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Sky Pirates: Echo Quickthorn and the Great Beyond
Take to the skies in the adventure of a lifetime! (Beware: there will be pirates.)
Orphan Echo Quickthorn has always been told that nothing exists outside the kingdom of Lockfort. Trapped behind the castle walls, she dreams of adventure, but how can she escape if there's nowhere to go?
When an eccentric professor crashes his airship outside her bedroom window, armed with a map and claiming to be a real-life explorer, Echo knows this is the adventure she's been waiting for.
And when she finds a clue to the whereabouts of her missing mother, Echo sets off on a thrilling journey; one that will take her to unimaginable places...
Sky Pirate: Echo and the Great Beyond is the first title in a thrilling new action-packed adventure series.
Orphan Echo Quickthorn has always been told that nothing exists outside the kingdom of Lockfort. Trapped behind the castle walls, she dreams of adventure, but how can she escape if there's nowhere to go?
When an eccentric professor crashes his airship outside her bedroom window, armed with a map and claiming to be a real-life explorer, Echo knows this is the adventure she's been waiting for.
And when she finds a clue to the whereabouts of her missing mother, Echo sets off on a thrilling journey; one that will take her to unimaginable places...
Sky Pirate: Echo and the Great Beyond is the first title in a thrilling new action-packed adventure series.
334 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2020
5 people are currently reading
292 people want to read
About the author
Alex English
9 books63 followersI am the author of the SKY PIRATES series, published by Simon & Schuster.
I also write funny rhyming picture books for pre-schoolers, including MONKEY BEDTIME, STOP THAT DINOSAUR and YUCK SAID THE YAK.
I also write funny rhyming picture books for pre-schoolers, including MONKEY BEDTIME, STOP THAT DINOSAUR and YUCK SAID THE YAK.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
October 18, 2020
Just one chapter while I'm waiting for the tea to brew. That's how I started this book. Never drank that tea, it had gone cold and yucky by the time I remembered it and then I kept on reading until I had finished.
This was soooooo good!
Echo is a head-strong heroine. Gilbert is the most amazing pet lizard you've ever met. There's a clever Professor with five cats (great names!). Horace, an unwilling yet willing sidekick. A king who's making terrible choices for his country/city. And - drumroll - Sky Pirates.
Perfect for any armchair adventurer from the age of 8 y/o.
This was soooooo good!
Echo is a head-strong heroine. Gilbert is the most amazing pet lizard you've ever met. There's a clever Professor with five cats (great names!). Horace, an unwilling yet willing sidekick. A king who's making terrible choices for his country/city. And - drumroll - Sky Pirates.
Perfect for any armchair adventurer from the age of 8 y/o.
April 5, 2020
Well this is a whole load of fun! A story jam packed with creative and brilliant imagination. There’s cool inventions, brave youngsters, a bunch of sky pirates and a king who’s making shoddy choices for his people. This is full of adventure, dangers, friendship and exploration. And I loved Gilbert. What a hero. Bloody brilliant!
November 14, 2021
It was a wonderful and a quick story, hardly felt the time with the quick pace.
Kinda got frustrated at Horus at the beginning but learned to like him at the end.
It was really enjoyable and I highly recommend to every child with a wild imagination and I can’t wait to read the next one.
Kinda got frustrated at Horus at the beginning but learned to like him at the end.
It was really enjoyable and I highly recommend to every child with a wild imagination and I can’t wait to read the next one.
July 21, 2020
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DISCLAIMER : Thank you, Netgalley and Simon And Schuster Children's UK for providing me with an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Sky Pirates tells us the story of Echo, an 11-year old girl who is taken as a ward by the King of Albion. The story follows her as she explores the castle, gets into trouble for not being the proper lady she is raised to be. Echo finds out some of the secrets kept by the King and decides to find out the truth behind it. During this process, she sets off on an adventure that will change her whole life and her understanding of the world. The story was fun, engaging, and a great time. The pacing was good. We have the plot moving very quickly forward and the story is filled with adventures to keep the readers interested and invested. The plot is pretty straightforward. Echo is on a quest and her companions on this journey tag along with her on this quest. The story is filled with their wonder at discovering new things, places, and experiences. I believe the book will be wonderful for young readers who love a fantastical world and adventures. The characters were fun. All the characters in the story had their role to play in taking Echo closer to her goal. While I like a protagonist who is strong, brave, and goal-oriented, the character didn't have to be someone who manipulates others into doing whatever they want. I guess because I didn't like her methods much it was difficult for me to rally behind her. Echo does come around later on in the story. If you love middle-grade fiction and enjoy reading about young strong and daring female protagonists leading the adventure in a steampunk-esque world full of technological advancements; this will be the book for you. I gave the book 4 stars. I enjoyed it and had a great time reading it. I highly recommend checking this book out if you like pirates, skyships, and a colorful world.
SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL : YOUTUBE
FOLLOW ME ON : TWITTER INSTAGRAM
FR REVIEW :
DISCLAIMER : Thank you, Netgalley and Simon And Schuster Children's UK for providing me with an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Sky Pirates tells us the story of Echo, an 11-year old girl who is taken as a ward by the King of Albion. The story follows her as she explores the castle, gets into trouble for not being the proper lady she is raised to be. Echo finds out some of the secrets kept by the King and decides to find out the truth behind it. During this process, she sets off on an adventure that will change her whole life and her understanding of the world. The story was fun, engaging, and a great time. The pacing was good. We have the plot moving very quickly forward and the story is filled with adventures to keep the readers interested and invested. The plot is pretty straightforward. Echo is on a quest and her companions on this journey tag along with her on this quest. The story is filled with their wonder at discovering new things, places, and experiences. I believe the book will be wonderful for young readers who love a fantastical world and adventures. The characters were fun. All the characters in the story had their role to play in taking Echo closer to her goal. While I like a protagonist who is strong, brave, and goal-oriented, the character didn't have to be someone who manipulates others into doing whatever they want. I guess because I didn't like her methods much it was difficult for me to rally behind her. Echo does come around later on in the story. If you love middle-grade fiction and enjoy reading about young strong and daring female protagonists leading the adventure in a steampunk-esque world full of technological advancements; this will be the book for you. I gave the book 4 stars. I enjoyed it and had a great time reading it. I highly recommend checking this book out if you like pirates, skyships, and a colorful world.
July 30, 2020
Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children's UK and Netgalley for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinion in anyway.
Sky Pirates is a lovely adventure middle grade read with steampunk elements, present adults (well to a point) and a way to finding oneself at the young age of 11.
The kingdom of Albion is a small place, like a big city, that is completely surrounded by walls and one big gate that never opens. It keeps the nothingness of the beyond out of the kingdom. Echo is the ward to the king but has never felt quite at home in Albion. Nobody looks like her. The restrictiveness of her life makes her act out in various ways. But then an air ship is parked next to her window, and it is the onset to a great adventure alongside her pet lizard, Gilbert.
The story starts us within the walls of the castle of the Kingdom of Albion and I could very much understand why Echo so desperately wanted to leave because it was such a drag. There was very little about Albion that felt appealing except its history with the outside world that the king says does not exist. You fall of the world when you go to The Great Beyond.
It did create a bit of a dragging start to the book however. I wasn't quite sold on the book until Echo actually left with the sky ship and we really got to the wonders of the world. However I do think that it was necessary to show the world Echo and her companions were coming from. The rest of the world was filled with wonders of the world with still so much left to be discovered in future books in this adventure series.
But the book was about finding one's place. Echo only knows she was left on the step of the castle with a special kind of hair pin. She goes out in search of anyone who knows her parents in The Great Beyond. Echo is a typical 11 year old that just wants to know who she is. Head strong and impulsive, she always judges the world by her own standards and doesn't always understand how things are different for others. Like her companion Horace, the king's son. That is something that slowly changes for her.
Horace has been shaped to be a certain way as the future king. He is a true bookworm and not used to standing up for himself or anyone else. He was raised to follow orders and just do as he is told. Going along on Echo's adventure challenged everything he knew and it helped him grow as a person.
As for the adults, while they are there. Of course the kids are there with the ideas and saving the day and all, as it should be with a middle grade novel. But they were never truly without an adult to back them up and I enjoyed that. The professor takes them in after The Great Beyond and when they need to run he runs right alongside with them. When they get captured the adult sky pirates are alongside of them, trying to protect.
So Sky Pirates is for sure a fun middle grade and I can't wait to see what other adventures there are in store for Echo.
Sky Pirates is a lovely adventure middle grade read with steampunk elements, present adults (well to a point) and a way to finding oneself at the young age of 11.
The kingdom of Albion is a small place, like a big city, that is completely surrounded by walls and one big gate that never opens. It keeps the nothingness of the beyond out of the kingdom. Echo is the ward to the king but has never felt quite at home in Albion. Nobody looks like her. The restrictiveness of her life makes her act out in various ways. But then an air ship is parked next to her window, and it is the onset to a great adventure alongside her pet lizard, Gilbert.
The story starts us within the walls of the castle of the Kingdom of Albion and I could very much understand why Echo so desperately wanted to leave because it was such a drag. There was very little about Albion that felt appealing except its history with the outside world that the king says does not exist. You fall of the world when you go to The Great Beyond.
It did create a bit of a dragging start to the book however. I wasn't quite sold on the book until Echo actually left with the sky ship and we really got to the wonders of the world. However I do think that it was necessary to show the world Echo and her companions were coming from. The rest of the world was filled with wonders of the world with still so much left to be discovered in future books in this adventure series.
But the book was about finding one's place. Echo only knows she was left on the step of the castle with a special kind of hair pin. She goes out in search of anyone who knows her parents in The Great Beyond. Echo is a typical 11 year old that just wants to know who she is. Head strong and impulsive, she always judges the world by her own standards and doesn't always understand how things are different for others. Like her companion Horace, the king's son. That is something that slowly changes for her.
Horace has been shaped to be a certain way as the future king. He is a true bookworm and not used to standing up for himself or anyone else. He was raised to follow orders and just do as he is told. Going along on Echo's adventure challenged everything he knew and it helped him grow as a person.
As for the adults, while they are there. Of course the kids are there with the ideas and saving the day and all, as it should be with a middle grade novel. But they were never truly without an adult to back them up and I enjoyed that. The professor takes them in after The Great Beyond and when they need to run he runs right alongside with them. When they get captured the adult sky pirates are alongside of them, trying to protect.
So Sky Pirates is for sure a fun middle grade and I can't wait to see what other adventures there are in store for Echo.
April 25, 2020
OKAY, this book features a very clever pet lizard named Gilbert. WHAT. ELSE. DO. YOU. NEED. TO. KNOW?? It also features other favourite troupes of mine: a plucky headstrong heroine, a hate-to-love friendship arc, and a slightly steampunk-y technology system. OH, and imaginative world building, a kindly and clever professor with five cats and PIRATES.
Basically this book is everything I love. Deftly written and stunningly smart, SKY PIRATES is Fun with a capital F. I thought the concept of a country shut off from the rest of the world was so interesting and executed brilliantly. I really enjoyed Echo’s tenacity, her determination, and her growth as a character in terms of the importance of friendships, belonging and found family. I also ADORED the focus on inventing and the kooky technology Echo encounters on her adventures (particularly the mechanical pigeon messenger!! SO COOL).
The plot is pace-y and exciting. I read this in a flash–I just couldn’t put it down and I think that marks it as a great middle grade adventure book. I also think it left off at a point that makes it PERFECT for a sequel. I’ve got my fingers crossed we’ll see more of Echo’s adventures in the future.
Basically this book is everything I love. Deftly written and stunningly smart, SKY PIRATES is Fun with a capital F. I thought the concept of a country shut off from the rest of the world was so interesting and executed brilliantly. I really enjoyed Echo’s tenacity, her determination, and her growth as a character in terms of the importance of friendships, belonging and found family. I also ADORED the focus on inventing and the kooky technology Echo encounters on her adventures (particularly the mechanical pigeon messenger!! SO COOL).
The plot is pace-y and exciting. I read this in a flash–I just couldn’t put it down and I think that marks it as a great middle grade adventure book. I also think it left off at a point that makes it PERFECT for a sequel. I’ve got my fingers crossed we’ll see more of Echo’s adventures in the future.
August 3, 2020
3.75 ⭐️
September 30, 2020
QBD AUGUST 2020 KIDS BOOK OF THE MONTH=
3🌟's.
Echo is a bored, lonely ward of King Alfons. Trapped in the city and banned from going outside Echo's only companion is a little lizard named Gilbert and the scaredy-cat son of the king, Prince Horace. All her life Echo has imagined finding her real mother and seeing if there really was anything outside the castle walls. One evening she gets her wish- an Explorer from lands far away, named Professor Daggerwing gets his airship tangled outside Echo's window, and tells Echo there's a whole world right outside before he gets himself arrested. Upon rescuing the professor Echo sets out across the land to see the wide wonderful world with her friends and to finally get some answers about who she is and where she came from!
I really don't know what's wrong with me but I didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I would. Breaking down each individual scene in the book; it's all exciting and fun but when I put the book together it just falls flat for me. I found Echo to be an annoying character as well- she was literally my least favourite character out of the lot. My favourite being either Gilbert or Professor Daggerwing!
3🌟's.
Echo is a bored, lonely ward of King Alfons. Trapped in the city and banned from going outside Echo's only companion is a little lizard named Gilbert and the scaredy-cat son of the king, Prince Horace. All her life Echo has imagined finding her real mother and seeing if there really was anything outside the castle walls. One evening she gets her wish- an Explorer from lands far away, named Professor Daggerwing gets his airship tangled outside Echo's window, and tells Echo there's a whole world right outside before he gets himself arrested. Upon rescuing the professor Echo sets out across the land to see the wide wonderful world with her friends and to finally get some answers about who she is and where she came from!
I really don't know what's wrong with me but I didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I would. Breaking down each individual scene in the book; it's all exciting and fun but when I put the book together it just falls flat for me. I found Echo to be an annoying character as well- she was literally my least favourite character out of the lot. My favourite being either Gilbert or Professor Daggerwing!
August 31, 2020
This book was definitely fun. We follow Echo, who is raised as ward of the king. She, and everyone else, are led to believe there is nothing outside the walls of the kingdom. Turns out, there is lots and lots out there, and great adventures are to be had.
I really thought I would love this book… and I didn’t. I liked all the elements of it… great characters, decent pacing, thrilling adventures and some good fun. But everything together, it didn’t quite work for me. It all fell flat. And I don’t know why…
Well, maybe I do. For a book called ‘Sky Pirates’, there are very few… well, pirates. They only enter the book in the last quarter or so, and even that is disappointing. The pacing turns to breakneck speed, things are resolved ever so quickly without there even being time to build tension.
Maybe my hopes were too high. Maybe my expectations were all wrong. Nothing in this book made it really stand out from other middle grade I read recently. It was just okay…
I really thought I would love this book… and I didn’t. I liked all the elements of it… great characters, decent pacing, thrilling adventures and some good fun. But everything together, it didn’t quite work for me. It all fell flat. And I don’t know why…
Well, maybe I do. For a book called ‘Sky Pirates’, there are very few… well, pirates. They only enter the book in the last quarter or so, and even that is disappointing. The pacing turns to breakneck speed, things are resolved ever so quickly without there even being time to build tension.
Maybe my hopes were too high. Maybe my expectations were all wrong. Nothing in this book made it really stand out from other middle grade I read recently. It was just okay…
August 3, 2020
Absolutely breathtaking! Sky Pirates: Echo Quickthorn and the Great Beyond absolutely blew me away with how thrilling and engaging it was. I found it extremely difficult to put down and kept wanting to read more. This was an adventure story reminiscent of Brightstorm and Cogheart – I want more!
Echo was a likeable female protagonist who had a spark of adventure and I enjoyed following her on her journey. Horace grew on me as the story went along and Gilbert stole me away straight away. I love an animal sidekick and the interpretation of his replies to her speaking was delightful.
Is there going to be a sequel? Because I sure hope so.
Echo was a likeable female protagonist who had a spark of adventure and I enjoyed following her on her journey. Horace grew on me as the story went along and Gilbert stole me away straight away. I love an animal sidekick and the interpretation of his replies to her speaking was delightful.
Is there going to be a sequel? Because I sure hope so.
April 17, 2020
I devoured this. A really pacy adventure full of clever steam-punk contraptions and daring characters, who defy the roles they’ve been handed to defeat the baddies and allow good to win. It��s quirky with a really heart-warming message about bravery and finding out the truth for one’s self. I loved it. Also Gilbert. I want a Gilbert!
August 3, 2020
Echo is bored, longing for her lost mother and trapped in the castle of Lockfort. Although she’s been taught to be a ‘lady’, she is determined to think for herself, and does so with an impulsive single-mindedness. So, when Professor Daggerwing arrives with his airship and a map which shows there is a world outside Lockfort, Echo doesn’t think twice about rejecting her luxurious life for one of uncertainty and adventure. Echo’s adventure gets herself and others into danger at every turn, but she fights hard to get on with her mission to find her mother, while saving her friends too. I loved brave Echo, and Gilbert the lizard who has a resourcefulness to match Echo’s, and it was great to see Prince Horace open up to new possibilities and find his place in the world. I think this is a book which will have wide appeal.
I really enjoyed the whole steampunk airship and mechanical dragon vibe, and the way the book opens out our imaginations and takes us to new lands. What great names Alex English has thought up for the places, as well as the characters, and I admired how deftly she handled such a large cast of fiery characters. The theme of not being kept in by walls others have built really resonated. There is still so much of The Great Beyond to explore and you get that thrill of anticipating what might come next. Mark Chambers has done a great job enriching the book with his illustrations and map. I look forward to more.
I really enjoyed the whole steampunk airship and mechanical dragon vibe, and the way the book opens out our imaginations and takes us to new lands. What great names Alex English has thought up for the places, as well as the characters, and I admired how deftly she handled such a large cast of fiery characters. The theme of not being kept in by walls others have built really resonated. There is still so much of The Great Beyond to explore and you get that thrill of anticipating what might come next. Mark Chambers has done a great job enriching the book with his illustrations and map. I look forward to more.
February 5, 2021
Echo doesn’t fit in. She looks different and feels different. Orphaned and living with the uncaring King she is determined to find her mother.
Escape from walled Lockfort is her only chance. What she didn’t expect was for Prince Horace, timid and quiet, to sneak out with her.
The pair find themselves in The Barren and in need of rescue. A prisoner in the dungeons might be the answer. Will Echo survive to find her mother?
A fast-paced adventure. I enjoyed the flying machines.
Recommended for 10+
Escape from walled Lockfort is her only chance. What she didn’t expect was for Prince Horace, timid and quiet, to sneak out with her.
The pair find themselves in The Barren and in need of rescue. A prisoner in the dungeons might be the answer. Will Echo survive to find her mother?
A fast-paced adventure. I enjoyed the flying machines.
Recommended for 10+
September 8, 2023
I was hovering around a 3.5 stars for this but ended up rounding it up because a) the pictures are cute b) I think kids mightn't be as picky as me about certain points, and it's really for kids c) the ending was on the better side.
This is a pacey and imaginative adventure, appealing to those who like the "feisty heroine who loves fantastic adventuring" genre for kids, of which there is plenty. It has plenty of recognisable tropes which isn't necessarily a bad thing. People feel happy with familiar stuff like:
A feisty heroine who loves freedom
A sidekick who isn't nearly so feisty but learns to enjoy adventuring. He's the bookish sort.
Lots of imaginative places
An orphan (feisty heroine) who has a clue to her parentage
An evil villain
A helpful and quirky mentor - he's an adult but acts enough like a child that children will like him
Throw in some stuff about royalty and pirates and dragons and far-flung islands and things like that and stir.
PROS:
Pacey: For most of the book (after the intro) the book has plenty of action and paces pretty well
The not-main characters: Loved the Professor and Gilbert, and thought Horace was very sympathetic
Imaginative locations and details: Violet Isles, airships, breaking into song and pickled squibnuts? Great stuff. I liked the stuff about the mantrap seeds and so forth. I found the world created and these little details fantastic and really gave a sense of fun and uniqueness to the book.
CONS:
Intro: was a little slow but not a big deal
Heavy-handed messaging: We get it. There is a feisty heroine because it's a feminist book, and also there is a message about not being locked into stereotypes. That's an admirable message but the book did try to slog you over the head with its not so subtle message sometimes, like the "needle and thread" classes and Echo having to spell out for us why sometimes some girls didn't want to do needlework and some boys didn't want to fight.
BUT THE BIGGEST CON:
Echo can be an annoying, contradictory and selfish pain: I don't think every character in a book has to be likable, in fact I love flawed characters and anti-heroes. However I got the feeling (with the whole feisty heroine and people congratulating Echo all the time) that Echo was supposed to be a sympathetic and lovable heroine with maybe just a few flaws and in fact I found her an irritating pain and I would have been tempted to have made her walk the plank had I been a pirate! Yo ho ho!
Yes, she's feisty and yes she's lost her mother but she's so self-centred and all she wants to do on the adventure is what she wants to do. At least she admits at the end that she's been selfish but I don't think she grasps the full extent of it and I'm not sure if the author did.
It's a bit ironic that Echo spends her time going on about how the King is so bad for not accepting Horace for who he is, and tries to make him into something he's not (ie tries to make him take fighting lessons) and then when they are out adventuring, Echo gets mad at Horace for being who he is - someone who is anxious and wants to plan things. She misleads him and says she has plans when she doesn't and when he gets upset she gets angry and thinks "why can't he just enjoy things as they come?" instead of just understanding that he's not like her.
It is not acknowledged that in that sense, she's just as bad as King Alfons.
She's easily forgiven for taking off with someone else's airship to satisfy her selfish desires - what SHE thinks is important. She doesn't even leave a message saying where she is going. I'd be darn mad if someone nicked off with my airship. OK, this is important to her, but what about what's important to other people? If she wants what's important to her, maybe she can figure out how to do it without inconveniencing people who've only tried to help her on the way.
Echo had a lot of growing up to do and in the end, we see Horace grow up and really show some character, but not so much Echo.
The ending is very nice and feelgood and I liked how Horace showed a lot of character development. But it's a pity that Echo, the main character, could be quite a slog.
I know there are some people who prefer Echo to Horace and find Horace annoying. But Horace showed loyalty and then maturity even if he was at first anxious. Not everyone is adventurous. While adventurousness is great for an adventure book, it isn't, in my opinion, always a virtue. You can be a great person without it. Whereas being a selfish spoiled brat like Echo - big thumbs down.
This is a pacey and imaginative adventure, appealing to those who like the "feisty heroine who loves fantastic adventuring" genre for kids, of which there is plenty. It has plenty of recognisable tropes which isn't necessarily a bad thing. People feel happy with familiar stuff like:
A feisty heroine who loves freedom
A sidekick who isn't nearly so feisty but learns to enjoy adventuring. He's the bookish sort.
Lots of imaginative places
An orphan (feisty heroine) who has a clue to her parentage
An evil villain
A helpful and quirky mentor - he's an adult but acts enough like a child that children will like him
Throw in some stuff about royalty and pirates and dragons and far-flung islands and things like that and stir.
PROS:
Pacey: For most of the book (after the intro) the book has plenty of action and paces pretty well
The not-main characters: Loved the Professor and Gilbert, and thought Horace was very sympathetic
Imaginative locations and details: Violet Isles, airships, breaking into song and pickled squibnuts? Great stuff. I liked the stuff about the mantrap seeds and so forth. I found the world created and these little details fantastic and really gave a sense of fun and uniqueness to the book.
CONS:
Intro: was a little slow but not a big deal
Heavy-handed messaging: We get it. There is a feisty heroine because it's a feminist book, and also there is a message about not being locked into stereotypes. That's an admirable message but the book did try to slog you over the head with its not so subtle message sometimes, like the "needle and thread" classes and Echo having to spell out for us why sometimes some girls didn't want to do needlework and some boys didn't want to fight.
BUT THE BIGGEST CON:
Echo can be an annoying, contradictory and selfish pain: I don't think every character in a book has to be likable, in fact I love flawed characters and anti-heroes. However I got the feeling (with the whole feisty heroine and people congratulating Echo all the time) that Echo was supposed to be a sympathetic and lovable heroine with maybe just a few flaws and in fact I found her an irritating pain and I would have been tempted to have made her walk the plank had I been a pirate! Yo ho ho!
Yes, she's feisty and yes she's lost her mother but she's so self-centred and all she wants to do on the adventure is what she wants to do. At least she admits at the end that she's been selfish but I don't think she grasps the full extent of it and I'm not sure if the author did.
It's a bit ironic that Echo spends her time going on about how the King is so bad for not accepting Horace for who he is, and tries to make him into something he's not (ie tries to make him take fighting lessons) and then when they are out adventuring, Echo gets mad at Horace for being who he is - someone who is anxious and wants to plan things. She misleads him and says she has plans when she doesn't and when he gets upset she gets angry and thinks "why can't he just enjoy things as they come?" instead of just understanding that he's not like her.
It is not acknowledged that in that sense, she's just as bad as King Alfons.
She's easily forgiven for taking off with someone else's airship to satisfy her selfish desires - what SHE thinks is important. She doesn't even leave a message saying where she is going. I'd be darn mad if someone nicked off with my airship. OK, this is important to her, but what about what's important to other people? If she wants what's important to her, maybe she can figure out how to do it without inconveniencing people who've only tried to help her on the way.
Echo had a lot of growing up to do and in the end, we see Horace grow up and really show some character, but not so much Echo.
The ending is very nice and feelgood and I liked how Horace showed a lot of character development. But it's a pity that Echo, the main character, could be quite a slog.
I know there are some people who prefer Echo to Horace and find Horace annoying. But Horace showed loyalty and then maturity even if he was at first anxious. Not everyone is adventurous. While adventurousness is great for an adventure book, it isn't, in my opinion, always a virtue. You can be a great person without it. Whereas being a selfish spoiled brat like Echo - big thumbs down.
August 26, 2020
I have a soft corner for hot air balloons and other weird and wonderful steampunkish flying machines. So naturally, I put in a request when I saw the cover and read the blurb of Sky Pirates on Net Galley.
11-year old Echo is a ward of King Alfons, who rules over the walled city of Lockfort. She is brave, restless, and determined to find her mother, who left her as a baby on the castle steps. Unfortunately, as the King’s ward, she is supposed to be meek and well-mannered and remain inside the castle at all times, learning lessons and embroidery and deportment, all of which she loathes.
Outside the wall surrounding Lockfort is the Barren, a vast, rocky, nothingness. And beyond the Barren is the edge of the world! Or so the Lockfortians have been told by King Alfons for years. So Echo is astounded when one night, a tapping on her window reveals an airship floating outside, being flown by a wild-haired explorer who insists that he is from a great city beyond the Barren. The explorer, Professor Daggerwing, shows Echo a map showing a whole big world -with fabulous cities and lush islands and green moors and vast oceans-and adventure-seeking Echo is entranced. She is sure her mother is out there somewhere!
Echo and the professor escape Lockfort in the airship, with an unlikely stowaway- King Alfons’ son Horace. What follows is a fantastic adventure across the bustling city of Port Tourbillon and the beautiful, tropical Violet Isles. There are man-eating tropical plants, mechanical postal pigeons, giant butterflies lured by giant lollipops, a mechanical flying dragon that breathes actual fire..... and the legendary Black Sky Wolves - a fierce band of pirates that attack airships for treasure. Will Echo find her mother in all of this excitement? Or will King Alfons track them down and drag them back to Lockfort before Echo can find her?
I loved the book, with it’s mix of adventure, fantasy, steampunk and allegory. After all, leaders pulling blinders on the populace and brainwashing them is a reality of the world we live in! Luckily, just as real are friendship, love, bravery and curiosity.
11-year old Echo is a ward of King Alfons, who rules over the walled city of Lockfort. She is brave, restless, and determined to find her mother, who left her as a baby on the castle steps. Unfortunately, as the King’s ward, she is supposed to be meek and well-mannered and remain inside the castle at all times, learning lessons and embroidery and deportment, all of which she loathes.
Outside the wall surrounding Lockfort is the Barren, a vast, rocky, nothingness. And beyond the Barren is the edge of the world! Or so the Lockfortians have been told by King Alfons for years. So Echo is astounded when one night, a tapping on her window reveals an airship floating outside, being flown by a wild-haired explorer who insists that he is from a great city beyond the Barren. The explorer, Professor Daggerwing, shows Echo a map showing a whole big world -with fabulous cities and lush islands and green moors and vast oceans-and adventure-seeking Echo is entranced. She is sure her mother is out there somewhere!
Echo and the professor escape Lockfort in the airship, with an unlikely stowaway- King Alfons’ son Horace. What follows is a fantastic adventure across the bustling city of Port Tourbillon and the beautiful, tropical Violet Isles. There are man-eating tropical plants, mechanical postal pigeons, giant butterflies lured by giant lollipops, a mechanical flying dragon that breathes actual fire..... and the legendary Black Sky Wolves - a fierce band of pirates that attack airships for treasure. Will Echo find her mother in all of this excitement? Or will King Alfons track them down and drag them back to Lockfort before Echo can find her?
I loved the book, with it’s mix of adventure, fantasy, steampunk and allegory. After all, leaders pulling blinders on the populace and brainwashing them is a reality of the world we live in! Luckily, just as real are friendship, love, bravery and curiosity.
July 10, 2020
I really enjoyed this book, it was such a fun adventure. Echo is a brilliant character, full of energy and quick thinking. It was great to read her journey - both physical and emotional - as she escapes Lockfort and searches for her mother. All the characters were well realised, and even the main villain (King Alfons) was understandable. He was (extremely misguidedly) trying to protect his people. I thought the character development of Prince Harold was particularly good.
I loved all the different places that Echo and her friends visit, you really get a sense of the different places. Each island or city seems very distinct.
I feel that as well as being a lot of fun to read, there’s an important message in this story, summed up by the verse from Professor Daggerwing at the beginning of the book - that walls imprison as well as protect.
If you’re looking for a fun adventure, with steam airships and fantastical lands, then this is the book for you. I’d recommend it to adults as well as children. I really hope there will be a sequel.
I was given a free copy of this book, my opinions are my own.
I loved all the different places that Echo and her friends visit, you really get a sense of the different places. Each island or city seems very distinct.
I feel that as well as being a lot of fun to read, there’s an important message in this story, summed up by the verse from Professor Daggerwing at the beginning of the book - that walls imprison as well as protect.
If you’re looking for a fun adventure, with steam airships and fantastical lands, then this is the book for you. I’d recommend it to adults as well as children. I really hope there will be a sequel.
I was given a free copy of this book, my opinions are my own.
June 6, 2021
was lucky to receive a Netgalley Arc of Sky Pirates by Alex English, illustrations by Mark Chambers which were wonderful and published by Simon & Schuster. I ended up getting a copy in my Tales By Mail Book Box and was so excited that I now had a physical copy of my very own.
I tried getting it onto so many TBR's but this month I was able to read it and I was not disappointed at all. I loved Echo as our main protagonist she had was so brave and intelligent and girls will love her. Horace on the other hand I found very annoying at the very start but as a character he had the most growth. I am not going to give this a synopsis as I feel it does not need one all you have to is pick it up and read it. I had now pre-ordered the sequel which is called Sky Pirates Dragon Gold. There is one character I have not mentioned and who should as he steals a lot of the scenes during the book because of his cuteness and cleverness - Gilbert who is a lizard and is Echo's friend. I love their love and respect for each other. For all these reasons I am giving this truly wonderful adventure 4 stars.
I tried getting it onto so many TBR's but this month I was able to read it and I was not disappointed at all. I loved Echo as our main protagonist she had was so brave and intelligent and girls will love her. Horace on the other hand I found very annoying at the very start but as a character he had the most growth. I am not going to give this a synopsis as I feel it does not need one all you have to is pick it up and read it. I had now pre-ordered the sequel which is called Sky Pirates Dragon Gold. There is one character I have not mentioned and who should as he steals a lot of the scenes during the book because of his cuteness and cleverness - Gilbert who is a lizard and is Echo's friend. I love their love and respect for each other. For all these reasons I am giving this truly wonderful adventure 4 stars.
September 11, 2021
I adored this book because it was so expertly done with every thread, character trait and story arc accounted for. We join Echo on her pea-shooting game with her chameleon, Gilbert, of 'Capture the Castle' and learn about how trapped she feels in the castle at Lockfort under the control of a very narrow sighted King.
The call to adventure comes with the arrival of The Professor, who has blown off course accidentally and arrives at Echo's window. She learns there is a whole world outside Lockfort, and so begins her travels to find her mother, explore the world and learn the truth about who she is.
It's a wonderfully fun adventure, filled with clockwork carrier pigeons, pickled sweet roots and swashbuckling sky pirates. I just loved every second of it and will defiintely be reading the others in the series.
Great book and highly recommended for children and adults alike.
The call to adventure comes with the arrival of The Professor, who has blown off course accidentally and arrives at Echo's window. She learns there is a whole world outside Lockfort, and so begins her travels to find her mother, explore the world and learn the truth about who she is.
It's a wonderfully fun adventure, filled with clockwork carrier pigeons, pickled sweet roots and swashbuckling sky pirates. I just loved every second of it and will defiintely be reading the others in the series.
Great book and highly recommended for children and adults alike.
August 6, 2020
I am going to keep this short as I hate to spoil middle grade storied.
This is a fast paced action adventure story. We follow the 2 main characters Echo and Horace. Actually we really should not forget little Gilbert the lizard, he's our animal sidekick for Echo. There are also a wide range of side characters which were very well rounded.
I really did enjoy the story as a whole and found the world bulding and character development to be top notch. I did actually prefer the character arc for Horace and I do feel he progressed more throughout the adventure.
This was a great start to an adventure series and I can't wait to read more.
This is a fast paced action adventure story. We follow the 2 main characters Echo and Horace. Actually we really should not forget little Gilbert the lizard, he's our animal sidekick for Echo. There are also a wide range of side characters which were very well rounded.
I really did enjoy the story as a whole and found the world bulding and character development to be top notch. I did actually prefer the character arc for Horace and I do feel he progressed more throughout the adventure.
This was a great start to an adventure series and I can't wait to read more.
January 30, 2021
Alex English has brought me into a thrilling world that I cannot wait to revisit over and over in future adventures! I appreciate the colorful descriptions that exist in just the right places, and English does not hesitate to capture flaws in all characters that give the reader tethers to a variety of characters throughout the tale. I do not mind the predictability of the plot, though this could bother other experienced story gatherers, but the adventures amongst the security of a resolved ending are what I enjoy most.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2021
A slow starter that grew into an incredibly interesting a wonderfully enjoyable book.
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I read this to my 2 boys most nights. It wasn’t riveting enough to be a daily feature however, and though it took me a while to finish, (a speed of a chapter every couple of nights) it was a very easy yet well written story. Great descriptions and just a nice middle grade read. It never had me clambering for more, but was just a nice book.
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4* but probably won’t be jumping at the sequel when it gets released
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I read this to my 2 boys most nights. It wasn’t riveting enough to be a daily feature however, and though it took me a while to finish, (a speed of a chapter every couple of nights) it was a very easy yet well written story. Great descriptions and just a nice middle grade read. It never had me clambering for more, but was just a nice book.
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4* but probably won’t be jumping at the sequel when it gets released
May 24, 2022
A fun adventure following Echo as she learns that there is more to the world than just the small area she grew up.
On finding a hair pin left by her mother and meeting a professor who tells her the world is bigger than she thinks, Echo goes off in an airship to try to save her mother from the Sky Pirates.
Horace goes along for the ride and so the adventure begins, exploring new lands and meeting new people along the way. The illustrations were a great addition to the story too.
On finding a hair pin left by her mother and meeting a professor who tells her the world is bigger than she thinks, Echo goes off in an airship to try to save her mother from the Sky Pirates.
Horace goes along for the ride and so the adventure begins, exploring new lands and meeting new people along the way. The illustrations were a great addition to the story too.
September 4, 2020
A book to spark young reader's imaginations and encourage them to look beyond their 'bubble' and reach for the stars. Adventure is all around us and what we see right in front of us may not be the 'real' picture. Who doesn't love a book with Sky Pirates and a heroine that saves the day and herself. Fantastic read can't wait to share it with my class.
June 25, 2022
I absolutely loved this book! A thrilling airship adventure packed with colourful characters, clever steampunk devices, giant butterflies, man-eating plants, explorers and pirates. Echo is a plucky and likeable protagonist, and Gilbert the chameleon a delightful sidekick. The perfect middle grade adventure story.
August 1, 2020
Such a cute but epic journey Echo takes in this one. Determined to find ger lost family, she sets out on an adventure of grandiose scale. Full of fun, friendship and fantastic felines, its a guaranteed hit for children young and old
August 7, 2020
Echo lives in a city that has nothing beyond its walls. But when an explorer lands outside her window, she realises that there may be life beyond Lockfort. What follows is a story of courage, of adventure and of friendship.
A fabulous story for upper key stage 2.
A fabulous story for upper key stage 2.
July 15, 2021
This is a fantastic story, with such great characters. It’s a mixture of all the best parts of The Swiss Family Robinson, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, The Magic Treehouse, and Pippi Longstocking. I think 5-9 year old will love it!
September 20, 2021
I listened to the audiobook at bedtime each night with the kids. Thoroughly enjoyed it. The narrator was so captivating and I loved all the different voices and accents she did. She was a natural storyteller. Can’t wait for part 2.
August 3, 2023
OMG! Why have I let this sit on my shelf for so long?!? From the beginning I was just pulled in. A constant array of discoveries, adventures and twists. Genuinely couldn’t put it down! Can’t wait to read the next!
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