The edge of greatness
There is so much to admire about the hugely prolific Chris Riddell: glorious illustrations to books by such a diverse range of authors, including Lewis Carroll, J.K.Rowling, Michael Rosen, Neil Gaiman, Katherine Rundell and Francesca Gibbons (often turning wonderful novels into glorious treasures); his own brilliantly entertaining children’s books; and (for adults at least) his deliciously barbed political cartoons. That is not to mention his outstanding work as Children’s Laureate from 2015 to 2017
For me, and for many other fantasy fans, high amongst the pinnacles of his glittering career have been the five ‘sagas’ of the Edge Chronicles, produced between 1998 and 2019. He wrote them in collaboration with Paul Stewart and illustrated them all (quite brilliantly) himself. Overall, this is possibly one of the cleverest, most original and most entertaining of long, ‘light’ fantasy sequences to have been produced in our time (rivalled only by Terry Pratchett’s Discworld - although that is, in the main, aimed primarily at a rather older audience).
Cloud horses
Now Chris Riddell has written and illustrated a fantasy for younger children that is pure delight, The Cloud Horse Chronicles. The second, and concluding part, Tiggy Thistle and the Lost Guardians, is just out. Here are many of the tropes of classic fantasy, but saturated with a riot of imaginative invention and wit, alongside oodles of charm. As an author, he has a masterly way with words that somehow gives his story both the ethos of legend and a thoroughly contemporary vibe. His drawn images (here in enchanting ice blue tones throughout) are every bit as exceptional as might be expected and, as in The Edge Chronicles, they work to create the magical land and its characters in complete complement to the text. Imagine elements of the inventive word play and world-building of Terry Pratchett, or perhaps Douglas Adams (The Hitchhiker’s Guide), but at a children’s level. Yet all built up as a thoroughly engaging narrative with endearing and entertaining characters, human, animal and mechanical - and, of course, a terrifyingly evil adversary, in this case literally chilling.
Far and away better
This is entry level fantasy of the highest order and provides a kidfest of entertainment. Whereas we who grew up in the 50s, with so much more limited choice, had to feed our nascent imaginations on the likes of The Magic Faraway Tree and The Wishimg Chair, how much richer and more stimulating to grow with bookish joys such as this. Both volumes of The Cloud Horse Chronicles would be excellent for adults to share with children, although they do need to be shared and not simply read, as seeing the picture is such an integral part of the experience. Those eager to read independently will find an absorbing delight that will surely lead on to many other immersive fantasy experiences. Those as yet more reluctant to read could well find these captivatingly illustrated books just the dooorway needed into a lifetime of reading for pleasure.
