Lightning and thunder exploded over the magical kingdom of Harmonicas. Throughout the land forest animals fled across the landscape while frightened residents sought shelter in their sturdily built homes. Highlighted by the bright and jagged flashes, castle spires rose against the slopes of the kingdom's eastern mountain range. Inside the the royal fortress King Rockland and Queen Alisica were quick to act. With the help of Harmonicas's Elder Wizard they hurried their daughter, Princess Alanna and her close companion, an owl named Twig, to safety through a secret passageway exiting the castle's lower levels. Zerolan the infuriated sorceress who was responsible for the terror, bemoaned the princess's escape and unleashed her vengeance on the kingdom. Meanwhile, with the aid of a pit globe capable of galactic time travel, Alanna, finding herself separated from her parents, propelled Twig across the universe in search of help. The duty bound owl brings back three boys from Earth, brothers Bo and Bat Bones, along with their closest friend, Tim Wong. Realizing they must help the princess regain control of Harmonicas before they can return home, the boys set out on a quest with Alanna to take back the kingdom and save all from a mind numbing spell that has been inflicted upon everyone by the evil sorceress from the frozen ice land to the north. On the journey's path, the band of adventurers confronts and gain a few unique, entertaining characters that try to thwart or aid in their quest. A couple of the more helpful include a wee lovable brofair, once thought to be a mythical character, along with two sisters found hiding in the magical forest. Together, the band picks up steam as it partners up in destroying evil. Along the way, a pirate named Spyglass, fueled by his endless search for treasure, gets in the way of the group's success. Alanna and her gathering of friends hatch a dangerous plan to handle the pirate and his mates. Having achieved some progress to that end, the group befriends the rogue pirate, using a little of Alanna's magic to help. Spyglass's transformation is complete when he engages in a battle on the high seas against a motley crew of zombies and the kingdom's dastardly traitor, a trusted confidant who has broken Alanna's heart. From hatching plans to battling beasts, the group of would-be heroes struggle to overcome the odds. The question of who is foe and who is friend must continuously be re-evaluated. Complicated maneuvers and daring feats mark the progress of the story. The tale ends with a rather surprising and hopeful twist that will keep you wishing for more adventures.
About the Author: From his many adventures as a young boy in the wilderness of northern British Columbia, to his inspiration (his fourth grade teacher, a fantastic spinner of yarns), David Mitchell's early life was fertile ground for an epic adventure. The characters in Harmonicas were crafted from Mitchell's imagination, from real life experience buoyed by his teacher's talent with a tale. A particularly challenging canoe trip with two close friends in his late teens seeded the story's character creation and the tremendously exciting and varied narrative of Harmonicas. Mitchell grew up in the sparsely populated area of northern British Columbia. His childhood was spent having wilderness adventures, which he states "was the entertainment of the day, often still is today." He is also the father of three grown children, who no doubt benefited wildly from their father's youthful, spontaneous, and creative imagination.