The Various
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Amazon.co.uk Review
The idea of a race of little people (fairies) living secretly among us has had a powerful hold on the imaginations of writers from Shakespeare to Terry Pratchettand Eoin Colfer. In The Various, Steve Augarde has used this fascination brilliantly to craft the first novel of a trilogy full of breathless action and wonder. When 12-year-old Midge is sent by her concert-violinist mother to spend the summer at the farm of her sweet but bungling Uncle Brian, her initial resentment gives way to delight in the freedom of exploring the countryside. When she discovers a tiny winged horse lying wounded in an outbuilding, she is awestruck to find out that he comes from a civilisation of five various tribes of little people living in a nearby wood—-something readers will have already learned from alternate chapters set in the fairy world.
Disaster threatens when Uncle Brian plans to sell the wood to a developer, and Midge and her cousins find (to their peril), that some of the little people are not as helpless as they seem. Steve Augarde draws on his visual and auditory skills as a BBC animator and picture book author/illustrator for vividly realised detail--the dumpy and addled fairy queen, the smells and moods of the English summer, the sharply differentiated accents and personalities of each of the five tribes--in an entrancing debut fantasy. The book is recommended for ages 10-14. --Patty Campbell, Amazon.com --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Red House Books (readers reviews)
'The Various is the best book in the entire universe.' (Naomi Vibert)
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
The Various was a most amazing read! I couldn't put it down from the first page -- the story sucked me in from the opening chapter. The heroine of the book, twelve year old Midge, is a bright, sensitive girl who is unknowingly drawn into a magical and dangerous world of a tribe of mystical little people who have lived amongst her family for years and years in the adjacent woods on her uncle’s farm. These are The Various – a group of two foot tall creatures consisting of a class system parallel to real life -- the Ickri – or the hunters and ruling class, the Tinklers – artistic cave dwellers, and the Troggles, who were considered the lower rung of society. But all existed peacefully together in their common struggle to survive in a modern, ever-changing world alongside the humans, or Gorgi giants as they are humorously called by the author, without being detected. Every single character was original and distinct and made an instant impression. The tale begins with Midge’s discovery of an injured tiny winged horse in an old barn on the property and takes the reader on an incredible journey from that point on. Will she discover the secrets of The Various? Will she help them survive? Or will they turn on Midge and her family as the enemy? The author is a master of setting up a scene and then drawing out suspense. There was an element of fear in some sections which had me on the edge of my bed, biting my nails, but nothing that would frighten a child…it was more like ghost story scary. I turned page after page, wondering where it all would lead. and I never had a clue as to where it was headed, which added to the great enjoyment I had as a reader. This book has everything – it’s chock full of beautiful images, unique and startling characters, and dialogue that was offbeat, brilliant, and at times, very funny, making it one of the best I've ever read and I highly recommend that you pick this one up, whether you are an older child or teenager or even an adult.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book was a beautifully written and really refreshing read, surprisingly. I recommend this book to children, youths and adults alike...
In a thick froest, protected by brambles there is a whole different world. Where tribes of 'little people' struggle for existence in a world where human giants have taken over. For so long they have been a secret, until one day a human girl saves the life of one of their kind. She warns them of the danger soon to befall them and is soon caught up in the world of the various tribes.
In a thick froest, protected by brambles there is a whole different world. Where tribes of 'little people' struggle for existence in a world where human giants have taken over. For so long they have been a secret, until one day a human girl saves the life of one of their kind. She warns them of the danger soon to befall them and is soon caught up in the world of the various tribes.
The first book in the series was a really great start to what promises to be an extraordinary tale.
I can't wait to read the next one!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I was attracted to this book by its cover and by the Somerset setting- I deliberately don't say "background" because the landscape in this book is almost a character in its own right. . Suffice to say that Midge, a contemporary girl, encounters a winged horse in a disused barn. . .and nothing will ever be the same again. There are fairies galore, and none of them is of the glittery Disney variety-they are the genuine article-British fairies,many of whom are squat, grotesque and hairy whilst a few are unnervingly beautiful. Both Midge's world and that of the "Various" are rendered in superb and lively writing.The landscape of field and forest is rendered beautifully, as is the Somerset dialect that the fairies speak.
I'm very much looking forward to the remaining books of the trilogy.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Omg brill
OMG this book is amazing and I can't wait to reade Celendine, Winter Wood and X - Isle! Steve you top Enid blyton anyday!xx
Published 2 months ago by geeem
Spellbinding
This book is amazing and despite me being reluctant to read it at first, I would reccommend it to all children and adults. "Celandine" was eve better.
Published 13 months ago by R. Kelly
A fabulous book for any age. Adults will love it too
I completely lost myself in these wonderful books and was very sad when I closed the final book in the trilogy. Read more
Published on 3 April 2010 by Belle Loudon
Courtesy of Teens Read Too
Twelve-year-old Midge has been sent to stay with her Uncle Brian at Mill Farm while her musician mother goes on tour. Read more
Published on 2 July 2009 by TeensReadToo
bought for my children - secretly read by me first
I bought this book having seen it on a list on amazon and was impressed by the reviews - I needed a book to get my two boys into reading proper full sized novels... Read more
Published on 9 Nov 2008 by Mrs. C. J. Cubbon
Timeless Classic
Steve Augarde's trilogy, beginning with The Various and now complete after this years publication of Winter Wood, is a must for every child's collection of 'Most Loved Books'. Read more
Published on 30 April 2008 by B. Bartlett
Wonderful
This is the first of a trilogy (the third installment is just out now) and it's just so wonderful I have told everyone I can think of to buy it and read it and read it again as I... Read more
Published on 5 Jan 2008 by BizLiz
An enchanting novel leaving you lost in a fantasy world
The Various is an entrancing novel and is the first of a trilogy based on 'The Various'.
The Various is a group of tribes whose people could be described as fairies,... Read more
The Various is a group of tribes whose people could be described as fairies,... Read more
Published on 12 Jun 2006 by Charlie
An Enjoyable Book
An enjoyable story about 12 year-old Midge, who comes to stay on her cousin's farm and discovers a fairy world in a soon to be demolished forest. Read more
Published on 17 Feb 2005 by Chrestomanci
One of my favourite books this year
Other reviewers here have well covered the plot. I would simply like to add that this is a fantastic book. Read more
Published on 27 Oct 2004
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