For the first time, the Wilbur and Niso Smith Foundation invited six reading groups to shadow the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize shortlist. Read on to find out what they thought of their allocated title!
The shortlist
- Light Over Liskeard by Louis de Bernières
- Blessings by Chukwuebuka Ibeh
- Our Hideous Progeny by C. E. McGill
- The Curse of Pietro Houdini by Derek B. Miller
- Saltblood by Francesca de Tores
- Hard by a Great Forest by Leo Vardiashvili
The winner of the £10,000 Best Published Novel award will be revealed on Thursday 19th September at a private ceremony in London, UK. Also being celebrated will be the New Voices award for aspiring writers and the Author of Tomorrow award for writers aged 21 years and under who have completed a short piece of adventure writing.
Clay Cross Book Club
Clay Cross Book Club is a vibrant community club nestled in the heart of the historic ex-mining town of Clay Cross. They have been reading Light Over Liskeard by Louis de Bernières.
The majority of the group enjoyed reading the book and noted that it certainly stirred up a great discussion in their meeting. They felt that it gave them a new perspective on the world we live in and really made them think deeply about how their lives fitted into the narrative of the book.
The group also noted that whilst it wouldn’t have fitted into their normal choices, they really enjoyed reading out of their comfort zones and exploring the adventure genre!
Gloucester Book Club
Gloucester Book Club dives into each book with enthusiasm and curiosity. Members’ insightful comments during book club meetings often spark lively debates and new ways of thinking about the stories they’ve read. They have been reading Hard by a Great Forest by Leo Vardiashvili
This group loved the novel with one member calling it “a spellbinding achievement that resonates long after the final page.” They felt that it gave them a new perspective on the Georgian civil war, and on civil war itself, and the devastating, lasting effects it has on communities and families. They applauded the accomplished nature of the book as a debut novel and would almost unanimously recommend this title.
They have recorded their thoughts in their latest podcast under the name Books & Chat
Boozy & Bookish
Boozy & Bookish are a lively book club that meets once a month in a tiny function room above a pub in central Brighton. They read Saltblood by Francesca de Tores
The group said the book was universally enjoyed by the members with one member describing it as “much more than simply a retelling of a pirate story”. The group felt it changed their perception of pirates and women’s place and existence in that part of history.
It was a step out of their usual choice but that sparked some really interesting discussion in their meeting, and they loved that it was based on a real person. As one of the members said, “my goodness, this gal lived a life!”.
Hackney Book Club
Hackney Book Club was founded in 2008, and since then they’ve read more than 190 books. They have been reading Blessings by Chukwuebuka Ibeh
Overall, they scored the book consistently high across the group. They loved Chukwuebuka’s writing and felt it was “incredibly mature for someone so young and only publishing his first novel”.
The discussion around the politics of anti-homosexuality laws in Nigeria and the violence people experienced when they were introduced led the group to think about adventure differently, they decided that here it meant “having courage and being brave” and redefined their view of the book.
Farnham Young Adult Book Club
Farnham Young Adult Book Club was created for members aged between 18 and 30 and hail from all walks of life. They have been reading The Curse of Pietro Houdini by Derek B. Miller
The vast majority of the group loved the book and it sparked intense and lengthy discussion. It opened a window into Italy’s historical situation during World War II, something that the group weren’t aware of before.
They felt that the lead character “is in many ways like Sherlock Holmes: his motivations are elusive, and his plans intricate.” This made him unpredictable and a compelling protagonist to follow. Like any trip to Italy they also noted that their favourite moments fell around food and found “lots of humour in unexpected places”.
The Art Room Book Club
The Art Room Book Club meets at The Art Room studio which is owned by Kerry, the founder, and open to all! They read Our Hideous Progeny by C. E. McGill
Overall, this group loved their title. They wouldn’t have normally chosen it, but are more than happy it was allocated to them in the end! It has made them completely re-think how they choose books for the future and opened their literary horizons.
One member said that they had tried to describe the plot as “feminist Frankenstein… but with dinosaurs…”. They also said that the author’s “nuanced handling of gender and class politics in Victorian society” made it so much more than that description and moved the reader so much that they also noted it was “the first book in a long time where I have been so enthralled by the characters that I have shouted at the in glee and excitement”.
Despite the Frankenstein connections, the groups noted that the text is “a stand-alone great read of its own”.
Get involved
Are you interested in reading any of the shortlisted titles? Find out more about the shortlist here.
If you work in a library or workplace and would like to promote the prize, you can download a free digital pack from our shop.
What do you think of the 2024 shortlisted titles? Which have you read and what will be added to your TBR pile? Add your comments below, or click any title above to leave a review.
Share your thoughts with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using #AdventureWritingPrize. Don’t forget to follow and tag The Wilbur & Niso Smith Foundation (@Wilbur_Niso_Fdn) and The Reading Agency (@readingagency)!
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