Flight of the Skycricket by Gordon Greenhill has Narnian DNA but stands on its own as a middle-grade fantasy adventure. The story of three young girls who travel to another world where science and myth are the same—yet still debated—brings Lewis’ themes into the twenty-first century. And while the novel starts with a similar plot, it quickly establishes its own world and legends.
When Eli, Anna, and Rose are forced to move from Chicago to North Carolina into a house which doubles as a museum, they find themselves in an unfamiliar, new world. Eli is the oldest and the reader of the family whereas Anna is more adventurous. Rose is the youngest. Exploring the house is their only option to avoid a strict housekeeper and a mostly absent father. While in a tucked-away room, Rose finds an interesting artifact, and their father recounts a legend assumedly based on it. Rose uses the item to open a certain “door” which leads to the world of Errus.
From there, the girls encounter monks who are the last of their kind, a war lasting so long it’s called the Everwar, a scientist who has conceived of an unconventional way to cross a desert, and a knight who believes in a legend that serves his aqueous deity. Instead of simply assuming fairy creatures were created as part of this world, the author has designed a clever way to incarnate sprites and dwarfs with their corresponding strengths and weaknesses. And what is a skycricket? One of the highlights of the book certainly, providing some of the most thrilling sequences whenever it’s referenced.
But Flight of the Skycricket is deeper than mere thrills and wonder. Themes such as faith versus science (or faith and science in Errus), the adaptation of the open mind to new experiences, how our enemies may share more with our beliefs than first thought, and an argument about the best way to teach history are all intelligently incorporated into this novel. The staples of MG fantasy, about finding out more about oneself and bringing one’s family, whether real or found, together exist here too. But it’s the broader themes that make Skycricket stand out.
With these complex ideas, though, will modern readers accept it? Flight of the Skycricket reliance on a familiar Narnian introduction and then a sequence explaining its world slows the plot down at first. Once the titular Skycricket comes into play however, the narrative hits its stride. Adults and voracious readers of any age will certainly appreciate the novel, but its themes may challenge the typical middle grade reader.
Flight of the Skycricket soars when it explores its incredible world and its history. A tale of portal magic, desert crossings, duels to the death, and legendary sites, the novel is packed with highly creative sequences that will keep the reader’s interest. Along with three engaging main characters, Skycricket is a promising start to a fantasy trilogy.