Beautiful and brilliant young Lady Regina-Valerie, only child of a wealthy lord, has everything. Everything, that is, except friendship and happiness. Her Siamese cat Tickle has a lot to say, but not much she can understand ... until suddenly, she does.
Then she is swept from her modern world into a wild adventure in the Warrior Magic Circle land where war is the main thing and 'non-combat creatures' like women are looked down upon. She and Tickle are kept very busy in a battle not only against evil forces and terrifying creatures, but also against the silly customs. To top it all, Regina has to fight with her own nature.
After combating overwhelming obstacles with the help of a prince and princess, a wolfhound, a shy Scottish admirer, horses, and a martial eagle, she and Tickle are set the task of solving an impossible conundrum and tracking to his lair a malevolent creature powerful beyond imagining.
Fantasy lovers of all ages will be captivated by the excitement, humour and imagination in this epic tale of a quest with a difference.
"Regina, a spoilt but very ambitious upper-class teenage daughter, gets abducted by accident into a realm where she needs to "man up" and fight for the Warrior Magic Circle land. The theme "oops, I thought you were a guy" with outmoded Victorian gender attitudes is exploited in a hilarious way; Regina is as feisty and skilled a sword fighter and rider as they come, and she pretty much emancipates a lot of the magic land single-handedly. Her cat "Tickle" keeps up very witty commentary on everything.
A thoroughly loveable YA fantasy definitely worth an adult read. Leslie Noble captures the various characters and their growth with a rare gift. I also enjoyed the fits of giggles from my children as they read the book.
It's a part of the Magic Circle sagas by Noble, so if you love it, there's more where that came from." --
Lyz, Goodreads.
(more reviews on Amazon and Goodreads)
About the Author:
Leslie Hyla Winton Noble arrived in Boksburg, South Africa, in the middle of World War 2, complicating the then Air Force careers of his eccentric inventor father and dreamy musician mother. The family wonder-cat was his early companion/teacher. Childhood was spent between Germiston and home at Knysna Heads, commuting in the family Hornet Moth which he learnt to pilot aged six.
During a career in banking he was involved in many varied activities, and was a Past President in Rotary and a qualified Garden Judge. He and wife Sheelagh avidly explored Southern Africa; and raced a Flying Fifteen yacht until their two daughters influenced a switch to horse-riding. Other interests have been fencing, archery, mountain biking, and speleology. He maintained a popular blog, and composed classical music which to date includes two full symphonies.
Leslie Noble was also the chief editor of P'kaboo Publishers, as well as contributing a prolific number of children's and young adult novels, as well as his classical-style compositions "Quests". He passed away on the 13th of March 2020, after a valiant fight against illness during which he kept on editing and also launching new books for P'kaboo as well as privately.
A number of his most beautiful children's books are still in preparation for international publication, but will be released when ready to honour his legacy."
