Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “Highfire” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

Highfire

Eoin Colfer

3.86 · Rating details · 253 ratings · 161 reviews

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Artemis Fowl series comes a hilarious and high-octane adult novel about a vodka-drinking, Flashdance-loving dragon who lives an isolated life in the bayous of Louisiana—and the raucous adventures that ensue when he crosses paths with a fifteen-year-old troublemaker on the run from a crooked sheriff.

In the days of yore, he From the New York Times bestselling author of the Artemis Fowl series comes a hilarious and high-octane adult novel about a vodka-drinking, Flashdance-loving dragon who lives an isolated life in the bayous of Louisiana—and the raucous adventures that ensue when he crosses paths with a fifteen-year-old troublemaker on the run from a crooked sheriff.

In the days of yore, he flew the skies and scorched angry mobs—now he hides from swamp tour boats and rises only with the greatest reluctance from his Laz-Z-Boy recliner. Laying low in the bayou, this once-magnificent fire breather has been reduced to lighting Marlboros with nose sparks, swilling Absolut in a Flashdance T-shirt, and binging Netflix in a fishing shack. For centuries, he struck fear in hearts far and wide as Wyvern, Lord Highfire of the Highfire Eyrie—now he goes by Vern. However...he has survived, unlike the rest. He is the last of his kind, the last dragon. Still, no amount of vodka can drown the loneliness in his molten core. Vern’s glory days are long gone. Or are they?

A canny Cajun swamp rat, young Everett “Squib” Moreau does what he can to survive, trying not to break the heart of his saintly single mother. He’s finally decided to work for a shady smuggler—but on his first night, he witnesses his boss murdered by a crooked constable.

Regence Hooke is not just a dirty cop, he’s a despicable human being—who happens to want Squib’s momma in the worst way. When Hooke goes after his hidden witness with a grenade launcher, Squib finds himself airlifted from certain death by…a dragon?

The swamp can make strange bedfellows, and rather than be fried alive so the dragon can keep his secret, Squib strikes a deal with the scaly apex predator. He can act as his go-between (aka familiar)—fetch his vodka, keep him company, etc.—in exchange for protection from Hooke. Soon the three of them are careening headlong toward a combustible confrontation. There’s about to be a fiery reckoning, in which either dragons finally go extinct—or Vern’s glory days are back.

A triumphant return to the genre-bending fantasy that Eoin Colfer is so well known for, Highfire is an effortlessly clever and relentlessly funny tour-de-force of comedy and action. ...more

Get A Copy

Hardcover, 384 pages

Expected publication: January 28th 2020 by Harper Perennial

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about Highfire, please sign up.

Be the first to ask a question about Highfire

Lists with This Book

House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

Can't Wait Books of 2020

698 books — 1,480 voters

January 2020 Book Releases

76 books — 52 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

Average rating 3.86 ·

Rating details

· 253 ratings · 161 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of Highfire

Nov 07, 2019 Paromjit rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy, netgalley, humour-comic-fiction

Eoin Colfer writes a comic adult fantasy in his usual trademark style, which readers will be familiar with if they have read his Artemis Fowl series and/or his other books. Here he takes us to Louisiana's bayous, and New Orleans in this tale of a lonely, depressed ancient dragon, Vern (Wyvern), who just may be the last dragon on earth, hates humans who have destroyed almost all his kind, and has taken to living below the radar on a swampy bayou. He has Netflix, is rather keen on Absolut Vodka, Eoin Colfer writes a comic adult fantasy in his usual trademark style, which readers will be familiar with if they have read his Artemis Fowl series and/or his other books. Here he takes us to Louisiana's bayous, and New Orleans in this tale of a lonely, depressed ancient dragon, Vern (Wyvern), who just may be the last dragon on earth, hates humans who have destroyed almost all his kind, and has taken to living below the radar on a swampy bayou. He has Netflix, is rather keen on Absolut Vodka, dresses in a Flashdance t-shirt, and is kept in supplies by Waxman, a rather old mogwai. 15 year old Everett Moreau is Squib, a Cajun with some Irish Texan in his blood, shaping up to be a young rascal with petty criminal tendencies, who tries to be good for his put upon, hard working, impoverished but beautiful single mother, Elodie, a nurse. However, he just doesn't have it in him to be the good boy, but he loves his mother and wants to protect her from the clutches of the evil and psychopathic Constable Regence Hooke.

After an unfortunate set of events on the bayou at night, Squib finds himself in danger, and ends up in the company of Vern. To cut a long story short, Squib finds he has no choice but to become Vern's familiar, keeping him in supplies now that Waxman is no longer in a position to do so and has every incentive to be reliable. Hooke has his eyes on Squib, pursuing him on the basis that he thinks he knows too much and a threat that needs to be eliminated. Hooke is a crook, facilitating crime and working for the agent of the Los Zetos cartel, run by Ivory Conti, but has his eye on challenging Conti and taking over his business and making it even more profitable. In a hilarious narrative of wise guys, a rising body count, collapsing hotels and brutal violence, Vern finds himself developing an unexpected fondness for Squib that has him coming to his rescue, only to find Hooke a formidable foe that just might mean the end of him and his kind.

Colfer's latest venture into the American South is a fun enterprise, there is little that is a surprise as I am so familiar with his trademark style, although I did find there is a occasional unevenness in the storytelling. The characters that he creates are winners, in the culturally aware, snarky Vern, a dragon who discovers that underneath it all, he does not hate every human being, and Squib is the perfect foil for him, as the two form a relationship that has to be strong to survive the challenges they face from a deranged villain. Those familiar with Colfer's previous books are likely to find this an appealing and entertaining read. Many thanks to Quercus for an ARC. ...more

flag 65 likes · Like · see review

Jul 24, 2019 Emily May marked it as i-need

Shelves: fantasy

Sounds utterly bizarre... but Eoin Colfer is a childhood fave so I must try it!

flag 53 likes · Like · see review

Jan 01, 2020 Carolyn rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2019, humour, paranormal, netgalley-2019, netgalley

Beware there be dragons!

Well, one grumpy and lonely dragon called Vern (short for Wyvern), hiding out in the Louisiana swamp, filling his time watching netflix and drinking Absolut vodka. He is probably the last of his kind and has seen his friends and relatives murdered by angry hordes through the ages. Now he has one friend, a half human called Waxman who lives in a shack on the swamp and looks after supplying Vern with his vodka, favourite Flashdance T-shirts and other essentials (from a ...more

flag 36 likes · Like · see review

Dec 15, 2019 Amy Imogene Reads rated it liked it

Shelves: arcs-reviewed, read-in-2020, fantasy

3.5 stars

This was not at all what I expected. A lot more swearing, a lot more body humor, and a LOT more swamp-lifestyle dialect and bizarre POVs than I was prepared to read. It was good? But not for me?

Concept: super original
Writing: really polarizing
Overall impression: not for me, but probably a great book for its audience

Highfire comes out on January 28, 2020!

Highfire is the first adult fantasy novel from the acclaimed author of the Artemis Fowl series. I read Artemis Fowl ages ago, and I ...more

flag 36 likes · Like · see review

Nov 02, 2019 Peter McLean rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

With a narrative voice somewhere between Huckleberry Finn and the Dukes of Hazzard, and a keen sense of pop-culture awareness, Highfire is certainly something different.

It's a charming, funny, but sometimes brutal look at poor Cajun life and crime in the Louisiana bayou. Is it really fantasy, though? Well yes, on the surface, on account of having an actual dragon in it, but that's all.

Honestly, the author could have made Vern a Rambo-style retired super-soldier instead and told almost the same ...more

flag 17 likes · Like · see review

Nov 08, 2019 Lisazj1 rated it really liked it

Shelves: characters-i-wish-would-diaf, lol, dragons, law-enforcement-pi, magic, goodreads-giveaway, urban-fantasy, friends-and-family, 2019-real-books, crime-mystery-thriller

I won this in a GoodReads giveaway. Thanks to GR and Harper Perennial for the book.

Despite what I had read in the blurb, I was not expecting Vern, LOL. This book was just plain fun to read. There were a lot of hi-jinks in a Louisiana swamp with a crooked cop, a juvenile delinquent and his momma (though Squib is still a good kid in the wanna-be-a-bad-guy stage), a mogwai and a dragon named Vern. And yes, it's just exactly as hilarious as it sounds.

And though I had quite a few literal laugh out ...more

flag 20 likes · Like · see review

Jan 01, 2020 Sara rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, fantasy, adult, arc

ARC received in exchange for an honest review

I’ve grown up with the Artemis Fowl books by Eoin Colfer, and they’re a staple in our house for my children (my son is called Eoin too), so I went into this with some trepidation. Could Colfer’s wit carry itself in an adult novel? Especially one that sounds as bizarre as this one, with a grumpy vodka drinking dragon and a boy called Squib with major daddy issues and criminal tendencies. As it happens, yes it could, and this ended up being one hell of ...more

flag 13 likes · Like · see review

Sep 05, 2019 Marta Cox rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley, my-reviews

So of course I’ve heard of this author but I’ve never read anything written by him because he usually writes children’s books and sadly my childhood is far behind. Yet when I spotted this being marketed as an adult story I was beyond curious and happily can state that this was absolutely fabulous !
This was a riveting read that meandered along and just gradually built up the pace. We meet Vern who believes he is sadly the last Dragon around but he’s far from what you would expect a Dragon to be. So of course I’ve heard of this author but I’ve never read anything written by him because he usually writes children’s books and sadly my childhood is far behind. Yet when I spotted this being marketed as an adult story I was beyond curious and happily can state that this was absolutely fabulous !
This was a riveting read that meandered along and just gradually built up the pace. We meet Vern who believes he is sadly the last Dragon around but he’s far from what you would expect a Dragon to be. Vern is grumpy, snarky and obsessed with vodka, keto and Flashdance ! His only friend is Waxman but even he is anything but ordinary although sadly my lips are sealed.
Into Verns quiet , hard drinking, cable watching life comes crashing a young boy known as Squib . Squib adores his mama, is wily enough not to get caught too often when not exactly being an upstanding young man oh and has just landed himself in a really precarious position ! Why ? Well that’s all because of a vile, murdering cop who is pretty certain that if anyone has evidence on him then they definitely need to leave the land of the living !
This started so quietly really and felt character driven as the author introduced his characters and all their idiosyncrasies . We learn that Vern is still caught up in his past and cantankerous as only a lonely thousands of years old Dragon can be. We understand that Squib is bright yet not focused but most of all it’s obvious that he’s still looking for a father figure. Plus there are passages that get inside Hookes head that really help make him feel both real and yet psychotic at the same time. Then boom the pace slowly increases and it begins hurtling along until it truly is an edge of the seat read that was impossible to put down. This book with its Godzilla looking hero ( just don’t call him a Gargoyle ! ) is poignant, exciting, funny and is a huge recommendation from me.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair ...more

flag 10 likes · Like · see review

Sep 24, 2019 Evie Braithwaite added it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, arc, dnf, fiction

I always feel guilty DNFing books, especially when they're advanced copies, but it has to be done. This is by no means a bad book, and I can see why people will enjoy this—it's funny, has charming characters—it's just not doing anything for me. Someone please drag me out of this reading slump!!

flag 8 likes · Like · see review

Jan 22, 2020 Fran rated it it was amazing

Vern was a dragon, arguably, the last of his kind. "Once upon a time, he had been Wyvern, Lord Highfire of the Highfire Eyrie...now...he spent his days in the bayou blending in with the locals, staying down wind of the swamp tours...". Seven foot tall Vern, watched Netflix and reality shows from the comfort of his La-Z-Boy recliner. His beverage of choice was Absolut Vodka. His wardrobe: "Flashdance" T-shirts.

Vern mistrusted humans, the exception being Waxman, a mogwai. "Mogwais [half human Vern was a dragon, arguably, the last of his kind. "Once upon a time, he had been Wyvern, Lord Highfire of the Highfire Eyrie...now...he spent his days in the bayou blending in with the locals, staying down wind of the swamp tours...". Seven foot tall Vern, watched Netflix and reality shows from the comfort of his La-Z-Boy recliner. His beverage of choice was Absolut Vodka. His wardrobe: "Flashdance" T-shirts.

Vern mistrusted humans, the exception being Waxman, a mogwai. "Mogwais [half human beings] and dragons often buddied up to avoid death by whatever elaborate method the crusading mob favored at the time." Waxman lived on a houseboat on the Pearl River. "Waxman had set up a supply line to the outside world for Vern." How else was a dragon to quench his thirst for Absolut Vodka?

Constable Regence Hooke was a "bent" cop. "There was hardly a crime he hadn't participated in or turned a blind eye to at one point or another." Regence had set his sights on Elodie Moreau, a nurse working at the Petit Bateau Clinic. "...he craved what he couldn't get his mitts on...".

Everett "Squib" Moreau, Elodie Moreau's son, was a fifteen year old swamp-wild, street smart Cajun. "He was doing his best to stay straight, but...straight didn't pay the bills...". Elodie owed
massive amounts of money in gambling debts, those debts amassed by Squib's "fake daddy". Perhaps the debt level could be reduced if Squib spent his summer as a moonshine runner.He dreamed of moving to a mother/son dwelling far from Constable Hooke.

Vern, the ancient dragon was lonely, isolated and virtually friendless. A nighttime explosion from a grenade launcher might prove to be the catalyst for change. A life saving "grab" from an unlikely source could open new doors for Squib. Regence Hooke's malicious, cruel nature cannot be understated. Author Eoin Colfer masterfully fleshes out the "Highfire" protagonists with tongue-in-cheek humor, "colorful" descriptive passages and flights of fancy. Violence is included in this rip roaring magical romp through the Louisiana bayou. There was never a dull moment. What fun!

Thank you HarperCollins Publishers, Harper Perennial and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "Highfire". ...more

flag 25 likes · Like · see review

Oct 12, 2019 Tucker marked it as publisher-copies-to-read

Shelves: arc-physical, owned-physical

flag 7 likes · Like · see review

Dec 27, 2019 Elle Rudy rated it really liked it

Shelves: giveaways, netgalley, 2020

Not to start another review with a confession that I’ve never read the author’s previous immensely popular books, but I’m sorry to say I haven’t picked up Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl series before diving into his adult fantasy novel, Highfire.

This was a weird little book. It stars Vern, a swamp-dwelling dragon who binge watches television in a Flashdance t-shirt whilst drinking mid-shelf vodka from his La-Z-Boy. So despite being thousands of years old—he’s just like us! He joins forces with a ...more

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Dec 22, 2019 Amber rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley-reviews

I received a complimentary copy of this e-book ARC from the author, publisher and netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Everett Squib Moreau is a young teenager trying to survive in the Louisiana swamps. He loves his mama very much and despises Constable Regence Hooke who wants to place a hook into his mom. When Squib sees something he isn't suppossed to see, he is stalked by Hooke and an angry dragon named Vern. Will he survive? Read on and find out for yourself.

This was a pretty good YA ...more

flag 9 likes · Like · see review

Dec 31, 2019 Amy (TheSouthernGirlReads) rated it it was amazing

Thank you Harper for my review copy

Well I be doggone. I was not expecting to love this book as much as I did. It came up from the swamps and got me.

Alright, so I go into this novel with the premise that this is about a Louisiana living, Flashdance loving, and vodka drinking dragon named Vern. It really was so much more. Heartfelt. Suspenseful. With that lovely touch of magical realism.

Let’s talk about what I loved.

Vern. One of the most delightful characters I’ve met this year. Mind you...he ...more

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Dec 23, 2019 Jackie ϟ Bookseller added it

Shelves: dnf-for-now

I received an ALC from the publisher via Libro.FM in exchange for an honest review.

I got about 30% through the audiobook and couldn't do it anymore. This was out of my comfort-zone to start, but between the deep-south setting, crude humor, and almost all-male cast, I just wasn't interested in continuing.

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Dec 03, 2019 thewoollygeek (tea, cake, crochet & books) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Absolutely loved this, a boy and a dragon, need I say more to get most people hooked, not really, but this touches on themes a loneliness, depression and dealing with being the last dragon, it’s well handled, emotional and sensitively done. Yes it’s humorous too and that is done brilliantly, but I think the author deserves credit for dealing with such sensitive issues so well. It deals with lots of other parallels in society at the moment too along the way, but you should definitely pick this up ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Dec 17, 2019 Lauren James added it

[Gifted]
Sassy and lonely grumpy old dragon meets sassy and lovable teenage boy. Against his will, the dragon begins to trust a human for the first time in thousands of years. This was a whole lot of fun - crooked police, a great Southern American setting, and the humourous writing that Colfer is famous for.

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Nov 21, 2019 Kogiopsis added it

The last line of this book is just "Balls out." and I feel like that summarizes its tone incredibly well.

(Seriously, though, testes are a frequent topic of conversation.)

Still mulling over how I feel about it and working to disentangle the nostalgia I associate with Colfer from the book itself so that I can properly evaluate it. It doesn't help that his writing style is so singular, even when the dialect/voice is completely different - something about that wry, metatextual third person just ...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Jan 12, 2020 Siobhan marked it as to-read

Shelves: books-i-want-to-buy

Well, this sounds bizarre... I'll have to check it out! :D

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Oct 06, 2019 Alison rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, contemporary, dragons, netgalley, adult, arc

I have to confess I'm at a little bit of a loss on what to say about this so am really struggling to review. I didn't dislike anything about it but there was nothing I especially liked either. I seem to have found myself in the position of having literally no feelings about it which is probably not a good sign for me but doesn't mean others won't love it.

I did love the sound of it, I mean it's dragons who doesn't love the sound of any book with a dragon, it just seemed so weird and quirky and ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Oct 15, 2019 Joanna Bennett rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2019-reads, arcs-earcs

I was excited to be approved for this title. I did request it on a whim because the synopsis was just out of this world weird. I really didn’t know what to expect when picking this up to start. Although it sounded good, I had a hard time enjoying it. Not because there was anything wrong with it but because I just don’t think it was suited for me.

This book has multiple point-of-views that aren’t always separated by chapters. It wasn’t hard to follow along as it was all in third person. It made it ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Feb 15, 2019 Stephanie (Bookfever) marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: january-2020, adult, fantasy, favorite-authors, 2020-publication, owned-physical-books

THE FIRST ADULT FANTASY NOVEL BY EOIN COLFER YESSSS PLEASE!

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Nov 14, 2019 Namera [The Literary Invertebrate] rated it really liked it

Shelves: 3rd-person, abduction, adult, dragons, fast-paced-book, poor-hero, action, american-hero, ancient-hero, arc

ARC received in exchange for an honest review - thank you!

When I was about ten or eleven I LOVED the Artemis Fowl series. Absolutely couldn’t get enough of it. It’s still one of my all-time favourite kids’ series, and I can’t wait for the film next year!

It must be said that I’ve been a lot less overwhelmed by Colfer’s adult offerings. Airman, which I read when I was 15, is decent but unimpressive; Highfire certainly has the potential for greatness but doesn’t quite get there.

The action is ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Dec 31, 2019 Marija (Inside My Library Mind) rated it liked it

More reviews up on my blog Inside My Library Mind

Stuff I Liked
First of all, I really loved the concept of this book. It’s completely outlandish, but that’s what makes it so funny and interesting. Moreover, Colfer’s writing is always quirky and eccentric, which works perfectly for a story about a dragon living in the Louisiana swamp, slugging vodka and reclining in his La-Z-Boy. It’s a really unique premise, that has a lot of charm and that ultimately works.

I am a huge fan of Colfer’s ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Jan 10, 2020 Jess Ostrander rated it it was amazing

4.5!

This is not your average dragon story. This is the story of a vodka drinking, Flashddance loving, cargo short wearing dragon hiding out in the Louisiana bayou; and the raucous adventures that occur when he crosses paths with 15 year old juvenile delinquent Everet "Squib" Moreau.
Long ago, the fearsome Wyvern, Lord Highfire of the Highfire Eyrie, roamed the earth scorching his enemies. Now he's going by Vern, hiding out and drowning his sorrows in vodka from the comfort of his lazy boy chair. ...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Oct 31, 2019 Fotini rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs, netgalley

Highfire was an intriguing adult fantasy novel. I'd never delved into adult fantasy before, or Eoin Colfer's writing, so this was a great starting point.

The plot of Highfire is unlike anything I've ever read and it took around 50 pages to wrap my head around Vern being a dragon but so human-like at the same time. Throughout the book, there are glimpses into Vern's long life and fellow dragons, though I would have liked more information. He is a well-developed character and those flashbacks ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Sep 13, 2019 Katharine rated it it was amazing

I need more follow up with Squib and Vern! I want a sequel! That being said, I really enjoyed this book - the characters, the location, how the events unfolded - I was never bored, and nothing felt forced or unnatural for the characters. I am not usually a fan of adult fantasy novels (past experience has left me bored with a lot of them), but since it's Eoin Colfer, I decided to put my distaste aside and give it a chance. I sure am glad I did! If you're like me, I urge you to give this book a ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Jan 16, 2020 Elizabeth rated it liked it

Shelves: 2020-reading-list

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for my open and honest review.

Do you know what happens when author Eoin Colfer of Artemis Fowl fame decides he wants to write an adult book? You get dragons and snark. You get Highfire. I am a particular fan of the snark, pretty much as it comes in all forms because I like my characters to swagger and be cheeky bastards.

Vern, short for Wyvern, is hiding on an island in a Louisiana swamp. He minds his own business, doing as he has done for the ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Nov 18, 2019 Critter rated it it was amazing

Shelves: giveaways, fantasy, dragons, favorites

Everett Moreau, known to everyone as Squib, tries to do whatever he can to help his single mother. Nonetheless, he struggles with his temptations to cause trouble. When he takes on an extra job, it takes him into the bayou, where he witnesses events that shakes up his entire life. He is saved from death by one of the most unlikely creatures in the swamp, a dragon that believes he is the last of his species. Squib has no choice but to become Vern’s familiar. Constable Regence Hooke sets out after ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Dec 15, 2019 Jessica ☕ Rodrigues rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc, sci-fi-fantasy-horror

Surprisingly and explosively hilarious.

On the surface, a Cajun dragon buddy comedy didn't seem like my cup of tea, but I read this book out of a sense of librarian curiosity. IT IS A RIOT, and apparently "dragon buddy comedy" is something I'm really into. I'm absolutely preordering the audio of this and forcing my husband to enjoy it, too.

Vern (short for wyvern) has long accepted that he's the last living dragon, and has settled into a quiet and sedentary life of retirement in a little shack in ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend It | Stats | Recent Status Updates

Readers also enjoyed

See similar books…

Genres

Fantasy

148 users

Fiction

40 users

Adult

26 users

Fantasy > Dragons

22 users

See top shelves…

About Eoin Colfer

Eoin Colfer

9,310 followers

Eoin Colfer (pronounced Owen) was born in Wexford on the South-East coast of Ireland in 1965, where he and his four brothers were brought up by his father and mother, who were both educators.

He received his degree from Dublin University and began teaching primary school in Wexford. He has lived and worked all over the world, including Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Italy. After the publication of the ...more