Monstrous Devices

A well-knit debut generously stocked with chills, thrills, and chancy exploits.

In an English suburb, 12-year-old Alex collects toy robots and tries to avoid relentless bullying at school. After his grandfather sends him an old tin robot with a note that says "this one is special," mysterious and frightening things begin to happen. Soon, Alex is swept along in his grandfather's wake, first to Paris and then to Prague, pursued by dangerous people and the animated robots they are capable of powering. Alex's grandfather has ebullient charm, and his humorous patter leavens a well-crafted adventure that's filled with desperate chases, narrow escapes, fight scenes, and twists. Over the course of the escapade, Alex struggles with doubts about his grandfather's remarkable--but perhaps less-than-reputable--past, his own possible connection to their pursuers, and the allure of power and the newfound autonomy it offers. Drawing on and modernizing stories of golems, debut author Love cleverly interweaves them with the history of robots and leaves some intriguing mysteries unresolved, hinting at further adventures to come. Ages 8-12. Agent: Catherine Drayton, InkWell Management. (Nov.)

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"I enjoyed everything about Damien Love's debut—its title, its breakneck action, its sly sense of humor. If you imagine Rick and Morty colliding with early Spielberg, you get some idea of this delirious adventure . . . and I wouldn't be at all surprised to see it on the screen. I wish my first novel had been as imaginative and assured." —Anthony Horowitz, New York Times bestselling author of the Alex Rider series

"What fun! An evil villain, a host of scary robots, big and small, and a hero with commendably bad personal habits. Loved it!" —John Flanagan, New York Times bestselling author of the Ranger's Apprentice and Brotherband series

"Monstrous Devices effortlessly brings mythic legend and modern life together in one exhilarating, breathless chase. With humor, relentless adventure, and true insight, Damien Love compels us to look closely at our wishes and illusions, at the dark and light forces of creation, at what really makes us tick." —S. E. Grove, New York Times bestselling author of The Glass Sentence