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    The Accidental Highwayman: Being the Tale of Kit Bristol, His Horse Midnight, a Mysterious Princess, and Sundry Magical Persons Besides
    Unavailable
    The Accidental Highwayman: Being the Tale of Kit Bristol, His Horse Midnight, a Mysterious Princess, and Sundry Magical Persons Besides
    Unavailable
    The Accidental Highwayman: Being the Tale of Kit Bristol, His Horse Midnight, a Mysterious Princess, and Sundry Magical Persons Besides
    Ebook403 pages4 hours

    The Accidental Highwayman: Being the Tale of Kit Bristol, His Horse Midnight, a Mysterious Princess, and Sundry Magical Persons Besides

    By Ben Tripp

    3/5

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    About this ebook

    The Accidental Highwayman is the first swashbuckling adventure for young adults by talented author and illustrator, Ben Tripp.
    In eighteenth-century England, young Christopher "Kit" Bristol is the unwitting servant of notorious highwayman Whistling Jack. One dark night, Kit finds his master bleeding from a mortal wound, dons the man's riding cloak to seek help, and changes the course of his life forever. Mistaken for Whistling Jack and on the run from redcoats, Kit is catapulted into a world of magic and wonders he thought the stuff of fairy tales.
    Bound by magical law, Kit takes up his master's quest to rescue a rebellious fairy princess from an arranged marriage to King George III of England. But his task is not an easy one, for Kit must contend with the feisty Princess Morgana, gobling attacks, and a magical map that portends his destiny: as a hanged man upon the gallows….
    Fans of classic fairy-tale fantasies will find much to love in this irresistible YA debut by Ben Tripp, the son of one of America's most beloved illustrators, Wallace Tripp (Amelia Bedelia). Following in his father's footsteps, Ben has woven illustrations throughout the story.
    "Delightful and charming. A swashbuckling adventure in the vein of Robert Louis Stevenson." —#1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson


    At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Publishers
    Release dateOct 14, 2014
    ISBN9781466822634
    Author

    Ben Tripp

    After attending the Rhode Island School of Design for illustration, Ben Tripp worked as an experiential designer for more than twenty years, creating theme parks, resorts, museums, and attractions worldwide. He is the author of the horror novels Rise Again, Rise Again: Below Zero, and The Accidental Highwayman, his first book for young adults. He lives with his family in Los Angeles.

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    Reviews for The Accidental Highwayman

    3/5

    7 ratings14 reviews

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    • 3/5
      Fun but wordy at times. Found myself skimming a lot of rambling sections.
    • 2/5
      Disappointing read and another cover buy. More of 1.5, the book wasn't very capturing and was more on the juvenile ya side than I had expected. Another faerie book letdown, maybe it's just not my kind of genre. I also thought the main characters Kit and Morgana had absolutely no chemistry and they may have been better off friends than be forced into insta-lovey doveyness.
    • 4/5
      The level of writing in this young adult fantasy novel is superior and the story does not disappoint. We have seen these tropes many times before, but rarely presented with this level of sophistication. The well-rounded characters also help. A fun read that will enrich and entertain. The illustrations are icing on the cake.
    • 4/5
      A solid start to a new YA fantasy trilogy, but it dragged a bit in places. And, for this reader, footnotes are better used for clever asides or interesting tangents, not vocabulary lessons. The information contained in the footnotes here would have been better in a glossary at the end. That way, a reader could look something up if necessary, but wouldn't constantly be distracted by asterisks and blocks of text at the bottoms of pages, especially when it's for words or people or events sh/he already knows or can divine from context. Overall, though, an enjoyable read and I'm looking forward to more adventures of Kit and Morgana (and Midnight and Demon--especially Demon who spent far too much of this book offstage).
    • 5/5
      In the spirit of The Princess Bride, this story is a swashbuckling tale full of fantastic beings, princesses, soldiers, highwaymen, goblings, trolls, and one young man. Christopher (Kit) worked for a man who gambled beyond his means and accumulated funds by robbing wealthy coaches, always with the best etiquette. He returned home one night, shot, and Kit takes his clothes and horse, Midnight, to try and lure the soldiers away. This is the beginning of a great adventure.This book has a wonderfully optimistic and innocent tone so that I had a smile on my face most of the time I was reading it. It was charming, and dare I use a totally overused word - cute. It is the first of a series and I hope the tone continues since it is a breath of fresh air in the world of YA literature.
    • 3/5
      Genre: Action, Adventure, fantasyNarrator: Christopher “kit” BristolPlot: In 18th century England, young Christopher "Kit" Bristol is the unwitting servant of notorious highwayman “whistling” Jack. Upon death of his master from a chasing law enforcer, Kit dons the man's riding cloak to run to safety. Mistaken for Whistling Jack and on the run from redcoats, Kit is catapulted into a world of magic and wonders he thought the stuff of fairy tales. Conflict: Kit takes up his master's quest to rescue a rebellious fairy princess from an arranged marriage to King George III of England. Kit must contend with the feisty Princess Morgana, goblin attacks, and a magical map that portends his destiny: as a hanged man upon the gallows….Recommend: Yes, I’ll have to read it again though I think I read this so quickly I didn’t enjoy it as much as I think I should have unless it’s really not that exciting a read. Also it reads like there could be possible sequel.
    • 3/5
      This fantasy is replete with every sort of magical creature from witches to pixies to gryphons. Set in 18th Century England, it tells the story of 16-year old Christopher “Kit” Bristol, initially the servant of a quiet man who turns out to be the notorious highwayman Whistling Jack. When Jack is killed, he charges Kit with taking over his mission. Kit, not knowing what that mission is, agrees, and rides off on Jack’s horse Midnight to see the witch to whom Jack has directed him.Kit finds out he is supposed to rescue the fairy princess Morgana from an arranged marriage, which he does with the help of some new fae friends. They then need to escape a variety of pursuers, both human and otherwise. In the process, Kit and Morgana are joined by a very motley group of other fugitives, including a tightrope dancer, a former impresario with dementia, and a baboon. Kit falls for Morgana, but she is a fairy, and infinitely old, and besides, she disappears beneath the sea. All might not be lost, however; this is clearly only the beginning of a series of adventures.Evaluation: I thought this book was more Middle Grade or Tween than Young Adult, and a little too silly for my taste. But it has gotten ecstatic reviews from readers who like the “swashbuckling” aspects of the story.
    • 4/5
      Sometimes I think I should keep track of where I learned of a particular book, since I have no idea how this book made it to my reading list. On the other hand, I liked going into this book with very little knowledge of what it is about as it is full of surprises (although the subtitle is full of hints). Set in the 18th-century, this novel has the feel of a classic adventure. Kit Bristol is a circus performer whose indenture is sold to a seemingly dissolute master, who suddenly learns that his master is a notorious highwayman. Taking his master's identity, Kit learns that he is entering not just a life a crime but a promise to help the fairy people. What follows is a magical adventure and chase as Kit Bristol and his fairy companions seek to escape pursuers both human and magical. It's a delightful and entertaining diversion.
    • 4/5
      Although billed as a young adult novel, the tone and writing style make it more of a middle-grade story. Although favorable compared to such historical fantasy epics and Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, The Accidental Highwayman is less historical fiction, and more fairy tale set against the backdrop of history.Kids, especially boys, will find much to relate to in our hero, Kit Bristol. He is just the sort of awkward adolescent protagonist whose habit for saying the wrong thing manage to humanize a person who always DOES the right thing.The introduction of the fairy world, which is by far the most inventive part of the story, came with an abrupt change of tone. I would imagine young readers, when rereading the story, will probably skip the first few chapters to get to the "good stuff." But it's a story well worth rereading, full of invention and adventure, episodic enough to make nightly storytime fun, but with a through line that pays off well at the end.My only quibble, and it's a small one, is that setting up the series (of which this is only the first volume) resulted in a less satisfying conclusion to the present volume. But I'm glad to know that these adventures are likely to continue, and I will happily pick up the next volume.
    • 4/5
      Kit Bristol is an orphan living with a gentleman in a rundown house. His life is turned upside down when his master is shot, and Kit learns that he had been the famous highwayman Whistling Jack. Taking his master's place, Kit's adventures include meetings with witches, alliances with fairies, taking part in a traveling circus and being hunted by soldiers who believe he is the dread highwayman.
    • 4/5
      Mysterious Princess, and Sundry Magical Persons Besides by Ben TrippThis is a whimsical novel with a bumbling hero, a faery princess, fairies, a wonderful horse, and a baboon!Kit Bristol is happy being a servant to Master James Rattle because it’s an easy life working for a gentleman although he does find himself bored at times. We quickly learn that highwaymen have made the roads unsafe; Captain Sterne lists the criminals he plans on hanging, one of whom is Whistlin’ Jack. Kit pays little attention until his master comes home wounded. Kit dons the Master’s highwayman’s costume and leads the people out to kill his Mater away. Now, Kit is the accidental highwayman, Whistlin’ Jack. As James Rattle dies, he passes his task on to Kit.Kit discovers he must rescue a princess. He comes to discover the princess is a fairy and has a pre-arranged marriage to King George III. With the help of two small fairies, a baboon, a witch, and other sundry magical creatures, Kit is off on a seemingly impossible task. You’ll find this novel fun and different.
    • 4/5
      Kit Bristol is a very proper young man with a good heart caught up in a life of crime - truly an "accidental highwayman." Morgana is a fairy princess running from an arranged marriage. They gather a troop of friends both human and fairy as both try to escape their fates. An enjoyable, fairly light-hearted historical fantasy. The Old English phrases and dialogue may intimidate some readers, but the fairy beings and humor carry the tale. Enticing enough that I'd like to read the sequel.
    • 5/5
      A thoroughly enjoyable fairy tale with a dashing hero and many wee folk fighting for the freedom and rights of all creatures and folk.
    • 2/5
      I might like it as a book, but as an audio book it just didn't grab me.