'The Vulture King' by Nikki Turner

blkdogpublishing

May 23, 20204 min read

Updated: Oct 27, 2024

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Orphaned Aram has survived alone for five years, his only friend a thieving magpie, who acts as his eyes. For in the Carrionlands, magic comes at a terrible price. It costs you your sight, hearing or voice. When he rescues a voiceless girl, Bina, from being sacrificed to the Vulture King, he is taken in by an underground resistance group. They reveal that Aram’s mother is alive, but the king is using her and other slave magicians to fuel his unnaturally long life. With his mother’s magic being rapidly drained, she doesn’t have long to live. If Aram can find the Radix, a hidden magical power source, there’s a slim chance he might be able to save her. But to get there, he must cross the Barrens where every living creature is out to kill you. That’s if one of his new companions doesn’t betray him first.

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Nicole Turner is a Cape Town based author and actress. After graduating from the University of Stellenbosch with an honours degree in drama and English, she has worked as an actress, choreographer and scriptwriter. She currently runs a musical theatre production company, teaches drama and writes books filled with magic and adventure. Since she was little, books have been her refuge and more than anything she wishes that magic was real. She and her husband Jon live under the benevolent dictatorship of their daughters Sophia and Abigail. Her hobbies are reading, dancing and adopting as many dogs as she can sneak into the house.

Press coverage for The Vulture King

First time author Nikki Turner says: My reasons for writing the book were extremely personal. “My eldest daughter has ADHD and my youngest is hearing impaired. I want my girls to read books in which differently-abled characters deal with and overcome the same challenges they face daily. I believe we sorely need more diversity in fantasy.”

This stunning new fantasy novel was written in the ‘old world’ but has emerged into the horror of our new world beset by Coronavirus, a carrion-land of our own. As such, it bears a potent message for our time and the future. Man, disabled by his own greed and blindness, needs to partner once more with nature and wild animals to find salvation.

It is already winning five star literary reviews from respected writers and playwrights, Dawn Hosmer, American Author of Bits & Pieces, The End Of Echoes, Something In Between and Mosaic - psychological thrillers and a book of short stories; and from Karen Jeynes, head writer for Both Worlds Productions, overseeing ZANews: Puppet Nation(winner of 22 SAFTAs, two WGSA awards for Best TV Comedy, and two time International Emmy Nominee for Best TV Comedy).

Author Nikki Turner adds: “I think in our world of climate change denialism and frightening politics, it is easy for children to believe that they can’t make a difference. Children like Greta Thunberg are changing this thinking. The characters in my books, with the physical challenges they face, are unlikely heroes but they don’t let fear hold them back. By standing up, the smallest of us can make all the difference in the world.”

The young adult novel ‘The Vulture King’ takes readers into a terrifying world, the Carrionlands, where magic users are born blind or deaf and bond with bird familiars to provide sight and hearing. Orphan Aram has survived alone for five years; his only friend, the thieving magpie Ryu, acts as his eyes. When he rescues a voiceless girl, Bina, from being sacrificed to the Vulture King, he is taken in by an underground resistance group. They reveal that Aram’s mother is alive, but the King is using her and other slave magicians to fuel his unnaturally long life.

Blindsided by hope, Aram promises to do anything to save her. The Vulture King rules a world where magic disables then kills its users. But the children overcome and succeed thanks to their partnership with animals from the natural world.

The child characters are courageous and resourceful in a terrifying world that is beautifully realised by this writer from South Africa. Turner has created an absorbing magical universe that is utterly compelling. Early readers say that the book is unputdownable.

Praise for The Vulture King

“Poignant and powerfiul young adult fantasy, good for readers of all ages,” says Dawn Hosmer, American Author of Bits & Pieces, The End Of Echoes, Something In Between and Mosaic - psychological thrillers and a book of short stories. "The Vulture King is an enjoyable and powerful young adult fantasy novel. It was especially poignant to read during these times of unrest in the United States - it made the characters and the plot even more relatable. The characters were well fleshed-out and believeable. I was invested in Aram and his journey. And Bina was an absolutely delightful addition to the story. It was fast-paced and the plot kept me engrossed until the very end. Even though it is a fantasy novel, there were so many themes that are relevant today like how power can corrupt, people who are different facing judgment and discrimination, how sometimes winning the fight for justice is more important than individual lives.This book made me laugh out loud several times and made me shed a few tears. I look forward to reading more by Nikki Turner.”

“A gem for literary kids,” says Karen Jeynes is the head writer for Both Worlds Productions, overseeing ZANews: Puppet Nation(winner of 22 SAFTAs, two WGSA awards for Best TV Comedy, and two time International Emmy Nominee for Best TV Comedy). She was the President of the International Centre for Women Playwrights for 6 years. “The Vulture King is a book which feels both classic and fresh. It's a story with timeless storylines and themes - magic, brave rescues, epic quests - but one that young readers will doubtless find gripping and engaging as it also handles themes of abandonment, loneliness, and rebellion. The language is beautiful."