Vox (Stewart and Riddell novel) facts for kids
.jpg)
First edition
|
|
| Author | Paul Stewart, Chris Riddell |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Chris Riddell |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Edge Chronicles |
| Genre | Children's, Fantasy |
| Publisher | Doubleday |
|
Publication date
|
4 September 2003 |
| Media type | Print (hardback and paperback) |
| Pages | 404 |
| ISBN | 978-0-385-60461-1 |
| OCLC | 52457621 |
| Preceded by | The Last of the Sky Pirates |
| Followed by | Freeglader |
Vox is an exciting fantasy novel for young readers. It was written by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell. The book was first published in 2003.
Vox is the sixth book in The Edge Chronicles series. It is also the second part of the Rook Saga trilogy. In the story's own timeline, it is the eighth book overall. It follows the adventures from the Quint Saga and Twig Saga trilogies.
Contents
The Story of Vox
The story begins in Undertown, a busy and often dangerous place. A character named Vox Verlix used to be in charge. Now, he is stuck in the Palace of Statues. He has lost control over his big plans.
Other groups have taken over parts of Undertown. The Guardians of Night control the Tower of Night. The Shrykes have taken the Great Mire Road. Goblins, who Vox hired, now control the Sanctaphrax Forest. They have enslaved many Undertowners.
Danger in Undertown
Vox is now like a puppet. General Tytugg of Undertown uses him to keep the Shrykes away. But things are getting worse. The Shrykes are preparing for war. The goblins in Undertown are also acting more aggressive.
Strange things are happening too. Librarian Knights on patrol report seeing weird creatures. These creatures are coming from Screetown. Screetown is a ruined area of Undertown. It turns out that Orbix Xaxis, a leader of the Guardians of Night, is behind this. He is using these creatures against captured librarians.
Rook's Journey
Rook Barkwater is a young Librarian Knight. He is on patrol when a fireball hits him. He crashes to the ground. His skycraft, the Stormhornet, is completely broken.
Rook tries to get through Screetown. He is chased by dangerous creatures. A Rubble-ghoul almost catches him. Luckily, his old friend Felix Lodd saves him. Everyone thought Felix was dead. Felix is part of a group called "the Ghosts of Screetown." They hunt and try to free slaves from the Sanctaphrax Forest.
After leaving Felix, Rook travels through Undertown. Goblins catch him. He is almost sold as a slave. But instead, he is taken to the Palace of Statues.
Inside the Palace
At the Palace, Rook meets Hesteria Spikesap, an old potioneer. He also meets Speegspeel, an ancient goblin butler. Speegspeel is very paranoid. He thinks the statues in the palace are trying to kill him.
Vox's advisor is a ghost-like creature named Amberfuce. Amberfuce tries to control Rook's mind. But Rook resists and stays true to himself. Rook is given a strange job: "feeding the baby." This "baby" is a huge cog-wheel system. It is filled with a dangerous substance called phraxdust.
A Desperate Plan
Rook stops a goblin from trying to kill Vox. Soon after, Cowlquape arrives. Cowlquape used to be a leader of New Sanctaphrax. He is now an envoy for the Librarians.
Vox explains why he called the Librarians. A huge, dark storm is coming soon. It will destroy Undertown. Vox says everyone must leave. They need to escape through the sewers and down the Great Mire Road. He asks for help to escape the Palace.
Vox also has a plan to deal with their enemies. He wants to trick the Shrykes and goblins. He will tell them that the Librarians are helpless in the sewers. This will make the Great Mire Road unguarded. Rook and some brainwashed goblin assassins are sent to tell the armies. Both armies agree to meet in the sewers in two days.
Escape and Sacrifice
The Librarians work hard to build ships and rafts. They manage to evacuate just in time. An old professor, Alquix Venvax, stays behind. He does not want to leave the library. The Librarians also send Rook's four banderbear friends to help Vox escape the Palace.
Meanwhile, Magda Burlix is looking for Rook in Screetown. She gets captured by the Guardians of Night. Xanth Filatine, who used to spy for the Guardians, becomes her interrogator. He realizes his mistakes and saves her. He also steals a vital part for Midnight's Spike. This spike is supposed to cure "stone sickness" with lightning.
Magda and Xanth try to escape but are caught again. Orbix Xaxis reveals his plan. He has dug a tunnel into the sewers. Rock Demons will chase Magda and Xanth. These demons will then eat the Librarians.
Magda and Xanth stay ahead of the demons. They meet Venvax in the library. They say goodbye, as Venvax refuses to leave. The goblin and Shryke armies enter the sewers. Venvax sacrifices himself to let Xanth and Magda escape. The Shrykes and Tytugg's forces fight. Then, the Rock Demons arrive and attack everyone. A flood then wipes out anyone left.
The Storm's Arrival
On the barges, Rook and Cowlquape realize something important. Vox's "baby" was not just a prediction. The phraxdust sphere is so unstable that it can cause the storm. A previous attempt caused Rook's Stormhornet to crash.
They also realize that Vox can now trigger the storm whenever he wants. Rook swims back to shore. He climbs the Palace of Statues to stop the storm. He arrives just as Speegspeel, the butler, is about to set off the storm.
Rook fights Speegspeel and defeats him. But then, Rook accidentally mixes his sweat with the phraxdust. This sets off the storm himself. The storm destroys Undertown. The Ghosts of Screetown help everyone evacuate.
As the storm gets stronger, the Guardians of Night try to use the lightning. They want to cure the Sanctaphrax rock of Stone Sickness. But Mollus Leddix discovers Xanth stole the important part too late. Midnight's Spike cannot stay up. Orbix Xaxis throws Leddix away. He then tries to act as a human lightning rod. The lightning strikes, but it only destroys the Tower of Night.
Rook rejoins the Librarians. He admits he caused the storm. But the Librarians forgive him. They are happy to leave the sewers. They know the storm would have happened anyway.
The End of Vox
Finally, Vox's bower appears. Rook senses his thoughts being probed. He attacks it. He finds that Amberfuce, the ghost-waif, has betrayed Vox. Amberfuce left Vox to die in the Palace of Statues.
The book ends with Vox trapped in the Palace. Hesteria Spikesap is with him. Vox realizes Amberfuce's betrayal. Hesteria then defeats him. She reveals her strange love for him. She holds his body as the Palace begins to fall apart.
