Mark Stubbs' Fantasy: Beyond the Mountain

 

Fantasy books have always been popular with readers around the world. They provide escape routes to parallel worlds in our imagination that are more exciting and happening than our everyday routines.

These fantasy books would never be successful without the mythical creatures that make the stories enjoyable. From dragons and witches to trolls and gnomes, every creature displays unique qualities that make its characters stand out. Some animals have 'standard' limitations like vampires cannot come out in the sun, and writers worldwide seem to respect those standards and include them in their stories. However, some writers go against the flow and introduce new and sometimes contrasting personalities of these creatures. Both kinds of writers create a world where people can relate to the feelings of the animals because they know a bit about them and enjoy the element of surprise when the character exhibits a trait not seen before.

Mark Stubbs is a rising talent in the league of fantasy story writers. His novel ‘Beyond The Mountain' is a children's story about dwarfs, dragons, and trolls. But that is just the beginning; the plot takes the reader beyond the mountain and beyond all limits of imagination into a world where the characters are new but share the eternal message of friendship and courage.

Mark Stubbs targets children of 7+ ages to read his story because he believes that their imagination is the strongest and they will learn about the most important lessons of life if they are presented in the frame of a world that they would love to imagine and create in their mind.

Beyond The Mountain is about Himple’s adventures, who is a dwarf. He studies at the dwarf academy, where he performs really well in some subjects but poorly in others, such as axe fighting and Mountain Knowledge: Axe Work. His father tells him that his axe master, Master Grimtrunk, used to be his friend, but he didn’t value him, and they fell out, so now, out of jealousy, he is being mean with Himple. When they all learn that Grimtrunk’s daughter, Flora, has been lost through a gateway, the dwarf headmaster forms a team to rescue Flora. The group comprises Master Grimtrunk (Flora’s father), Podwick, Himple, and Barnaby.

    With a hint of criticism on the global education system today, Mark Stubbs has related how Himple surprises everyone with his knowledge about mountains and trolls even though he did not do well in some subjects in school and was discounted by many. Himple is also confronted with the dilemma of helping Master Grimtrunk because of his behaviour. Mark has intelligently used the internal conflict of Himple to show children readers how one can grow beyond differences and help others in need with utmost sincerity.

As Himple saves the team members' lives many times on the mountains, the group affinity begins to set in. They move on to complete their mission, but their path is not one without resistance. They hear about the chupacabra – a terrifying creature – but it does not scare them enough to stop or reconsider their quest. 

A story only gets more interesting when the characters face new challenges. When Himple and company search for home, one of their friends, Pod, is captured by the trolls. Action pursues in the land of the trolls as Himple makes a bold sacrifice to free Pod and help the others escape but gets caught by the trolls in the act. Sequences like this form the heart of a story that children remember all their lives. It shows them that their favourite character did not think twice about helping his friends and sacrificed his freedom for them. The question arises in the young mind if Himple will be saved and if such courage will be rewarded in real life. The readers must hold their breath till the climax to find out. But surely, children who read the book will understand that people who show courage in the darkest of times are the ones who deserve to shine and rise high.

While rescuing Flora and running from the trolls, the group separates, and Himple stumbles upon Moira, a dragon who has been chained by the trolls brutally. Here, the children will find another internal conflict to resolve. Should humans fear dragons, fight them or befriend them?

 

Himple chooses the third option and frees Moira. They seem to have developed a connection with each other and started to communicate through telepathy. Here is another important lesson for leaders. Himple is confronted with the difficult choice to risk freeing a possible enemy, a creature that can take his life and might be motivated. He does not succumb to this fear and shows another form of courage – the bigger one that fights the fears within.

To make things interesting for the readers, Mark introduces a new character Mabel in the later stages of the story. Mabel, a big animal like a beast, is Himple’s pet, and the trolls are afraid of her. Mabel's entry in the story depicts how the dwarfs are on good terms with other creatures and might be able to build better relations with dragons. It also reminds the children that when they take care of their pets like dogs, cats, or any other animal at home, they spread the kindness that the pets always remember. What would you say to your pet if you could talk to them? When the time comes, they will show that they care about you more than you know.

One of the best things about the novel are the colour illustrations, and as an Author and Illustrator we get the chance to glimpse into Mark Stubbs’s mind and see the characters as he sees them. The illustrations are placed in the book where the characters in the story are introduced. It helps the children imagine the details of the personalities of the characters. They can see them talking and moving in the pages of the book. The characters of Himple, Barnaby, Moira, and Mabel continue throughout the book while each other character including the Chupacabra has at least one illustration. These pictures are going to help children readers live among the characters as if they have known them for years.  A Special mention is needed for Pod, the Academy Groundsman, and very accident-prone ex-soldier who joins Himple’s team, the author wanted an older character to emphasis that the older generation hold a knowledge and experience that if youngsters are polite and patient they can tap into and even enjoy.  

There are other strong characters like Himple’s father and mother and somewhat annoying but funny characters like General Groanbottom. Mark wants children to understand that it takes courage to stand up and save the people you dislike or are afraid off, not just your friends and family. That makes a true hero. The character of Himple does exactly that and is celebrated for his dedication, friendship, and courage by everyone in the academy and the dwarf community.

Beyond The Mountain is a valuable addition to children's literature because most fantasy novels are targeted toward young adults or adults and often mix fantasy with romance or horror. Children around the age of 7 are not yet ready for either and need a novel that ignites their spirits and fuels their imagination. They cannot go deep into the science behind dragons spitting fire or why some people are dwarfs in real life too, but they can certainly enjoy a story that tells that there is more to life and reality than what we see in front of us.

Kids these days have a shorter attention span. They are used to watching short clips on cell phones or social media that last for minutes or seconds. The challenge for today's authors is to keep them hooked in a book's story so much that they keep turning the pages and do not get distracted by other things. This challenged was met brilliantly by Mark Stubbs. He designed the plot with multiple twists and frights to give the reader regular adrenaline rushes until the end of the last page. With characters introduced gradually as the tension rises and Himple’s problems seem to take new turns, the reader hangs by a thread waiting for the eventual result to come out in his favour. Even though the reader is sure in his heart that a happy ending is guaranteed in a children’s story, the question of how it will unfold keeps the reader thinking about possible ways to save Himple and his friends.

Lastly, the book reminds the children that their parents always think best for their children and are always there to protect them no matter how dangerous the situation is. That is probably a big plus for the parents who would like to convey this message to their children by gifting them this book.

The book is a beautiful gift for children of ages seven and over, and you can even ask them to read the book and add new characters of their own in the story. They can share how new creatures could change the storyline and make things more interesting. It will give them a chance to contribute to the story, and that motivates children the most.

Make sure you grab your copy of this fantasy novel and introduce a youngster in your life to a new fantastic world and the mystical creatures that live there.