Customer Reviews

Far-Flung Adventures: Hugo Pepper

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Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell first came to attention with their intriguing series, the Edge Chronicles. These books conformed to a recent trend in children's books of having well made hardcover editions sized for young readers' hands filled with Mr. Riddell's brilliant illustrations. I have been reading this series to my two sons, age 7 and 8. The difficulty is that as attractive as these books are, the Edge Chronicles are not really appropriate for younger readers. There is some complex psychology of guilt and blame, some very gory descriptions and deaths, and some quite scary moments. I have had to edit as I read aloud, and even skip a few paragraphs.

This is to put into context what a joy the Far Flung Adventures series is. You get the same clever plot, whimsical inventions, incredibly beautiful illustrations and striking characters we have come to expect from this creative team. However, it is all very much accessible to kids under age 12. There may be danger or the threat of violence but there is no imagery or description that would give a parent pause. The protagonists in all the books are younger than the Edge books, making it easy for kids to identify with the heros/heroines.

My boys have loved Fergus Crane and Corby Flood, and were swept away with Hugo Pepper. They love leafing through the book to look at the illustrations, unfolding the gorgeous map and referring back to the earlier books to characters and events referred to in the latest installment. They are captivated by the plot and held breathless by the adventure.

In this book Hugo Pepper comes back to Harbor Heights from the Frozen North on a flying sled, and lands in the middle of a mystery that involves dastardly deeds, conniving characters and perhaps lost pirate treasure.

If your children are fans of Spiderwick or Harry Potter they are in for a real treat! Did I mention I liked it too?

This is the third book in the "Far Flung Adventures" series by the dynamic duo that gave us "The Edge Chronicles". This adventure series is for younger readers from about eight, and each book includes a fold out map cleverly disguised as a dust jacket.

Although each one can be read on its own, you should still read Far-Flung Adventures: Fergus Crane (Far-Flung Adventures) and Far-Flung Adventures: Corby Flood (Far-Flung Adventures), because there are sneaky references to these highly imaginative books in Hugo Pepper.

In a nutshell, young Hugo Pepper is rescued from the perils of the Frozen North by a couple of reindeer herders after his parents become the special of the day for a pack of marauding polar bears. Ten years later, he sets off to find his real home, and lands up in Firefly Square, where he meets a cast of eccentric and magical characters, including land-loving mermaids, tea-blenders, moth-eating dogs, and cloud sheep whose wool is in high demand, to say the least. The villains in this book are exceptional also - a snooping, conniving cat lady and an editor with an axe to grind who controls a work force of snow monsters.

Filled with action, adventure, intrigue and even treasure-hunting, this book is another must-read from Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell.


Amanda Richards, March 31, 2007

I loved this book. The storyline is wonderful and the illustrations even better! Chris & Paul you have created an amazing book, which I love reading to my children at bedtime, and would secretly like to sneak off and enjoy in the middle of the day too! Thank you!!

I think this is a fun trilogy - Hugo Pepper is book 3. It's amazing how different each of these Far Flung Adventures are written, yet they remain interconnected. I'm not sure if I can say that Hugo Pepper is my favorite of the series, but it was very interesting and like the other two, extremely high quality in both story an illustrations.

Hugo Pepper is written in a unique style - short stories give parts of a lager story, but not in chronological order - I liked the stories within within a story format. I liked the idea that mermaids like to go for walks, just like people like to go for swims. Another creative idea was that snow men of the North have huge feet but very small bodies and are hardly every seen, thus creating the myth of large snow monsters.

This author team has also created The Edge Chronicles and the Barnaby Grimes series - I plan both of these series sometime soon!

Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell's HUGO PEPPER comes from the author of the Edge Chronicles but provides a different adventure in a set of 'far flung' travels of one Hugo Pepper. Magic and adventure blend for advanced elementary to middle school readers, powered by black and white drawings throughout and providing a swift action-packed story based on a flying sled time machine. Young fantasy readers will relish the action.

I read this to both my boys, 5 and 11, and they really enjoyed it. When we go to the libary I try and look for any book by this author. The author has an awesome imagination and the books that I have read seem to have elements in each of them that relate or tie into another book he has written.

This is a marvelous book. Rich, interconnected characters and a mysterious plotline slowly develop. Pay attention as you read this book - even the captions and sketches have meaning that moves the plot forward.

For older (and very observant) readers - 5th and up. It is hard to find adventure books for boys (or girls!) that are this well done, intricate, and absorbing.