About the Book
After an unspecified near-future disaster, one English town survives under the protection of the surviving computer alogrithms of the Process, which governs every aspect of their lives. But now the Process is making soldiers. It is readying for war.
About the Author :
Matthew De Abaitua's novel The Red Men was shortlisted for the Arthur C Clarke Award and adapted into a short film `Dr Easy' by Shynola and produced by Film4/Warp Films. His science fiction novels IF THEN (Angry Robot, September 2015) and The Destructives (Angry Robot, 2016) complete the loose trilogy begun with The Red Men. His second book was a memoir and history, The Art of Camping: The History and Practice of Sleeping Under the Stars. The Economist described it as one of the books of the year. He lectures on creative writing and science fiction at the University of Essex and lives in Hackney.harrybravado.com twitter.com/mdeabaituaAuthor hometown: London, UK
Review :
"Stolen Songbird is a fantastic debut. The book had an amazing cast of developed characters, an intriguing plot, an swoon- worthy romance and an ending that'll have you itching for the next book. I'd definitely recommend it." - YA Midnight Reads "Stolen Songbird is an absolutely wonderful edition to the fantasy genre. The book is full of magic, adventure, outlandish creatures, and at its heart is one of the most touching love stories I have ever read - This novel takes a very old fairytale cliche, and turns it into a stunningly original and beautiful story - So obviously I really like this book and I am going to go ahead and give it a 9/10. This is the highest rating so far!" - Avid Reviews "It's rather rare for me to sit down just after finishing the book and start the review. But here I am, only few minutes after reading the last word of this book writing this. I cannot tell you how much this book makes me happy." - Ja citam, a ti? "Every once in a while you run across a new series that sucks you in and you know you will be anxiously following every installment - Stolen Songbird book 1 of The Malediction Trilogy is just such a book." - Tome Tender "The underground kingdom was an astounding setting, it was just - I don't even have words, it felt real!" - Paperback Wonderland "This book is such a beautiful story. A world filled with fantasy, romance and politics. An introduction to a hidden, magical place, full of a race that we thought only existed in fairytales. So well described, you have no problems imagining it. You get to experience Cecile's emotions as she is torn away from her dream life, forced by a magical bind in marriage to a prince of a cruel race. Grow with Cecile as things begin to change, making new friends, experiencing feelings she didn't think would be possible and discovering powers that she never realised she had. So what are you waiting for, get this book added to your Goodreads shelf, spread the word to your fellow readers and get ready to purchase this book on the 1st April 2014. This is going to be another amazing series!" - Opinionated Cupcakes "I seriously lack the superlatives to express how much I adored this book. An intelligently-written romantic fantasy with an engaging moral conflict at the heart of the story, original and creative worldbuilding, political intrigue, an enigmatic and appealing hero, and, best of all, a quick-witted and strong-willed heroine who grabs your affection and doesn't let go? You had me at hello. When I was reading it, all I could think of were the fantasies that I grew up reading in the 90s, but with a few exceptions from authors like Sherwood Smith and McKinley and Stevermer and Wrede I can't think of any books that pull off all those elements so successfully, which made me realise that Stolen Songbird is really the kind of book I wished I had to read when I was growing up. I really think today's YA audience is incredibly lucky to have such an abundance of diverse fantasy novels from authors like Cashore and Bardugo and Marchetta - and Jensen has definitely earned herself a place alongside those names with this debut. I will be watching her work avidly from now on." - Emma's Miscellaneous Maunderings "I laughed, I ranted, I cried twice. It was a bit of an emotional rollercoaster for me but I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to reading the next book in the trilogy." - Leanne Crabtree "I would recommend this book in a heartbeat. It's a wonderful fantasy book filled with tons of magic that will leave you wanting more. I am very much looking forward to the next installment." - The Nightly Book Owl "If you're looking for a YA fantasy full of magic and mystery and intrigue and romance and wonderful, heartfelt characters that you could easily accept to be trapped under a mountain with, then don't just read Stolen Songbird - inhale it. Deliciously written in two POVs that are deep and personal and completely intertwined with one another, this book is at once like hot chocolate on a rainy day with a cat on your lap, and a shot of something wicked when you're feeling wired. There's nothing I even remotely disliked, and a list as long as most Welsh train station names of things I loved. Stolen Songbird was a dream to read, a dream to adventure through, and a nightmare to leave. I didn't want to wake up - and neither will you." - Jet Black Ink "Stolen Songbird is a must-read. It doesn't come out until April 1, but you had better pre-order a copy right now if you find this book even remotely interesting. Just like me you'll also want the rest of The Malediction Trilogy to come out this instant as well. I can't wait for book two! I give this book 5/5 stars." - The Mad Reviewer "If you love fantasies, romance, and political intrigue, then you really need to add this book to your wishlist and tell all your friends you want it for your birthday, because Oh my gosh, it is my new favorite book of this year." - Book Marks the Spot "There are too many good things about Stolen Songbird for me to list them all. Suffice it to say that I didn't want this book to end, I didn't want to have to leave the cast and Trollus behind. Tristan and Cecile will certainly be a pair that I look forward to returning to, and book two of the Malediction Trilogy is already on my list of anticipated reads for next year whilst Stolen Songbird has already set a very high bar for any book to top it as my favourite book of the year." - The Serpent's Quill "Overall, this lengthy fantasy novel offers a lot of adventure, romance and political intrigue. It would suit any voracious young reader looking for an entertaining read with thoughtful substance behind it. Highly Recommended." - Laura Dunford, Canadian Review of Materials, Feb 14th 2014 issue "Without any doubt, I can already say that Stolen Songbirdwill end up on my and many other lists of best novels for young adults published in 2014. Stolen Songbird is an example is how it looks when a team of professionals works on a book: great writing, editing & design. What did I like? The list is mile long." - YA Books Central "Stolen Songbird is an enticing beginning to a magical new trilogy. The passion between Cecile and Tristan simmers tantalizingly beneath the surface, anticipating the slightest of sparks that will fully ignite it. Jensen has created a vivid and complex world that readers will be eager to explore further in the next two installments." - Teen Reads "Stolen Songbird is a pretty mesmerising story, complete with beautiful, calculating creatures, an underground cavernous city, and a gutsy human heroine. There is fantasy, witty dialogue, magical oaths and rebellions, love and loyalty, and everything in between." - Realm of Fiction "I thought this book was excellent. Unputdownable, even. And the end leaves us in a perfect position: a nice balance between wrapped up and need-to-know-what-happens-next. It leaves room for a sequel that I not only want to read, but believe has the potential to be a very different kind of story to this first installment. I'm pretty damn excited!" - Emily May (Goodreads) "Stolen Songbird was an absolute delight to read. With an elegant writing style and captivating world as well as storyline, my eyes were locked to the pages until the very last." - Not Yet Read "The writing-style was superb. I was transported to the world of Trollus and I walked side-by-side with Cecile. The setting was magical and I was sucked into the story, which has a very interesting and complex plot without being overwhelming." - The Daily Prophecy "Stolen Songbird was my top anticipated young adult novel coming out from Strange Chemistry this year, and I have to say all the lusting and the pining has been worth it. Author Danielle L. Jensen opens up a whole new world for readers who love magic, romance, and enchanted lands." - The Bibliosanctum
