The Giant’s Seat by Dave Butler, Book Review

The Giant’s Seat is part two of the series The Extraordinary Journeys of Clockwork Charlie by Dave Butler. Butler picks up the action shortly after the closing scene of The Kidnap Plot (review here), continuing the action. Our hero, Charlie, and three of his friends, Bob, Ollie, and Gnat have set off across England to warn Charlie’s bap's friend, Caradog Pritchard about the Iron Cog.

The Story

One of the last things Charlie’s dad told him to do was to make his way to the mountain Cader Idris and find his father’s old friend who could help Charlie. The Giant’s Seat picks up two days into that journey as the group of adventurers are on Bob’s flyer. But a storm separates Charlie from the rest of the group.

Charlie undertakes a frantic search. His friends are missing, and Charlie knows it is perilous to be on his own. This leads him to meeting new people, an extended family of dwarfs. And, like many times when meeting new people, the relationship starts out poorly. The situation is rough on Charlie, but he makes the best of it and eventually he and the dwarfs become friends. He even finds out they have shared interests. Along the way he also meets an aspiring wizard who is having problems of his own and Charlie inspires him onto new adventures that bring the two together later.

With the help of the dwarfs, and elves, Charlie makes it to Wales and Cader Idris. In the town at the base of the mountain he is reunited with the rest of his travelling companions. Together they complete the quest they thought they were on and prepare to start a new one.

There are many new sights and experiences for all of them. But as a group working together our young adventures rise to the challenges in the same fashion as in The Kidnap Plot. The events are new ones. Butler does a wonderful job of continuing the story through his second book and not just going through what we already read in the first.

The Setting

The Giant’s Seat moves out of London, but the steampunk feel is maintained. The inventions presented are done with a sense of fun mixed in with the power of coal, water, pistons, and springs. The descriptions allow for a visualization of what is there without breaking the language used during the period of the time the story is set in.

The Writing

Dave Butler delivers another wonderful story. The Giant’s Seat follows right along with The Kidnap Plot. This isn’t just in the story being followed, but in the way the style and language presents the story.

The characters coming forward from the first book are given even more depth as their own stories are developed. The new ones have the same level of detail expected after the first book. And, where racial traits are presented in the first, they are carried forward to give continuity.

The Giant’s Seat continues with the multiple levels of plot. This series is set for middle grade and it is paced and presented in a language readers at that level can comprehend and work through. Butler keeps the story active by not stopping there. The additional levels of complexity give more advanced readers the opportunity to have a deeper experience.

The pace of the book is engaging. I kept reading, being drawn forward without getting sidetracked. I think it will keep other readers equally engaged.

There are lessons presented without beating the reader over the head. Butler empowers Charlie and company with the will and desire to do what is right. They learn the benefits of helping others. The story presents loss, and how it is dealt with. There are risks, rewards, and punishments for the actions chosen.

Author (from the book jacket)

Dave Butler’s first book for children was The Kidnap Plot, which The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books called “a strong start to a new series.” Dave lives in an old house and works in a study where one of the biggest bestsellers of the twentieth century was written. He has kept the room’s original shag carpet and wood-veneer walls. He likes games, guitars, languages, and, most of all, his family.

Dave lives in Provo, Utah. You can find him on the Web at davidjohnbutler.com.

Overall

The Extraordinary Journey of Clockwork Charlie; The Giant’s Seatis a fun and fantastic journey. Although it continues the story of Charlie and his friends, it is a work that can stand on its own.

People of all ages can enjoy this book.

The characters are intriguing and each has their own story.

I give it 4 ½ out of 5.

The Giant’s Seat is published as a Borzoi book published by Alfred A. Knopf (Random House).

I was given a copy of The Giant's Seat by the author for review purposes.

The Giant's Seat is available on Amazon (link).

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