Indie and Proud – Fraud At Snowfields by Daniel Klock
When I started Indie and Proud 12 months ago, I had no idea how many curveballs life was going to throw in my direction, or how many twists and turns my life would take. While the campaign hasn’t panned out exactly as I would have liked it to, I hope we have still managed to showcase some fab Indie authors.
Throughout 2015, I will still be supporting Indie authors in a variety of different ways including book reviews, and the publication of our death and afterlife themed anthology. We are still open for submissions. Click here to find out more. I will also be revamping the Indie and Proud Facebook page. (Please feel free to post promos for your books to the page for now)
I would like to thank everyone that participated in Indie and Proud, particularly J.D. Miller, Dennis Higgins and Virginia Wright, who went over and above the call of duty to help me when I needed it.
For our final post for this year, I am republishing Lenora’s review of Fraud at Snowfields by Daniel Klock.
REVIEW OF FRAUD AT SNOWFIELDS
Will Burns (was there ever a name more likely to cause a titter amongst the Tween Audience?) has a terrifying nightmare: being hunted down by homicidal Bluerorcs, only thing is, he is not quite sure what Bluerorcs are. Twelve year old Will’s ordinary life at an ordinary school is suddenly turned upside down when the mysterious Mr Chevalier arrives and offers him a place at the prestigious and highly select (and secret) Snowfields. Will, a big time Christmas fan, at that age when children are beginning to question the magic of Christmas, finds himself transported to a hidden world and a magical school where the pupils are trained up to work for the White Christmas Organisation: sole aim to ensure Christmas goes off every year with out a hitch. Whilst making new friends and learning everything from double entry book-keeping to magic spells Will soon finds out that there is something untoward going on at Snowfields and it is up to him to uncover it.
This book is aimed at tweenagers and early teens and I think it would appeal very much to the Harry Potter audience as well. However much Hogwarts may have inspired Snowfields, the allure of the boarding school as a place of adventure and mystery has been around longer than Harry Potter, the world of Snowfields is very different Hogwarts. Klock has Snowfields and the White Christmas Organisation using a cunning blend of Christmas Magic alongside modern techno wizardry. As Arthur C Clarke said “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic” and Klock incorporates this modern techno magic alongside the traditional wand and spell variety: Christmas day is orchestrated using not only magic sleighs, and covering spells but hand-held tablet devices and other techno gadgetry. I particularly liked the idea of the design pyramids and the slightly big brother-esque holographic Father Christmas booming out his message to Santa’s little helpers. There are elements here to appeal to boys, girls and geeky grown-ups too!
Klock’s writing style is clear and entertaining, on the one hand easy enough for a younger reader, whilst also providing a few challenges as well to develop their reading skills. The first part of the book is mainly concerned with Will settling in to the school, and making new friends and settling into school life.
The whole world of the school and the WCO is highly detailed and imaginative. Cloudys Transportation Service, run by goblins, Bluerin: the mysterious substance that can be transmuted into any present imaginable….but can also be used to commit fraud….
The relationships between the children were lively and fun: the chatterbox Freddy and the know it all Sabrina, the aloof Richard; and Will and Annabel’s relationship which explored that in-between stage where girls and boys begin to become interested in each other (and are a bit embarrassed by it).
As much as I enjoyed the first part of the book – it captures the excitement of a new school and the wonder and imagination of Christmas ( and provides a full explanation of all of those things you always wanted to ask about Christmas, but never dared ask!) – it is in the second part, when the mystery kicks in, that the pace really quickens. As the mystery unfolds the action increases and there is plenty of excitement and drama: flashing wands, scary monsters and daring escapes. And of course, if you were thinking that being trained up in Snowfields School for a life long job where it’s Christmas every day might just send you a bit bonkers……….well read the book!
My only caveat with this book, is that for a book aimed at the young adult market it could do with a picture on the cover. I loved the font of the title, I just think that to appeal to the younger audience a picture on the cover, and maybe even a few illustrations in the book would really add to the appeal. Other than that, this was a really enjoyable read with some memorable characters and I think it would appeal to both boys and girls in the tweenager/young teen bracket, or just anyone who loves Christmas!
