Readers reviews
Emily Tout, aged 9, of Fareham, Hants. “WOW!!! what a book. i couldn’t wait to finish it! [and as i finished it in 24hrs you can see how desperate I was!!!] It had a surprise on each page. The illustrations are fab and made the characters jump out of the pages. It is the best i’ve ever read and i’ve read… the whole of harry potter”
Lynne Rothwell aged 10 “This is the best book I have ever read and I have been inspired to do a book similar (not the same).”
Emily Sanders, Dorset. “The Amazing Adventures of Curd the Lion and us is fab. I can’t wait to read the story of The Ineffable Emperor. I read the book in about three hours! It is really tricky to put the book down and I can’t wait to read it again and again and again. I absolutely loved it. I don’t know of another author that can do really great stories and illustrate their story in such a fantastic way. GET THE BOOK, IT’S GREAT!!!”
Juliette Stuart, 11. “I loved your Book about Curd the Lion so much! As soon as I got home I read it and I didn’t stop until I had finished. I think I read it in about 4 hours flat! Please do the second book quickly. I can’t wait until the second book comes out.”
Kelly Rose, age 13 “This book was best and is fab and is the best so far out of my collection of roald dahl and this book has beaten him aand it is soo cool and Alan Gilliland is the best author in the history of authors.”
Lucy Ferguson, age 12 “Wow! i read this in a day! i couldnt stop reading it! I will start to read it again tomorrow 🙂 thanks to Alan gilliland for writing such a gripping and awesome book 🙂 ”
Eleanor Francis, age 9: “WOW!! That was probably the best book I’ve ever read!!! The Illustrations were fantastic and it kept me enthralled from the first to the last word!! I will definately try to go to Yorkshire to see Nook and Cranny…!”
Nicholas McDonald, age 12: “I’m so happy that I met Mr Gilliland. I read it in 5 days, I couldn’t put it down, I love it so much!
My favourite characters were Sweenie and Pilgrim Crow because they were both cool and funny. I can’t wait till The Ineffable Emperor comes out! The book should be turned into a hollywood movie (i love the place hollywood in the book!) I love the book!” Penny “I thought, well, it was the best book I had ever read! The minorbore was very funny: he looked extremely funny without his helmet on! I liked the way he tried to axe Sweeny and O’Flattery. And Curd was always puzzled!”
Alannah Lewis, aged 11. “I just started browsing until my mum called me and my sister over to have a proper look at the book. We met Alan and he told all about his amazing book and we saw the fabulous illustrations. I didn’t finish it in the super quick time that other Curd fans finished it in as this is during the summer holidays and I am very busy but I do find it almost impossible to put down. I have read Alice in wonderland and it’s sequel Alice through the Looking Glass and I thought that was the highest calibre of nonsense but Curd the lion has just taken it up a whole new level.”
Benjamin Lewis, age: 6yrs “Met author bought book. Fantastic, read chapter by chapter at bed-time. Can’t wait for next adventure.”
Anna Polanska, age: 9 “I really enjoyed it, it was one of the best books i have ever read I could not stop reading it. My favourite part was when they all had a big battle at the corbie stone in the end. My favourite character was sweenie the heenie for he was always getting in trouble with o flattery. Over all I thought it was a great book and for all age groups. P.S I got to meet the author yay.”
George Oliver, aged 12. “Im so glad Mr.Gilliand asked me to take a look at his book. I think its like Alice in wonder land but a million times better of course!”
Lilz, aged 10, Tunis, Tunisia. ***** “Great Book: “This was the best book I have ever read. It’s different to any other book I’ve ever read. There are animals that talk, men made out of rock and a bird with two heads and fingers instead of wings and scales instead of feathers. I can’t wait until the next book.”
Alex Keeley, aged 8 “Hi! I haven`t finished yet but I can`t wait to find out what happens in the end. I can`t wait until you publish the next book.My favourite character is Curd the lion because he thinks that he’s so brave when he`s not really. Thanks for writing this book”
Nathan Hutchinson, Bordon, Hants. “It is great. I love the names “Sweeney the Heenie” “O’Flattery” and “Pilgrim Crow” there so good! Here’s one of my drawings of a Minobour!”
Henry Alden (Burpham, Guildford) “I am writing to you because I love your book. It was brilliant. I hope you make more books soon.”
Ethan “I was just going to buy the second book in a series I have been reading and bumped into him on the second floor. He told me about the book and I decided to buy it as well as the other book. A few days later, I have lost interest in the book I actually went in for, and have finally finished Curd the lion.
This witty tale was very confusing to me at first but I settled down to it as I read more. This is a great book. I am very happy to have a signed copy of this book, thank you. Star rating /5 = *****- Excellent!”
Steven Ryan, adult, Fareham: “I have been an avid reader of Terry Pratchett for many years and find it difficult to pick up books from other authors because few seem to combine imagination with wit and ingenious wordplay. I have to say, humble pie has never tasted so good. I bought a copy of the book mainly, I have to say, at first for the artwork, but when I got home and read the first few pages I couldn’t put the book down.
The story is compelling, as good and in places better than any Pratchett book. I loved this book and can’t wait for the second. Thanks for the chat we had Mr. Gilliland, you’ve opened my mind to a new realm.”
Elizabeth (adult) “I bought 2 copies of the book as a present – but read it first and really enjoyed it – can recommend it for young and old!”
Simone Gilson (student). “Your book detailing Curd’s adventures I could read again and again! The way in which it crosses the boundaries of child and adult imagination was truly inspiring – a magical tour de force through the imagination, that reminds you of what it was to dream as a child and to comprehend as an adult! The illustrations are amazing and all who I have shared the book with have commented likewise. They captured many of the images I had in my head from the days of reading Lewis Carroll and Enid Blyton’s The Magic Faraway Tree! Plus as someone attempting her own poetry and looking for new ways of reading, the linguistics used within your book are very inspirational. I have also found myself puzzling over and working out the riddles.”
Ross Bowles, aged 22. “I was leaving Waterstones in Portsmouth today, and happened upon this book. The author, Alan Gililand just so happened to be there signing copies. After a very pleasant chat, I decided to buy Curd the lion. So far it is a great book with some great illustrations. I will be looking forward to the next book. Meanwhile I will be hard at work trying to solve The Minorbore’s riddle. Keep up the good work.” Finlay Morris, 10: “I read this book (obviously) and I loved it!! (Obviously) The best part (to me) is probably when Sweenie “pondered” and brought down the hilarious Balloonafuss, that utterly baffles them! It is totally unputdownable.
It was dedicated to me to inspire me to write a book (well, full story was what it was actually for, but I want to write a book, even though I’m only 10 years old). I’m a bookworm, and read the book in a week. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I now ask everyone I can if they know “why a Wren-drive is like a Sat-king”, but nobody can work it out! It’s a really good challenge, and, (like the book), I am thoroughly enjoying it!
P.S. I am a budding actor and would love (love, love, love, love, love, love) it if I was given a part in the film that they’re going to make of it. I know that it’s a stupid request, but I LOVE acting, and would be so (so, so, so, so, so, so) thankful if I was offered a part. Please consider.”
Patty (manager, Waterstone’s Witney): “Thank you again for the signing! If you remember, you signed a book for my friend Adam, who is an illustrator himself, and I had just sent it to him. He absolutely LOVED it! He was thrilled by the story and all the Alice-in-Wonderland style illustrations. So thank you, it made a fantastic Christmas present!”
Anna Davidson, manager, Wadebridge Bookshop, Cornwall “I can’t quite remember how I first got Curd the Lion…I remember why…I liked it…it has been sitting on a shelf in the bookshop for the past several months…un-bought…and then one day last week a boy who used to be very small, came in with his grandmother, he is now quite large (like 11 instead of 5). He bought the book…or rather his grandmother bought it for him.
Then yesterday she came in to say he was quite entranced by the book and wanted the ‘other ones’. So I shall order another Curd the Lion from Gardners and look forward to your reply concerning future books and hope I can tell said boy when these other books might be available.”