Black Powder
This is a story inspired by the Gunpowder Plot of 1605. It centres on twelve-year-old Tom from Portsmouth, whose father is in prison in London for the capital offence of sheltering a Jesuit priest. Tom sets off to save his father; and when he falls into danger he is rescued by a man on a mission of his own – a man who calls himself The Falcon, and who takes Tom to London with him, promising to try and help him.
With its constant reversals and twists and turns, Tom’s story is almost as complex as the plot and counter-plot of the Gunpowder Treason itself. The Falcon is, of course, Guy Fawkes, and the unravelling of the Gunpowder Plot is cleverly woven into Tom’s mission to save his father. There are several traditional villains, but The Falcon is a much more rounded character (and, I thought, a convincing portrait of the real Guy Fawkes based on the few details known about him). Tom’s relationship with him is touching and believable; I found myself genuinely wondering how it would work out – even though I knew it couldn’t last long!
The writing is lively and the pace never flags. Tom has a pet mouse, Jago, and a cousin, Cressida, both of whom add variety to his adventures. The story is well-researched and at the back there are sources, places to visit, and an author’s note. This book should be popular with children of around 9 to 13, in or out of school.
