Product Description

Luke is in trouble. Skin and the gang have a job for him. They want him to break into Mrs Little's house and steal the jewellery box. They want him to prove that he's got what it takes. That he's part of the gang. But Luke finds more than just a jewellery box in the house. He finds something so unexpected it will change his life forever . . . This is a wonderful, rich novel, written with lyricism, drama and power. Tackling issues of loss, love, and healing, and filled with the sense of a universe bursting with music, it is unputdownable from the first page to the last.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #78311 in Books
• Published on: 2009-06-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 336 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
A hugely rewarding read, Starseeker is infused with talk of great music and music-playing, extreme bullying and misguided lawbreaking. The intensity and quality of Tim Bowler's characters are superb throughout, and none is better than Luke Stanton, the gifted pianist at the centre of the story.

After two years of grieving for his dead father, also a virtuoso pianist, Luke is still troubled and unable to connect properly with the normality of his new circumstances. He has regrettably become involved in the illegal antics of three local village boys, and their latest plan, to have Luke burgle the house of a rich widow, is doomed to failure. That Luke actually goes through with the plan is madness--but his actions open up a far bigger issue in the shape of a young girl who shouldn't be in the house at all. Skin, the gang leader, knows nothing of Luke's discovery and demands results. His actions are violent and potentially lethal. Luke's own redemption has never seemed so far away.

Luke is expertly drawn--always at war with his mother, his mother's new lover, his friends and his teachers at school and yet, in contrast, is also able to experience great joy from his music and great comfort from the tall, solid, unchanging oak tree in the local woods. It is here that Luke feels most at ease--in the shadow of a tree that he shared with his father when he was alive and now likes to think of as his own.

The book has a magical quality to it, as seen through Luke's inner eye when he experiences his music and feels each note, every background noise, in a tangible way. Starseeker is an intense, emotionally draining reading experience and it should leave a huge impression on the reader. (Age 12 and over.) --John McLay

Review
Powerful and mysterious. This is Tim Bowlers best book yet. Wendy Cooling a thriller with a big heart and a real glimpse of the human soul, full of plot and passion, music and mystery. Melvin Burgess

Tim Bowler is well known for his excellent books for teenagers, and this novel stands out as a classic tale. It is rare to read a story so unforgettably moving and strikingly original. Luke is an exceptional teenager gifted with rare musical talent, but since the death of his father he has turned his back on his excellent record and become embroiled in the shady activities of the local gang. They seem to offer him an escape from the pain and anger of his loss but before long he finds that they have a hold over him far more terrifying than he could have imagined. He's trapped between the desire to do the right thing and the knowledge of the terrible punishment the gang will inflict if he leaves. When Luke is forced to break into the strange Mrs Little's house, he stumbles upon a secret that will lead him on a perilous journey that will change everything and everyone involved. Gradually, as his better self struggles to break free of the worthless actions the gang embrace, Luke taps into his most sensitive and receptive side and grows in understanding and confidence. This is an action-packed story with a strong undercurrent of tension and suspense. Woven into the story is a sense of the power and importance of music, illustrated by Luke's genius. Luke hears with a finely tuned ear all the mystical sounds of creation that other mortals miss. His sensitivity enables him to connect with others across physical barriers and to hear the unique song that distinguishes every living creature, like a musical fingerprint. It is this aspect of Starseeker that lingers with the reader, long after finishing the book. This is a gripping tale written with style and confidence. Highly recommended. Ages 10+ (Kirkus UK)

Sunday Times
Compelling and suspenseful

Customer Reviews

Brilliant
I thought this book was amazing! Definitely the best book i've read this year.
It is really emotionally compelling. And challenges the emotions with moments of happiness and beauty and sadness and disbelief.
I would recommend this book to ages 12-13+. As the books theme might not be understood by younger children.
I couldn't put this book down from the first page to the last, it really engrosses you!! Some parts are sad but this story has a happy ending, which is good! I really felt like I was in this book, watching over the characters thinking about what I'd do in their position, and I have found most books don't do that as well Starseeker.
I really enjoyed this book and I'm sure many other people would too!

The best book of 2002 - Should carry a health warning.
Every now and then you read a book which is so compelling, so engrossing that you can't stop for a second. You end up walking around blindly reading as you go. This is why, Starseekers, Tim Bowler's best book so far, should carry a health warning so you can't blame the author when you walk into a lamp post or other large obstacle.

Very basicly, this book is about a boy's (Luke), recovery and acceptance of the death of his father. The emergence of his syneathesia, a violent group of 'friends', his mother's new boyfriend and his conflicting feeling about Mrs Little and her grandaughter all combine to a wonderful and exciting effect.

But, no amount of explanation could do this story any justice whatsover, I found that the characters were so interesting that I began to wonder what happened after the last page. Read it. That's my only advice.

Starseeker
What sruck me most in this book is that it pulled me in. As if it was a black hole. I actually didnt put it down. See i dont really read very much but this was the book that just amazed me. It is very hard to put yourself in Luke's position because you can't imagine one boy wanting to kill you. I was crying with joy when he got away from skin but i was sometimes scared of what could happen next. I think that this is one of the most spiritual books because he believes that his dad is there next to him whenever he plays the piano. I couldnt imagine what Luke looked like because he didnt have an image. He was changing all the time. Adjusting to the fact that Roger Gilmore liked his mum, the fact that he was playing in the concert, and barely, well Natalie. It is a very confusing book but i like it because i can put myself in his shoes and think about life as him, his town, his house, his life. I recomend this book 200%. Read it. It will change your life!