Giant moths, mysterious aliens, and swashbuckling space adventure

It is the holiday season at Larklight, and when former space pirate Jack Havock and his motley crew of shipmates unexpectedly show up, Myrtle and Art Mumby - as well as their parents - are delighted. Their happy Christmastime reunion is interrupted, however, by Mr. Mumby's announcement: "A most vexing thing has happened! The Pudding has gone Rogue!"

The rogue pudding is the least of their worries, however - dire peril awaits them all, as an unimaginably powerful and deadly foe is on the move from the outermost reaches of space. Art, Myrtle and their companions are soon to be caught up in yet another exciting, hilarious adventure - and as usual, I'm delighted to be along for the ride.

I love this series - it is funny and entertaining, exciting as well as thought provoking, with memorable characters and a fantastical steampunk world that can't be beat. As with the previous two volumes in the series, most of the narration is from Art's point of view, but there are also sections from his sister Myrtle's journals. There are also the footnotes, which I love - they explain things with which the reader might not be familiar, but also contain asides that often leave me giggling. For example in the beginning of the book, Art writes about Myrtle and Jack's reunion, saying, "But they did not have to look at each other long in the dappled shadow of that mistletoe before they seemed to forget their differences and warm to one another once again." And here there is a footnote, and at the bottom of the page Art has commented, "What Jack Havock sees in my sister is one of the Mysteries of Known Space. She is an absolute horror and looks like a loony fish." Ah, sibling affection!

I have read that this third volume appears to be the final in the series, but I refuse to believe that Art, Myrtle and Jack don't have further adventures in store! I highly recommend this excellent series. While I'm waiting for the next one (which must be in the works), I believe I'll go back and read Philip Reeve's other books. If you have not read this series, you are in for a treat.

Books in the Larklight series:
1. Larklight
2. Starcross
3. Mothstorm

Mothstorm: Or, the Horror from beyond Uranus Georgium Sidus, or, a Tale of Two Shapers : A Rattling Yarn of Danger, Dastardly and Derring-Do upon the Far Frontiers of British Space! by Philip Reeve; illustrated by David Wyatt (Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2008)

Also reviewed at:
Books Are King: "I enjoy the voice and writing. I enjoy the story and the alternative world the author has created. It all just makes me quite happy."