LANDOVEL: THE POISON TASTER

A compulsive, engaging and brilliantly plotted three book series from the master of fantasy quests, Emily Rodda.

Derry knows no other life than that of a child slave on Cram's Rock - a pirates' lair between the Lands of El. Shunned by the other slaves for being Cram's poison taster, and trying to make sense of the brief flashes of memory he has of his earlier life, his only solace are the books he has access to in Cram's stolen library, including his favourite, the Legends of El. But even that must remain a secret, as Derry's ability to read is forbidden in luddite True Landovel. So Derry keeps himself to himself, with no friends and no future beyond surviving another day. Until the day everything changes, when a traveller arrives at Cram's Rock on the run from the mythical El executioners. In desperation, she leaves a magical notebook with Derry, a notebook full of secrets that reveal themselves throughout the series, along with Derry's destiny - and past. Emily Rodda is one of Australia's best-known children's authors. Her first book, Something Special, was published in 1984. Since then, she has written or co-authored over 100 books for children, including the award-winning Rowan of Rin series and the outstandingly successful Deltora Quest series, which has been translated into 28 languages. She has also written mysteries for adults under her real name, Jennifer Rowe. For many years she combined writing with raising four children and continuing a busy career first with Angus & Robertson Publishers and then as editor of the Australian Women's Weekly. She finally committed herself to full-time writing in 1994. Her books have received many Children's Choice awards, and she has won the Children's Book Council of Australia's Book of the Year (Younger Readers) Award a record six times. In 2019 she was awarded the highest honour in the Australia Day Honours list, Companion of the Order of Australia (AC).