Synopsis
On Huntsmen Hill, high above the Scottish town of Auchterbarn, lies a hidden secret, known only to a chosen few.
A select squad of ultra-hairy; highly trained; tartan-clad; Jockanese speaking; Haggi warriors with special powers and custom-made equipment, await the call to tackle injustice.
Duncan McPherson, a gifted but socially awkward pre-teen, lives in Auchterbarn with his mum and sister.
He’s having a tough time; neglected by his teacher; shunned by peers; and targeted by the school bullies, as well as trying to come to terms with his dad leaving home and the death of his grandfather, Hamish.
Unbeknown to Duncan his over-confident and rebellious,
older sister is attracting unwanted attention which will put her in significant danger.
Duncan sees no hope of things improving until a series of prompts are provided from a surprising source.
With the information that Duncan unravels, he devises a plan to make a Connection with the mysterious Haggi warriors and seek their help.
Can he reach the Haggi warriors and will they help him?
Review
What a day to be reviewing The Haggi Connection by Stephen Easingwood. Scottish book. Scottish setting. Scottish author. Scottish reviewer. Scotland opening the Euros.
This may be centred towards a younger audience but the sentiment is there for those wanting a light-hearted adventure and even those that want to learn Jockanese! You can also read this in a strong Scottish accent to make it that more relevant. Stephen does include a handy guide at the back of the book which you can use in everyday life! This was easily accessible and one that I could imagine everyone reading to children and enjoying it with them.
I was a massive fan of the setting. Scottish has such beautiful rolling hills and such expansive landscapes and Stephen writes these brilliantly. There were times where I felt a tad of nostalgia in reading these which is always a good sign. The characters themselves were fantastically written. Almost caricatures of people we’d grow up with and by the end of the book, they were ones that I didn’t want to leave.
The story itself is heartwarming but there were sometimes difficult topics that Stephen did well at handling within the book itself. There were times I could see this as an adult fantasy book and I’d be eager to see that. The humour itself was also well-placed and relevant, and at times – much like the Scottish people – really funny!
Overall, a wonderfully light story that appeals to all readers and one that I would be eager to see more of in the future. Stephen Easingwood has created something that you can pick up easily but it won’t leave you for a while.
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