Raiders' Ransom
by Emily Diamand

    RAIDERS' RANSOM by Emily Diamand
    Category:  Fantasy
    Age Recommendation:  Grades 6+
    Release Date:  12/1/09
    Publisher:  The Chicken House
    Reviewed by:  Kira M
    Rating:  5 Stars


    Set in a post-apocalyptic England, Lilly Melkun has a fairly ordinary life. Each day, she and her seacat go out
    fishing and come back to a home-cooked supper that Granny has made. One day, however, when she returns
    home, she discovers the village has been ransacked by raiders, the visiting Prime Minister’s daughter has been
    kidnapped, and Granny has been killed.

    Angry at the villagers for not retaliating against the raiders, the Prime Minister shows up in the village, presses
    all able-bodied young men into fighting the war he wants to start, arrests all leaders in authority, and threatens
    to hang the lot of them if they turn out to be traitors.

    When the Prime Minister’s sister asks Lilly to come to her house in the village, she discovers that the raiders
    were after a jewel that the woman has from her husband. Determined to save the day, Lilly cuts off her hair in
    order to look like a boy, and steals the jewel and the letter explaining to whoever cares what the object is and
    why she has it.

    Trouble finds her quickly, though, when Lilly arrives in London and gets pushed into the mud by the son of the
    raider who ransacked her village. Followed everywhere by the raider boy, she comes up with a plan involving
    befriending the boy in order to rescue the Prime Minister’s daughter.

    What will happen when the boy discovers what she’s really up to? Will Lilly save the day and stop a war from
    killing off everyone she cares about?

    RAIDERS' RANSOM is an action-packed adventure filled with humor, suspense, and even a talking head.
    The characters are endearing and entertaining. The plot is fast-paced and well-developed, with lots of twists
    and turns. Readers will enjoy the surprises that lie in store for them when they read this story.

    Those who like fantasy, adventure, and science fiction will all have a hard time putting this book down - and
    will hope the author writes a sequel.