Joshua Mowll facts for kids

Joshua Mowll, born in 1970, is a British author who writes exciting books for kids. His popular series, The Guild of Specialists trilogy, has won awards and been published in over 20 countries! He also wrote The Great Space Race, which came out in 2010.

The Guild of Specialists Trilogy

How the Story Began

The idea for The Guild of Specialists trilogy started in a very cool way. In 2004, publishers were really keen to get their hands on Joshua Mowll's books. He sent them special boxes filled with old items and documents. These items supposedly came from an archive left to him by his great-aunt after she passed away. This unique collection is said to have inspired the three books in the series.

Walker Books won the chance to publish the books. The first book, Operation Red Jericho, came out in 2005. It was followed by Operation Typhoon Shore in 2006, and Operation Storm City in 2008.

Unique Book Design

Mowll's books are special because they have lots of colorful pictures mixed in with the story. He used to be a graphic artist for a newspaper, The Mail on Sunday. This experience shows in his books, which are full of amazing pull-out illustrations, detailed technical drawings, sketches, and maps.

You'll also find many photos of the characters, old items, and other cool stuff related to the story. Plus, there are extra notes and appendices that help explain more about the world he created.

Adventures of Becca and Doug

The The Guild of Specialists trilogy takes place in Asia in 1920. It follows the thrilling adventures of two siblings, Becca and Doug MacKenzie. They are searching for clues to find out what happened to their parents. Their parents disappeared during a secret trip to Sinkiang (now called Xinjiang), a remote desert area in western China.

The series is like a mix of Indiana Jones and Dan Brown. It features secret groups, amazing weapons, and really exciting villains!

Book 1: Operation Red Jericho

In 1920, Becca and Doug MacKenzie leave Shanghai on their uncle's ship, the Expedient. They are determined to find their missing parents, who vanished on a secret mission in the deserts of Western China.

Their journey quickly turns into a dangerous fight for survival. They face terrifying pirates, submarines, and deadly torpedoes. Becca and Doug soon learn that the answers they need are tied to mysterious, ancient societies. These groups guard old secrets, especially about a strange substance called Zoridium, which is key to the whole mystery.

Trapped on a pirate island off the China coast and facing great danger, they must find a way to escape to continue their desperate search.

Book 2: Operation Typhoon Shore

This second book picks up just a few days after the first one ends. Becca and Doug's adventure continues, and the risks are even higher now. Their uncle's ship, the Expedient, was partly damaged in a battle with the pirate Sheng-Fat in Operation Red Jericho. Now, it battles through a typhoon to chase the evil Julius Pembleton-Crozier. He has taken over a group of islands in the Celebes Sea.

Pembleton-Crozier and his allies have built a very dangerous machine there, powered by the strange substance Zoridium. Becca and Doug must stop them! They face new enemies and challenges. They need to find important clues from the past and present to reach their main goal: finding their parents.

Book 3: Operation Storm City

Operation Storm City is the final book in the trilogy. Becca and Doug must follow every clue and piece of information they've found so far, from India to the desert lands of China. These clues will guide them to the truth about their missing parents.

Old friends join them in new alliances. Becca and Doug now know they must find Ur-Can, a fabled machine at the heart of the story. It is hidden deep in the Taklamakan Desert, also known as the 'Desert of Death'. They understand that Ur-Can holds the answers they seek, as it was where their parents' lost expedition was headed.

However, Ur-Can has fallen into the hands of a mad Russian general. He plans to use the machine's huge power for his own evil plans. Becca and Doug are tested more than ever before as they try to finish their difficult quest.

Awards and Recognition

When it was first published, Operation Red Jericho won the special Poppy Red Award for Innovation in Children's Books at the British Book Trade Awards in 2006.

Operation Typhoon Shore was even listed as one of the UK Government's 160 recommended books for teenage boys in 2007.

The books were very well received. Operation Red Jericho was named the Sunday Times Children's Book of the Week in September 2005.

International Reach

Joshua Mowll's books have been published in over 20 countries around the world.

In France, the trilogy was published by Flammarion under different titles:

• Les aventuriers du cercle, Tome 1 : Opération Zoridium
• Les aventuriers du cercle, Tome 2 : Opération Typhon
• Les aventuriers du cercle, Tome 3 : Opération Désert de la mort

Other Works by Joshua Mowll

After finishing The Guild of Specialists trilogy, Mowll wrote The Great Space Race. This book was published in the UK on August 2, 2010. It's a separate story about a family trying to get their money back by landing a rocket on the Moon.

In 2014, Mowll's fifth book, Beautiful Titan, became available through Amazon Kindle.