The Vengekeep Prophecies
By Brian Farrey and Brett Helquist
4/5
()
Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this ebook
Forget what you know about prophecies—this epic middle-grade fantasy about a clumsy boy born into a family of thieves is fresh, fun, and anything but predictable! The first in an unforgettable trilogy, this Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Book of the Year takes everything you thought you knew about fantasy and spins it into pure magic.
Jaxter Grimjinx is a born thief. At least, he's supposed to be. For generations, the Grimjinx clan has produced the swiftest, cleverest thieves in Vengekeep. The problem is, Jaxter is clumsy. So clumsy that in his first solo heist, he sets the Castellan's house on fire and lands his family in prison. Even Jaxter's talent for breaking magical locks can't get them out of this bind.
Then a suspiciously convenient prophecy emerges, naming the Grimjinx clan as the soon-to-be heroes of Vengekeep. It's good enough to get his family out of jail, but when the doomsday prophecy starts to come true, Jaxter is pretty sure a life behind bars would be a better fate. Now, with the help of his new friend, Callie, Jaxter will have to face down flaming monsters, a bazaar of thieves, and a renegade sorcerer to become the hero he was truly born to be.
Full of twists and turns, friendship and adventure, The Vengekeep Prophecies is a "rich fantasy that hits the ground running and never lets up" (Publishers Weekly, starred review).
Brian Farrey
Brian Farrey acquires young adult fiction for Flux. He and he alone has the power to make you an honorary Grimjinx. (You know you want it.) He lives in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Read more from Brian Farrey
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Reviews for The Vengekeep Prophecies
30 ratings6 reviews
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5What happens when the fate of a town rests on their most notorious family of thieves? Will 12-year-old Jaxter manage to save them all?
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A most enjoyable fantasy read. The plot proceeds at breakneck speed, and embraces coincidence with a Dickensian insouciance.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Jaxter Grimjinx is a thief. In fact, members of his family have been thieves for generations. But Jaxter has a problem: he's clumsy. So clumsy, in fact, that he manages to set a house on fire during his first real heist. Jaxter's bumble lands his family in jail, until an all-too-convenient prophecy arises, featuring numerous disasters set to befall the city of Vengekeep, and naming the Grimjinx family as the city's only possible saviors. It's a con, of course, created by Jaxter's mother . . . but then the prophecies start coming true. Can the Grimjinx family save the city -- and live to tell the tale?This story is simply a lot of fun. There's humor, mystery, and adventure. I particularly like the way that the story plays with the "Child of Prophecy" trope that is so popular in juvenile fantasy, since the prophecies in question were created (and inadvertently brought to life) by one of the main characters. Highly recommended to fans of juvenile fantasy!
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This is a 2014 Lone Star selection. It’s a fun, fantasy novel and book one of a planned trilogy.The Grimjinx clan are a famous thieving family. They go back centuries and have a printed lore within the family. Jaxter is supposed to be a thief, but he’s really just too clumsy. In his first “solo”-ish mission, he catches the house on fire. He can’t pickpocket well or climb anything. He is, however, very smart and can use plants and herbs for all types of purposes, even to disenchant a lock. Vengekeep has a yearly tapestry that were all spun way long ago that is supposed to foretell the future of Vengekeep each year. The new tapestry shows that the Grimjinx will save Vengekeep from horrible disasters in the coming year. Needless to say, the people are skeptical until fire comes crashing from the sky. The Grimjinx clan is confused b/c they faked the tapestry. How could anything on it come true? Once they realize what happened, they really do have to save the town. The only way is for Jaxter to make a concoction to dis-enchant the tapestry. He’ll need to travel over several lands to collect the plants and other materials needed, make the solvent, and return in a limited time.Jaxter has befriended Callie who becomes an excellent pickpocket, as taught by Jaxter’s little sister. She refuses to let Jaxter leave without her. The two of them set out. Their adventures remind me of Percy Jackson. Both has a limited amount of time to get an “impossible” task accomplished and lots of people and circumstances make it seem like the task cannot be accomplished in the time needed.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5fast-paced, some coming of age aspects.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Clever spin on a family of pickpockets and thieves ala Oliver Twist with a bit of fantasy tossed in for good measureThe Grimjinx family has a history of outsmarting, outpickpocketing and outwitting the local constable even though the whole village is aware of the family business. When mom accidentally weaves a tapestry that predicts the Grimjinx family will save the village from the doom of the Vengekeep Prophecy it is up to them to fix the problem, save the village and stay alive. Jaxter and his friend Callie must head out to find the necessary magic to get rid of the plagues and make it back before the next full moon. The story has just the right mix of humor, fantasy and mystery to captivate boys and girls. The quotes pulled from famous par-Goblins are pretty funny too!