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Having lost his father at an early age and wanting to support his family, Anthony joined the Royal Air Force in his teens, where he soon discovered a talent for computers. After the RAF, he worked for IBM as an engineer on very big computer systems, both in the US and UK, and was then head-hunted by Memorex as a trouble shooter, travelling extensively in the US and Europe.
Then, everything changed! Feeling restless and unchallenged, he left the real world and security to open a crystal shop in an ancient Tudor house - the 'House that Moved' - in Exeter, Devon. More shops followed, and during this time he became a self-taught silversmith, with his own unique maker's mark at the London Assay Office.
In his spare time he hunted for crystals and minerals, explored old mines, cut and polished agates and geodes, panned for gold, gained his pilot's license and played his melodeon in folk bands! More details can be found on his website.
Combining his highly descriptive and humorous writing style with an in-depth knowledge of crystals and minerals to produce his first children's trilogy, “Star Sapphire and the Land of Gems”, Anthony is now working on a sequel. His adventure stories are spellbinding and fun to read, but also educational. They enthral children and adults alike.
Anthony is married to Suzanne, and together they live happily in the far South West of England, near the sea, where they spend their days writing and exploring.
Reviewed by Carla Trueheart for Readers' Favorite
What an adorable book! The Ride of Doom: Star Sapphire and the Land of Gems by author Anthony Pardoe is a children’s book with a fun protagonist, a cute talking pebble, and an action-packed tale from start to finish. Ten-year-old Star does not quite get along with her mother, and her father has gone missing. The story begins when Star meets Jasper, a talking pebble who becomes her best friend. Star sets out to find Pebble when he gets lost, and finds herself in a world filled with different talking gemstones. These gems have personalities of their own, some of them nice, some of them not-so-nice. Star becomes trapped in an old mine, and the adventure picks up from there with crystal lights, gleeful polished stones, and a train ride that does not end well for Star and Jasper!
There were many enjoyable moments in this book. Star is a character most children will be able to identify with and like, as she is a bit feisty when need be but has a tender heart as well. Jasper the pebble steals the show with his cute teeth and his bravery, and the connection between Star and Jasper is endearing. Author Anthony Pardoe has a brilliant imagination, and I truly did love the scenes with the crystal lights lighting up the tunnel and the funny polished gems tumbling over and over! The evil gems were done well, and I could see each of these characters clearly, sparks and all. The gems and characters all had different, distinct voices and personalities, making The Ride of Doom: Star Sapphire and the Land of Gems a five-star book. I recommend it to grade school aged children who have an interest in gems and rocks, enjoy adventure books, or like reading about unique characters in imaginative places.
