Cover and chapter heading illustrations by George Ermos
Published by Usborne
Alex Neptune: Pirate Hunter is the second magical, action-packed and hilarious sea-tastic adventure that completely captured me as Alex and his friends find themselves in deep water when their home is attacked by pirates searching for a long-lost treasure …
Alex Neptune has only recently learned that he has the power to control the ocean after learning of his connection with the legendary Water Dragon who is now recovering somewhere out at sea, leaving Alex to gain control of his magical powers. But his powers are urgently needed when he gets a sudden warning from a bedraggled, green-haired girl who washes up on shore, just before Haven Bay is attacked by pirates firing garbage at the town through cannons from a ship made of rubbish. Their new leader, who has invoked a mutiny, is hunting for the last water dragon egg, and needs Alex’s powers to fulfil his mission, but Alex is determined to find the egg first …
So begins a rip-roaring, fast-paced adventure as Alex and his friends, Anil and Zoey, together with some incredible animal companions, find themselves following a trail of clues which, if solved, will lead them to an infamous shipwreck and three devilishly difficult challenges which must to be overcome if they are to find the dragon egg. Of course, they have the gigantic problem of a determined and cruel enemy on their trail who is just as determined to use the egg for his own nefarious ends as Alex is to reunite it with the Water Dragon, but what happens when the hunted become the hunters?
I was swept into the most incredible, breath-taking adventure brimming with danger, twists and turns, secrets and revelations that had me seriously wondering who Alex could trust and how he could overcome the obstacles in his path. Will Alex have enough self-belief in himself and his powers to enable him to succeed in saving the dragon egg, or will a determined foe hold the key to his failure?
I really liked the firm friendship that has developed between Alex, Zoey and Anil. They are comfortable in each other’s company and enjoy teasing each other, making their friendship feel authentic. They are protective of each other, play to their strengths and believe in each other. Alex gains strength and courage from his friends’ belief in his powers and his desire to use them for good.
I loved that the children’s animal friends have returned to help in this adventure as they bring oodles of giggles and joy. What’s not to love about a seal who carries four otters on his back when their friends are in need of help; a seagull who is adept at pinching things; and a water-squirting kraken. There are also some guard geese, and a lock-picking hermit crab who is just adorable!
We all have the power to do the right thing and make a difference.
This fantasy adventure also has a powerful environmental message about the terrible damage being caused to our oceans through pollution caused by people throwing away rubbish, such as plastics, which end up in the ocean, damaging its ecosystem. People need to take responsibility for doing something to help now, rather than waiting for aide at a future time.
This is a magical, exhilarating, and uplifting adventure brimming with gorgeous friendships, humour and eco-awareness. I’m so glad that there are more adventures on the way for Alex … I will definitely be joining him in Monster Avenger, especially after the sneak peak at the end of this book.
Author Information
Having worked as a freelance games journalist and taught on a
BA Creative Writing course for three years, David Owen’s debut
novel, Panther, was longlisted for the Carnegie Medal, and was
followed by three further highly acclaimed YA novels. Alex
Neptune is his first series for younger readers, born of his love
for nail-biting heists, fantastical monsters and heartfelt
friendships.
Twitter: http://twitter.com/davidowenauthor
Instagram: http://instagram.com/davidowenauthor
Thank you so much to Kaleidoscopic Tours for inviting me to be part of the Blog Tour, and to Usborne for providing me with a copy of Alex Neptune: Pirate Hunter in exchange for my honest opinion.
Do check out the other stops on this week’s Blog Tour below:
Book Craic 