Magician

When we founded the Kathleen Fidler Award in Scotland, the first recipient was Allan Baillie whose career I've watched since with a proprietorial interest. Born in Scotland, Baillie moved to his adoptive country, Australia, when he was seven and is now established as one of their leading writers with a string of awards to his credit. He moves through various genres with ease - picture book, adventure, fantasy - Magician being one of his most complex themes. Set in a bleak Australia of the future, it's a chilling story of deceit, superstition and fear as the inhabitants of Howling Gap wait for the Golden People to return and help destroy the Darkness which creeps ever nearer to their precarious world. From his Tower, Maldaur rules with fear but his authority and beliefs are challenged when Kim meets a strange alien who teaches him to question and fight. A brilliantly inventive story for older readers.