The Various [Hardcover]

Steve Augarde (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

The first novel in a gripping trilogy about 11-year-old Midge and her discovery of the Various, a tribe of fairies whose livelihood and existence is becoming increasingly threatened.

A gritty and captivating story of courage and strength against terrible odds, this is the story of Midge, left to stay with her eccentric uncle during the holidays, and her adventures with the Various, a band of fairies. The existence of the Various, who are strange, wild, and sometimes even deadly, has been kept secret since the beginning of time. But when their world begins to clash with the human world, they are threatened with extinction.

This wonderfully imaginative story of love and loyalty is the first in a powerful trilogy that readers won’t be able to put down.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The idea of a race of little people (fairies) living secretly among us has had a powerful hold on the imaginations of writers from Shakespeare to Terry Pratchett and Eoin Colfer. In The Various, Steve Augarde has used this fascination brilliantly to craft the first novel of a trilogy full of breathless action and wonder. When twelve-year-old Midge is sent by her concert-violinist mother to spend the summer at the farm of her sweet but bungling Uncle Brian, her initial resentment gives way to delight in the freedom of exploring the countryside. When she discovers a tiny winged horse lying wounded in an outbuilding, she is awestruck to find out that he comes from a civilization of five various tribes of little people living in a nearby wood—-something readers will have already learned from alternate chapters set in the fairy world. Disaster threatens when Uncle Brian plans to sell the wood to a developer, and Midge and her cousins find (to their own peril), that some of the little people are not as helpless as they seem. Steve Augarde draws on his visual and auditory skills as a BBC animator and picture book author/illustrator for vividly realized detail—-the dumpy and addled fairy queen, the smells and moods of the English summer, the sharply differentiated accents and personalities of each of the five tribes—-in an entrancing debut fantasy. (Ages 10 to 14) --Patty Campbell

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-7--In this inventive and unusual fantasy, Midge, 11, is staying on her uncle's farm while her violinist mother is on tour. She is drawn into a disused barn by the "sound" of words inside her head--the voice of a small winged horse, one of the fairy folk, or "the Various," as they call themselves. She becomes involved in their dramas and adventures as she tries to ensure that their Forest, which her uncle plans to sell to a developer, remains safe for them to live in. Augarde's fairies are very much of this world: concrete and well realized in all of their physical details, down to their tattered clothes made from scraps of fabric. The climactic scene is exciting, and the one in which one of the Various shoots an arrow into the gigantic and fierce farmyard cat and kills it is powerfully visceral. There is an air of contrivance in the story's resolution, however, as it is through events in the adult world of Midge's family that the Forest is saved. This is somewhat anticlimactic, as the efforts of the Various to save themselves turn out to have been unnecessary. Midge's character is clearly delineated, but other human characters are less well developed. The strength of the novel lies in the sense of atmosphere, and the portrayal of the fairy characters, particularly Pegs, the winged horse. There are plot elements that do not come to fruition, which might indicate that a sequel is planned.--Sue Giffard, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, New York City
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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: David Fickling Books (January 13, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385750293
• ISBN-13: 978-0385750295
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,873,309 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born in Birmingham, England. Art college background. Have been an illustrator, author, and semi-pro musician since late teens. Also worked in advertising, merchandising, and animation. Produced the artwork and music for two BBC children's television series, also the paper-engineering for many pop-up books.

My first novel for older children was 'The Various', a Smarties prizewinner in 2003. This was the beginning of the Touchstone Trilogy, the other two titles being 'Celandine' and 'Winter Wood'. My new novel, 'X Isle', is now available in the US, July 2010.

Visit my blog for updates: SteveAugarde.blogspot.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Various is Enchanting, January 21, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The Various (Hardcover)

I bought this book at the request of my daughters but before either had a chance to read it, I picked it up, admiring the beautiful artwork on the cover. As I read the inside of the jacket, I thought to myself Hmmm...this looks interesting and opened to page one. Needless to say, neither of my girls have had the chance to read this book yet as I simply could not stop reading once I'd started. There are parts of the book that read like poetry and the artwork throughout, which was done by the author himself as well as the aforesaid cover, is just gorgeous. This is a beautiful, charming tale and what's really exciting is that apparently it's only the beginning - I see the author plans a trilogy. If you want to be completely caught up in a magical and miraculous world which combines both old-fashioned fantasy and a contemporary reality, this is a must read.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Various by Steve Augarde, April 29, 2004

By 

Eowyn (Greenwich, CT, U.S.A) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Various (Hardcover)

I read this book while I was on vacation, and once I started, I couldn't stop! In an age where original and innovative fantasy novels are difficult to come by, I'm usually a little bit wary when I pick up a new fantasy book. The idea of "faries" has been used so many times that I put off reading this book for a long time. I thought I could guess the entire plot by the book jacket. But I was wrong.

Steve Augarde takes the idea of "faries" and turns them into something new and unheard of. "The Various" have a unique culture of their own- different groups, social classes, and even a funny accent! You are easily drawn to the Various, even though they are so different. However, there are many noticeable similarities, too. The Various are not all good or all bad; Little-Marten is the cutest, most likable character in the book, while Scurl is evil, nasty, and should be stepped on.

The book was woven together nicely and flowed- some of the descriptions seemed almost poetic! The characters were well developed, and the story moved at a fast pace. I can't wait to read more of Augarde's writing!

Margaret

P.S Even though this takes place in England, you definitely don't have to live there to understand this novel!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A magical first novel, January 13, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The Various (Hardcover)

Midge, a bored 12-year old city girl, is sent to spend a holiday with her Uncle, who lives in a converted mill high above the Somerset Levels. Midge finds herself unaccountably at home in her new surroundings, but soon her patience and resourcefulness is challenged, when she encounters a trapped and wounded tiny winged horse in an outhouse, a creature with which she feels an immediate affinity.

Midge's encounter leads to a meeting with members of the tribes of the Various, who inhabit nearby woodland and she discovers that these diverse creatures' habitat and, consequently, their survival is threatened by their gorji (human) neighbours.

This magical and often amusing first novel by Steve Augarde is written with a light and assured touch which will delight both adult and younger readers: - a book not to be missed.