Search results for ""Author Melvin Burgess""

Melvin Burgess' dark fantasy epics, inspired by Norse mythology, now available as one sensational duology for a new generation of fans London is in ruins. The once-glorious city is now a gated wasteland cut off from the rest of the country and in the hands of two warring families the Volsons and the Conors. In Bloodtide, Val Volson offers the hand of his young daughter, Signy, to Conor as a truce. At first the marriage seems to have been blessed by the gods, but betrayal and deceit are never far away in this violent world, and the lives of both families are soon to be changed for ever... A generation later, in Bloodsong, fifteen-year-old Sigurd, son of King Sigmund, is the last surviving member of the Volson clan. His father's kingdom the former city of London is gone. Armed with a legendary weapon, Sigurd faces death, fire and torment as he travels through Hel and back to unite his country once again.

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The Bloods are in control and they’re desperate to turn Britain into the world they want to see: right, white, Christian supremist. Anyone who they call abnormal is a target. Amidst the chaos of civil war the country is on the move as small militia groups fight each other and a sea of refugees escapes the cities and the pursuing Bloods. When her home is destroyed in a bombing raid, Marti must strike out on a mission of her own - to save her father and get his vital software into the right hands. But Marti is mixed race and trans and has her young brother in tow. Crossing into enemy territory could prove suicidal. Yet Marti's enemies haven't reckoned with her indomitable will to survive - and the gun she carries, which has three bullets . . .

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The Bloods are in control and they’re desperate to turn Britain into the world they want to see: right, white, Christian supremist. Anyone who they call abnormal is a target. Amidst the chaos of civil war the country is on the move as small militia groups fight each other and a sea of refugees escapes the cities and the pursuing Bloods. When her home is destroyed in a bombing raid, Marti must strike out on a mission of her own - to save her father and get his vital software into the right hands. But Marti is mixed race and trans and has her young brother in tow. Crossing into enemy territory could prove suicidal. Yet Marti's enemies haven't reckoned with her indomitable will to survive - and the gun she carries, which has three bullets . . .

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THE FIRST ADULT NOVEL BY THE CARNEGIE PRIZE WINNING AUTHOR OF JUNK'A spirited retelling... witty and insightful.' i PAPER'His prose is electrical, crackling with a mischievous charge.' BUZZ MAGAZINE'Told with wit [and] verve... it's a book that exerts a curious charm.' MAIL ON SUNDAY'Burgess recounts Loki's genius . . . with great gusto, pulling together many tales into one sometimes beautifully lyrical masterwork.' SFX MAGAZINE'a mischievous, unpredictable and clever book that breathes new life into an already fascinating character and godly race.' CULTUREFLYStep into the ancient fir-tree forests of Scandinavia and bear witness to legends as epic as those of the Greeks and the Romans.Melvin Burgess revolutionised children's literature with the infamous cult novels Junk and Doing It. In his first adult novel, Loki, he breathes new life into Norse myths.Starting with the Norse creation myths, the trickster god Loki takes the reader on a wild ride through Norse mythology, from the time the gods - the founders of Asgard - defeated races of monsters, and hurtling through famous stories, including Odin hanging himself on the World Tree, the theft of the corrupting gold ring and the murder of Baldr, the god of love and the Sun. This narrative may seem familiar enough at first, but the reader should beware. Born within the heart of a fire in the hollow of a tree-trunk, Loki arrives in Asgard as an outsider. He is a trickster, an unreliable narrator, the god of intelligence and politics. In spite of his cleverness and sparkling wit (or, perhaps, because of this...) Loki struggles to find his place among the old patriarchal gods of supernatural power and is constantly at odds with the god of thunder - Thor. Alongside the politics of Asgard, it charts the course of Loki's many loves and families, from his mothering of Odin's famous horse to his intense, turbulent, and, eventually, fatal relationship with Baldr the Beautiful - a tender and moving story of love that goes wrong, jealousy and a transitioning that is forbidden by society. This is a retelling that is contemporary in tone, at once amusing and relatable. It is a heartfelt plea to overthrow the old gods of power and authority and instigate a new era ruled by love and intelligence.

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It was a love story. Me, Gemma and junk. I thought it was going to last forever. Tar loves Gemma, but Gemma doesn't want to be tied down. She wants to fly. But no one can fly forever. One day, finally, you have to come down. Melvin Burgess’ most ambitious and complex novel is a vivid depiction of a group of teenagers in the grip of addiction. Told from multiple viewpoints, Junk is a powerful, unflinching novel about heroin. Once you take a hit, you will never be the same again. 'Everyone should read Junk' The Times

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Bea has started to hear and see things that no one else can – creatures, voices, visions. Then strangers visit Bea and tell her she is different: she has the rare powers of a witch. They warn her she is being hunted. Her parents think she is hallucinating and needs help. All Bea wants to do is get on with her life, and to get closer to Lars, the mysterious young man she has met at the skate park. But her life is in danger, and she must break free. The question is – who can she trust? Carnegie Medal-winner Melvin Burgess returns with a powerful, thrilling fantasy for young adults about magic, myth and following your instincts.

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Billy Elliot's not like his Dad. He doesn't want to learn boxing. He's not cut out to be a miner. But when he stumbles across a ballet class and discovers he's a natural, he realises what he does want to do. This is Billy's gritty and determined struggle, at first in secret, but then with the wholehearted backing of his family, to dance his way to a different future.

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Bea has started to hear and see things that no one else can – creatures, voices, visions. Then strangers visit Bea and tell her she is different: she has the rare powers of a witch. They warn her she is being hunted. Her parents think she is hallucinating and needs help. All Bea wants to do is get on with her life, and to get closer to Lars, the mysterious young man she has met at the skate park. But her life is in danger, and she must break free. The question is – who can she trust? Carnegie Medal-winner Melvin Burgess returns with a powerful, thrilling fantasy for young adults about magic, myth and following your instincts.

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Pearson English Readers bring language learning to life through the joy of reading. Well-written stories entertain us, make us think, and keep our interest page after page. Pearson English Readers offer teenage and adult learners a huge range of titles, all featuring carefully graded language to make them accessible to learners of all abilities. Through the imagination of some of the world’s greatest authors, the English language comes to life in pages of our Readers. Students have the pleasure and satisfaction of reading these stories in English, and at the same time develop a broader vocabulary, greater comprehension and reading fluency, improved grammar, and greater confidence and ability to express themselves. Find out more at english.com/readers

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Dino's girlfriend won't give him what he wants. Jonathon is afraid of what his mates will think of the girl he likes. And Ben is having extra lessons from his sexy teacher. Three seventeen-year-old boys discover sex for the first time: but do they really know what they’re doing?

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An exciting tale, narrated from two very different perspectives, about two boys' efforts to become highwaymen to fool their school teacher. Further danger lies in store when they realize that they've strayed on to another robber's patch...By turns funny and thrilling - with an brilliant twist in the tale - this has all the hallmarks of a classic Melvin Burgess story. In addition, it's a story that explores a fast-changing period of history, and brings it vividly to life. As Melvin Burgess notes, 'Tensions between Britain and Spain were high, political talk was all of spies and treachery and war. Religion was a big issue - you could be imprisoned or worse for following the wrong faith.'

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THE FIRST ADULT NOVEL BY THE CARNEGIE PRIZE WINNING AUTHOR OF JUNK'A spirited retelling... witty and insightful.' i PAPER'His prose is electrical, crackling with a mischievous charge.' BUZZ MAGAZINE'Told with wit [and] verve... it's a book that exerts a curious charm.' MAIL ON SUNDAY'Burgess recounts Loki's genius . . . with great gusto, pulling together many tales into one sometimes beautifully lyrical masterwork.' SFX MAGAZINE'a mischievous, unpredictable and clever book that breathes new life into an already fascinating character and godly race.' CULTUREFLYStep into the ancient fir-tree forests of Scandinavia and bear witness to legends as epic as those of the Greeks and the Romans.Melvin Burgess revolutionised children's literature with the infamous cult novels Junk and Doing It. In his first adult novel, Loki, he breathes new life into Norse myths.Starting with the Norse creation myths, the trickster god Loki takes the reader on a wild ride through Norse mythology, from the time the gods - the founders of Asgard - defeated races of monsters, and hurtling through famous stories, including Odin hanging himself on the World Tree, the theft of the corrupting gold ring and the murder of Baldr, the god of love and the Sun. This narrative may seem familiar enough at first, but the reader should beware. Born within the heart of a fire in the hollow of a tree-trunk, Loki arrives in Asgard as an outsider. He is a trickster, an unreliable narrator, the god of intelligence and politics. In spite of his cleverness and sparkling wit (or, perhaps, because of this...) Loki struggles to find his place among the old patriarchal gods of supernatural power and is constantly at odds with the god of thunder - Thor. Alongside the politics of Asgard, it charts the course of Loki's many loves and families, from his mothering of Odin's famous horse to his intense, turbulent, and, eventually, fatal relationship with Baldr the Beautiful - a tender and moving story of love that goes wrong, jealousy and a transitioning that is forbidden by society. This is a retelling that is contemporary in tone, at once amusing and relatable. It is a heartfelt plea to overthrow the old gods of power and authority and instigate a new era ruled by love and intelligence.

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Brandon is a boaster – he says he is brilliant at lots of things. Then he is challenged to count up to ten million. So Brandon starts: one, two, three . . . and before long he is up to one thousand. Everyone around him is bewildered and annoyed: his friend Waris, his teachers and Miss Hexx, the head. But Brandon can’t stop counting. And the higher he counts, the more everyone takes an interest, when Brandon reaches 30,000 he goes viral, by the time he gets to one million, he has a manager and a stadium full of fans counting with him. And then strange, impossible things start happening. The numbers are taking over everything . . . A fun and contemporary story about rise and fall of celebrity, and ultimately staying true to yourself.

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A haunting, powerful drama from Carnegie Medalist Melvin Burgess about a struggle to return to life. A girl in a coma. A desperate mother. Can they both persist long enough to find a way back to one another? Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant and dyslexic readers aged 12+ A haunting, powerful drama from Carnegie Medalist Melvin Burgess. A girl in a coma. A desperate mother. Marianne has been absent from her own life for so long that even her mother's unwavering faith is starting to tremble. But Marianne, floating in her own world, is starting to remember who she is – and the sad woman that visits every day. Can they both persist long enough to find a way back to one another? Particularly suitable for struggling, reluctant and dyslexic readers aged 12+

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A collection of 4 Puffin Classics, designed to raise awareness of world environmental issues.Life is good for house-dog Buck where he spends his days eating and sleeping in the golden sunshine of Santa Clara Valley. But when he is stolen and forced to work as a sledge dog in the harsh conditions of the frozen North he has to fight hard for his survival. Can he rise above his enemies and fulfil his true destiny?A reminder of an age before mass extinctions and climate change, this special edition of The Call of the Wild is inspired by Earth Day, and introduced by actor and environmental activist Bonnie Wright.Other titles in the Green Puffin Classics series:The Wind in the WillowsThe Jungle BookThe Adventures of Robin Hood

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Puffin Classics: the definitive collection of timeless stories, for every childJoin Puffin in celebrating 120 years since Call of the Wild first published with this very special anniversary edition.To Buck it was boundless delight, this hunting, fishing, and indefinite wandering through strange places.Pampered dog Buck lives a comfortable life in Santa Clara Valley, where he spends his days eating and sleeping in the golden sunshine. But one day a terrible act of betrayal leads to his kidnap, and he is forced into a life of work and danger. Dragged away to be a sledge dog in the harsh and freezing cold Yukon, Buck must fight for his place in the wilderness - and a place to call home.The Call of the Wild is a beautiful and thought-provoking tale following a dog's journey of hope, resilience and finding your family.This edition includes an introduction by award-winning author Melvyn Burgess, a behind-the-scenes journey, an author profile, a guide to who's who, activities and more.

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1914: war has broken out across Europe and beyond. Nothing will ever be the same again for those caught up in the conflict. This collection of short stories explores how the First World War changed and shaped the lives of women forever. A courageous nurse risks her life at the Front Line; a young woman discovers independence and intrigue in wartime London; and in a brand new story a grief-stricken nurse cares for the first Indian soldier to be awarded the Victoria Cross, and they wonder together what it means to be a hero. Through these and other tales, War Girls presents a moving portrait of loss and grief, and of hope overcoming terrible odds.

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