The Cannibals: The Curse of the Jolly Stone Trilogy, Book II [Mass Market Paperback]

Iain Lawrence (Author)

Book Description

Series: Curse of the Jolly Stone Trilogy | Publication Date: June 12, 2007

As Tom Tin nears Australia, where he’s to serve a lengthy sentence for a murder he didn’t commit, he and his fellow convict, Midgely, plot their escape. No matter that the ship carrying them and the other juvenile criminals is captained by Tom’s father. Tom knows his father can’t help him clear his name and regain his freedom–not as long as Mr. Goodfellow, a man who wants the ruin of the Tin family, wields power back in London. So Tom and Midgely decide to go overboard! So do other boys who seize their chance at liberty–boys who aren’t so innocent, and who have it in for Tom.
To make things worse, the islands in the Pacific look inviting, but Tom remembers his father’s warnings: headhunters and cannibals lurk there! The boys go anyway. And as conflict among them mounts, as they encounter the very dangers Captain Tin spoke of, Tom must fight to keep himself and Midgely alive.


From the Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Fire-breathing monsters, headless corpses, gigantic snakes, a mysterious woman, and islands full of cannibals make this high-spirited, old-fashioned adventure tale, complete with cliffhanger chapter endings, a treat."—Kirkus Reviews

"Offers a Robert Louis Stevenson brand of excitement that will draw fans of exotic adventure tales."—Publishers Weekly

"Readers in search of swashbuckling adventure, gripping plot twists, and hair-raising encounters will gravitate to this sequel to The Convicts."—School Library Journal

"Lawrence keeps the reader on edge."—The Horn Book Magazine

"Excellent writing. . . . The action comes at breakneck speed."—VOYA

About the Author

Iain Lawrence is the author of numerous acclaimed novels for young people, including The Convicts, B for Buster, The Lightkeeper’s Daughter, Lord of the Nutcracker Men, Ghost Boy, and the High Seas Trilogy: The Wreckers, The Smugglers, and The Buccanneers.


From the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Laurel Leaf (June 12, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0440419336
• ISBN-13: 978-0440419334
• Product Dimensions: 4.4 x 0.7 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #410,479 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #98 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > History & Historical Fiction > Fiction > Europe

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Thrilling, Mind-Boggling, and Breathtaking!, September 17, 2009

By 

Grade Six "Humanities" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Cannibals: The Curse of the Jolly Stone Trilogy, Book II (Mass Market Paperback)

Tom was a boy in the 1700s sent on a prison hulk for a murder he had committed in self-defense: He had found a giant diamond in the muck that an old blind man wanted. As the blind man was strangling Tom for the treasure, Tom hit him hard with the diamond.

Tom, three of his enemies, and two of his friends escape from his father's ship that was heading to a prison in Australia. The escapees, on a longboat, head off, trying to find Little Midgely's Elephant Island. They wreck on an island where they find a jolly gentleman with an ax, and a gypsy. The half-dying gypsy, an ax blow in his head, says, "The man with the ax is a liar. He has almost killed me and he's killed the five others." The boys find themselves chased by cannibals and head hunters. Read to find out if all the characters make it to the last page of the book.

The characters were amazing. Their personalities kept unfolding. I especially loved Midgely, a little blind boy who could see more than most people without even using his eyes. This series really made me realize how inhumanely convicts were treated back then, even child convicts. Also, people might show cartoons of cannibals as stupid people with a big boiling pot, but the book showed that they are smart, strong and dangerous, and they have succeeded enough times to have a tradition for what they do with their victims, which is the scariest part. As you can see, this is a thrilling, mind boggling, breathtaking book, SO READ IT!

Kate M.
Grade 6
Ms. Kawatachi