The Book of Lies by James Moloney

Title:  The Book of Lies
Author: James Moloney
Genre:  Fantasy (Age 8-12) 
Publisher:  Angus&Robertson
Publication Date: May 2004
Stand alone or series:  Series
Book Length:  402
First lines:  'On a night when angry clouds boiled and burst overhead and the people of Fallside prayed by their fires that the storm would soon pass, four men emerged from the forest that surrounded the village.'

Synopsis:
Three children, Marcel, Nicola and Fergus, have been left mysteriously in an orphanage run by the kindly Mrs Timmins, but overseen by the fearsome wizard Lord Alwyn and his creature Termagant.
Marcel learns that the mysterious Book of Lies can tell hood from truth. But can it tell him who he really is? He is not alone in his confusion, either. When the stranger Starkey arrives, Marcel, the haughty Nicola and battle-obsessed Fergus discover that they have a vital part to play in saving the kingdom from evil.
But something′s not right. Is Starkey friend or foe? And is Lord Alwyn the evil wizard the children first thought? And will the truth really be revealed in the pages of the Book of Lies?


My Thoughts 
I come across this book while reading my Good Reading Magazine and the short synopsis that was on their caught my attention straight away.  I absolutely love this cover.  It's amazing.  The other thing I really like with books for this age group is the fact that most include a hand drawn map in the first few pages.

A sleeping boy by the name of Marcel is brought to an orphanage by four men in the dead of night.  He is taken to a room where a sorcerer uses The Book of Lies to wipe away his past and all that he knows, and gives him a new identity.  Bea (an orphan staying in the house) secretly intercepts before the book finishes.

When Marcel wakes up he thinks his name is Robert until Bea pulls him asside to tell him his real name.  They form a friendship right from the beginning and I really liked Marcel/Robert as well as Bea. 

Marcel is such a strong young boy and I really enjoyed the journey he took me on.  Bea is an awesome character too with her willingness to stick her neck out for Marcel even though she hadn't known him for very long.  Gadfly and Termagant definitely make for interesting characters.

The Book of Lies draws you in and with many twists and turns it keeps you guess what's going to happen next.  Magic and elves and flying horses will definitely keep the kids interested and left wanting more. 

I look forward to reading Book Two Master of Books.