free for my honest review.

[Jennifer Clausen-greene · Rating 4 out of 5]

File Size: 1568 KB
Print Length: 256 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1471750353
Publisher: C.M.Gray; 001 edition (April 11, 2012)
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Reviewed by: Jennifer Greene
http://www.pirategrl1014.blogspot.com

Book Description:

The Kingdom is dying…

The Darkness is coming… the balance between Order and Chaos is rapidly shifting and the world is falling towards evil and horror, and all misery that Chaos will bring.

But there is hope…

Pardigan’s had enough, he’s only 12, but he’s breaking into the home of one of Freya’s richest merchants… and he’s doing it tonight…

A burglary that will change their lives forever sets four friends upon a quest, a race against time, to locate three magical objects and complete an ancient and desperate spell.

Sailing their boat The Griffin, the crew are quickly pursued by The Hawk, an evil bounty hunter and master of dark sorcery, and Belial, King of Demons and champion of Chaos who seeks to rule the world of man… yet first he must capture the crew of The Griffin and end their quest…

My Review:

I am not a big fantasy fan, but I absolutely adored this book. It was full of a magical adventure, great characters and whimsical adventures.The book flowed nicely with kept a face enough pace to entertain the most restless of readers.

The books opens at the end of the world with a boy-thief, Pardigan, attempting to steal a knife from a locked cabinet. He also obtains a magical talking cat named Mahra.As the adventure begins you follow Pardigan and his friends, Loras- a magician, Tarent- the storyteller and Quint-the leader and captain in their magical adventure. All three boys are orphans and live aboard a boat they have dubbed The Griffin. During their journeys they meet many fascinating characters from a princess, to a group of travelers called the Hidden.

The only thing I can say that is negative about the book was at times there were sections that were in obvious need of editing: missing commas, run on sentences, etc. that did take away from the book slightly.Overall though the book was a joy to read. Since I kept having to steal the book back from my 14 year old daughter, I would have to say that she also enjoyed it.

This book on a scale of 1-5 rates a 4. My daughter is impatiently waiting for the next book by C.M. Gray so she can snag it from me first. Get your copy soon to give to all the fantasy fans in your life. This book would make a great Christmas or birthday gift for your teen.

My amazon review

About the Author:

Born in England, C.M. Gray spent most of his youth growing up in the Essex countryside. A beautiful part of England, close to the Suffolk border, but he was born with the need to expand his horizons, so as soon as he could get a passport at the age of just seventeen he packed a backpack and went exploring!

During his journey he worked and trained as a carpenter and a house restorer… picked more types of fruit over the years than he knew existed – from grapes in France to avocados in Israel. After living in Israel for a year, he was lucky enough to be invited to travel with the Bedouin in the Sanai desert for several months and then moved on travelled around India and then called a Buddhist monastery in the Himalayan Mountains home. A short while later he had changed tact, bought a suit and did a stint as a stock broker in the clamor of central Hong Kong.

As you will have noticed, his writing is mostly fantasy and he says that many of his experiences in Asia, India, Africa and the Middle East come to life in his writing. He has seen and done some pretty strange things on his travels, and bumped into some amazing characters, so writing fantasy is almost like writing fact for him… you just wouldn’t believe it if he presented it as fact – there are people and things out there in this world of ours that would simply amaze you!

To explore his life and writing more, please visit his webpage and blog at https://author-cmgray.blogspot.com


Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from Pump Up Your Books blog tour in exchange for my honest opinion. The view expressed are my own and in no way reflect those of the publishing company, author or Pump Up Your Books.

Pump Up Your Book

[Connie Jasperson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Flight of the Griffin by author C. M. Gray is a wonderful adventure for young teens but I enjoyed it a great deal, and think it is a great tale for readers of all ages.

The Blurb:
The Kingdom is dying…

The Darkness is coming… the balance between Order and Chaos is rapidly shifting and the world is falling towards evil and horror, and all the misery that Chaos will bring.

But there is hope…

Pardigan’s had enough, he’s only 12, but he’s breaking into the home of one of Freya's richest merchants... and he’s doing it tonight…

A burglary that will change their lives forever sets four friends upon a quest, a race against time, to locate three magical objects and complete an ancient and desperate spell.

Sailing their boat The Griffin, the crew are quickly pursued by The Hawk, an evil bounty hunter and master of dark sorcery, and Belial, King of Demons and champion of Chaos who seeks to rule the world of man… yet first he must capture the crew of The Griffin and end their quest…


My Review:

It is the end times for the world, and the tale opens when Pardigan, the boy- thief, steals a knife and a book from a merchant’s locked cabinet and sets the events into motion. Quint, the leader of his group of friends is the strongest and is a fighter. Loras is the boy-magician whose master died before Loras could learn what he needed to know and who’s magic never works right. Tarent is a dreamer, a storyteller and he keeps the other boys’ spirits up when times are hard. Orphans all, they live on the abandoned boat, The Griffin.

Along with the knife and other loot from the merchant’s house, Pardigan has also gained a strange, magical talking cat named Mahra. This cat who changes back and forth from a girl, to an owl, to a cat, depending on her mood, knows how to unlock the secrets of the magical knife and book. They do as they are told to and become the Magician, Thief, Priest and Fighter, four heroes with a task to right the balance of the world which must have equal amounts of Order and Chaos. They have been chosen to be the Soldiers for Order and to oppose Chaos in a quest that pits them against magic, demons and ‘The Hawk,’ an evil hunter of men.

The four boys are real – they are written as boys are, unfinished and not quite men yet, but the promise of their adulthood is there in each of them. Mahra is an old soul (literally hundreds of years old) and is written as such, but she is also young in many ways.

The travels and adventures the boys and Mahra have are well written and believable. The scenery and the backgrounds against which the tale takes place are rich and yet not overdone. It is the first book of a fantasy series, but it is a stand-alone book, and I would recommend this book to anyone who simply loves a good adventure.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out my blog on 12/13/13 for a first chapter preview! Laura in Bookland

I can’t honestly say that I had no expectations going into this book. I am not a big fantasy reader. I never finished Harry Potter if that tells you anything. The premise of this book sounds really good though so I really wanted to try it anyway. This book went way beyond my expectations! Now because I had none you would say that’s not that big of a deal but it is.. This book was really good!

This book follows around a group of kids, Pardigan, Quint, Loras, and Taint. They live by themselves on a boat named The Griffin. They all came by each other on random occasions and were the closest thing to family any of them have had. At the start of the book, one of the young kids, Pardigan, is in the process of stealing from a merchant in town. However, little does he know the magnitude of what he has stolen from the man.

This one act leads them on a quest none of them could ever have imagined. With Mahra, a girl who can transform into an owl, a cat, and a panther, as their guide, they encounter wizards, demons, and even the King of Demons himself. All the while trying to outrun a Human hunter nicknamed, The Hawk, and the fat old merchant. The boys become the Magician, Thief, Priest, and Fighter. This is a story about a race against time and the battle between Order and Chaos.

There are multiple points of view in this book. However, you do not get the point of view until you meet the character. I really liked this because you didn’t know who you were going to meet. You get a point of view from at least a couple of the kids and about three other people. There was a switch in point of view multiple times in a chapter but it never got confusing and it was very helpful in pushing the story along. I was never bored during the story and I always was wanting to know what was going to happen next.

I thought it was a little strange that a child was able to best the king of demons with almost no problem at all. However, even the King of Demons himself said that so obviously that was the way it should have been. I had to keep reminding myself that the boys possessed powers that were enhanced and that was why they could act the way they did. Other than that I saw no problems with the book.

This book is written in British English so there were a few alternate spelling and different names for some things; However, I still enjoyed the writing style. I really enjoyed the plot of the book and fully intend on reading the second book in the series! I would recommend this to anyone that likes young adult fantasy adventure stories.


*This book was provided for free in exchange for an honest review.