Skrimsli
£14.99
By Nicola Davies | Cover and chapter illustrations by Jackie Morris
Publishing 14th September 2023 | ISBN 9781913102807 Gift Hardback Edition
Who you are if you’ve never seen another face like yours? Where do you belong if you don’t know where your home is? What do you call yourself when others call you ‘freak’? How can you be brave when you are full of fear? Why would you choose purpose over love?
Skrimsli is the second fantasy adventure from author Nicola Davies set in a world where animals and humans can sometimes share their thoughts. It traces the early life of Skrimsli, the tiger sea captain who stole readers’ hearts in The Song that Sings Us. He and his friends, Owl and Kal, must escape the clutches of the tyrannical circus owner Kobret Majak, and his twin assassin-acrobats, then stop a war and save the ancient forest, where the Tiger, and the Owl are sacred guardians. Skrimsli and his friends are helped by the Palatine, desert princess and her eagle, a chihuahua who thinks she’s a wolf, a horse with heart of gold and the crew of a very unusual ship.
This is a story full of excitement and danger, that explores themes of friendship, loyalty, identity and love, in the context of some of humanity’s toughest problems.
Find out more about Nicola’s first fantasy adventure, The Song that Sings Us, here.
Praise for the book
PRAISE FOR THE SONG THAT SINGS US
LONGLISTED FOR THE UKLA BOOK AWARDS 2023
NOMINATED FOR THE YOTO CARNEGIE MEDALS FOR WRITING AND ILLUSTRATION 2023
‘Storytelling on the most poetic scale – strange, bloody, grand and unforgettable.’ The Guardian
‘A magnificent adventure story.’ The Scotsman
‘Career-crowning … globe-spanning tale of high stakes and cross-species comradeship.’ Observer
‘A helter-skelter ride … a YA eco-thriller on steroids and then some.’ Jon Gower, Nation Cymru
‘It balances the line between grief and wonder, hope and fear. I was chilled, heartbroken and felt reflected in it too, but the story, it is glorious and visionary with epic adventures and beautiful characters! I loved it so much.’ – Dara McAnulty
‘From one of the great storytellers of our time, a gripping adventure that will set your heart racing and stir your soul. Utterly unputdownable, packed with unforgettable animal characters (humans included) and carrying a powerful message of the interconnectedness of everything. Vivid and original, this is a story for now. Listen to the song and it might just awake the wild in you.’ – Helen Scales
‘Beautiful. Heart-wrenching, gripping, strange and glorious. Jam-packed with brilliant characters and big ideas. Loved it! I am also now in love with a sea-faring tiger captain…’ – Liz Hyder
‘Wild, powerful and passionate, The Song that Sings Us is an extraordinary weaving of fierce action and tender poetry, a heart-wrenching yet hopeful symphony of the threads that connect all life on Earth.’ – Sophie Anderson
‘A very special book. Inspiring, important and innovative – full of action that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Nicola Davies is a magnificent writer and this is a tour-de-force. It’s for fans of Mortal Engines as much as it is for those who love Watership Down’. – Simon Fisher
‘How to classify this great book? Ecofiction, thriller, fantasy, parable? Page turner from the outset: tense, uncompromising and hopeful. Nicola Davies’ knowledge, understanding and passion for the natural world and all that we are in danger of destroying, imbues every page.’ – Eva John
