Sam Llewellyn (1) (1948–)

The land of Lyonesse is sinking. The poisonous water beneath is rising up through the wells, bringing monsters up with it. As a result of *not* drowning after accidentally falling from a great height into the sea, twelve-year-old Idris of Westgate is condemned to death by the Town Captain, accused of being a "Cross" -- part human, part monster. Thrown into a watery cavern and left for dead, Idris is rescued just in the nick of time and whisked covertly away by a mysterious stranger into an show more unknown future.

This is a fresh, quirky twist on Arthurian legend, recommended for middle-school-aged readers who may wish to try some light fantasy. I would have liked to learn more about the nature of the world within the wells, its beastly inhabitants and their perception of this "upper" world where humans reside. Perhaps this will be explored more deeply in the second book. show less

I read this novel as it was set in the Scilly Isles, which I visited this summer; indeed, most of the action on the Scillies is set on Tresco, probably my favourite of the inhabited isles. The time is the late 1820s and into the 1830s, when Scilly was transformed by the arrival as proprietor of Augustus Smith, here portrayed as a ruthless tyrant, though now generally highly regarded as having improved the previously dire economic life of the islanders. The hero Nicholas Power is an Irish show more doctor, who later fights Smith's new policies, but has his own secretive past, escaping from which cast him onto Tresco's bleak northern shores in a shipwreck in the first place. The novel gave quite a good feel for the uniqueness of Scillonian life, the sense of isolation and independence, even on the part of the Trescoites (if there is such a word) towards the island authorities on St Mary's. The middle third of the novel is set in the American goldrush and was my least favourite part, but was still quite readable. Overall 4/5 show less

The Worst Journey in the Midlands: One man, His Boat and the Weather, by Sam Llewellyn (pp 224). This book is a delightful waterborne solo romp from Wales to London aboard a barely seaworthy (canal worthy?) row boat that the author inexplicably salvaged expressly for this trip. The humorous description of his journey is quite humorous, and no less so because I have no knowledge of lock-infested canal travel, row boat etiquette, much of his English vocabulary, canal-side customs, small show more village mores, Wales and English geography, local history, and so much more. The book was fun to read, and possibly would have more so if I’d drunk either the beer or hard spirits the author purportedly downed along the way. This is a very fun travelogue of an unconventional sort. show less

Sea Story by Sam Llewellyn
Liked all the adventure and the reaching of the different ports along the journey of the race.
In this book there are really two stories, the one on land and the one on water. And one photographer along the way
and his interpretation of the sailing of the yachts isn't quite how it is for those who actually sailed it. Fascinating to hear of the land part, all the politics
that really make the race or break those sailing it in.
I received this book from National Library show more Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device). show less