Casander Darkbloom and the Threads of Power
Binding: Paperback
Imprint: Walker Books
Age 9+
Fantasy & Magical Realism
The first in an extraordinary middle-grade fantasy series that takes the traditional "chosen one" narrative and flips it on its head. Think Nevermoor and The School for Good and Evil, but with a thrilling twist!
"A wonderful debut, bursting with magic." Jess French, author of Beastlands: Race to Frostfall Mountain
A boy with no memory. A world searching for a hero.
Casander Darkbloom has no memory, lives outside a curiosity shop, and experiences random surges of uncontrollable energy in his limbs. When he inexplicably brings a stuffed raven to life, he unravels a strange and thrilling magical world. A world waiting for Cas to save it.
Cas is the Foretold, the one prophesied to defeat the malevolent Master of All. Under the protection of Wayward School, Cas must learn to master his magical abilities. But, as he soon discovers, all may not be quite as it seems – and Cas will need to take control of his own destiny if he is to find the strength to fight the powers of evil.
Spectacular and imaginative, this thrilling fantasy novel celebrates difference and how what makes us unique is also our greatest strength.
"This is fantasy at its best; a bold, beautiful world, characters who tug on your heart threads, and a fast-paced, intricately developed story about power and magic in all its forms." Clare Povey, author of The Unexpected Tale of Bastien Bonlivre
Creators
P.A. Staff is a science communicator and vet by day, writer by night. Born and living in Norfolk, she spent her childhood growing up with an unknown and unexplainable movement condition, known as Paroxysmal Kinesigenic Choreoathestosis. She created Casander Darkbloom to tackle the universal central themes of embracing your differences, conquering people’s perceptions of them, and quite frankly giving children who are different a possible answer to the age-old question, “Why me?” Casander Darkbloom is the book that her 12-year-old self would have cherished for seeing a hero like herself on the pages, who had the same disorder but was ultimately neither held back nor defined by it.
Reviews
Everyone in this story has their own differences and ways of being unique, and whilst there are those who look down on the Abnormies, it is the celebration of what makes everyone in this story unique…Reading these diverse books show disability is thrilling as well.
The Book Muse
This is the first book in a series that you’d better believe I’ll be continuing. Five Stars.
SCHIZANTHUS NERD
Staff has written an intriguing story; entwined with how one’s differences should be celebrated and embraced for the strengths that they are. Building in suspense, with twists and turns along the way, the audience is left eagerly reading on to find out more. For those lovers of fantasy, adventure and action, this novel is worth a read!
ReadPlus
