Hugh Montgomery

"The Voyage of the Arctic Tern"

London, Walker Books, 2002

An extraordinary and epic sea adventure, vividly narrated in stirring verse.

Things happen here in Plymouth in the winter
And of such things you'd surely never learn.
So take your seat and listen while I tell you
Of Bruno and his ship, The Arctic Tern...

The Voyage of the Arctic Tern is a classic tale of treason, treachery and treasure, sweeping across many centuries and different lands, from Scandinavia to Spain to the South West of England. At its heart is the ship's skipper, Bruno, cursed to a life of eternal wandering in a moment of greed and betrayal. His quest for release brings him to the court of the King of Spain and a battle with an ancient adversary, the villainous pirate Mad Dog Morgan. Can Bruno and his crew set right the wrongs of the past and present? Will good triumph over evil? How can the captain of the Arctic Tern ever find the redemption he seeks?

Hugh Montgomery was brought up in Plymouth and spent most of his youth on or under the waves. A keen diver, he was part of the team that salvaged Henry VIII's flagship The Mary Rose. After completing The Voyage of the Arctic Tern, he received a number of rejections, and so decided to publish the book himself - at his own expense, re-mortgaging his flat in the process. The risk paid off - every single copy was sold, and The Voyage of the Arctic Tern won the Self-published Book of the Year and the Poetry Book of the Year Award 2000. When not writing epic adventure stories, Hugh works as a consultant in intensive care at University College London, as well as leading the group of researchers that discovered the first "gene for human fitness" in 1998.

* "Here's my prediction for the children's film success of 2004 or thereabouts. It will be based on a book called The Voyage of the Arctic Tern, by Hugh Montgomery... A cross between Watership Down and C. S. Lewis."

Richard Brooks, The Sunday Times

* A gripping tale that will appeal across the ages, to children   and to adults - to all who love a thrilling story, memorably told.

* Beautifully produced in hardback with atmospheric pen and ink illustrations by Nick Poullis , this wonderful book will be a treasured gift that can be enjoyed for generations.

Voyage of The Arctic Tern
by Hugh Montgomery
Walker Books, London, 2002.

  First Trade Hardback Edition Copies available from
Reaveley Books, 1 Church Road, Lympstone, Exmouth, Devon, UK, EX8 5JU, Tel: 01395-225462 at £12.99 plus postage.

Signed first trade hardback copies now available at £25.00 plus postage.
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