In the depths of an ancient building at the heart of New London, a bright silver cockroach scuttled along a passageway, chased by a boy. The creature was called Roacher and it stopped halfway along the corridor as its metal antennae began to twitch...
The Blurb
Pax has made it through the trials of his first year at Scholastic Parliament, but any hopes of a quieter second year are quickly dashed when he makes a shocking discovery in the school’s basement. A new student joins the school, acting suspiciously and muscling in on Pax’s friendship with Samuel. At least being reigning champions in the Parliamentary Polls allows Pax and his friends to explore the city at weekends. But drone raids and cyber-attacks disrupt life in New London while a paranoid mayor cracks down hard on terrorism.
Unwittingly, Pax helps an innocent man get captured. Driven by guilt, he seeks out the Underground resistance movement and is given a mission to steal some codes from the mayor. In the process, Pax uncovers the shocking truth about a new factory that threatens the lives of millions of people. He is torn between stopping this latest sinister plot and focusing on schoolwork to keep alive his dream of becoming an engineer. To achieve both, he’ll need help. But who can he trust in a city full of falsehoods? What sacrifices will he need to make? Find out in the latest instalment in the London Falling series.
Book Details
ISBN: 978 1837914968
Publisher: Tiny Tree Books
Formats: Paperback
No. of Pages: 208 (paperback)
Purchase Links
My Thoughts
Pax Forby is a wonderful character and it was lovely to be reaquainted with him. I read the first book in the series Pax and the Missing Head last year. You can read my review by clicking on the title.
This book finds Pax and his friends, Samuel and Megan, a little more grown up than the previous book. Consequently, there is a hint of romance in the air. There is also a fourth friend added to the mix as Liam joins them at school and thus changes the dynamic of the trio. It is obvious from the very beginning that Pax is suspicious of him and wonders if he has an ulterior motive.
When I first picked up the book I did wonder what on earth the titular 'Forgotten Pincher' could be. It transpires that pincher is the term that has been foisted upon pensioners. In Pax's society people who reach sixty years of age are forced to take "the long walk" away from New London and to live in obscurity. When Pax accidentally stumbles upon one of these pensioners who is in hiding he sets out to aid him.
I could detect some similarities to the Harry Potter books in that it is set in a boarding school style setting, and readers would be able to grow up alongside these characters if there are to be more books.
This is an extremely engaging story with strong themes of friendship, abandonment and looks at how we treat the elderly in this future society. It made for interesting reading and I think that it will provide middle grade/early teenage readers much food for thought from reading this novel. Even apart from it simply being a good story to read, it is thoughtprovoking and made for excellent reading.
I highly recommend this book even if you have not had an opportunity to read the previous one.
***
About the Author:
David attended the Faber Academy in 2014 and from that had three climate-fiction thrillers published (The Gold Trilogy, Bloodhound Books). He joined SCBWI in 2018 as he shifted his focus to a younger audience. His Middle Grade debut, Pax & The Missing Head publishes with Tiny Tree in late 2023. He lives in Berkshire with his wife and daughter and has a passion for stories, sport and boardgames.
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