Arthur's Seat - Artur's Eats

Viking hordes invading Scotland have to contend with malevolent water spirits, evil clan leaders and savage wolf packs while they establish Scotland's first tavern and inadvertently give a name to Edinburgh's distinctive mountain Arthur's Seat. Along the way they also invent the t-shirt Irn Bru (Scotland's famous soft drink) and fast food restaurants. The debut novel from Scottish writer Dave Telfer, previously a scripter of musicals and an encyclopedia of English Drama, is an invigorating crossover novel (ages 9-99) steeped in Scottish history and a hefty dose of imagination. A cast of intriguing characters that inspire and amuse help the exciting and historically accurate plot race along from tense set piece to subtle comic side stories. Thankfully , for a series that promises sequels and prequels, the cliffhanger ending does not leave too many strands of the tail untied but leaves enough to make the reader want to know what happens to the cast next. A page turner where each chapter dives in from left field where one minute we are meeting King Canute enthroned on a beach preparing to stop the sea (or is he?) to spooky supernatural encounters with kelpies, bizarre otherworldly water specters who flit between good and evil depending on their fancy. Intriguing, tense and funny at turns, this is a fine book for teens or anyone with an interest in the Scottish and European Dark ages.