Trail of the Cursed Cobras by Barry Nugent
I would like to thank the author for an advance copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review
Publisher – Batten Press
Published – 15/11
Price – Hardback 18.99 via Trail of the Cursed Cobras – Special Edition Hardback - Adventure author Barry Nugent Paperback £7.99
DODGING FACELESS DEMONS, TRYING TO SAVE THE WORLD, AND BEING HASSLED BY YOUR DEAD MUM – IT’S JUST ANOTHER SCHOOL DAY FOR BOBBY GIBSON AND ADA AMAYA.
An ill-advised short cut pulls the twelve-year-olds into a deadly plot involving secret agents, an ageless sorcerer, and an artefact of devastating power.
As the children race against time to solve the mystery, they must face their fears, outwit their foes, battle monsters born of shadow and nightmare, and make their way through traps to the heart of it all: the Apocalypse Chamber.
It’s 1982 and five kids from a North London comprehensive school are fighting the End of the World.
I’d say the odds are about even…
I suspect all science fiction and fantasy fans find this genre in our childhood through books, tv and films. The idea that adventure lurks down the street; in the graveyards, building yards and parks. We all want magic to be real? In Barry Nugent’s excellent middle grade tale Trail of the Cursed Cobras I found a tale delivering all of that that won’t just be great for young readers but I sense many of my own generation will eat this up and ask for more!
In 1982’s North London school is a calling for Bobby Gibson and his best friends Ada Amaya and DJ who we cannot call Dibney Jennings. But their schooldays are about to be interrupted by Ada being handed a strange object by a man being chased in a graveyard by strange hooded figures. Things get worse with Ada now hearing an evil voice asking for the object back and on top of that they have to deal with the new kid in the school Tony Tadsby who definitely is not a mate and on top of that now the toughest kid in the school Nikki Panilides has joined the gang too. Trouble is coming via the police, special agents, strange shopkeepers and possibly the end of the world/
On trust me this is just a delight o read. What makes it work is the five young characters who Nugent all make come alive on the page and it is their special interests that create the perfect blend for a gang who get into adventures. Ada is a young Sherlock in the making as she is forever spotting clues and looking for patterns. Bobby is an equal not just a Watson prototype but someone keen to do the right thing and also carrying a lot of pain after his mother’s death from illness…he still hears her voice. DJ is born with an ability to say things immediately leading to trouble but also has skills with locks and theft; Tony is clever and reads maps but isn’t sure he wants to join this crazy gang while Nikki is tough but inside has one sole goal to be a knight and fight for honour and this adventure delivers plus she needs a lollipop. I loved their interactions and Nugent captures kids speaking as kids perfectly with a mix of sarcasm, geekiness and honesty which really makes you as the reader bind and care for them. They’re the plucky group up against the enemies of the world and the rude teachers and bullies of their school and you very quickly learn to love them and cheer them on and worry when things get tricky.
Tricky is just for starters as thus group soon find themselves in an adventure that both tests them and suits their skills. It starts with mysterious figures, but the world opens up with secret cults, government agencies and a hidden supernatural world the kids soon find out about. What works really well is Nugent gives the whole story depth and texture and we soon find out this isn’t the first weird thing to happen to the kids (I really hope I one day find out what happened to them in Norfolk). The story has twists and revelations pulling you along into the adventure and secrets puzzles, traps and a fairly smart adversary all help made it a battle of equals rather than kids who just easily stop the end of the world. On top of this the kids themselves all have to face their own private fears and in particular Bobby as a young teenager dealing with the death of a parent and the way so many in school and even some friends worry about him now. It gives the story an important human dimension that its not just a slick action adventure but also has characters learning to grow and be better.
One other hallmark is how Nugent captures the feeling of being in school as a teenager. The teachers you dread (they are always PE ones aren’t they); the classes you enjoy and the teachers who are fair but love to be sarcastic. On top of that the hierarchy of schools with bullies to avoid and the traditional shout of shame or fight when things go badly for an unlucky pupil. While this is in the 80s I suspect many younger readers will find little changes but for those older readers mentions of cola bottles, 80s tv shows and films will add a special dose of nostalgia too. Again, this level of depth gives a special texture to the story that makes it feel real and lived in. Nugent is a writer who knows how to keep your attention.
As the story develops and we find more about this world and characters we see plenty of opportunity for more such stories and this could easily be a long running enjoyable series. I hope so because this was the kind of read you enjoy with a smile on your face. Skilled writing, great plotting and world building and most of all characters you would go out on a limb for. Go track down a copy and have a lot of fun reading it. Strongly recommended!
