Book Info

Children's Author 'Like-for-Like' recommendations

Synopsis

My Swordhand is Singing by Marcus Sedgwick
In the bitter cold of an unrelenting winter Tomas and his son, Peter, arrive in Chust and despite the inhospitability of the villagers settle there as woodcutters. Tomas is churlish - taciturn at the best of times. He digs a channel of fast-flowing waters around their hut so they have their own little island kingdom. Peter doesn't understand why his father has done this, nor why, all his life they've moved from place to place, or why his father carries a long battered box everywhere they go, and why he is forbidden to know its mysterious contents.;But when a band of gypsies comes to the village Peter's drab existence is turned upside down. He is infatuated by the beautiful gypsy princess, Sofia, intoxicated by their love of life and drawn into their deadly quest. For these travellers are Vampire Slayers and Chust is a dying community - where the dead come back to wreak revenge on the living. Amidst the terrifying events that follow, Peter is stunned to see his father change from a disillusioned man, old before his time, to the warrior hero he once was.;Marcus draws on his extensive research of the vampire legend which permeates traditions throughout the world and sets his story in the forbidding and remote landscapes of the 17th century. Written in his usual distinctive voice, this is also the story of a father and his son, of loss, redemption and resolution.

---

Reviews

'the direct simplicity of the writing make for high readability.'
Jennifer Taylor THE BOOKSELLER
'Sedwick has taken early vampire legends and masterfully crafted them into this dark tale. His story is like a journey into a beautiful gothic painting...It is possible to read My Swordhand is Singing bravely, only hiding under the duvet a little, knowing it is all make-believe. Yet part of you closes this book wondering, as you reach for the garlic, if Sedgwick's haunting world of vampires could be real. I can't wait for my 11-year-old to get her teeth into it.'
Vivien Hamilton DAILY TELEGRAPH
'The tension is good, so are the vivid descriptions and the sense that it is today, when in fact it happened in the 1600s.'
Laura Findlay, Aged 10 UNDERCOVER
'A truly chilling gothic tale, set in 17th century eastern Europe which expertly reinterprets the vampire myth... Expertly reseached and beautifully written, this is a heart-stopping story, which had me mesmerised from beginning to end.'
Becky Stradwick THE BOOKSELLER
'The pace of the story seeps us through the fear and superstition of the frozen village and out and away with the travelling people as Peter starts his new life.'
Pat Thomson CAROUSEL
'Dark, well-researched and with emotional punch, this is one of the books of the year.'
FUNDAY TIMES
'chilling'
Amanda Craig THE TIMES
'a gem of a spooky tale that will chill event the warmest blood... the 7th novel by Marcus Sedgwick and it is his best yet. Vampire stories have been told for centuries and My Swordhand is Singing can confidently take its place amongst the finest. It is a simple, macabre tale that is as fresh and alarming as a drop of blood on a bank of white snow.'
John Millen SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
'The undead are at the centre of this atmospheric tale, but Sedgwick wisely avoids calling them vampires, a term which too readily conjures the capes and pointed teeth of cartoon graphics. The threat - not spoken of by the village people, but all too evident in the fears, the closed doors, the garlic and buckthron stakes - is all the more powerful for being understated.'
Linda Newbery TES
'an interesting read which focuses on the original myth of vampires. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good story with interesting characters.'
Scott Shanks, age 14 SUNDAY HERALD
'In a bitter winter in the 17th century, Peter and his father settle in an unfriendly community. It is when the captivating gypsies arrive, and reveal themselves as vampire slayers that the truth is finally and shockingly revealed.'
BOOKTIME
'Remarkable for its sense of atmosphere, fear, menace and foreboding Sedgwick's new novel gives insight into the lefend and lore surrounding modern interpretations of the Vampire.'
Jake Hope BOOKS FOR KEEPS
'a beautifully written, atmospheric, gothic fantasy. By cleverly delving into vampire myth and Eastern European superstitions, Sedgwick maintains tension, pace and mystery throughout the book.'
Sine Quinn INIS (Ireland) A boy and girl fight a terrifying plague of the undead in this well
-paced, chilling tale. -- Becca Pennicott FOCUS (Kent) 'Marcus Sedgwick's classy vampire story will transport reader to the frozen landscapes of Transylvania.
Nikki Gamble THE BOOKSELLER
'Sedgwick's elegant, concise prose crates just the right slightly menacing atmosphere for this moving story... Perfectly pace, with every element spot on. Highly recommended.'
Marla Arbach YABOOKSCENTRAL
.COM 'Marcus Sedgwick writes with concise precision. He doesn't waste a word. And with broad and elegant strokes he paints a chilling and irresistibly Gothic picture of the fight of good against evil...This isn't a genre book. It is a novel of quality.
Jill Murphy THEBOOKBAG
.CO.UK 'A great story with all the brooding atmosphere you'd need and expect from the subject matter. Sedgwick manages to bring something quite fresh to the vampire theme - should appeal to a broad range of readers, including many adults.
READINGZONE
.COM 'a traditional vampire story... exciting from start to finish.
Felix Taylor (Age 14) INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY
'highly readable and will entertain teenage readers with a taste for gothic horrors.'
Peter Hollindale THE SCHOOL LIBRARIAN
'I thoroughly enjoyed this book from the well-researched vampire folklore to the effective and dramatic setting. This novel is sure to be loved by all.'
Rebecca Dickson, Castlebrae Community High TEEN TITLES
'very scary and mysterious... a thought-provoking book with a gripping climax.'
Laura Gordon, Craigmount High TEEN TITLES

---

About The Author

Marcus was our Guest Editor in July 2010. Click here to see all his selections.

Marcus began to write seriously in 1994, and his first book, Floodland, was published by Orion in 2000, and won the Branford-Boase award for best debut children's novel. Witch Hill followed in 2001, and was nominated for an Edgar Allan Poe Award.

The Kiss of Death is published in paperback in April 2009, and picks up a thread from his highly acclaimed My Swordhand is Singing (winner of the 2007 Booktrust Teenage Book Award). In between came what Marcus calls “my big one - a project I've been working on for so long my head hurts.” – Blood Red Snow White, which was first published to considerable acclaim in 2007.

2009 saw Marcus turn his attention to books for younger readers with the launch of a humorous new series: The Raven Mysteries, narrated by a grumpy raven, Edgar. Titles are Flood and Fang, Ghosts and Gadgets and Lunatics and Luck.

In his spare time, he is also a stone carver and wood engraver and illustrates all his novels! Marcus lives in Sussex with his wife and his daughter, Alice. Finally Marcus is also a drummer, and at the moment he plays in two bands: visit www.garrett-music.tv, and www.internationalbandofmystery.com to find out more.

Q&A with Marcus Sedgwick

Many of your novels are inspired by history and by myth and legend - have these areas always been a fascination of yours since childhood and if so how did this passion come about?
Yes, I always loved myths and legends - I used to read and re-read two books from the library - one a big illustrated edition of Greek Myths and the other Old Peter's Russian Tales. I don't know why I was fascinated by these stories, but maybe simply because I find them to be more glamorous than contemporary stories...
 
Apart from writing what are your passions?
I love music, both listening to it and playing it (I'm a drummer). A day without music is not a proper day... I also love travel and try to travel as much as I can manage.

Where did the idea come from for The Raven Mysteries?
It was a single line, the first line in the book in fact. I'd had it for ages but didn't know where I was going to use it until the character of Edgar came along: "I suspect I may have fleas again".

The Raven Mysteries are full of humour and mad-cap action, which is quite different from your novels for older readers.  Was this a conscious decision of yours when setting out to write this series?
Absolutely, and it was great fun. After writing a few hardcore goth books, it was great to let my hair down with these stories. And it gave me fresh impetus to go back to the next YA novel, Revolver, with renewed determination to be gloomy!
 
Where and when do you write?
I write at the weekends, and mostly in the study in my loft, but also sometimes I travel to write - eg much of Revolver was written on trips to Sweden.
 
What age did you first start writing and when did you think that one day you'd write a novel that would actually be published?
I started to write as a teenager a bit, but properly when I was in my mid-twenties. It took a few years to think it might actually happen!
 
With both your publisher and author hat on, what advice can you give would-be children's authors in getting published?
The most important thing is to know your market! Who do you think your book is going to be read by? What else is out there that's like it? Are you writing something that will sell?
 
The historical context of most of your novels must mean a huge amount of research prior to writing each book.  What does this involve and how long does it take?
It varies from book to book but it's not a chore as I love to do research. It's easier than actually writing the things! For Revolver, the research spanned about 16 months, of little trips here and there and lots and lots of reading!

What was your inspiration for Revolver ?

Finding an empty shell casing on the pavement in St Petersburg. It was a long way from there to the finished book but that was the start of it.

What was your favourite book as a teenager?

Without question, the Gormenghast trilogy by Mervyn Peake.

If you got into Doctor Who’s tardis, where (or when) would you go?
Great question, impossible to answer. So many amazing things to go and see – the building of the pyramids, a Viking boat putting out to sea, Man Utd winning the European Championship in 1968…

Who would you choose to be if you could be a celebrity for the day?

Matt Bellamy on any day with a gig.

If you were invisible for a day what would you do?

I’m invisible most days, so nothing much would change.
 
 10 things you didn't know about Marcus Sedgwick
 
1 - I have an embarrassing middle name, but I'm not going to tell you what it is
2 - I am learning Swedish
3 - As well as playing the drums, I play bass guitar
4 - My grandfather invented the hydraulic tipper truck
5 - I have a pet raven called Edgar, though he doesn’t say much, eat much, or indeed, move much. There’s a possibility that he’s stuffed, I guess.
6 - I’m extraordinarily sleepy right now.
7 - I represented England (Juniors) at Fencing.
8 - I totally love football.
9 - I'm allergic to red peppers
10 - I believe there is only one radio or TV station worth listening to: Radio 3.

Author photo © Kate Christer

More books by this author

Share this book

---

Share this book with other net users and your friends