Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
swashbuckling is still alive and well, 16 April 2007
Fourteen year old Nathan Fox is a young actor and superb acrobat, who lives with his sister in Elizabethan London. Recruited by Her Majesty's Spymaster General, Sir Francis Walsingham, Nathan leaves the theatre to start an exciting new life as an undercover agent. He is first sent to a school of defence where experts teach him the arts of spying needed to stay alive in the field. These arts include writing in secret codes, how to survive street fighting, accurate dagger throwing and sword fighting. Nathan is then assigned to his first mission, a trip to Venice to thwart Phillip of Spain's plans to invade England.
NATHAN FOX: DANGEROUS TIMES is the first in a series, and the author, L Brittney, a teacher of drama and theatre, certainly shows us that she knows her history well. She has previously written fourteen non-fiction books (including three children's history titles) and over forty plays. This is her first fiction book, and in it she accurately brings the Elizabethan period alive for her readers. Through Brittney's words, the reader can see the filthy streets, the palaces of the privileged, and feel the fear of being in a wooden sailing ship in the middle of a battle.
Nathan grows as a character through the story, but always remains believable as a young teenager. He shows great courage for such a young man, is respectful of others and willing to listen, but not such a goody two-shoes that he doesn't take things into his own hands. The main supporting characters are Marie, Nathan's sister, and John Pearce, Nathan's spy mentor. They are both quite complex characters and very realistic. The author's experience in drama also comes out in the story, with several links to Shakespeare's play 'Othello'. Indeed, the historical Shakespeare appears as a character early on in the book, trying to break away from being an actor by writing a play. Shakespeare asks Nathan to remember his experiences in Venice to pass on to him for inspiration. Nathan just has to live long enough to carry out this commission. One chapter dealing with sword fighting was especially interesting to read as I learned, along with Nathan, that there are four places on the human body where a man can be struck with a sword and disabled, two places where a struck man will die slowly and two points where a man will die quickly. We also learnt why you should avoid the quick points in battle. Want to know why? Well, read the book.
NATHAN FOX: DANGEROUS TIMES is a really good adventure story, with non-stop action, thrilling battles, baddies to outwit and lots of fun. It also made the shortlist for the 2007 Waterstone's Children's Book Prize in the 9-12 category.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Blazing a new trail....., 12 Sep 2006
I was fortunate enough to read this book before it had a publisher, and found it to be a super book. Its characters are rich, the setting is brilliantly laid out, and the plot is a mixture of simple and complex avenues for the reader to follow.
How many books fit into this genre; teenage historical adventure, weaving Shakespearean and historical figures, without sending those teenagers into dribble-down-your-chin slumber as soon as you mention "Shakespeare". The answer must be: not many!
Brittney's attention to the detail of the period, and the accuracy of the historical content is fantastic, and it means that the reader might surreptitiously LEARN something, as well as want to care about the outcome of the characters! In a way, it is the same skill as Dan Brown, who drops in facts that make you think, "Oh, I never knew that", without it weakening the pace (adults will learn a lot from this book, too!)
No doubt that this book will transcend its teenage market, and become a widespread read in the future. Nathan has the appeal of good old "Harry", but with a lot more "guts"- literally. I hope that this review will persuade you to read it, and then agree or disagree with me.
Watch this space; L Brittney is blazing an historic trail in a brand new way.........
You read it from me, first!
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Super cool book, 26 Jan 2007
Wow! What an awesome book! I don't normally do historical fiction but I'm glad I did. This book is better than all the spy books I've ever read because it's set right at the beginning of England's Secret Service and there are no stupid gadgets. Nathan and his partner, John Pearce get involved in loads of real action. All the descriptions of swordfighting, battles and fights are just so well done that the reader can actually see the action. The plot is just brilliant. Nathan's training, at the School of Defence run by hardened soldiers is just ace. And this book has the greatest, goriest sea battle in it. It's got to be made into a film! Can't wait for the next book by this writer. L.Brittney you have me hooked.
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