'The Accidental Highwayman': Critics praise the YA fantasy adventure
Author Ben Tripp is earning critical praise for his novel, 鈥淭he Accidental Highwayman,鈥� his first foray into the young adult genre.
鈥淗ighwayman鈥� follows Kit Bristol, a young man living in eighteenth-century England who is the servant of a man he doesn't know is actually a highwayman known as Whistling Jack. When his master is killed, Kit must continue Whistling Jack鈥檚 work to help a fairy princess avoid a marriage to the king.
Tripp was previously behind the zombie novel 鈥淩ise Again鈥� and its sequel, 鈥淩ise Again Below Zero.鈥� The author told book industry newsletter that his previous work informed 鈥淗ighwayman.鈥�
鈥淚 wrote the book as a whimsical outburst as a response to writing a horror novel [for adults],鈥� he said. 鈥淚 thought, 鈥業 can write this jolly story.鈥� It didn't have any "language" in it, because it wasn't required, and it didn't have grisly bits because Kit wouldn't have described that kind of thing; it turned out to be completely suitable to YA.鈥�
The book was released on Oct. 14 and has earned widespread critical praise. Amal El-Mohtar of wrote that the book is a 鈥渃harming fantasy romp鈥� This book was delightfully fun; Kit is an engaging point-of-view character, and tucked away between amusing dialogue and wacky high jinks are occasional moments of real poignancy,鈥� though he noted that it 鈥渄isappoint[ed] this Brit-lit scholar's hopeful expectations of a richer textual complexity.鈥� And wrote of the book, 鈥淭ripp infuses his story with whimsy, humor, and derring-do, and his miniature spot illustrations and handful of lovely full-page pieces add to the overall charm.鈥�
Meanwhile, gave it a starred review, with Caitlin Augusta of Connecticut鈥檚 Stratford Library Association writing, 鈥淚t is difficult not to be entertained by Kit's first person narration that blends historical detail with the antics of the fairy kingdom鈥� Readers will root for star-crossed lovers, Kit and Morgana鈥� drawn onward by a rollicking plot. Informative footnotes occasionally pull readers out of the story, though they dwindle as the story progresses.鈥� And wrote of the book, 鈥淜it's wry voice provides a fine pastiche of old-fashioned tale-telling, slightly hampered by the sprinkling of didactic footnotes but enlivened by breakneck pacing, colorful similes and a sly wit aimed at modern sensibilities. While the lovely Princess Morgana, alas, does little but look pretty, act feisty and need rescuing, the rest of the characters are delightfully over-the-top, and Kit himself is as brave, clever and good-natured an orphan lad as ever buckled a swash. The promise of more adventures to come provides happily-ever-after enough. They can still write 'em like they used to; hurrah!鈥�
