Count Karlstein - The Novel

Sep 30, 2024 4:30 AM

Author:Philip Pullman

Count Karlstein, or The Ride of the Demon Huntsman, was Philip Pullman's first novel for children, published by Chatto and Windus in 1982. It is a wonderful gothic melodrama which he first wrote as a play for school-children when he was an English teacher.

No one in the village of Karlstein dares to leave their home on All Souls Eve - the night Zamiel, the Demon Huntsman comes to claim his prey.

But the evil Count Karlstein has struck a terrible bargin with Zamiel, and so the lives of his young nieces, Lucy and Charlotte,are in danger. Their only hope lies with Hildi, a castle maidservant, and her fearless brother, Peter. Can they save the girls from their dreadful fate? Only one thing is certain - the Demon Huntsman will not return to his dark wood unsatisfied!

Reviews

It's whirlwind plotting, manipulated into a pulsing tale of darkened hearts, treachery and at long last, redemption

—— Kirkus

In this deliciously gothic thriller there are enough demon huntsmen, evil guardians, and brooding castles to please even the most desensitized reader

—— School Library Journal

Dashing, sparkling, and wildly over the top

—— Publishers Weekly

Any youngster who likes ghostly tales of the macabre accompanied with much humour will get a lot of fun from this unusual book

—— Junior Bookshelf

Ingeniously-designed comic-cum-novel, a gothic pastiche that can be read as simple fun or as a literary lesson

—— Guardian

Brilliant...the quality of imagination at play here is something special

—— TES

Joseph Delaney's The Wardstone Chronicles are a series of books that have maintained the very highest standard for nearly a decade. The Spook's Nightmare is another excellent addition to the series. Highly recommended.

—— Fantasy Book Review

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