Tuesday, October 13, 2009

The Blue Umbrella


by Mike Mason
David C Cook/October 2009

What would happen if the world’s weather was controlled by one man with a blue umbrella? If your mother had been killed by lightning, would you trust him? This is the decision 10-year-old Zac Sparks faces in Mike Mason’s first fantasy novel, The Blue Umbrella, a superbly written children’s story with significant spiritual overtones.

When Zac Sparks’ mother dies, he’s sent to live in Five Corners with his cruel old Aunties. It isn’t long before Zac knows something strange is going on. Five Corners is populated with weird characters—a midget butler, a mute girl , a blind balloon seller, and a mysterious singer who is heard but not seen. Then there’s the Aunties’ father, Dada. Zac’s first encounter with Dada is so terrifying he faints dead away.

The one bright spot is Sky Porter, the proprietor of the general store across the street, a friendly soul who encourages Zac—when the Aunties aren’t looking—and shows him a kindness that is sadly lacking from his dismal life. But Sky isn’t what he seems either, and when Zac learns Sky’s amazing secret he realizes, to his dismay, that this wonderful man may have a very dark side as well.

Discovering that Dada is an evil magician who is intent on stealing the ultimate treasure, Zac knows many lives are at stake, including his own. With time running out, he must turn to the one person who might be able to help: Sky Porter. Can Zac trust him?

In the vein of Lewis and Tolkien, Mason has created a fantasy that will appeal to fans of Harry Potter, The Golden Compass, Lemony Snicket, and The Chronicles of Narnia. You can watch the book trailer here.

1 comment:

Faith said...

This one sounds pretty interesting! I'll keep an eye out for it :)