Dangerous Games

The Wolves Chronicles #5

by Joan Aiken

This eagerly awaited addition to Joan Aiken's award-winning Wolves series takes us on Dido's most imaginative adventure yet!

Dido Twite has been sailing the high seas, chasing after Lord Herodsfoot, who is scouring the globe for new and interesting games. Now he's needed back in London, in the hope that his games will help King James, who is lying ill and wretched with a mysterious disease no doctor can cure. Dido's search has taken her to Aratu, a mysterious spice island where foreigners seldom venture--maybe because of the deadly pearl snakes and sting monkeys there.

When Dido lands at Aratu, she realizes that there is something even more dangerous than poisonous snakes on the island. She soon makes friends among the Forest People and learns of a plot to overthrow the island's king, who lives--deaf and sick--at his palace on the Cliffs of Death. Will Dido and her friends be able to reach him in time?

Genres: Fantasy, Childrens, Adventure, Fiction, Historical, Historical Fiction, Alternate History

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Joan Aiken was a much loved English writer who received the MBE for services to Children's Literature. She was known as a writer of wild fantasy, Gothic novels and short stories.

She was born in Rye, East Sussex, into a family of writers, including her father, Conrad Aiken (who won a Pulitzer Prize for his poetry), and her sister, Jane Aiken Hodge. She worked for the United Nations Information Office during the second world war, and then as an editor and freelance on Argosy magazine before she started writing full time, mainly children's books and thrillers. For her books she received the Guardian Award (1969) and the Edgar Allan Poe Award (1972).

Her most popular series, the "Wolves Chronicles" which began with The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, was set in an elaborate alternate period of history in a Britain in which James II was never deposed in the Glorious Revolution,and so supporters of the House of Hanover continually plot to overthrow the Stuart Kings. These books also feature cockney urchin heroine Dido Twite and her adventures and travels all over the world.

Another series of children's books about Arabel and her raven Mortimer are illustrated by Quentin Blake, and have been shown on the BBC as Jackanory and drama series. Others including the much loved Necklace of Raindrops and award winning Kingdom Under the Sea are illustrated by Jan Pieńkowski.

Her many novels for adults include several that continue or complement novels by Jane Austen. These include Mansfield Revisited and Jane Fairfax.

Aiken was a lifelong fan of ghost stories. She set her adult supernatural novel The Haunting of Lamb House at Lamb House in Rye (now a National Trust property). This ghost story recounts in fictional form an alleged haunting experienced by two former residents of the house, Henry James and E. F. Benson, both of whom also wrote ghost stories. Aiken's father, Conrad Aiken, also authored a small number of notable ghost stories.

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

This tenth title in Aiken's Wolves Chronicles, which offers a welcome return to the adventures of the marvelous Dido Twite, backtracks somewhat in the chronology, and occurs shortly after the events related in The Stolen Lake and before Dido's return to England in The Cuckoo Tree .

When the ship on which she is sailing for home is diverted to the spice island of Aratu in search of the missing Lord Herodsfoot, Dido once again finds herself caught up in political intrigue. With the conflict between the colonizing Angrians and the native Dilendi, an unscrupulous and power-hungry villain, and a cross-cultural love story, Dangerous Games offers the reader an engaging and entertaining story. I would not rank it as highly as some of the earlier titles, but I was still glad to have read it.

As a side note, readers should be aware that this book was originally published in Britain under the title Limbo Lodge.



Addendum: Because the reading order of this series is somewhat complicated, I have included this handy guide, which is organized by publication date, and which I recommend to prospective readers of the series, rather than the one offered here on Goodreads:

Reading Order for the Series:

1) The Wolves of Willoughby Chase

2) Black Hearts in Battersea

3) Nightbirds on Nantucket

4) The Whispering Mountain

5) The Cuckoo Tree

6) The Stolen Lake

7) Dido and Pa

8) Is Underground

9) Cold Shoulder Road

10) Dangerous Games

11) Midwinter Nightingale

12) The Witch of Clatteringshaws

A few notes:

-- Is Underground is the American name for the British original, Is . Similarly, Dangerous Games was originally published in Britain as Limbo Lodge .

-- The Wolves of Willoughby Chase features two characters that recur, but the two young heroines do not.

-- The Stolen Lake is the point at which the chronology becomes somewhat complicated, as it is the sixth book, but chronicles events that occur in between Night Birds on Nantucket (#3) and The Cuckoo Tree (#5).

-- Is Underground (or Is ) and Cold Shoulder Road both feature Is Twite, cousin to the main heroine, Dido. They occur alongside the other books, and their position in the series is not chronologically relevant.

-- Dangerous Games ( Limbo Lodge ) is another title that backtracks in the chronology...

--Although not technically part of the series, Aiken's Midnight Is a Place does occur in the same alternative timeline, and is set in Blastburn, the same imaginary city that features in the other books.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable, but ultimately a little far fetched and fantastical, even for Aiken. Not in the same league as 'Dido and Pa' or 'Midnight is a Place', certainly.

I'd recommend this to Dido Twite fanatics but most definitely not for first time readers. Start with 'The Wolves of Willoughby Chase' instead.

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fabulous book in the Wolves series! Dido is charged with finding Lord Herodsfoot on the distant island of Aratu, among the spice plantations, the witch doctors, and forest people. Lord Herodsfoot is searching for new and ancient games, which he hopes will entertain King James back in England. But the island is a troubled place with political unrest and violence around every turn. The island king's malicious brother is planning a coup, and only Dido and her strange new friends can save the island and restore balance to the people's lives.

Full of adventure and a little magic, this story keeps moving with a quick plot, weird and interesting characters, and of course, the excellent writing that I find in all Joan Aiken's books.

I love love love Dido! She really holds up well as a main character in so many of the Wolves books. I never get tired of her adventures! She's gutsy and thoughtful and wildly wonderful. I love how sensible she is, looking for practical solutions in each crazy situation. When everyone else is wasting time wailing over their misfortune, Dido rolls up her sleeves and gets to work fixing it. Her common sense is invaluable in every story!

There is some woodland "witchcraft" in this one, although it feels more like elemental magic. The forest women can meditate on the weather and cause it to change. They can look into the future too! I liked how innocent and clean the magic feels in this story, like a part of nature that the forest people can tap into just by listening.
They do have some weird beliefs though, like that ghosts will steal away a baby's soul if you don't christen it right away; and that if the population of the island gets too big, the ancestors will instruct about a hundred people to commit mass suicide to make room for the others. ??? Gah! That was creepy! But I liked that it gives this eerie backdrop for the story, and adds to the mystery of the island.

There are snakes in almost every chapter, which freaked me out! I hate snakes! But mostly people just throw rocks at them, or hit them with a stick, and they're dead. Only one guy gets bit, and has to take medicine for the snake poison. Ugh! So gross, and creepy, and yuck!

I just adore all the supporting characters! Lord Herodsfoot is especially important to the story, because we see his proper British self reacting to all the mysteries and enigmas of the island and its people. And he's rather dramatic and emotional as a counterpoint to Dido's "no-nonsense" attitude.
I loved the forest people that Dido meets! They are sweet and kind, but also full of secrecy and strange ways and customs. The structure of their forest society is so imaginative, from the way they eat and drink and build their homes, to their odd pets and mode of travel.

The story is wonderfully entertaining, and an excellent addition to this exciting series!

[Vee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to admit, this has got to be one of my least favorite books in the series so far. Don't get me wrong, there were definitely some positives and I still enjoyed the ride. Let me begin with what I liked:

- the magic elements were super weird and cool. I liked the mysticism and the way in which those who could use magic were able to even convince the skeptics in the story.
- Talisman and the Forest People were by far my favorite characters in the story. They were so different and I think Aiken did a fantastic job in creating them and giving them the ropes.
- the plot against the King was typical Aiken and I loved it because it's everything I expected and love about this series!

So clearly, there were some positives. However, there were some flaws that made this book drop below my expectations:

-Dido lacked that charm I've become so accustomed to seeing. In this novel, she was quite flat and had no real purpose; this novel would have still moved fine without her presence.
-Lord Herodsfoot and King were really blah characters. I just didn't like their complete helplessness in every situation. I understand that Aiken created them specifically to be this way, but I just don't like useless characters.
- there were a lot of holes in the plot that didn't make sense (and that's saying something since most of the books in this series are wacky!) and the introduction into this adventure was very awkward and stilted. The transitions could definitely have been better!

Overall, the novel still maintained its wackiness and had an awesome fantasy element to it. However, it didn't tie things as well as it could have and Dido really didn't shine. I'm hoping that the next book in the series will be better; for now, this novel gets a 3.5/5 stars from me!

For more reviews, visit: www.veereading.wordpress.com

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is perhaps not the best in the Wolves series. Aiken has spent a lot of time explaining what has happened to all the members of various separated groups. She does it using dialogue, which is much better than lengthy narration, but the story doesn't swing along with quite her usual jaunty trot.

Although a great yarn, with Dido her usual charismatic self, this book is not entirely satisfying in all respects. A few loose ends were not tidied... John King's background, character and possible kinship with Dido were not resolved. And I'm not sure if anyone else noticed the absence of the smallest member of the party during the entire final sequence?

(I notice here how willing I am to forgive little imperfections in Aiken's work, particularly towards the end of her life, whilst I tend to be critical of the same in other people – whippersnappers like Ransom Riggs for example. Total favouritism. Alas, I am a flawed reviewer...)

[Seth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Joan Aiken is a talented writer and a good storyteller. One of her best skills is in creating interesting characters and unique adventures for them and the reader. Dido Twite is one such character, and she seems to encounter adventures in most of the books she is written into (Aiken has a habit of entwining characters from completely different novels together into a master-story network). Though I don't like the way this adventure turns out, I love the characters, the locales, and the fast-paced adventures that Aiken has created.

[Daniela Kraml · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love all the wolves books, this is no exception. Don't know where she got all this wild imagination, would that there were more like her. Everytime I read this books I'm so sad, that her voice has ceased to ring.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another masterpiece. The pace and characterisation are fantastic.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the back cover of my edition of Limbo Lodge is a quote from Philip Pullman:
What I relish in particular is the swiftness of the telling, the vigour with which brilliant moments of perception seem to be improvised in the sheer delight of the onward rush of the story. Joan Aiken is a marvel.

This adulatory comment (said to be from The Guardian) is cited everywhere online but I can’t discover if it’s actually part of his review for this particular book. It’s certainly true of Limbo Lodge, as for all of the Wolves Chronicles, but for me what stands out most is how much rich detail Aiken includes, and how many corridors leading off from the main narrative avenue just beg to be explored. For example, board games are everywhere, a metaphor for the moves that Dido Twite and her companions have to constantly make if they are not to lose their lives. Twists of fate, as illustrated by the Tarot, can also determine outcomes. There are stern critiques of misogyny, racism and colonialism, not unexpectedly, but also parallels with Shakespeare’s late play The Tempest, whether consciously introduced or not is hard to decide. And — given that Arthurian themes pervaded The Stolen Lake, the title that chronologically precedes Limbo Lodge — there are faint echoes here too of the Once and Future King in Aiken’s tale, of the medieval sin of accidie and of restoration.

But Pullman’s description of swift storytelling and the spontaneous vigour shown in brilliant moments of perception is spot on, strengths which lead one to first rush down that corridor, leaving the side passages to explore in a later rereading.

Dido, now nearly 11 years old at the turn of 1835, has been a reluctant voyager for over two years. We discover her in the Moluccas or Maluku Islands, which used to be known as the Spice Islands from the end of the European Middle Ages. Her ship has been diverted to these waters to as a matter of urgency to search for a certain Lord Herodsfoot, who has finally been located at the island of Aratu — the so-called Island of the Pearl Snakes. On landing here Dido and her companions are thrown into immediate jeopardy with the wounding of one sailor, the impounding of the ship, the imprisonment of the doctor, followed by the ‘scrobbling’ of Dido herself. Will Lord Herodsfoot ever be found, and will Dido uncover the secret of the recluse sovereign who is holed up on the other side of the island?

So far this is all as per usual for our feisty young heroine. We expect Dido to get into scrapes, investigate mysteries and face up to adversaries in her many adventures; what we are unsure of though is how exactly that is to happen. Limbo Lodge is, for an island paradise, surprisingly grim. The indigenous forest-dwellers are either exploited, abused or shunned by the colonists, the fauna (such as scorpion- or sting-monkeys, pearl snakes and crocodiles) are life threatening, and the island is in the middle of a zone of active earthquakes and volcanoes. In addition, the companions have drawn the ire of one Senhor Manoel Roy, who’s soon seen to be behind every setback Dido and her friends encounter and misfortunes which include the heartbreaking deaths of innocents.

Readers who express reservations about Limbo Lodge are correct, if what they were expecting (but don’t get) is the telltale light humour that characterised the chirpy Cockney sparrow they’d come to love. I think, however, that Aiken is expressing Dido’s steady maturation. She’s no longer the total innocent of Black Hearts in Battersea or the underestimated yet canny young adult of the next couple of novels; she’s now experienced in the ways of the world beyond her corner of London and thus more resourceful than ever. That doesn’t stop her commenting drolly about the 'nook-shotten' individuals she comes across or declaring that the 'havey-cavey coves' she stymies need to 'put that in their kettle and boil it'. When it comes to enlisting our sympathies for the apparent underdog Philip Pullman is absolutely right: Joan Aiken is indeed a marvel.

http://wp.me/s2oNj1-limbo

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Croopus! But I enjoyed this book even though I didn't intend or expect to. I struggled a bit with The Stolen Lake and had to be persuaded back on board the world of Aiken and Dido Twite. Having become something of a reluctant reader it took me forty pages before I realised that the edges of my mouth were pointing upwards in an almost constant smile and more than the occasional out-loud chuckle.

On the surface, a good versus bad adventure set on a far-away island written in a manner of a cross between a fable and a children's epic. The literary historian or academic has plenty to go on here. Aiken not only knows the tradition but was good enough to become part of it. It is all in the form of influences rather than borrowings but Homer is in there, as is Geoffrey of Monmouth and many more of the epic storytellers. For this is expert storytelling.

And like all the great storytellers before her, she has plenty to say about the human condition and the current state of the world. All nicely wrapped up in her own seventeenth-century landscape that shares a great deal in common with the world of the restored Stuarts but freed from the constraints of historical fact. Mind you, her London street cant (in the language use and vocabulary of her heroine Dodo Twite) is every bit as accurate as that which Timberlake Wertenbaker was rightly praised for in Our Country's Good. Aiken is also expert in her use of pidgin English. In this some reviewers have mistakenly found racist undertones. Have a look at David Crystal on pidgin and you will find much to admire in Aiken's language expertise. Her use of grammar is in-keeping with seventeenth and eighteenth-century novelists, as shown in her use of single paragraphs to enclose short dialogue between two characters. Her version of British colonisation and exploitation of the far east is a more than reasonable parallel with the early voyages and captures of the East India Company around the Moluccas. (Have a read of Nathaniel's Nutmeg by Giles Milton (published in the same year 1999) and you'll see what I mean.)

Probably not for very young readers but it certainly won over this young-at-heart. The Wolves series is dark and quite frightening at times which is one of the things that attracts me. I was gripped by the original book (the Wolves of Willoughby Chase) when it was read on children's television (Jackanory) back in the sixties. Fear and suspense held my attention then and did so now. Mind you, I find the books a good deal funnier now than I did as a young chap. And they are very funny.

I love the character of Dido Twite. In this novel she plays an almost background role as a means of telling the story, of bearing witness to the events which are beyond her. She has very human qualities and the events of Limbo Lodge are often determined by forces far greater than even a good human possesses. As she comes to an understanding of what is going on she guides the reader.

A first-rate adventure story with a great deal to say about our past. I'm back on board with Dido Twite and will continue my enjoyment of a writer that goes back well over 50 years with me.

[Ashley Lambert-Maberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Others have said there are diminishing returns here, as the publication dates increase (I'm reading them in internal chronological order, so that I get a few of the later, worse ones out of the way ahead of time, knowing there are better, earlier works yet to come).

This was my least favourite thus far. The author simply takes on too much: too many characters, too much world-building (her evocation of a slightly-alternate history England was just the right touch, but this book invites entire countries and cultures and peoples and mythologies and religions etc. etc.) ... it begins quickly to feel like an effort, not a joy, to read.

That said, I made it about 80% of the way on the strength of her other books, but ultimately resented the book too much to do more than skim to the end, which introduced yet more characters and more "facts" about this place. We get it, you're inventive.

And (despite reading 80% of it) I could barely tell you the plot. I think Dido was searching for Lord whatshisface, but once she found him, why they didn't leave I have no idea. It was a confusing morass of character and incident, and lots of trudging through landscapes. Where was the editor?

This one's eminently skippable, even for completists.

(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s). I feel a lot of readers automatically render any book they enjoy 5, I'm a bit more ruthless.

[Jack Deighton · Rating 3 out of 5]

After her adventures in The Stolen Lake, Dido Twite is trying to make her way home to England on the Royal Navy ship HMS Thrush. She gets diverted on to a smaller ship going to the island of Aratu to help look for Lord Herodsfoot, an envoy searching out games for the ailing King James III back in Britain. On board she meets the ship’s Doctor, Talisman van Linde, whom we later find is actually a woman, Jane Talisman Kirlingshaw, born on the island but miraculously preserved from a fall from a precipice by landing on a Dutch trading ship being swept past in a tsunami following an earthquake. Talisman was subsequently brought to Europe where she trained as a doctor. Her presence is essential to the plot as she is the daughter of its Sovran King John (once known as John Kirlingshaw) and his long dead island wife Erato.
On their way to Limbo Lodge, the palace where King John has lived kept almost in seclusion since Erato died, obstacles are put in the way of Dido and Talisman both, as the King’s brother Manoel Roy seeks to prevent Talisman succeeding as titular ruler since he desires the position for himself. The islanders they meet, who by and large are helpful, are presented sympathetically by Aiken, as are their beliefs.
This is the longest book so far of The Wolves of Willoughby Chase sequence but never drags. Aiken draws her characters sparingly but effectively.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fifth book chronologically in the storyline of the Wolves Chronicles (but the 10th in terms of publication date) continues the adventures of Dido Twice. Eleven-year-old Dido is a little less carefree and humorous in this story than in earlier books in the series, but the fast paced plot filled is exactly what you'd expect from this skilled writer. Dido helps thwart villainous plots, makes new friends, braves one danger after another, and is amazed and fascinated at the magical powers of the island people. Along the way, the story firmly skewers misogyny and colonialism, not to mention the evils of gambling, where an addiction to "games" -- and, more specifically, winning at all costs -- can inflict terrible harm in an ever expanding ripple effect. Yet, it never comes across as preachy or pedantic.

[Pamela Bronson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was disappointed in this book. I love the first three books of the Wolves Chronicles, but this one not so much.

I had previously had it marked as Read, but I realize now that I had started but never finished it until now. And if I read through this series again, I'll probably skip it, though I do like it better than The Stolen Lake, which I skipped this time.

The imaginary Pacific island of Aratu is very attractive in some ways, but seriously weird. There's a great deal of supernatural stuff in this story, unlike in the first three Wolves books. The island's main problem seems to be its European colonizers, but they are becoming less of a problem, in some reasonable ways (emigration) and some bizarre ways, like turning into hyenas, which I found amusing.

Readers should be aware of triggers, including suicide and the death of a child. In fact, suicide is presented as potentially a laudable option, to prevent overpopulation, for instance. There's a child born out of wedlock, though that is not clearly spelled out. There's a religion which is clearly not Christian.

I don't think I would give this book to a child, but if one 10 or older found it, I wouldn't forbid him or her to read it. A responsible adult might want to read it, too, if that happensb- it could lead to good discussions. (Technically I DID give this book to my son, but he was over 20 at the time. If I had read it first, I probably wouldn't have. He never read it anyway.)

The novels of this loose series were not all written in chronological order - some were written later and interpolated in between earlier ones. I read recently a reader's opinion that the ones written earliest are the best. She might be right. Though she said the very last written, The Witch of Clatteringshaws, is good.

In general, I prefer to read series in publication order rather than based on internal chronology, but if I did that with this one, I might just skip the later books.

Update: Having just reread The Cuckoo Tree, which I had pretty thoroughly forgotten, I think the author may have been trying in Dangerous Games to counter some of the impressions she'd given in The Cuckoo Tree. In the latter book there are two witches, both of whom are evil and one of whom is from the fictional West Indian island of Tiburon. In Dangerous Games there are many witches, all or nearly all good, and almost all of them natives of a small tropical island, albeit in the Pacific rather than the West Indies. I'm not sure why she decided that she didn't want to contribute to the stereotype of wicked witches, but I do appreciate her sticking up for tropical islanders.

The confusing thing, of course, is that Dangerous Games comes before (right before)The Cuckoo Tree in the internal chronology of the series, but was written 27 years later. So it's like she was trying to go back in time to retract the wicked-islander-witch thing before she wrote about it.

[Jm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another thrilling Joan Aiken tale, featuring Did Twite, a-sail on a mission to find a professor of games on one of the remote islands and bring him to King James III by royal command.

Of course things go wrong and soon Dido is assisting a mysterious doctor perform emergency surgery on a crew mate on a small island that is at once mysterious and foreboding. The town is full of silent people. Women must hide their heads. Deadly snakes and monkeys abound, and the forest people can remain hidden and talk with drums only they can hear.

There are plots, more plots, and at avery turn Dido and her friends are in danger. Will she succeed? Will she live?

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A welcome return to the adventures of Dido Twite, now on the South Pacific(?) isle of Aratu. It has a slightly different tone than the books I read and re-read as a child- there must have been a 20+ year hiatus in the writing. The same mesmerizing use of language and sharp perceptions in a slightly more subdued adventure. Or maybe I have different perceptions because I am reading this for the first time and not re-reading a well-beloved favorite- I expect the same pleasure when it’s a new thing.

[Ben Chenoweth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every Joan Aiken book is a treasure-trove of the essence of good story-telling. The plot fairly rips along, with Dido Twite leading a colourful cast of characters and a pantomime baddie as the foil. There's lots of action; there's a sense of underlying menance that does eventually come to the surface; and through it all there's Joan Aiken's lyrical writing style. Such a good series!

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been enjoying following the adventures of Dido Twite. The stories have been full of interesting characters and creatures, with plenty plot twists and turns. Dangerous Games was no disappointment.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as fantastic as the previous books in the series, it may have seemed to lag because I unintentionally laid it down for a couple of weeks, but maybe also because all the side adventures that got in the way of the main journey felt like they slowed down the pace overall.

[Johanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit slower than the previous. But still richly portrayed.

[Janet Bergin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of my favorites of the series. Fantastical and at times dystopia; Jane Aiken was ahead of her time!!

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found this in a second hand bookshop and was one of the Wolves series I hadnt read - so i had to for the nostalgia.

[Jocelyn Branco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aiken did it again. This book is a wonderful mixture of whimsy, mystery, magic, and friendship. I always enjoy reading about Dido's adventures and witnessing her plucky wit.

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Limbo Lodge is the title I know, an eyrie pacific island story

[Hilary Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m loving these. Revisiting my childhood

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

amazing.

[Books Kids Like · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back on board the Thrush, Dido hopes she’s headed home. When Captain Hughes receives new orders, her hopes are dashed. This time they are ordered to make haste to the Pacific Ocean via Cape Horn in order to find King James’s ambassador, Lord Herodsfoot, who was sent to search the world for new or old interesting games to peak the attention of an ailing king. King James wants him back in London post haste. The Thrush’s crew track the lord to Easter Island, to the Loyalty Islands, to China, and to Amboina in the Kalpurnia Islands, but each time they arrive, he’s just left for a new place. Lord Herodsfoot’s next stop, Aratu, is inaccessible to the Thrush, so Dido and Midshipman Mr. Multiple board the Siwara where they meet Dr. Talisman van Linde who is returning home to Aratu to find out who threw her off the Cliff of Death when she was a little girl and why they did it. Mr. Multiple sustains a serious head injury when a metal lucky piece is dropped from the ship’s mast. On Aratu, Dr. Talisman performs emergency surgery to save his life and is arrested by the Civil Guard for operating without permission from the government. With Talisman in jail and Multiple in the hospital, Dido and her guide, Tylo, head out to find Lord Herodsfoot at Limbo Lodge, the home of John King, King of Aratu. They actually find the lord sooner than they expected. Then, John King’s brother Paul (aka Manoel Ray) makes his move to kill John and take his place. Dido’s mission to bring Lord Herodsfoot back becomes a rescue mission when Talisman escapes from jail and joins them. They all head to Limbo Lodge to save John King. Manoel destroys the bridge across the ravine that leads to the lodge. Then, he breaks into Limbo Lodge and threatens to shoot John King. An old curse kills Manoel before he can carry out his plan. How do Talisman, Dido, and Tylo get John King to the capital city without the bridge? A boat, an earthquake, a giant wave, and a rock slide perfectly synchronized provide the way.
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dangerous Games is another “filler” book about Dido’s adventures between the events of Nightbirds on Nantucket and (presumably, since I’ve never read it) The Cuckoo Tree. I have chosen to read these books chronologically, though I wonder if it might have been better to read them in publication order, as Aiken once again incorporates a much more magical world than was in any of the first three books. This makes me wonder if fantasy elements are more prevalent in the later books, or if Aiken decided to play off the “magical exotic island” trope.

Anyway, Dido once again finds herself caught up in political forces as she finds herself caught in the middle of a feud between the island king and his brother, the natives and the settlers. Dido is much more of a passive onlooker in this book than she was in any of the previous, as most of the action is off-screen, and the action conducted on-screen involves other characters. In addition, the plot is fairly similar to the previous book, with another “long lost” islander returning to their home and fighting against forces set against them. In this one, it’s Dr. Talisman, who doesn’t have much of an issue with anything in this book (the villain in general is mostly just menacing—there’s never any indication that he will actually win, especially once the general power of the “witches” of the island is made known).

While I wouldn’t necessarily call this book “bad,” I did find it a little tiresome. I’m not a huge fan of the written-years-later “filler” books, as they’re usually unnecessary, and I felt this one in particular did nothing to contribute to Dido’s characterization. It also was a little too similar to the previous filler book in terms of plot. I’m very ready to move back to the “main” arc and hopefully the books don’t get too tired in plot as unfortunately these side stories suggested.

[Robert Beveridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Joan Aiken, Dangerous Games (Delacorte, 1999)

I somehow got it into my head that Dangerous Games was the fifth Dido book, instead of the eleventh (and also found out that the one I thought was #4, The Stolen Lake, is actually the seventh); now I'm all messed up. Oh, well, reading them out of order has taken nothing out of my enjoyment of them, anyway.

In this eleventh episode of the journeys of Dido Twite, she, Mr. Multiple, and recent passenger Dr. Talisman put in at Aratu, a small island in the South Seas, in order to search for Lord Herodsfoot, who has been recalled to England. Dido, who it seems is finally on her way home, is a bit put out by yet another delay, but at least, she thinks, with Herodsfoot in two she'll have no choice but to get back to dear old Britain. Of course, things are never as simple as they seem, and before long, Multiple is in the hospital with a head wound, and Talisman, who saved his life, is being hunted by the town mayor for practicing medicine without a license. Then, to make things worse, their ship is seized. And Herodsfoot is off in the jungle somewhere. What now?

I've read a number of criticisms of the book, and I really can't refute them; Dangerous Games does feel phoned in at times, with the minor characters not getting anywhere near the development they should and the pace flagging now and again. Still, though, Dido and her adventures are a good deal of fun, and this one's as enjoyable as the next. I think. If you like the series, give this one a try, but be warned-- it seems a lot of Aiken fans were less than impressed by this one. ***

[Wesley Henningsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think that the book was bad because I don't like hard and long books. I like to read medium books because that doesn’t have long pages or long chapters. I like to read different kinds of books that have war or hunting. Because war books get me interested because I can read in tell I stop for lunch or I just want to quit because I can get bored of reading. I don't like reading but if I had no TV or video games. War books it my thing because I like to shot thing but not people and I can hunt and practices. If it is war I can read in tell the book ends because I like to read war, and it is my favorite books to read. I recommend this book to people who like to read hard books and long chapters. This book has too many words that I don't know. This book can be good to other people who like different books to read. People who like adventure should read these books because they have adventure books and different books and different kind of adventures books. There are survival books and people who go on adventures.