Product Description

Jack is the chosen one, the Radiant Boy the Magus needs in order to perfect the alchemy that will transform London of the 1600s into a golden city. But Jack isn't the kind of boy who will do what he is told by an evil genius, and he is soon involved in an epic and nail-biting adventure, featuring dragons, knights and Queen Elizabeth I, as he battles to save London.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3866 in Books
• Published on: 2009-11-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 400 pages

Review
`An inventive and heroic story'
--Julia Eccleshare, www.lovereading4kids.co.uk

`Written with her characteristic energy, ambition and inventiveness . . . Winterson's first kindly, loving mother is a touching creation'
--The Times The Times

About the Author
Jeanette Winterson's first novel for children, Tanglewreck, was widely admired. Here in her second, readers will once more relish her free-spirited literary inventiveness and style. Jeanette won the Whitbread for her first book, Oranges are Not the Only Fruit. She lives in Oxfordshire and travels extensively lecturing about her work.

Customer Reviews

Imaginative and Fun.
Jack is a thirteen year old boy living in 17th Century London. He doesn't know it yet but an evil alchemist calling himself the Magus is planning to overthrow the Queen of England and take control of the kingdom for himself. To do this he will turn the entire capital, including the inhabitants, into gold. The final ingredient is the Radiant Boy, who is the key to finally turning base objects into solid gold. Jack is that boy and so finds himself kidnapped, taken to the disturbing home of the Magus who seeks to unlock his magic and bend Jack to his will. The young boy is by no means a willing captive and soon discovers another prisoner who was once the Magus' master. This prisoner promises to give him the key to escaping if he will free him in return. What follows is whirlwind of events where Jack meets a dragon and gains his own powers and superhuman strength. But the boy has no control over his new magic and is no match for the cunning Magus. Forced to obey him they set events in motion that will lead to the city being turned to gold in just a few days. With the Magus gone to prepare for his confrontation with the Queen, Jack is left to find a way to somehow defeat him. Helped by Silver, the heroine from the previous book of the series Tanglewreck, he sets out to not only save the city but everyone he loves before it is too late.


The Battle of the Sun is a highly imaginative book with strange creatures, most of which are unpleasant, making appearances throughout the tale. The best of these is the Creature(s) that consist of Wedge and mistress Split who were made in a bottle as a whole and then cut in half. Their presence is both malevolent, pitiful and amusing as they hop around one legged. It's this cast of the weird and the wonderful that really gives this book such a compelling feel. The plot itself is rather basic but then takes on so many unexpected twists and turns that it will leave the reader slightly out of breath and introduces a London that no-one could have imagined and even brings important figures such as the Queen into play. There is also a welcome return of Silver who saved the world in Tanglewreck. She is less prominent here as she figures as Jacks sidekick but nevertheless plays an important role as the book gears up towards the final deadly confrontation between the Magus and the Radiant boy.

Cleverly linked with the previous novel The Battle of the Sun can still be read as a stand alone book and there is also hints pointing to a third instalment. An exciting fantasy adventure this is highly enjoyable read. Do not let yourself be put of by Jeanette Winterson's unusual writing style which you will soon get used to and even grow to appreciate.