Description
The iconic British Hedgehog gets a technological upgrade in this exciting children's novel about an unlikely bunch of animal cyborgs. Spikez and his team are sent on their most dangerous mission yet - to protect their home from total destruction after Magatron, a weaponised magpie, malfunctions. Professor Windar's amazing team of hybrid-drones are unveiled in front of a military audience. Their purpose: to support the UK's fight against global terrorism. But when his deadliest prototype malfunctions, the local inhabitants of Greenacres find themselves entangled in a fight for survival like no other. Claws clasp, feathers fry, and microchips meddle as a new breed of hero is born. Can the future of humanity and animalkind be saved by Spikez? The book is supported with bonus content which can be accessed free online.
About the Author
Richard is a secondary school teacher, children's author, and nature lover with a fondness for hedgehogs. He is currently writing and promoting the Spikez series of novels, where roadkill and robotics become one. Spikez is the first in a series of three books about an unlikely group of animal cyborgs, who have all been constructed by the UK military. The story was road-tested by students from primary and secondary schools, and also given a nod by university academics in the field of artificial intelligence from across the country. The alpha version was printed in October 2012 and a revised version was formatted for Kindle in January 2013. Look out for upcoming novels Making Trakz and Spikez: Red Dragon in paperback and on kindle by the end of the year. Richard currently works as a Media teacher in London and lives with his wife and three children (plus two orphaned hedgehogs) in Welwyn, Hertfordshire.
Reviews
"A new hero in hedgehog form - more fun than Sonic!" Hugh Warwick, Ecologist, Writer (A Prickly Affair, Hedgehog, Linescapes, The Beauty in the Beast) and passionate fan of the hedgehog; "Spikez is an accessible, stimulating read that introduces children with new concepts in technology and encourages them to develop an interest in the surrounding nature. I wish it had also been around when I was younger!" Dr. Mohammad Majid al-Rifaie; Senior Lecturer in Artificial Intelligence, Researcher at Goldsmiths, University of London and Committee Member in the Society for the Study of Artificial Intelligence and the Simulation of Behaviour (SSAISB); "It's a wonderfully original concept ... It reminded me very much of Animal Farm at the very beginning and I certainly see the parallels with The Animals of Farthing Wood (another childhood favourite of mine)."Amy Lewis, British Wildlife Trusts; "I really enjoyed the plot, the action sequences, the technical details, the web referrals and the emerging philosophical issues, and I pretty much empathised with Spikez/Prickles although I am not an adolescent hedgehog." Dr David Dewhurst, Secretary of the Cybernetics Society; "Not only a great read but helps to encourage children to think about wildlife on a larger scale. Fantastic!" Amazon Review; "Relevant and topical, whilst also entertaining and well written. Would thoroughly recommend it for those looking for books to encourage their children to read." Amazon Review
Book Information
ISBN 9780957338708
Author Richard Mayers
Format Paperback
Page Count 390
Imprint Burton Mayers Books
Publisher Burton Mayers Books
Weight(grams) 438g
Dimensions(mm) 203mm * 127mm * 22mm
About the Author
Richard is a secondary school teacher, children's author, and nature lover with a fondness for hedgehogs. He is currently writing and promoting the Spikez series of novels, where roadkill and robotics become one. Spikez is the first in a series of three books about an unlikely group of animal cyborgs, who have all been constructed by the UK military. The story was road-tested by students from primary and secondary schools, and also given a nod by university academics in the field of artificial intelligence from across the country. The alpha version was printed in October 2012 and a revised version was formatted for Kindle in January 2013. Look out for upcoming novels Making Trakz and Spikez: Red Dragon in paperback and on kindle by the end of the year. Richard currently works as a Media teacher in London and lives with his wife and three children (plus two orphaned hedgehogs) in Welwyn, Hertfordshire.
Reviews
"A new hero in hedgehog form - more fun than Sonic!" Hugh Warwick, Ecologist, Writer (A Prickly Affair, Hedgehog, Linescapes, The Beauty in the Beast) and passionate fan of the hedgehog; "Spikez is an accessible, stimulating read that introduces children with new concepts in technology and encourages them to develop an interest in the surrounding nature. I wish it had also been around when I was younger!" Dr. Mohammad Majid al-Rifaie; Senior Lecturer in Artificial Intelligence, Researcher at Goldsmiths, University of London and Committee Member in the Society for the Study of Artificial Intelligence and the Simulation of Behaviour (SSAISB); "It's a wonderfully original concept ... It reminded me very much of Animal Farm at the very beginning and I certainly see the parallels with The Animals of Farthing Wood (another childhood favourite of mine)."Amy Lewis, British Wildlife Trusts; "I really enjoyed the plot, the action sequences, the technical details, the web referrals and the emerging philosophical issues, and I pretty much empathised with Spikez/Prickles although I am not an adolescent hedgehog." Dr David Dewhurst, Secretary of the Cybernetics Society; "Not only a great read but helps to encourage children to think about wildlife on a larger scale. Fantastic!" Amazon Review; "Relevant and topical, whilst also entertaining and well written. Would thoroughly recommend it for those looking for books to encourage their children to read." Amazon Review
Book Information
ISBN 9780957338708
Author Richard Mayers
Format Paperback
Page Count 390
Imprint Burton Mayers Books
Publisher Burton Mayers Books
Weight(grams) 438g
Dimensions(mm) 203mm * 127mm * 22mm
