Fifteen-year-old Willem lives in hiding in a small Belgian village on the edge of the great Sonian Forest. Willem and his mother have been living in secret for most of his life since his father, a famous magician, fell out of favour with the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. It is a world not much different from our own, in which small "saurs" are part of everyday life. Some are farmed, some are pets, others more dangerous are avoided. There are rumours of even greater "saurs" roaming the uncharted islands of the Americas. When a girl from the village is killed, it becomes obvious that there are hidden terrors in the forest and that they are connected with Napeoleon's plans to conquer Europe. But Willem has a secret that could interfere with the emperor's plans and Napoleon will stop at nothing to find him. War is coming and young Willem is no longer safe, for the village of Gaillemarde is just a stone's throw from the fields of Waterloo - fields which will soon run red with blood.
Awards
Winner of the Young Adults category of the 2016 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. Shortlisted for the New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards A Junior Library Guild Selection
Reviews
Author description
Brian Falkner was born and raised in Auckland, New Zealand, and now lives in Australia. He is the award-winning, best-selling author of several action-adventure novels, including the Recon Team Angel series and "Brainjack."
