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The Poison Throne
Author(s): Celine Kiernan (Author, Illustrator), Finbarr O'Connor (Illustrator)
- Publisher: O'Brien Press Ltd
- Publication Date: 25 May 2009
- Language: English
- Print length: 480 pages
- ISBN-10: 1847171702
- ISBN-13: 9781847171702
Book Description
A Friend. A Father. A Kingdom. Which one would you sacrifice? This compelling trilogy of court intrigue, adventure and romance is a winning combination of imagination, powerful storytelling and magnificent characters. Fifteen-year-old Wynter Moorehawke returns home after a five-year sojourn in the bleak Northlands. All has changed in her absence. Wynter is forced to make a terrible choice: stay and bow to the King’s will, or abandon her ailing father and join her friend Razi and the mysterious Christopher Garron in their efforts to restore the fragile kingdom to its former stability. But this changed kingdom is a dangerous place, where all resistance is brutally suppressed and the trio constantly risk assassination, torture or imprisonment. Atmospheric and intriguing, evokes an enchanting and convincing other world – love, treachery, jealousy, tenderness, war, wisdom and court life are all vividly depicted. Set in a fantastical medieval Europe, The Poison Throne is a gothic tale of intrigue, adventure and romance which draws the reader in from the very first sentence and doesn’t loosen its grip until the last.
Editorial Reviews
Review
‘The Poisoned Throne is a slowly building, character driven piece – one set to surprise a lot of readers by the sheer force of its storytelling and the promise of its scope. I for one am looking forward to the next two novels, which I understand will expa — SF Revu ‘Told with great assurance and attention to detail, this is an exciting fast-paced story – very much anchored in the fears, loyalties and vulnerabilities of its sympathetically drawn characters. It makes for an absorbing read – Kiernan’s plotting keeps th — SFX ‘The beginning of what promises to be a powerful trilogy with YA crossover appeal, this epic starts strong and doesn’t falter one iota, ending with a cliffhanger that will leave readers demanding more.’ — Publisher’s Weekly ‘Atmospheric, complex, and intense’ — Publisher’s Weekly ‘A meaty read for young adults to get stuck into over the summer holidays, this has mystery, malevolence and romance – something for everyone’ — Evening Echo ‘The first volume of this suspenseful trilogy encompasses both romance and political adventure. Set in a medieval Europe with some fantasy elements, it races the reader along at breath-taking speed and doesn’t release its grip until the very last page.’ — White Ravens 2009 ‘beautifully written … Celine Kiernan is a superb writer … Atmosphere oozes from every page’ — Books Ireland ‘much-acclaimed first book in the Moorehawk trilogy.’ — Sunday Tribune ‘an impressive stylish debut.’ — Irish Independent ‘one of the strongest emerging authors in Ireland.’ — The Clare Champion Robert Dunbar’s Top 30 Children’s books of 2008 ‘An excellent historical fantasy.’ — The Irish Times ‘power of the writing, the concentration and the wonderful attention to detail.’ — Sunday Independent ‘Kiernan has a great sense of theatricality at her fingertips: the story unfolds and is revealed at exactly the most climatic moment . . . Kiernan is masterly in her storytelling.’ — INIS Magazine, Winter 2008 ‘This is marvellous, vivid writing, and storytelling at its absolute best. It reminded me of the first time I read Philip Pullman – I was utterly engrossed’ — Roddy Doyle ‘ Kiernan will stun you with her debut novel, as her extraordinarily drawn characters invite themselves into your head for a nice visit. With deep societal intrigue and political machinations at the fore, her investment in the “what if” of medieval Europe — RT Books Review ‘Told with great assurance and attention to detail, this is an exciting fast-paced story – very much anchored in the fears, loyalties and vulnerabilities of its sympathetically drawn characters. It makes for an absorbing read – Kiernan’s plotting keeps th — SFX Magazine ‘Atmospheric, complex, and intense’ — Publisher’s Weekly ‘The beginning of what promises to be a powerful trilogy with YA crossover appeal, this epic starts strong and doesn’t falter one iota, ending with a cliffhanger that will leave readers demanding more.’ — Publisher’s Weekly ‘engages her readers in a carefully-realised semi-fantastical adventure fraught with familial and political tensions and a graphic violence that is never gratuitous but more a release of the emotional tensions generated by the novel’s main themes’ — Sunday Independent ‘I was amazed to find such excellence of style and plot from a debut author. I couldn’t stop reading the story until I was finished, and was left dying for more’ — Antonena Gall, AST, Russia’s largest publisher ‘Do you remember that sensation of growing incredulity as you read on through a manuscript? I mean that feeling of absolute happiness that an editor experiences when she realises she is not reading a few rough pages from a would-be writer, but the polishe — Claudia Casanova, Grupo Planeta, Spain ‘a spectacular fantasy by a prolific, creative and multi-talented artist and author’ — The Anglo Celt ‘The narrator’s voice is strong and the writing stylish. An excellent story from a debut Irish author’ — CBI’s Bookfest, Recommended Reading Guide ‘Well-delivered messages of friendship, familial love and tolerance.’ — Sunday Business Post ‘Striking debut novel, a fascinating historical fantasy characterized by vivid, colourful writing.’ — The Irish Times ‘This is marvellous, vivid writing, and storytelling at its absolute best. It reminded me of the first time I read Philip Pullman – I was utterly engrossed’ — Roddy Doyle ‘beautifully written … Celine Kiernan is a superb writer … Atmosphere oozes from every page’ — Books Ireland Robert Dunbar’s Top 30 Children’s books of 2008 ‘An excellent historical fantasy.’ — The Irish Times ‘one of the strongest emerging authors in Ireland.’ — The Clare Champion ‘an impressive stylish debut.’ — Irish Independent ‘much-acclaimed first book in the Moorehawk trilogy.’ — Sunday Tribune ‘power of the writing, the concentration and the wonderful attention to detail.’ — Sunday Independent Teen novel that will baroque your world … all the ingredients of an international bestseller … the writing is extraordinary … recommended for both teen and adult readers — Irish Independent Kiernan has a great sense of theatricality at her fingertips: the story unfolds and is revealed at exactly the most climatic moment . . . Kiernan is masterly in her storytelling. — Inis Magazine, Winter 2008 fiercely political and actually, just fiercely written in general — Inkandpaperhearts.wordpress.com
About the Author
Celine Kiernan is an Irish author of fantasy novels for young adults. She is best known for The Moorehawke Trilogy. Her fourth book, Into the Grey, won both the CBI Book of the Year Award and the CBI Children’s Choice Award in 2012. It won the 2013 Readers’ Association of Ireland Award for best book. Born and raised in Dublin, she now lives in Virginia, Co. Cavan. Celine Kiernan is an Irish author of fantasy novels for young adults. She is best known for The Moorehawke Trilogy. Her fourth book, Into the Grey, won both the CBI Book of the Year Award and the CBI Children’s Choice Award in 2012. It won the 2013 Readers’ Association of Ireland Award for best book. Born and raised in Dublin, she now lives in Virginia, Co. Cavan.
