Dangerous Games

Dido Twite, with the help of some sacred shaman healers, must foil a sinister plot to overthrow the king of a remote South Sea island healersSailing the high seas in pursuit of Lord Herodsfoot, roving ambassador to the ageing King James III, Dido Twite''s search has led her to the remote South Sea island of Aratu. She arrives with a new friend she made en route, the enigmatic Dr. Talisman, who is returning to the isle after many years. Soon they discover that there''s something even more dangerous in the ancient rain forest than its poisonous pearl snakes, sting monkeys, and 30-foot-long crocodiles. Dido and Talisman are confronted by the Angrian invaders, who drove the Dilendi natives from their home 400 years earlier. Luckily, Dido befriends the gentle Forest People, who can heal with their magical touch. When she learns about a plot to overthrow the island''s suffering king, Dido enlists the Forest People to help her thwart the scheme, save the monarch, and reunite him with his long-lost daughter. Dangerous Games is the 5th book in the award-winning Wolves Chronicles, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order. This ebook features an illustrated personal history of Joan Aiken including rare images from the author''s estate. "Aiken . . . once again creates a vivid world that, though recognizable, is more heightened than our own. Aiken''s storytelling is fearless. Dido''s adventures and the isle of Aratu will linger in the reader''s mind long after these games have ended." -Publishers Weekly, starred review "Aiken is particularly adept at that pivotal and powerful ingredient of good fantasy: the creation of place. The tumultuous weather, dramatic landscape, and evidence of games throughout the terrain create a land that is both physically real and wildly imaginative." -Library Journal "Fans will be happy to see feisty Dido in action again." -Kirkus ReviewsJoan Aiken (1924-2004) was an English writer best known for her children''s literature. She wrote 92 novels, including 27 for adults, as well as plays, poems, and short stories. Aiken was born in East Sussex, England. Her father, Conrad Aiken, was a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet. She began writing at a young age, publishing her first short story when she was 17 years old. Before writing full-time, Aiken worked at the United Nations Information Centre as well as the magazine Argosy. It was during this time that she wrote her classic children''s novel The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (1962), which won the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award and was the first in a 12-book series. Her other titles for younger readers include The Last Slice of Rainbow, The Kitchen Warriors, and Mice and Mendelson. For older readers, her books include the Edgar Award-winning Night Fall, and The Scream. In 1999, Aiken was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for her services to children''s literature. She is survived by her daughter.