By Antonia Maxwell (author) Part of the Terra Electrica series
"This outstanding quest set in the dystopian arctic radiates folkloric magic, ecological themes, and the courage of an extraordinary girl."
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July 2024 Debut of the Month
First novel in Antonia Maxwell’s Terra Electrica trilogy, The Guardians of the North is an absolute treasure. Set in the near-future, when the Arctic’s ice caps have melted, this is dystopian fiction at its finest, with lyrical folkloric flair to the writing, and ecological themes threaded through the enchanting action-packed story.
As for the story, we meet our remarkable protagonist, 12-year-old Mani, wishing “more than ever that her father would return”. She and her dad have been alone in the world since the terrible Terra Electrica disease claimed her mother’s life, along with most of the population. The disease lives within, and feeds on the electric current that “all healthy humans have naturally inside them”. And now Mani is utterly alone as the “polar night had descended, and the sun had dipped below the horizon where it would stay for a whole month”.
Little wonder then, that Mani turns to the special mask her mother had promised would be hers one day, when she was old enough. Reasoning she is now old enough, Mani tries on the mask, and discovers the other world her mother had spoken of — a world “filled with life and love and stories.
Every human on earth has a guide there. And every human will pass there when their time here is done. The guide you find is the guide you need.” Mani finds her guide, and on returning to the real world, she also finds out she might possess the power to save humanity. First though, she must embark on a treacherous journey, traversing perilous quicksand and rubbish-strewn landscapes that used to be covered in ice.
Driven by a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat quest, and laced with love, loss, magic and hope, The Guardians of the North is a gripping, thought-provoking triumph. And, given that it ends with the promise that Mani’s “biggest adventure is yet to come”, I cannot wait for the second book in the trilogy.
Book 1 in an action-packed dystopian adventure series set in the near-future post-melt Arctic.
Read the full description
The last ice cap has melted, and the world is on the brink of collapse. A deadly force—Terra Electrica—has been unleashed. It feeds on electricity. It is infecting civilization. In this chaotic, rapidly changing reality, 12-year-old Mani has lost her family and community to the Terra Electrica.
Armed only with some ancestral wisdom and a powerful, ancient wooden mask she was never meant to inherit so soon, she suddenly finds herself responsible for the fate of the world. Can Mani piece everything together and harness her newfound powers in time to save humanity?
Antonia Maxwell is a writer and editor based in North Essex and Cambridge, UK. With a degree in Modern Languages and a long-standing career as a book editor, she has a lifelong curiosity for language and words, and a growing fascination in the power of story – the way it shapes our lives and frames our experience.
The LoveReading4Kids Best Children's Books of the Year 2024
The Seamaiden's Odyssey
Once I’ve got into the book, I really couldn’t put it down.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It is very interesting exciting that the last ice cap is melted in the world is on brink of collapse. A deadly force, Terror Electrica, has been unleashed. It feeds on electricity. A scientific group is determined to find a cure and save humanity. Man is waiting for her father to return from a hunt and she’s not sure where her father has got to.... Read Full Review
Book 1 in an action-packed dystopian adventure series set in the near-future post-melt Arctic. The last ice cap has melted, and the world is on the brink of collapse.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed Terra Electrica and determined it is suitable for children aged 11-12 years old
Terra Electrica features in the following genres: Debuts of the Month, Recommendations, Ecological and Environmental Interest - Fiction, Fantasy / Magical, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Gifts, Star Books, Featured Books for 11+ readers
Paperback. £8.09, down from the £8.99 cover price. Not Available.
Terra Electrica was written by Antonia Maxwell and published by Neem tree press
Terra Electrica has 264 pages
Yes it is part of Terra Electrica series
£8.09, reduced from £8.99. Not Available.
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