{"title":"Robert Dinsdale","description":"\u003cp\u003eRobert Dinsdale crafts gripping tales that explore the boundaries of science fiction and fantasy, blending intense action with richly imagined worlds. Readers can expect narratives that challenge perceptions of humanity, often delving into themes of transformation and survival.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWith a bold approach to speculative storytelling, Dinsdale's work, including \u003cem\u003eOnce a Monster\u003c\/em\u003e, invites readers to question the nature of identity and the consequences of extraordinary change in thrilling, thought-provoking settings.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"once-a-monster-by-robert-dinsdale-9781529097399","title":"Once a Monster","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eRobert Dinsdale\u003c\/em\u003e mixes history and mythology with great panache... Richly textured and with an appropriately labyrinthine plot... Book of the Month - \u003cem\u003eThe Sunday Times\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSome villains are meant to be heroes...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLondon, 1861: Ten-year-old Nell belongs to a crew of mudlarks who work a stretch of the Thames along the Ratcliffe Highway. An orphan since her mother died, leaving Nell with only broken dreams and a pair of satin slippers, she spends her days searching for treasure in the mud in order to appease her master, Benjamin Murdstone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBut one day, Nell discovers a strange body on the shore. Nearly seven feet tall, the creature has matted hair covering his legs, and on his head is the suggestion of horns. Nell's fellow mudlarks urge her to steal what she can, but as she ventures closer, the figure draws breath - and Nell is forced to make a decision that will change her life for ever...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the critically acclaimed author of \u003cem\u003eThe Toymakers\u003c\/em\u003e comes an imaginative retelling of the legend of the Minotaur, perfect for lovers of historical fiction with a mythical twist such as \u003cem\u003eStone Blind\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eCirce\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePraise for \u003cem\u003eOnce a Monster\u003c\/em\u003e:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'A wonderful magic trick of a story, full of very human monsters and monstrous humans. Dinsdale is a beautiful, evocative storyteller' - Stuart Turton, bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eThe Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'Imaginative mash-up of the mythical with Victorian gothic' - \u003cem\u003eThe Times\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'Historical writing at its finest' - Essie Fox, bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eThe Fascination\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Macmillan Publishers New Zealand Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48243451134188,"sku":"9781529097399","price":27.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781529097399-once-a-monster-1.jpg?v=1787985463"},{"product_id":"once-a-monster-by-robert-dinsdale-9781529097382","title":"Once a Monster","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAll we're waiting for, you and I, is for something nobody's seen before to wash up on these beaches. Something so special and unique that its power cannot be denied. And there is every hope it will happen today. Perhaps it's out there, even now, begging for its chance to upend our world . . .\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLondon, 1861: Ten-year-old Nell belongs to a crew of mudlarks who work a stretch of the Thames along the Ratcliffe Highway. An orphan since her mother died four years past, leaving Nell with only broken dreams and a pair of satin slippers in her possession, she spends her days dredging up coals, copper and pieces of iron spilled by the river barges ― searching for treasure in the mud in order to appease her master, Benjamin Murdstone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBut one day, Nell discovers a body on the shore. It's not the first corpse she's encountered, but by far the strangest. Nearly seven feet tall, the creature has matted hair covering his legs, and on his head are the suggestion of horns. Nell's fellow mudlarks urge her to steal his boots and rifle his pockets, but as she ventures closer the figure draws breath and Nell is forced to make a decision which will change her life forever . . .\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Macmillan Publishers New Zealand Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48243452477676,"sku":"9781529097382","price":39.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781529097382-once-a-monster-1.jpg?v=1787985475"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/collections\/robert-dinsdale.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}