Darkwing

By Kenneth Oppel

Before there were bats like Shade, Marina or even Goth, there was a young chiropter—a small arboreal glider—named Dusk. . . .

It is 65 million years ago, during a cataclysmic moment in the earth’s evolution, and Dusk, just months old, has no way of knowing he will play a pivotal role in creating a new world. What he does know is that he is different from the other newborn chiropters. Not content to use his large sails to glide down from the giant sequoia tree, Dusk discovers that if he flaps quickly enough, he can fly. But this strange gift that makes him feel like an outcast from the colony will also make him its saviour. After most of the colony is savagely massacred by the felids—the earth’s first mammalian carnivores—Dusk must lead his fellow chiropters to a new home, and a new life.

Against a tableau of disappearing dinosaurs and the ascent of the mammal kingdom, Oppel has created an adventure fantasy that sets the stage for the birth of the bats, the story of the forebears of Shade, the beloved hero of the Silverwing series. As with all Silverwing books, it is impossible to simply read Oppel’s Darkwing; each of us enters a world of convincing characters, warring theologies, incredible natural history and a story that roars through head, heart and imagination. A tale that can be read as a stand- lone or as a prequel, Darkwing will be a welcome new classic for the millions of Kenneth Oppel fans.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Nov 15, 2011
• ISBN: 9781443411233

Kenneth Oppel

Kenneth Oppel is the author of numerous books for young readers. His award-winning Silverwing trilogy has sold over a million copies worldwide and been adapted as an animated TV series and stage play. Airborn won a Michael L. Printz Honor Book Award and the Canadian Governor General’s Literary Award for children’s literature; its sequel, Skybreaker, was a New York Times bestseller and was named Children’s Novel of the Year by the London Times. He is also the author of Half Brother, This Dark Endeavor, Such Wicked Intent, and The Boundless. Born on Canada’s Vancouver Island, he has lived in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, Canada; in England and Ireland; and now resides in Toronto with his wife and children. Visit him at KennethOppel.ca.

Reviews for Darkwing

[linyarai · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A very interesting prequel to the silverwing series, I liked having dinosaurs and prehistoric mammals involved instead of being set in modern day.

[brigitte64 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a very good book for young reader. 65 Million years ago creatures had to find a way to life with each other. It`s not like the Silverwing Trilogie, but Kenneth Oppel really makes you interested in the life of not only bats. At the end it gets really exciting.

[dameesh_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Kinda lost it halfway through. It was also evident that the writer strongly believes in evolution but that is not a problem, I suppose if you are an evolutionist. Either way it was hard to get through.

[elizajane_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The setting is the Paleocene epoch, the end of the dinosaur era and the beginning of many new forms of life. Dusk is a chiropter but he is different from others of his species. He does not have fur on his sails and he can 'see' in the dark. He soon learns that, unlike other chiropters who can only glide, he can actually fly. Dusk must face the others who in turn are amazed and disgusted. Dusk is shunned and ridiculed. But Dusk is not the only animal who is different, many other animals who were once herbivores have started to crave meat. The beasts can no longer live all together in harmony.Having read the Silverwing trilogy I was expecting this book to be good and I wasn't disappointed. I must note though, that this book is only ever so slightly a prequel to the Silverwing books. Yes, it is about bats but it is not set in the same world or mythos as the other books. That said, this is a brilliant, fast-paced read. As with the others I found it quite dark but not necessarily in the events but more in the themes that were presented. The book asks many questions but does not attempt to answer them. Can the world ever live together in peace? Should it? When is aggression ok? Is it right to go against your personal beliefs because it is for the greater good? Should you be ashamed if you do?Darkwing and his father were compelling characters and while they were similar to Silverwing and his father there were enough differences to make them feel fresh to this reader. Kenneth Oppel has not disappointed me yet. Another wonderful book that not only gives an exciting, unique story but also presents a thought-provoking plot. Highly Recommended!

[lorettalj · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Set in prehistoric times, this is an animal fantasy about a young chiropter, Dusk, that is born with different features than his colony. He can fly instead of glide, and he can see in the dark with echolocation. He is the first bat. The other members of the colony think he is strange and shun him. Yet, when predators invade their island, they must rely on Dusk to help them escape.