I’d like to announce the publication of Leepike Ridge, written by N.D. Wilson, known around here as Nate. In its various states of editorial development, I have read it a couple or three times, and look forward to reading it again in its final form. This book is a lot of fun. Published by Random House, it is being released in just a few weeks, and now is the time for ordering it. While you are there at Canon, you can also take a look at the Bible stories that Canon is about to release (also written by Nate).
The reviews for Leepike have been very good, and I include some below. After that is an image of the cover, followed by the image of the cover of his second book with Random House, due out the day after Christmas. Needless to say, we are extremely grateful to God for blessing the work of our son’s hands (Ps. 90:17), and of course we are very proud of Nate. He is an exceptional writer.
“While Leepike Ridge is primarily an adventure story involving murder, treachery, and betrayal, Wilson’s rich imagination and his quirky characters are a true delight . . . There are enough twists and turns in the plot to keep both seasoned and reluctant readers turning the pages. Think Mark Twain with a contemporary and utterly captivating twist.”
School Library Journal Review
“Wilson’s debut is a literate, sometimes humorous page-turner in the classic tradition. Well-read adventure lovers are in for a treat looking for echoes of The Odyssey and Tom Sawyer . . . a strong choice for every type of library.”
Kirkus Review
“N.D. Wilson . . . is a name that will soon be widely known. He will write many books, Lord willing, in many genres for our instruction and delight. His first is Leepike Ridge . . . like all books that satisfy a discerning 8-year-old or 10-year-old, this novel will also hold the attention of a reader in his 30s or 70s . . . Not a tall tale exactly, and certainly not an epic (though there are playful allusions to the Odyssey), but something closer to a yarn, crossbred with the boys’ adventure stories that once sold like hotcakes and recounted by a narrator who is slyly funny as well as omniscient”
Christianity Today
“Fleeing the possibility of a new stepfather, 11-year-old Tom Hammond washes downriver into a series of caves that contain a few dead bodies; Reg, a man who has been´ trapped inside for three years; mysterious carvings; and no apparent way out. Outside, on their mountaintop, his grieving mother, threatened by treasure hunters, continues to search for him. Tom’s adventures have several literary ancestors, including´ Tom and Huck in the cave, and the inventive Swiss family Robinson, but this is solidly set in the present, standing on its own with well-crafted suspense and fascinating survival detail. Underlying the story is the possibility that explorers from ancient civilizations arrived in North America long before Columbus, a theory certain to interest middle-grade readers. They will also relish the physicality of the journey: underwater swims, tight passages, and rock climbing as Tom, Reg, and a found dog search for an exit. A crotchety neighbor and a group of local thugs add to the tension of this appealing and easy-to-booktalk package.”
Booklist
“Lots of fun, fantastic, I loved it. Those other reviewers really know what they are talking about.”
Nancy Wilson, Really Cute Author, and Nate’s mom
Here is the cover of Leepike Ridge.
And here is the cover of 100 Cupboards, the first book in a triology. If you are keeping track this means that we are looking at a total of four books currently in the works.
If someone tied your leg to the piano and you can’t order from Canon, you can also get the Random House book from Amazon. And of course, it should also be available at a bookstore near you. And you can preorder the Cupboards book from Random House.