The Last of the Sky Pirates

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View books by Chris Riddell, Paul Stewart.

Love it! - Rated
This book is one of them books that I have read many times, and will continue read many times again. It follows Rook from the sewers of Undertown, up the great mire road, through the twilight woods and the long journey through the deepwoods. I would highly reccomend this book, and if you have especially enjoyed this book, then you should read Vox and Freeglader as well.

The Last Of The Sky Pirates - Rated
Rook Barkwater is an under-librarian, he matters to no one, until the announcement ceremony.

Paul Stewart has created a completely different world by writing the 'Edge Chronicles'. It is one of my favourite books and read the whole series.
This book is focused on Rook Barkwater who, when announced, is destined to set out two the Free Glades to help save the slaves of Undertown. He sets out with to other librarians, and together, they travel in disguise through the Eastern roost which is controlled by vicious blue birds called Shrykes. There he meets Deadbolt Vulpoon, a sky pirate captain. There used to be great floating rocks that made ships buoyant so that the sky ships could fly. But they were struck by stone-sickness which makes them sink. Once hearing Vulpoons tales, Rook dreams of flying on a sky ship.
When they reach the Free Glades Rook builds his own small sky craft out of wood, varnishes it with special varnish to make it buoyant and learns to fly it. He then sets out to find out about banderbears, huge bears who look ferocious but are gentler than a new born lamb. There he finds the most famous sky captain of all, Twig. Together they rescue Twigs oldest friend, Cowlcape, from the sinister Tower of Night.
I would recommend this book to anyone aged 10-15. It is fabulously illustrated and amazingly written. It's fantastic.

The sequel to Midnight Over Sanctaphrax - Rated
When I finished book 4, "The Curse of the Gloamglozer", I realized that the stage had been set for an incredible book 5. Thankfully, the books in this series come out much more quickly than the ones from J. K. Rowling , so I didn't have long to wait for "The Last of the Sky Pirates", the best in the series so far.

Set fifty years after "Midnight Over Sanctaphrax" (book 3), it doesn't continue from book 4, the first chronologically in the series, which sounds awfully confusing, but actually isn't. The Edge is a totally different place, with the mighty sky ships unable to fly, and New Sanctaphrax barely teetering on wooden supports after the dreaded stone sickness destroys the buoyant floating rocks. The Librarian Academics have been driven underground into the sewers, where they have constructed a vast library of scientific studies, and are forced to send worthy young scholars on covert and perilous missions for training, before they complete their life's quest by studying and documenting their chosen field of nature study.

In this book we follow the trail of young Rook Barkwater, a clever young under-librarian who is destined to become a Librarian Knight, doing research on the secret gatherings of banderbears, to whom he feels an unexplainable connection. His mission is dangerous and exciting, filled with wonderfully named, described and illustrated creatures that would otherwise defy the imagination.

During his thrilling adventures, he meets Captain Twig, who was thought to have perished with his crew in book 3, and begins a whole new adventure to rescue Twig's friend Cowlquape from the prisons of the Most High Guardian of Night, the villainous scoundrel of this episode.

Just as dark as the other books, but with a lot more action and adventure, I recommend this one heartily to fans of the series, but would advise newcomers to read at least books 1 to 3 first.

Amanda Richards

THe last of the Sky Pirates - Rated
THe last of the sky pirates is a brilliant book included in the set of the Edge Chronicles!
Rook Barkwater is a young under-librarian who live with the banished Scholars of Light. The young dreamer wants to become a lead Sky Scholar with the Professors of Light and Darkness.Its the darkest of times the folk of the edge have seen since the gloamglozer roamed. Screetown is destroyed and no longer in use. New undertown has been built in the saftey of the free glades whilest old undertown is becoming more like screetown each day. When the time comes for the scholars of light to send three more of their bravest academics to get a full scholarship in the free glades it sound fairly easy, but when the evil shykes(ruthless bird creatures) are in control of the great mire road the only one that can take people across the deadly mire. Its bound to be another great adventure. Overall a great read!!!!!!
Have fun Ali 0723

Book 5 in this fantastic, wonderful series. - Rated
I'm not in the target audience, being 58 years old, but I LOVED this book!
Mr.Stewart's fertile imagination has created the strange natural laws that govern this land, producing some weird effects and the extraordinary creatures that Mr.Riddell's art gives life to. The stories can be read and re-read with no diminishing of their power to entertain and enthrall and this addition has the same deliciously dark detailed drawings and inventive imagery as the previous 4 - but even better.
Rook Barkwater is a lowly, timid under-librarian who unexpectedly escapes the boredom and gloom of the library sewers to explore the deepwoods, on a quest for the cure for the pervasive stone-sickness which has all but destroyed New Sanctaphrax. After much searching and many encounters with strange (and fondly-remembered) creatures, he finally finds Twig - the last of the Sky Pirates - and sets off on the adventure of his life.

The inventiveness of the plot, cliffhangers at every chapter, fantastically imagined creatures (and people!) with delicious names, and brilliantly executed drawings on every other page, combine to make an addictive page-turner that delights young and old alike. The chapters are just long/short enough to hold a child's attention (and mine!) at bedtime, without risking sleep/boredom.
The series shows no signs of running out of steam - they are destined to become world classics!
*****