Chasing the Valley

GALAXY BOOKSELLER PICK ----- Did you love the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, devour Insurgent by Veronica Roth, eagerly await the next Ranger’s Apprentice by John Flanagan and scour through stores to grab a copy of Rick Riordin’s Percy Jackson Novels? If you answered yes to any (or all) of the above then you need to keep an eye out for this new book Chasing the Valley by new Australian author Syke Melki-Wegner.

The story is utterly captivating; I could barely put it aside and found myself reading to the early hours of the morning, utterly spellbound by the world and characters the author has woven into existence. The world is quite similar to that shown in the Hunger Games and Insurgent trilogies where the people of Taladia live in small towns and can’t leave. Our heroes come from one of these towns called Rourton. The townsfolk are heavily oppressed by the King, who conscripts all children at age 18 to fuel his armies to expand his borders and uses planes to bomb each town into submission. The only hope for many people is the Magnetic Valley, which is a gateway into lands their King cannot conquer, for his machines, powered by alchemy stop working once within a magnetic field. However no one knows exactly where this valley is and very few have ever been rumoured to have reached it. It is almost impossible to escape the walls of the Towns, let alone survive the journey across the Kingdoms being tracked by the murderous Hunters of the King.

At 16 Danika is a homeless scruffer, living on the streets and taking odd jobs to make it through each day. Her family was killed in the last bombing of Rourton 7 years ago and she knows its only 2 years till her proclivity (magical power) sign appears at the back of her neck. Once that happens she’ll be shipped off to the front lines to die for the power-hungry monarch. In a town where dissidents are publicly executed, talking is dangerous. Danika hears of a refugee crew being assembled by teens to leave Rourton, which surprises her since only adults have their proclivities and stand a chance at surviving perilous trek. Still when the bombs begin to fall that night, Danika escapes below the city to find them. Unfortunately the motley crew already has 5 teens and turns her away, unwilling to risk their chances by taking a 6th person. Stumbling out into the street in the aftermath of the destruction, Danika realises that she has no future in Rourton and that she’ll likely die here soon on the streets and so decides to escape on her own, figuring the hunters would track the crew rather than her. Using picks to climb the wall, Danika spies the gates opening and the crew escaping the walls on Foxaries (giant foxes you can ride) and sets of a signal flare to distract the guards and help them escape. Once on the outside Danika joins up with the group and together with the help of another mysterious teen trek across the country to find the fabled magnetic fable, using an old children’s song as their only guide.

Danika reminds me a lot of Katniss with her stubbornness and ability to keep moving forwards always lit by the fire of her rage against the injustice of the King. As an orphan in the harsh streets of her home town Danika trusts no one but realises her best chances for survival are with the crew. Since the book is from Danika’s perspective there are a lot of monologues about the other characters possible motives for escape and possibility for treachery or weakness during the trek. I loved the array of characters used from the twin rich girls who have funded the trip but seem to have no real reason to leave, to the Notorious boy thief, a rogue who has been everywhere in town and robbed the rich folk blind. Teddy Nort (the thief) was definitely my favourite character. He reminded me a lot of George from Tamora Pierce’s Tortall series. He’s a very fun character always ready to joke and flirt but is avidly aware of the reality and dangers of the world they live in. Despite being a thief, Teddy is quite loyal. After being saved by Danika during their escape from Rourton, it’s Teddy who tracks her down and insists she travel with the rest of their crew. Lukas, a mysterious traveller, is found by Danika when she notices a kite flying during the nights. Curious and unable to help herself she follows the kite and finds Lukas. He joins their group after he proves his worth against the Hunters that follow them.

The Hunters themselves are a scary part of the story. As evil characters go they’re reasonably high up for a children series. The Hunters have little humanity left in them, seeming to all be psychopaths, especially their ambitious leader, the Princess of Taladia who lives for torture, death and destruction. Just like the Hunger Games, death is involved in this book. It’s not featured as highly, but the presence is still felt adding an increased sense of danger. I felt the real threat of failure heightened the action in the novel, as you knew that at any moment one of the characters could falter and that each time they faced the Hunters, their only hope laying in escape or hiding. Reaching the Magnetic Valley is their only hope for sanctuary and freedom, but they find themselves at a crossroads when they realise that by reaching the Valley they may cause it’s destruction along with the hopes of the entire country.

This story was heroic, intense and brilliant for a young adult novel. It captivated me and had all the essentials for a fantasy novel; magic, action, heroism, a perilous trek and a touch of romance. I loved the world Syke Melki-Wegner created and I can’t wait to see where the story will go next. ~ Chrissi

an absorbing page-turner --Booklist / Booklist Online, 11/25/2015 Unpredictable and exciting, keeping the reader enchanted and wanting to hear more of this struggle for freedom and justice. --readplus.com.au A non-stop, action-packed adventure from the first page to the last . . . An insanely glorious blend of Steampunk Adventure and Dystopian Fantasy with a touch of Romance. --booktopia.com.au Every page leaves you on a cliffhanger, literally. --Sunday Mail Adelaide