Snakes & Ladders

Bannister's Muster #2

by Barbara Gaskell Denvil

A magic knife. A fantastical land with a secret. Can one boy travel through time to discover his destiny?
Twelve-year-old Nathan Bannister remains awestruck by his crazy trips through time. More exploring the mystical world of Lashtang with his younger sister Poppy, he has an enchanted knife. But before he can unravel the weapon's connection to his family, he misplaces Poppy…

In his quest to recover his sister, Nathan must fight side-by-side with King Richard and determine both friends and foes in medieval London. With Granny's delicious cakes for sustenance, he realizes that deducing the secret behind the knife may be the key to saving his sibling.

Can Nathan reunite his family and understand his legacy, or will a fearsome battle leave him and his sister lost to history?

Snakes & Ladders is the second book in the Bannister's Muster middle-grade fantasy series. If you and your child like wacky time travel, amazing magical tricks, and fast-paced adventures, then you'll love Barbara Gaskell Denvil's trip through history.

338 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 1, 2020

About the author

I was born approximately two hundred years ago (It sometimes feels that way) in Gloucestershire, England, right in the heart of the Cotswolds. After a few years, I moved to London and fell in love with the history which oozes through the old stones, and the medieval atmosphere leaks from the beautiful old buildings. For many years, I walked the old cobbled lanes and researched the 15th century from original sources, and the books in the British Museum. I worked there in the Department of Ancient Documents, a place which I adored, full of scrolls illuminated by medieval monks, and hordes of informative parchments.

My father was an academic and playwright, my mother was a retired teacher, and my sister was an author of fantasy. I had no other passion except the arts, and books

Already a passionate reader half-crazed by the avid consumption of literature, I had grown out of Enid Blyton when I was about six. Next came a passion for Georgette Heyer, although far too young to understand romance. Once again it was the historical details I loved and I moved quickly onto Shakespeare, Dorothy Dunnett, Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and a host of others.

I started writing. Nonsense naturally! But I kept it up and eventually write articles and short stories for current magazines and newspapers. I was also a tutor for scriptwriting, and a reviewer for Books and Bookmen. That kept me busy until I married. A husband and three little girls (including identical twins) were a full-time job, and for most of the time I also worked at secretarial jobs, keeping the threat of starvation at bay and paying for the baked beans.

After leaving my husband, I started writing again but this time I was distracted by something different, as I had a wonderful 18-year romance with a man who lived on his yacht in the Mediterranean, sailing during spring, summer, and autumn, and exploring Europe by car in winter.

My partner died, and I was bereft, deciding to come to Australia for a change instead of sitting around in stagnant tears. Writing again, and seriously this time, I wrote full length books in all my favourite genres. I was accepted by one of the big top 5 publishers, and two of my historical crime/mysteries were published in the traditional manner. However, although I was reasonably well paid and sold reasonably well, I also found myself disliking the control system. I had to write as commanded, insert bucket loads more romance, accept covers I hated, and generally do as I was told.

Now, happy and free, I self-publish, and enjoy every minute of my writing. I live in Australia, adore the weather, the birds and the wildlife, and live a placid life during the day and a wonderfully exciting one in my dreams at night.

I have written fantasy and historical fiction. Very different genres, but all are crime mysteries in one way or another. I have almost finished my children’s series (Bannister’s Muster series, for middle-grade children), no crime here, but a vibrant mixture of history and fantasy. After this is complete I am moving onto a series of modern crime mysteries, and I’m looking forward to that.

Writing is and always has been my passion, now that I am able to do this full time, I am in my element and life couldn’t be better (a little more sunshine might help though).

Reviews

[Michelle Stanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Michelle Stanley for Readers' Favorite

Snakes and Ladders, Book Two in the Bannister’s Muster series is a pre-teen fantasy by Barbara Gaskell Denvil. Nathan Bannister and his sister, Poppy, travel into a past that’s steeped in danger. They meet with their friends Alice, John Ten-Toes, and Alfie from ancient London who accompany them on their next dangerous adventure. The siblings can’t believe they’re Queen Messina’s children or that Nathan is her successor.

But this won’t happen if the tyrannical Hazlett family have their way. The Hazletts are wizards who constantly use their dark powers to prevent Queen Messina’s family from ruling the kingdom of Lashtang. Poppy and Alice are bitten by a poisonous spider while searching for the Cord of Destiny that’s hidden by the Hazletts, and they become ill. Queen Messina attempts to help them, unaware that her efforts could lead to her death by the hand of a traitor.

The title Snakes and Ladders has significant meaning in this gripping sequel to Bannister’s Muster. The magical adventure that began in Book One continues so there is never a dull moment. Barbara Gaskell Denvil made sure of that. New characters like the Epilogs (invisible people) are as interesting as the main ones.

Poppy is fearless yet doubts her magical skills. Nathan has matured a lot since learning what his future entails. Children will love the quests or exploits that these kids experience. The plot is filled with danger, fun, laughter, and love. The author writes remarkably well and imaginatively. Snakes and Ladders is a terrific novel for children who like fantasy and lots of action.

[Join the Penguin Resistance! · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this second installment of the BANNISTER'S MUSTER Series, young siblings Nathan and Polly, having restored their parents from the ice wall and battled frightening entities, now return to Medieval England to help their friends and to solve a quest inspired by troubling dreams of an odd forest. Nathan and Polly are notable for their integrity, loyalty, and devotion to friends and family. Their exploits provide magical adventures and delight for middle-grade readers.

[gj indieBRAG · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are proud to announce that SNAKES AND LADDERS (Bannister's Muster #2) by Barbara Gaskell Denvil is a B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree. This tells readers that this book is well worth their time and money!

[Mererid Evanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am increasingly impressed by this series with its fascinating flips between time travel and fantasy. Not only do the characters go between modern London and England at the time of the Battle of Bosworth Field, but they also see different periods in Lashtang, the magical other world. We learn more about how the dreadful Hazletts became the ruling family there, even as a usurper gains the English throne. And the methods of travel are really imaginative, including a noble goose, a wonderfully cranky ladder, and a sky-train of birds.

There is a large cast of characters, all so distinctively drawn that you really feel you would recognise them if you ever met them together. Lots of animals too, some talking, some not, some dignified, some sweet and funny, others dreadfully sinister. The story is very packed with lots to discover, and some things that you feel sure will be very important later in the series.

[Shelda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book to review. I found these books seemed to grow in length as I read. Book two has more adventure, twists, turns, and time travel. More fun to come in the remaining books in this set