Anton's debut novel, The Lyme Brook Mist, will be published in 2020.

Reviews

"Anton Corvus combines elements of many of the great literary classic adventures (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, The Chronicles of Narnia and The Wizard of Oz, to name but a few) with various dystopian classics (1984, The Trial, et al.) then adds dozens of other allusions to the works of classic writers (Edgar Allan Poe, Robert Louis Stevenson, Edward Lear, Charles Dickens, Arthur Conan-Doyle, et al.) to create his own bizarre world of fantasy, mystery and often mayhem in this spellbinding and frequently hilarious novel which follows the journey of an average teenage boy, Leo, through a mad world of weird characters and crazy situations.

Part tribute to his own literary heroes - part guessing game based on literature - Corvus hides many of his references to the classics in the names of both people and things and also uses anagrams and other devices to entice his readers into trying to identify what characters and circumstances are allusions to something else. Trying to guess what lies hidden in each page is almost as much fun as reading the story itself, and determining whether characters are good or bad is also frequently not as obvious as it might first appear. The deducing of the story and message behind the overall scenario, from the clues provided as the plot unfolds, will also appeal to all lovers of the mystery genre. Can you work out what has happened before much of it is revealed towards the end of the book?

All in all, a fascinating and eclectic mix of classic adventure literature, fantasy and mystery, all suitably spiced with just the right amount of pure comedy, and a few tears, to sate the appetite of any lover of a traditional good story well told. Readers will find this novel both enthralling in terms of the story and quite unique in its scenario."

Alex O'Fearghail
Editor

https://www.awenyddion.com

The Lyme Brook Mist by Anton Corvus was a short read. A fun, curious tale, featuring a ridiculous political system. I lost myself in reading it, a joy I haven’t felt in fiction for a while.

Leo, a teenage boy from Newcastle, finds himself on an unintentional adventure. He meets some strange characters and goes on a Wonderland-esque journey. The alternate reality Leo ends up in is very different, but at the same time, very similar to the world he left.

The resulting situations are hilarious, mysterious and entertaining. The characters were endearing, sometimes surprising, and very British. I adored the references to some of my favourite writers, Edgar Allan Poe and Edward Lear. If you love Lewis Caroll’s work, you’ll probably enjoy this! It’s nonsensical in the best way. Once you understand what ‘beakery’ is, you won’t be able to get it out of your mind.

I would have loved The Lyme Brook Mist as a child, but I enjoyed it as an adult too! Anton Corvus is a wonderful storyteller. I appreciated the intentional ridiculousness of the plot, language play, and mystical elements.

I did, however, find myself a bit surprised by Leo’s vocabulary and knowledge. He was certainly very well-read for a 12-year-old boy! At times I forgot that the novel is set in 2018, as he referenced many Classical music pieces and literature works. I’m not sure if that’s particularly representative of a 12-year-old British boy in 2018, but perhaps I’m over-analysing.

One scene did ‘drag’ a little for me, involving a courtroom scenario. Otherwise, I enjoyed the plot, the mood, and especially the language and references. I love a bit of nonsense, and the Lyme Brook Mist ticked that box!

by NetGalley review

This was great fun! For lovers of smart wordplay, this is reminiscent of a more subtle Phantom Tollbooth. While some readers may be frustrated by the ending...which is not an ending...I was happy to be assured of another installment.

by NetGalley review