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Barnaby Grimes #3
Legion of the Dead
Barnaby Grimes is a tick-tock lad, high-stacking his way across the rooftops of his city in search of adventure and mystery. In each tale, he encounters a supernatural force and must battle the horrors that await him.
In LEGION OF THE DEAD, Barnaby finds himself embroiled in a plot that includes a legion of zombies raised from the dead. In Dickensian times, people were terrified of being buried alive, and so were left in their coffin with a wire, attached to a bell, running from above the ground, down through the earth and the lid of the coffin, and tied to the little finger of the buried body. Those who found themselves awake in the darkness of their coffin could wiggle their finger and summon help. And so one night, Barnaby makes a shortcut through a graveyard and is horrified to hear the tinkling of dozens of little bells...
In LEGION OF THE DEAD, Barnaby finds himself embroiled in a plot that includes a legion of zombies raised from the dead. In Dickensian times, people were terrified of being buried alive, and so were left in their coffin with a wire, attached to a bell, running from above the ground, down through the earth and the lid of the coffin, and tied to the little finger of the buried body. Those who found themselves awake in the darkness of their coffin could wiggle their finger and summon help. And so one night, Barnaby makes a shortcut through a graveyard and is horrified to hear the tinkling of dozens of little bells...
225 pages, Paperback
First published June 7, 2007
3 people are currently reading
311 people want to read
About the author
Paul Stewart
217 books917 followersPaul Stewart is a highly regarded author of books for young readers – from picture books to football stories, fantasy and horror. Together with Chris Riddell he is co-creator of the bestselling Edge Chronicles, which has sold more than three million copies and is available in over twenty languages. They have also collaborated together on lots of other exciting books for children of all ages. The Far-Flung Adventure series includes the Gold Smarties Prize Winner Fergus Crane, and Corby Flood and Hugo Pepper, both Silver Nestle Prize Winners. Then there are the Barnaby Grimes books, two Muddle Earth adventures, and the sci-fi Scavenger and fantasy Wyrmeweald trilogies. For younger readers there is the Blobheads series, while for the very young, Paul has written several picture books, including the Rabbit and Hedgehog series, In the Dark of the Night and, his latest, Wings.
Other authors by this name disambiguation Note:
Paul Stewart - business and management books
Other authors by this name disambiguation Note:
Paul Stewart - business and management books
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
September 24, 2022
3 stars.
Umm. I am unsure how to rate this story. The bulk of it was rather dull and I found my mind drifting way too often. So I will give it a 1.75 star rating bumping it up to 2 stars.
However. The last few chapters were really very good and got me to actually end the story, feeling like I had enjoyed it. It felt like a 4.5 star ending.
I want to re-read this again now that I know the ending is worth it and see how I feel about it. But for now, I'm going to give this 3 stars, which is classed as 'Good' and leave it at that until I can re-read and getting a better idea of how I feel, overall, about this book.
Umm. I am unsure how to rate this story. The bulk of it was rather dull and I found my mind drifting way too often. So I will give it a 1.75 star rating bumping it up to 2 stars.
However. The last few chapters were really very good and got me to actually end the story, feeling like I had enjoyed it. It felt like a 4.5 star ending.
I want to re-read this again now that I know the ending is worth it and see how I feel about it. But for now, I'm going to give this 3 stars, which is classed as 'Good' and leave it at that until I can re-read and getting a better idea of how I feel, overall, about this book.
May 1, 2016
Review to come.
April 21, 2018
3.5
Well shoot, I had been hoping to see more of Mei Ling as this series progressed. I know the intended audience here is pre-teen males but it would be nice to have a recurring female character as I know had these books been published when I was a kid my friends and I would have devoured them. After the brife appearance of the young seamstress who's name I have forgotten in Curse of the Night Wolf I found it promising that Mei Ling played a actual role aside from being a pretty girl for Barnaby to make eyes at. Having Stewart go back to that formula of a pretty cardboard-cut-out girl, this time a nurse named Lucy left me shaking my head. Perhaps she or Mei Ling will make an appearance in the final book, but at this point I'm not holding my breath.
Ok, now that I'm done with my rant I should at least touch on the rest of the book. Enjoying the zombie/ undead genera it wasn't hard for me to get on board with the premise of Legion of the dead. Once again Stewart crafts an immersive world for the reader to follow Barnaby through. Along the way there are exciting, high stakes moments that demand the pages not stop turning.
Aside from the aforementioned issue the only other short coming I have from this book is the ending. There is a slight hint mid way through but it isn't enough for the reader to grab onto. When it comes to any type of story I personally love trying to piece together how things will end but in cases like this, with so little information given that's nearly impossible to do.
Despite my gripes here I'd still highly recommend this series as at the end of the day it's good fun.
Well shoot, I had been hoping to see more of Mei Ling as this series progressed. I know the intended audience here is pre-teen males but it would be nice to have a recurring female character as I know had these books been published when I was a kid my friends and I would have devoured them. After the brife appearance of the young seamstress who's name I have forgotten in Curse of the Night Wolf I found it promising that Mei Ling played a actual role aside from being a pretty girl for Barnaby to make eyes at. Having Stewart go back to that formula of a pretty cardboard-cut-out girl, this time a nurse named Lucy left me shaking my head. Perhaps she or Mei Ling will make an appearance in the final book, but at this point I'm not holding my breath.
Ok, now that I'm done with my rant I should at least touch on the rest of the book. Enjoying the zombie/ undead genera it wasn't hard for me to get on board with the premise of Legion of the dead. Once again Stewart crafts an immersive world for the reader to follow Barnaby through. Along the way there are exciting, high stakes moments that demand the pages not stop turning.
Aside from the aforementioned issue the only other short coming I have from this book is the ending. There is a slight hint mid way through but it isn't enough for the reader to grab onto. When it comes to any type of story I personally love trying to piece together how things will end but in cases like this, with so little information given that's nearly impossible to do.
Despite my gripes here I'd still highly recommend this series as at the end of the day it's good fun.
April 14, 2018
I like the way the blurb describes these as horrorthriller, because it's a perfect fit to describe the tension, danger, and gore that these books encompass. Barnaby is once again working his magic, highstacking across the city while solving gruesome mysteries and saving the day. One thing that I love about these adventures is that the author sows them with casual mentions of past cases that we've never seen, playing up how proficient and daring Barnaby is at this kind of thing. The focus this time is an old wrong coming back to haunt its perpetrator, someone the reader may feel sorry for by this time. The story also incorporates some Dickensenian elements, working in the way that the dockside gangs of the day would have worked and the mayhem that they could cause. Barnaby and his young highstacking-hopeful friend Will get accidentally embroiled in some of these conflicts. The creep factor was not as high to me in this book, partially for the reason that it would be so popular for kids--zombies. The zombies don't actually make much of an appearance until the climactic end. As usual the ending is very dramatic and involves a last minute save with a bloody finale. Once again Barnaby does not disappoint!
January 2, 2021
4 star
This is book 3 of this series. I found this series at our local library book sale; the librarian putting the books out said that this series was very popular with the teens that came in and since all four books were being put out I decided to get them and read them. I am glad I did. They have all (thus far) been good.
This one Barnaby Grimes a young man that is a messanger has to figure out if there is a grave robber or if the bodies are coming back alive! Placed in a time when the bodies were buried with a ring on their finger attached to a bell so if they were buried alive they could ring the bell and someone could rescue them. But this is a little different when they actually see the body claw itself up through the grave!
This was very good. Thus far book 1 was the best then this one then book 2. But all 3 have been good
This is book 3 of this series. I found this series at our local library book sale; the librarian putting the books out said that this series was very popular with the teens that came in and since all four books were being put out I decided to get them and read them. I am glad I did. They have all (thus far) been good.
This one Barnaby Grimes a young man that is a messanger has to figure out if there is a grave robber or if the bodies are coming back alive! Placed in a time when the bodies were buried with a ring on their finger attached to a bell so if they were buried alive they could ring the bell and someone could rescue them. But this is a little different when they actually see the body claw itself up through the grave!
This was very good. Thus far book 1 was the best then this one then book 2. But all 3 have been good
September 23, 2019
Does this website mean I'm not allowed to read the actual book...I'm so stupid😐😞
October 13, 2021
Riddell and Stewart are always a great team when it comes to books for teens, and the Barnaby Grimes books are no exception.
October 7, 2025
Barnaby Grimes verses the walking dead. Old grudges and dark powers fuel the Tiktok Lad's latest adventure in his Londonesque city
September 24, 2012
Characters:
Barnaby: The main character, he is a tic-toc lad, in other words, an errand boy. He makes his living doing this, and it leads him into all sorts of trouble.
Blindside Bailey: An old war veteran who now sells newspapers and lives penny to penny... he has quite the tale to tell.
Professor Pinkerton-Barnes: Barnaby's friend who asks him to try out all his zany experiements.
Illustration: One of the best parts of this series is Paul Riddell's amazing, graphic, dark illustrations.
Writing: I LOVE Paul Stewart's dark, brooding characters with terrible pasts who partake in terrible actions... these books are lighter than The Edge Chronicles, but still pretty macabre!
Ending:
Cute, succinct, and nicely wrapped up.
Plot:
This book was pretty simple, since it is a Middle Grade for the younger audience... but the plot follows a clear, concise line that is easy to follow.
Believability of World:A very well put together world where all of the events that occur are plausible.
Overall Grade: B ~ it was entertaining, but a little slow at points.
Barnaby: The main character, he is a tic-toc lad, in other words, an errand boy. He makes his living doing this, and it leads him into all sorts of trouble.
Blindside Bailey: An old war veteran who now sells newspapers and lives penny to penny... he has quite the tale to tell.
Professor Pinkerton-Barnes: Barnaby's friend who asks him to try out all his zany experiements.
Illustration: One of the best parts of this series is Paul Riddell's amazing, graphic, dark illustrations.
Writing: I LOVE Paul Stewart's dark, brooding characters with terrible pasts who partake in terrible actions... these books are lighter than The Edge Chronicles, but still pretty macabre!
Ending:
Cute, succinct, and nicely wrapped up.
Plot:
This book was pretty simple, since it is a Middle Grade for the younger audience... but the plot follows a clear, concise line that is easy to follow.
Believability of World:A very well put together world where all of the events that occur are plausible.
Overall Grade: B ~ it was entertaining, but a little slow at points.
April 6, 2014
4 and a half stars.
this little book setting calmly in a shelf of used-books caught my attention, and glad I picked it up , it had more adventures and originality, than any -more than 400P. YA book I read lately,
loved it soo much, it appears like a diary of Barnaby Grimes a Tick-Tock lad, with too many stories, that made me think it might be one of those books, just narrating the many adventures of the protagonist in one book,
but I was WRONG, all the stories are connected and cleverly too,
narrated in a way to say ONLY what needs to be said, without just filling lines and pages.
enjoyable for all ages, and it didn't do much harm to start with the third , so if you dont have the first one in the series dont worry, you can read what you have for now,I think you will get the rest anyway, I know I will.
this little book setting calmly in a shelf of used-books caught my attention, and glad I picked it up , it had more adventures and originality, than any -more than 400P. YA book I read lately,
loved it soo much, it appears like a diary of Barnaby Grimes a Tick-Tock lad, with too many stories, that made me think it might be one of those books, just narrating the many adventures of the protagonist in one book,
but I was WRONG, all the stories are connected and cleverly too,
narrated in a way to say ONLY what needs to be said, without just filling lines and pages.
enjoyable for all ages, and it didn't do much harm to start with the third , so if you dont have the first one in the series dont worry, you can read what you have for now,I think you will get the rest anyway, I know I will.
February 22, 2019
Language - PG (2 swears, 0 "f"), Sexual Content - G; Violence - PG
Barnaby Grimes is a successful tick-tock lad, earning him regular customers, one of which is Professor Pinkerton-Barnes. He has another theory and wants Barnaby to help him discover whether or not it's correct. They aren't prepared for the answer, though, or the mystery that is accidentally uncovered.
Though entertaining, I still think these books are too young for high schoolers. I also think the authors get too carried away with the details. Some specifics are appreciated, but there are just too many and it's distracting.
Reviewed for https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/
Barnaby Grimes is a successful tick-tock lad, earning him regular customers, one of which is Professor Pinkerton-Barnes. He has another theory and wants Barnaby to help him discover whether or not it's correct. They aren't prepared for the answer, though, or the mystery that is accidentally uncovered.
Though entertaining, I still think these books are too young for high schoolers. I also think the authors get too carried away with the details. Some specifics are appreciated, but there are just too many and it's distracting.
Reviewed for https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/
May 12, 2010
Yet again, a fantastic story in this series. I was a little disappointed that the girl that changed Barnaby's life wasn't mentioned in this book, and another girl was introduced. I thought in the previous book that the girl had been central to Barnaby's life, and to his development and growth as a character, but in this story, he was reverted back to the way he was in the first book. It saddened me. However, these stories are imaginative, full of adventure, but still appropriate for a younger audience (ie not TOO scary). It was a lot of fun to read.
May 25, 2010
I entered the giveaway for this book without realizing that this was a series. That said, I did enjoy this book and I didn't feel extremely lost. The illustrations are nice in a horrific kind of way. I think this might be best suited for an older kid, starting around 9, maybe 10, because of the semi-graphic descriptions of the Legion of the Dead. There are also some words and phrases that would fly right over most younger kid's heads. Overall I enjoyed the quick pace of the mystery and the action that accompanied it.
*I received this from a Goodreads.com giveaway.*
*I received this from a Goodreads.com giveaway.*
December 19, 2010
Starts with a gruesome scene, legions of the dead and all, and ends with the same scene but in between there is lots of fun. Barnaby Grimes is a Tick-Tock lad, delivering messages and solving mysteries all over London by scrambling over the rooftops. Victorian style alterna universe complete with gang land funerals, a seas serpent in the Thames, and zombie (think voodoo kind) soldiers. Fun, a little horror, a little magic, a lot of adventure good for grades 3-5.
March 24, 2022
Scary, skin hanging from skulls, cemetery Dead rise, surprises especially at end. I forgot how gruesome are the exquisitely detailed drawings, so I may wait for more Edge Chronicles https://www.goodreads.com/series/5538... .
Victorian London "tick-tock" (hurry-up) delivery boy Barnaby runs across rooftops "highstacker" into gang leader zombie. His protégé Will may feature more in sequel, undoubtedly another 5*.
Victorian London "tick-tock" (hurry-up) delivery boy Barnaby runs across rooftops "highstacker" into gang leader zombie. His protégé Will may feature more in sequel, undoubtedly another 5*.
February 13, 2011
fittingly, the book starts with a funeral and ends with a zombie army with a special purpose. a nice straightforward story encompassing london and india, the "british" army, a lot of gangsters and barnaby grimes.
again written well, reads easily and the drawings accompanying the story are brilliant too.
i love the series.
again written well, reads easily and the drawings accompanying the story are brilliant too.
i love the series.
September 8, 2011
This was the most enjoyable of the series and i think the highlight so far. Again i will not give the story away but you do get the feeling for a such a down to earth character he is put through all sorts of amazing events which i am sure you can guess from werewolves, to possession to armies of the dead Barnaby Grimes seems to be able to find his way to the centre of any adventure.
March 17, 2014
Although it takes a very long time to get started, (the first half has nothing to do with the second half) this strange story reads more like a graphic novel than the standard juvenile adventure. Great vocabulary from the author, but his style is a bit overwritten. A quick fun read but pretty pointless.
August 7, 2015
A good adventure story for young readers. Poor Barnaby gets tangled up in a gangland dispute, underwater misadventure, and a zombie mystery all the while running the errands of a delivery boy who runs and jumps rooftops.
I gave it a four because the climatic end of the story was not as exciting as I thought it could have been.
I gave it a four because the climatic end of the story was not as exciting as I thought it could have been.
June 10, 2010
before reading this book I had watched a really scary zombie movie and so I wasn't sure about reading this book. But I decided to get over it and read it anyway and it was really good!
It was alittle scary, but what else would you expect from a book about the living dead?
It was alittle scary, but what else would you expect from a book about the living dead?
July 1, 2010
I love this series in spite of not being a horror aficionado. The drawings, of course, are amazing, & the atmosphere of the parallel-universe 19th-century London is fantastic. I want to hear more of Barnaby's adventures, & of his budding friendships.
October 21, 2011
Oh, my gosh! Walking skeletons in London! And that guy was all 'Resident Evil' style on the zombies! That part is so scary!
September 9, 2016
The third installment of the Barnaby Grimes series is every bit as enthralling as the first two. They keep getting darker as Barnaby is thrust into yet more thrilling adventures. I’ll definitely be getting hold of the last in the series…
July 25, 2012
Barnaby Grimes is a tick tock lad, meaning he is a messenger in a Victorian-like London-like setting, and his stories are made much more interesting by the marvelous illustrations. This is a collaboration between a clever artist and a clever author who write great adventures for boys.
February 1, 2013
I liked the first one better. The zombie element was fun with a little variation from the norm. I often wonder with this author the age range of these books. They are easy to read but add challenging vocabulary and can be descriptive with the little violence included in the books.
January 15, 2012
This series just keeps going strong!
April 11, 2010
Probably the best Barnaby Grimes book so far, in my opinion.
August 7, 2010
I actually enjoyed this one a lot more than the previous two. I'm glad I gave the series another shot!
December 1, 2010
I really liked this one but it was freaky. See curse of the Night Wolf for full review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews