Ghosts of the Forest

Reviews / Votes

Steve Backshall's first foray into fiction tells the story of Saker and Sinter. On the run, they find themselves turned into an unlikely pair of eco warriors. Fast paced with a serious message. ANGELS AND URCHINS 20120601 Exciting to read and vividly brought to life in the dramatic backgrounds of India and China, this is also an important story about protecting wild life. -- Julia Eccleshare LOVEREADING4KIDS 20120601 Tiger Wars is an excellent debut. Backshall's pacy narrative carries us with him, educating along the way, and his characters fascinate. This won't be the last we hear from Sinter and Saker. We Love This Book 20120612 A great adventure story with equal amounts of tigers, wars... and thrills galore! -- Daniel Wood (young reviewer) FIRST NEWS 20120722 Backshall has dreamed up a gripping action thriller in the heat of India. The wicked Wolf who's in charge of the plot to nab Saker, makes for an excellent villain and Backshall isn't afraid to show his vulnerabilities either. Of course there's an animal theme here and the message that poaching and making money from beautiful creatures is a bad thing is heartfelt but doesn't get in the way of a gripping adventure. FLIPSIDE 20120701 Zoologist, presenter, adventurer and now novelist, Steve Backshall is quite a talent... Backshall fills the novel with information about the natural world and the ways humans are conspiring to damage it - unless Sinter and Saker can stop them. But with a packed narrative and pacey language, this series will be welcomed by his growing audience. Indeed though, I received two review copies, I have only one left - my nine year old son won't give the other back. -- Tom Jackson BBC WILDLIFE 20120901 Saving the rain forest! That's the vital mission of Saker and his friend Sinter. The precious forest is being cleared by loggers leaving the wild life at risk. The orang-utans will be especially vulnerable if their precious habit is destroyed. Using all their cunning, skill and intimate knowledge of the forest, Saker and Sinter and their friends dare to challenge the loggers despite the enormous dangers they face as they do so. A page turning adventure that will inspire young readers to care about their environment. -- Julia Eccleshare LOVEREADING 20130701 An action-packed story which keeps the reader hooked all the way through; a very important message too, about the protection of our fragile planet and its creatures. PARENTS IN TOUCH 20130718 This story - which offers a Jason Bourne era update on the Willard Price animal adventure yarns of yesteryear - fairly romps along, with sparky dialogue, evocative description and lashings of suspense... 'When's the next one out?' asked my 11 year old daughter - a far sterner critic. -- Mike Unwin BBC WILDLIFE