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The Twyning Audiobook
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Publisher Description
Efren is a young rat, unnoticed and timid among the kingdom of rats living in the London sewers. When the king dies, leaving the kingdom in upheaval, only Efren dares to journey into the human world, where he discovers a human doctor's plan to destroy London's entire rat population. Meanwhile, Peter, otherwise known as Dogboy, does odd jobs for both the scheming doctor and the town rat-catcher. But his gift for understanding animals—even rats—forces him to decide where his allegiances truly lie. Dogboy and Efren, along with the waifish girl Caz and her pet rat Malaika, set out to test the strengths of friendship and loyalty against the gut-wrenching cruelties of the world.
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“Victorian London, rats, abandoned children, and survival come together in The Twyning…Efren and Dogboy, along withDogboy’s friend Caz and her pet rat Malaika, embark on an adventure thatrequires friendship, trust, loyalty, and courage. Each chapter is told fromeither the point of view of Dogboy or Efren. The reader is met with the humanworld above ground and the rat world below ground. Whether human or rat, issuesof power, abuse of power, and fear, as well as love, loyalty, and friendship,abound. Great detail is given about the rat kingdom and how the ratscommunicate and live, making the kingdom come alive for the reader. There aresome rather violent scenes with the rats and dog fights which will appeal tosome readers, but could be upsetting to others. This is a book that both middleschool girls and boys should find interesting.”
— VOYA
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“In this painful but mesmerizing tale, Blacker introduces a society of rats living in the sewers of Victorian London; his successful merger of sentience with the realities of rodent behavior is reminiscent of the rabbits of Richard Adams’ classic Watership Down…Well-wrought characters (both human and rat), a compelling presentation of difficult moral questions, and a devastating portrayal of society’s dark underbelly make this novel hard to forget.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review) -
“Both characters are relatable, and readers will cheer for them as they find strength and grow in their adventures. For a book with a dire and at times bloody premise, the overall mood of hope and friendship will sustain readers long after they finish.”
— School Library Journal -
“A meaningful story, both in the human world and in Blacker’s impressively comprehensive rat society, of the creeping dangers of mass hysteria and the power of bravery and compassion.”
— Booklist -
“Rats and humans declare war on one another in this gory study in hidden fears and shifting loyalties.”
— Kirkus Reviews -
“A pair of narrators tackle Blacker’s tale of two young street urchins who are trying to save a struggling rat community from annihilation by a mad scientist. Michael Page’s brassy voice is endearingly rat-like, and his precision and insight are well suited to the animals’ vivid dialogue and thoughts. Nico Evers-Swindell balances childlike intonation and swarthy stubbornness for his human characterizations, and his generous empathy comes in handy for the young protagonists. The story alternates chapters between the human and rat protagonists, and the use of two narrators helps to maintain clarity in the overlapping narratives. All of Blacker’s protagonists share a combination of trepidation, determination, and hope in frightening times, and both narrators deliver this blend with acuity.”
— AudioFile
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About Terence Blacker
Terence Blacker wanted to be a jockey when he grew and up. In fact, he could ride before he could walk, and his childhood hero was the great steeplechaser Mill House (a horse). A former journalist and editor, Blacker now writes full-time. He lives in Norfolk, England.
About the Narrators
Michael Page has been recording audiobooks since 1984 and has over two hundred titles to his credit. He has won numerous Earphones Awards and the prestigious Audie Award for best narration. As a professional actor, he has performed regularly since 1998 with the Peterborough Players in Peterborough, New Hampshire. He is a professor of theater at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Nico Evers-Swindell is a New Zealand film, television, and voice actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Prince William in the 2011 film William and Kate. Other acting credits include the film Edge of Darkness and appearances in episodes of Law & Order.