Sass
Active Member
I want to rave a little about a favourite author of mine whose books really deserve to be better known and more widely read. So here are some summary reviews of his books.
The Darkling
The Darkling is Charles Butler’s debut novel. Since childhood 15 year old Petra has loved to scare herself with the Darkling, a make-believe creature created from night time shadows on the wall. But what happens when the Darkling takes on a life of its own and when it reveals the tragic secret of nearby Century Hall and its elderly owner ? And why does Mr Century insist on giving Petra gifts ? No one, not even Petra, could guess at the terrifying events that will be unleashed by the Darkling, or the way they will change her life.
Timon's Tide
Timon's Tide is Charles Butler's second novel. It focuses on 16 year old Daniel, whose elder brother Timon, was drowned six years ago. His body was found near the Bristol docks, bound with plastic cords. Or so Daniel has always believed. Yet Daniel does not doubt that the down-and-out who accosts him in the street is Timon. Daniel already finds his complicated family life, with a step-father and a step-sister, difficult enough, without the unnerving presence of Timon, and the guilt Daniel feels over his brother's death, which he is now uncertain took place.
As with all Charles Butler's novels, Timon's Tide is chilling yet gripping; the pace is swift and the conclusion looks terrifyingly likely to be another tragedy for a family that is being haunted mercilessly.
Calypso Dreaming
Charles Butler's Calypso Dreaming is set on Sweetholm, a small island out in the Bristol channel, which is best known for its seal and seabird colonies. When Geoff and Hilary Robinson are offered the opportunity to look after a house there for the summer, they see it as a good opportunity to work at patching up their disintegrating marriage. Tansy, their teenage daughter sees it as a chance to put behind her the unnerving experiments she and her best friend Kate have been making in magic. Unfortunately trouble is not so easily outrun and Sweetholm is far from the idyllic retreat it appears to be. It is, as the tagline on the dustjacket says, "one of the places where the world is frayed", a place where the dividing line between ordinary life and ancient magic has become dangerously thin. The key to the troubling events on Sweetholm is Calypso, a strange child with round lidless eyes and webbed feet hint at her ancestry. Her prophetic dreams have power, but will anybody dare to believe the truth ?
As with all of Charles Butler's books that I have read, the supernatural in this book is disturbing and unnerving; it seems all too easily possible. The book is also gripping and a page turner. Some of the things that happen to the characters, such as Calypso's uncle Dominic, and Tansy's dad Geoff, are frightening, but for all that, I couldn't put it down. If you have an impressionable nature, this book is best read in broad daylight !
The Fetch of Mardy Watt
Something is haunting Mardy Watt. It's been in her room, it's fooling her friends, and it's upsetting her home life. And the trouble is, nobody realises what is happening except Mardy herself. Exactly why the Fetch is picking on her, Mardy doesn't know – but she does know that she has to find out, before it takes over and replaces her completely. But whatever spell had been put on her is growing stronger. And suddenly, rather than fear, she feels a rush of burning anger. How dare anyone do this to her ! How dare anyone steal her life !
The Fetch of Mardy Watt is a supernatural thriller; there is a mystery relating to why the Fetch is trying to take over Mardy's life, and just who or what is Rachel Fludd. It's also a race against time - can Mardy's best friend Hal help her to reclaim her life before she is trapped forever in her horrible half-life ? And just who is the mysterious Mayor ? I'm not going to answer these questions, because then there would be no point in you reading the book, and I strongly recommend that you do read it. Charles Butler's books deserve to be far better known than they are at present. If you don't believe me, you can download a PDF extract from Charles' publisher's website and read it for yourself. I was reminded of Alan Garner’s Elidor when I was re-reading The Fetch of Mardy Watt, with Uraniborg overlying Mardy’s everyday world, yet also lying separate from it.
Death of a Ghost
Charles Butler's novel Death of a Ghost is a timeslip ghost story. When 16 year old Ossian returns to Lychfont House from America with his artist father, he finds things are both familiar and yet oddly different. He reacquaints himself with the Frazer family, who live at Lychfont, and finds himself questioning the accuracy of certain of his childhood memories and wondering just why the place seems to hold such power over him. Of one thing he is sure, however: the ghosts are still haunting him. Whilst Ossian is puzzling over his existence, a Celtic goddess is searching for her lost love. Sulis calls in the scryer to track down her lover, wherever he may be, for their wedding must go ahead. After all, she and Ossian were made for each other ! But which Ossian is which ? There's the 15th century apprentice to a goldsmith/alchemist, the latter having a sideline in torture for the government of the day; there's the Iron Age son of a priest of Sulis; and then there's the 21st century son of an artist. But for whom of these three is Sulis searching ?
This is a supernatural thriller that grabs the attention from the first page and refuses to let go. The twist in the tale is quite astonishing and chilling. I won't say more or I'll spoil it. Death of a Ghost reminded a little of Diana Wynne Jones’ The Time of the Ghost, although Butler’s “ghost” moves across a far greater timespan than Jones’ does.
The Lurkers
Charles Butler's brand new book, The Lurkers (out October 27th) is a disturbing tale of a group of strange and dangerous beings who have no physical presence in our world, apart from one, named Galder, who is only half in our world. When Verity sees a weird semi-visible figure near her brother John, one day he tells her that it is a harmless Lurker. He likes Galder, who gives him everything he wants whether it's a bigger bedroom, Bristol Rovers winning a football semi-final 6 - 1 against Chelsea, or a host of school friends visiting and praising John.
However, the Lurkers are far from harmless; they feed on the human imagination and Galder is using John's brilliant young mind to become more solid and independent. Galder and his fellow alien beings intend to take over the minds of humanity, so they starting infecting people with the belief that the End Is Nigh in order to take control of them. Only Verity can stand against the Lurkers, because she cannot lie, even to herself, as her name belies her nature. But is Verity's knowledge of what the Lurkers intend sufficient for her to save not only her brother, but everyone else as well ?
I found this book very hard to put down - as is always the case with Butler's books. He writes totally believable characters and tense, intriguing narratives that make me want to sit and read non-stop. You can read the first chapter at the Usborne website but be warned, one chapter will not be enough...
The Darkling
The Darkling is Charles Butler’s debut novel. Since childhood 15 year old Petra has loved to scare herself with the Darkling, a make-believe creature created from night time shadows on the wall. But what happens when the Darkling takes on a life of its own and when it reveals the tragic secret of nearby Century Hall and its elderly owner ? And why does Mr Century insist on giving Petra gifts ? No one, not even Petra, could guess at the terrifying events that will be unleashed by the Darkling, or the way they will change her life.
Timon's Tide
Timon's Tide is Charles Butler's second novel. It focuses on 16 year old Daniel, whose elder brother Timon, was drowned six years ago. His body was found near the Bristol docks, bound with plastic cords. Or so Daniel has always believed. Yet Daniel does not doubt that the down-and-out who accosts him in the street is Timon. Daniel already finds his complicated family life, with a step-father and a step-sister, difficult enough, without the unnerving presence of Timon, and the guilt Daniel feels over his brother's death, which he is now uncertain took place.
As with all Charles Butler's novels, Timon's Tide is chilling yet gripping; the pace is swift and the conclusion looks terrifyingly likely to be another tragedy for a family that is being haunted mercilessly.
Calypso Dreaming
Charles Butler's Calypso Dreaming is set on Sweetholm, a small island out in the Bristol channel, which is best known for its seal and seabird colonies. When Geoff and Hilary Robinson are offered the opportunity to look after a house there for the summer, they see it as a good opportunity to work at patching up their disintegrating marriage. Tansy, their teenage daughter sees it as a chance to put behind her the unnerving experiments she and her best friend Kate have been making in magic. Unfortunately trouble is not so easily outrun and Sweetholm is far from the idyllic retreat it appears to be. It is, as the tagline on the dustjacket says, "one of the places where the world is frayed", a place where the dividing line between ordinary life and ancient magic has become dangerously thin. The key to the troubling events on Sweetholm is Calypso, a strange child with round lidless eyes and webbed feet hint at her ancestry. Her prophetic dreams have power, but will anybody dare to believe the truth ?
As with all of Charles Butler's books that I have read, the supernatural in this book is disturbing and unnerving; it seems all too easily possible. The book is also gripping and a page turner. Some of the things that happen to the characters, such as Calypso's uncle Dominic, and Tansy's dad Geoff, are frightening, but for all that, I couldn't put it down. If you have an impressionable nature, this book is best read in broad daylight !
The Fetch of Mardy Watt
Something is haunting Mardy Watt. It's been in her room, it's fooling her friends, and it's upsetting her home life. And the trouble is, nobody realises what is happening except Mardy herself. Exactly why the Fetch is picking on her, Mardy doesn't know – but she does know that she has to find out, before it takes over and replaces her completely. But whatever spell had been put on her is growing stronger. And suddenly, rather than fear, she feels a rush of burning anger. How dare anyone do this to her ! How dare anyone steal her life !
The Fetch of Mardy Watt is a supernatural thriller; there is a mystery relating to why the Fetch is trying to take over Mardy's life, and just who or what is Rachel Fludd. It's also a race against time - can Mardy's best friend Hal help her to reclaim her life before she is trapped forever in her horrible half-life ? And just who is the mysterious Mayor ? I'm not going to answer these questions, because then there would be no point in you reading the book, and I strongly recommend that you do read it. Charles Butler's books deserve to be far better known than they are at present. If you don't believe me, you can download a PDF extract from Charles' publisher's website and read it for yourself. I was reminded of Alan Garner’s Elidor when I was re-reading The Fetch of Mardy Watt, with Uraniborg overlying Mardy’s everyday world, yet also lying separate from it.
Death of a Ghost
Charles Butler's novel Death of a Ghost is a timeslip ghost story. When 16 year old Ossian returns to Lychfont House from America with his artist father, he finds things are both familiar and yet oddly different. He reacquaints himself with the Frazer family, who live at Lychfont, and finds himself questioning the accuracy of certain of his childhood memories and wondering just why the place seems to hold such power over him. Of one thing he is sure, however: the ghosts are still haunting him. Whilst Ossian is puzzling over his existence, a Celtic goddess is searching for her lost love. Sulis calls in the scryer to track down her lover, wherever he may be, for their wedding must go ahead. After all, she and Ossian were made for each other ! But which Ossian is which ? There's the 15th century apprentice to a goldsmith/alchemist, the latter having a sideline in torture for the government of the day; there's the Iron Age son of a priest of Sulis; and then there's the 21st century son of an artist. But for whom of these three is Sulis searching ?
This is a supernatural thriller that grabs the attention from the first page and refuses to let go. The twist in the tale is quite astonishing and chilling. I won't say more or I'll spoil it. Death of a Ghost reminded a little of Diana Wynne Jones’ The Time of the Ghost, although Butler’s “ghost” moves across a far greater timespan than Jones’ does.
The Lurkers
Charles Butler's brand new book, The Lurkers (out October 27th) is a disturbing tale of a group of strange and dangerous beings who have no physical presence in our world, apart from one, named Galder, who is only half in our world. When Verity sees a weird semi-visible figure near her brother John, one day he tells her that it is a harmless Lurker. He likes Galder, who gives him everything he wants whether it's a bigger bedroom, Bristol Rovers winning a football semi-final 6 - 1 against Chelsea, or a host of school friends visiting and praising John.
However, the Lurkers are far from harmless; they feed on the human imagination and Galder is using John's brilliant young mind to become more solid and independent. Galder and his fellow alien beings intend to take over the minds of humanity, so they starting infecting people with the belief that the End Is Nigh in order to take control of them. Only Verity can stand against the Lurkers, because she cannot lie, even to herself, as her name belies her nature. But is Verity's knowledge of what the Lurkers intend sufficient for her to save not only her brother, but everyone else as well ?
I found this book very hard to put down - as is always the case with Butler's books. He writes totally believable characters and tense, intriguing narratives that make me want to sit and read non-stop. You can read the first chapter at the Usborne website but be warned, one chapter will not be enough...
