The Poisoned King

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What to expect

Bloomsbury presents Impossible Creatures: The Poisoned King by Katherine Rundell, read by Samuel West

The dragons call out, and the ratatoskas tell of murder. Come with us now. There is justice to be done.

Return to the magic of the Archipelago... The Poisoned King is the dazzling second book in Katherine Rundell's epic and bestselling Impossible Creatures series.

'There was Tolkien, there is Pullman and now there is Katherine Rundell' – Michael Morpurgo

When Christopher Forrester is unexpectedly woken by a miniature dragon chewing on his face, his heart leaps for joy. For months he’s dreamed of returning to the Archipelago – the secret islands where all the creatures of myth still live. But he did not know it would involve a rescue mission on the back of a sphinx, or a plan to enter a dragon’s lair. Nor did he imagine it would involve a girl with a flock of birds at her side, a new-hatched chick in her pocket and a ravenous hunger for justice...

The unmissable sequel to Impossible Creatures, WINNER of the Waterstones Book of the Year, British Book Awards Children's Book of the Year, Foyles Children's Book of the Year and the Books Are My Bag Readers Award

'A book stuffed full of fantastical, magical delight' – Cressida Cowell on Impossible Creatures

'Readers will seize this with delight' – Philip Pullman on Impossible Creatures

'A masterpiece to rival Tolkien' Daily Telegraph on Impossible Creatures

'Every sentence sparkles ... Magnificent' – The Times on Impossible Creatures

Critics Review

Katherine Rundell returns with a perfect fantasy
Telegraph
Rundell is back with a sequel to her runaway middle-grade fantasy hit “Impossible Creatures,” which offers magical thrills for young readers and adults alike.
New York Times
An exquisitely written, expertly plotted, emotionally affecting and totally immersive triumph!
LoveReading4Kids
A mythical and magical world, the Archipelago is full of colour and opportunity for children to lose themselves in their imaginations. Katherine Rundell delights with this sequel: Exceptional
Children's Books Ireland
Few writers today channel the wild heart of children’s literature quite like Katherine Rundell. The award-winning author of Rooftoppers, The Explorer and Impossible Creatures, Rundell has a rare gift: she writes with both intellectual muscle and reckless wonder.
iNews
The fantasy world is richly imagined, the dialogue sharp and witty and short chapters drive the pace. This series is pure class.
Daily Mail
Dazzling ... the imaginative scope of this series remains colossal
The Times
A treasure chest of myths
Spectator

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