Mmm. Shoot an apple off his friend’s head or lose his food, horse and clothes? Some decisions require little thought.
Archer is the sort of boy things happen to. Orphaned as a baby, his gifts make him different to other kids. He doesn't understand why he's so much stronger and faster than other boys; why a sword feels so right in his hand; or how every arrow he looses at a target will hit the centre, even if his eyes are closed.
Archer is the sort of boy things happen to. Orphaned as a baby, his gifts make him different to other kids. He doesn't understand why he's so much stronger and faster than other boys; why a sword feels so right in his hand; or how every arrow he looses at a target will hit the centre, even if his eyes are closed.
At the Beltane ritual, he must fight his friends to see who is most worthy. But his real battle is with an enemy whose callous disrespect for the natural order brings dangerous consequences.
This swashbuckling romantic fantasy will appeal to fans of action-adventure, jousting and magical realism.
This swashbuckling romantic fantasy will appeal to fans of action-adventure, jousting and magical realism.
Be Brave, Be Worthy!
How a naïve stranger can
rise above his aggressors and teach
them about courage and honour.
Archer’s reward for being
the most worthy student in his graduating class is to lose his home and all his
friends. The place he is sent to is a world away from home and he has to get
used to many different aspects of this new life, starting with daily torment
from Peter and his henchmen. The first day at his foster
home is so bad that he wants to leave but the first day at his new school is so bad that he is forced to leave.
At the new foster home, Rory and Tom are much
friendlier and things finally seem to be improving. Not for long. He is back on
guard with the arrival of two antagonistic sisters but his normal defences are
useless against an adversary like Mandy.
Archer is dragged further
into the shady world of Stiff and his gang of teenage shoplifters, but how can
he hope to survive when the people he thought were his friends betray him?
Search
for the Hero Inside!
The chosen boy who decodes
the mysteries of white horses, crop circles and ley lines to save his people.
Reagan didn’t think he was
anything special - lots of boys could sense ley-lines and knew the healing
properties of plants and trees. Whatever he did would never be good enough for
his mother, not even when he won the Garlanding or scored 100% on his graduation
tests. With the help of his spirit guide Blaise and master trainer Kalen, he
tries to determine the position of the next white horse. After an unsteady
start they are aided in their quest by Reeve, daughter of the leading
authority on white horses.
Reagan’s mathematical skills help him to decode the
complex patterns of ley lines and crop circles but it becomes a race against
time as the dangerous accidents in the nearby villages lead to more serious
casualties.
Reagan’s mathematical skills help him to decode the
complex patterns of ley lines and crop circles but it becomes a race against
time as the dangerous accidents in the nearby villages lead to more serious
casualties.
Can Archer help him to find
the missing pieces of the puzzle or will Reagan's perilous gift destroy him as
it destroyed so many other chosen children?
Believe and Live your
Dream!
The boy who outwits the
wicked shaman to uncover the secrets of the stone temples.
Slater is the son of Mason, but he will never be a chip off the old block. Although his father is responsible for Aveburgh henge, Slater is more interested in learning about the ceremonies held amongst the stones. Torn from a solstice celebration into a real-life nightmare, Slater's talent for reading ley lines upsets dark forces. Ancient magic pulls him back in time to reveal his connection to primeval secrets. There, he is teased by formidable priestesses who teach him the
Only Slater knows the prehistoric temples are not built correctly, but what will happen if he interferes in the past?
Together we can Work it
Out!
The chief's son who unites
the warring factions against the evil oppressors.
Purest Evil threatens Renegates and Townies alike. Can Geraint unite these warring factions in time to save Oxford?
Geraint’s life is Hell. He despises his father’s scavenging lifestyle and loathes the brutal training designed to make him worthy of being the next Renegate leader. During the combat trial, he bests a nasty bully who seeks revenge.
Light brightens Geraint’s darkness when he meets Siany, a Townie girl who teaches him how to read, write and believe in himself. This meeting of souls awakens strong powers in both of them, but the bully severs their connection, plunging him back to that dark place.
Prophetic dreams help Geraint to save Siany’s family from fierce bandits, who go on to besiege Oxford, a stepping stone to ruling the land. Geraint and Siany’s role in uniting their peoples against this evil is crucial, working alongside the legendary Archer. When the warrior’s nemesis joins the murderous band, death and destruction seem inevitable.
Never Underestimate the Power of Thought!
Fabulous things people have said about Archer:
Book Viral
It’s well conceived and vividly rendered and whilst not particularly long there’s an economy to Gray’s prose that encourages the imagination to find full form whilst she weaves a delightful web of intrigue.
Enchanting to the last page, Archer has the feel of an epic saga in the making and is sure to find an enthusiastic following amongst younger readers. Definitely deserving of a place on your bookshelf, it is highly recommended.
Enchanting to the last page, Archer has the feel of an epic saga in the making and is sure to find an enthusiastic following amongst younger readers. Definitely deserving of a place on your bookshelf, it is highly recommended.
Anil, age 11, said:
“My mum was planning to read the book before I did but I insisted on reading it first so she has to wait. So far your book has been one of the best I've read in years. I'm looking forward to your next book if you are publishing one. Best wishes for becoming an author, I hope you do, good luck.”
Drama Cat, Age 11, said:
“Archer was amazing! I couldn't put it down, it only took me two days to read it when it normally takes me a week. If I met Archer I would have a lot of questions to ask him about what it is like to live in his world. I love the way the girls get to do archery and the rings and I would love to do all the drama bits. Archer was so brave when he stood up to the terrifying Renegates and was even cheeky to them. The book was so good, I know that there will be a movie someday and I hope it's sooner rather than later!”
JJ, Archer and Historian reader said:
“Anyone who promotes Archery in any of its forms is to be congratulated in my book and I think somewhere along the way Jacky must have got caught up in the sport judging by the passion of her writing. I thought the sword and buckler bout between Finn and Archer was incredibly well done, a very engaging piece of writing.”
TheBeardedDragon, Medieval Jester said:
“Archer is a great read, that once I started I just had to keep going. As a medieval re-enactor myself I found Archer very close to heart with what I do as a hobby. Jacky has achieved a great sense of being in the setting of a Medieval village and the events leading up to Archer's graduation. The relationship between Archer and his fellow companions lead you into an enthralling adventure of training, learning and achieving great goals.”Maria Wheatley, Author and Master Dowser, UK said:
“Jacky Gray is a great writer. I have read Archer and could not put it down – as the adventure unfolds it gets more gripping. Hey! If there are any film producers out there – Jacky's book would make a brilliant film!”
“I thoroughly enjoyed Archer! The detail on jousting was very interesting and the whole story began to captivate me, I couldn't put the book down.”
Tanya Dransfield, Amazon reader, UK said:
"While Archer is not my usual genre of preferred reading I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was all
down to the skill of the author who brought a world I had never experienced before, alive in the most magnificent ways.
Jacky Gray paints pictures with words like Picasso painted pictures with his brushstrokes. Her writing style is fluid, strong and leaves the reader with an experience of being there. Great work!"
Jacky Gray paints pictures with words like Picasso painted pictures with his brushstrokes. Her writing style is fluid, strong and leaves the reader with an experience of being there. Great work!"
Ronald Hutton, Professor of History @ Bristol University, said:
“I enjoyed 'Archer', an engaging story whose Pagan spirituality is gently and attractively presented. Jacky has produced a credible parallel universe, a combination of the English middle ages blended with modern-day England in realistic and well realised settings. I especially enjoyed travelling across Alternative Oxfordshire.”
L.A. Rikand, Author of Girl the Reaper, USA said:
L.A. Rikand, Author of Girl the Reaper, USA said:
"Although targeting a teen boy audience, this story felt just right for me too, and would be right up the alley for many adults who read classics. This is a well-researched slice of Medieval life and even includes a glossary! I encourage anyone with teens who are interested in Medieval times and legends to pass this on to them. The detail regarding archery is impressive, so if you have a Hunger Games fan in the house, this book
can--using a fun story--enhance their knowledge of the lost art of bowmaking and {gasp!} shooting without using a sight."
Fabulous things people have said about Rory:
Drama Cat, Amazon reader said:
Rory, the follow up to Archer, is totally spectacular, but very different. Archer was completely out of his comfort zone with the modern teenagers but he handled himself well and brought the best out in others around him.
Denise, from Germany said:
Really enjoyed the first two. Looking forward to reading Reagan, I’ve put it on my Christmas list.
Another of Jacky Gray's books which involve the reader to look at life's adventures through mystical all seeing eyes. Jacky's in touch with what kids and adults - after all we are all big kids - wish to read. Woven into the words as the pages unfold is a journey that we can all relate to and for me that is the magic of a good writer.
Chloe’, age 12 said:
Chloe’, age 12 said:
Utterly amazing, she has outdone herself again. Beware, Rory is not exactly what you might expect after reading Archer.
JJ, Archer and Historian reader said:
JJ, Archer and Historian reader said:
One thing I've found in life is that there are far more Edlyns in the world than there are Fletches and Finns. I enjoyed the archery scenes and the glimpses of the extreme training, but would have preferred to stay in Archer's world for a little while longer.
TheBeardedDragon, Medieval Jester said:
Having read Jacky's first novel Archer, I was intrigued as to where we would go next with this character. Archer again comes to face more challenges with life, this time more so with girls in his life and how they can be so influential to get what they want. Jacky has certainly looked into the life of teenagers and written this novel to reflect this. I loved the cross over between the two aspects of life Archer has seen both the historic and the modern. I am looking forward to reading the next of her novels Reagan and learning about the White horses.Miss Black, Amazon reader said:
Wonderful story telling! It only takes reading a few words for me to become completely captivated and absorbed into a different world. This is my second book I have read from this author, and I can't wait for the next one! Highly recommended!
After loving Archer so much, I wasn’t sure at first because some of the characters were so horrible, but then I turned a page and we were back on familiar territory. I couldn’t put it down.
Blackadder 4th, Amazon reader said:
Not exactly what I was expecting after Archer, but thoroughly enjoyable all the same. Yet again, Archer has to prove himself against a multitude of nasty characters who test him in many new and different ways. Jacky obviously knows her way round modern teens and some of the action is quite edgy. Looking forward to next book Reagan and the puzzle of the White Horses.
Ronald Hutton, Professor of History @ Bristol University said:
Like the best successor volumes, Rory has all the virtues of the first, with a kind of ease and assurance about it which make for very smooth reading.
Avalonia, Firefaery said:
Avalonia, Firefaery said:
Wow. I don’t know what I was expecting after thoroughly enjoying Archer’s medieval world, but it wasn’t this. Put a boy brought up to show respect in a foster home with a bunch of modern teenagers and just wait for the sparks to fly. You’d think that with all their street-wise savvy, they would be crawling all over his innocent geekiness, but Archer holds his own and then some. I loved the scene on Glastonbury Tor, aside from knowing the area very well, it showed a great insight into some of the problems modern teens have if they don’t fit the standard model.
Fabulous things people have said about Reagan:
TheBeardedDragon, Medieval Jester said:
Another pacey book - a great way to get lost for an evening or two. Follow Reagan and his friends as they travel around Wessex trying to explain the reasons behind the white horses and their locations. I found this book almost as hard to put down as when I first read Archer. I can't wait to see where we will go with the next book.
Another pacey book - a great way to get lost for an evening or two. Follow Reagan and his friends as they travel around Wessex trying to explain the reasons behind the white horses and their locations. I found this book almost as hard to put down as when I first read Archer. I can't wait to see where we will go with the next book.
Rose, Amazon reader said:
Just finished reading Reagan and thought I would let you know I much I enjoyed it. It has been a while since I have found a book that I just wanted to carry on reading! It was a pleasure to get to know the characters and I have gone straight ahead and ordered the other two books. The book included many of the topics I have taken an interest in over recent years such as crop circles, white horses etc. and I loved the way the story wove these together. I look forward to reading the other two books.
Blackadder 4th, Amazon reader said:
One thing is for sure - Reagan is no Archer, but I still find I have a disturbing amount in common with him. It was great to be back in Jacky's parallel universe, although it seems a little less Utopian with so many atrocities going on. Once more, Jacky has surrounded her protagonist with a strong supporting cast. I'm sure many will relate to Kalen's big brother character, especially his ineptitude with the fairer sex and I was enchanted by the barrel race - it felt so right, it set me wondering if I was once a cooper.
Kayleigh, Warrior Princess said:
I loved the intricate plotting behind the Wessex White Horses - having seen one up close and stood inside a crop circle, I understand the fascination and it's quite an ingenious idea. Although lacking the excitement of the physical battles in Archer and Rory, Reagan's adventures are no less compelling. The detail about dowsing ley lines was comprehensive and I feel sure she must have practised this art.
Avalonia, Firefaery said:
Avalonia, Firefaery said:
Although Reagan’s some kind of major braniac, you could tell from the first few pages that he’s quite modest and can never be good enough for his parents. I know exactly where he’s coming from, and I was pleased when he turned out to be a quiet, understated hero. I loved the OCD touches and the way he was totally cool dealing with adults, especially Kalen who was just like one of those geeky professor types that fall apart when faced with a strong, beautiful woman. I love that we finally get to meet Blaise, the white horse.
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