In a country beset by civil war, New London defends itself behind a giant wall. Inside the city, children are forced to work from an early age, except for the lucky few who train to be leaders in the re-purposed Palace of Westminster. 12-year-old orphaned Pax is brilliant at recycling old tech. He enjoys working on the verti-farms and just wants a bit of peace and quiet. But when that is taken away from him, his only hope is to pass a near-impossible exam and join the other students in Scholastic Parliament. There he’ll make new friends and new enemies. He’ll get tested like never before. And he’ll discover that not everything is quite what it seems under the mayor’s harsh leadership.
You can read an excerpt here or listen to me read the opening here.
“Pax is a great character in a brilliant dystopian adventure.”
Kieran Larwood, award-winning author of The World of Podkin One-Ear
“It does something really clever that I can’t remember seeing before… It’s scary, and exciting, thrilling and worrying to watch events unfold. And now I can’t wait to see what happens next!” Book Worm Hole
“This is an amazingly good book and will have children queuing to read.” Helen Boyles, Book Bound
“Confident readers in Year 4 upwards will very much enjoy this story – as I did. Now totally invested in Pax… I for one cannot wait to find out what will happen next.” Mrs Sydney’s Famous World’s Smallest Library
“Barker has always been able to write with a zip and thrust to his narrative, maintaining good character arcs and believable dialogue… Aimed at the pre-teen market by the publishers, this is an enticing read for capable readers between the ages of 9-12 and is a good gateway into the world of dystopian science fiction.” Next To The Aisle