Cambridge is a character in new fantasy novel
Written by NEWS REPORTER
A gripping new fantasy novel set in the historic city of Cambridge has been released.Sentinel is the first instalment in a trilogy, written by debut author Joshua Winning and allegedly marks a first for Cambridge.
The 29-year-old writer, who was born in the city, said: “It’s always surprised me that nobody has set a fantasy series in Cambridge before, as it’s the perfect setting for fantasy. There’s this incredible sense of time and history – you really believe that anything could happen.”
In Sentinel, the city is beset by uncommon levels of tragedy, including a train crash, a brutal attack on an innocent man, and a break-in at the Fitzwilliam Museum, which leads to another man’s death. Meanwhile, beneath the city, in a dank subterranean tomb, a red-haired woman conspires with an ancient deity.
As the city is gripped in an unseasonably icy spell, 71-year-old Sam Wilkins and 15-year-old Nicholas Hallow embark on a treacherous journey. But who or what are the mysterious Sentinels?
Joshua added: “Authors often talk about settings in their books being just another character, and that’s definitely true of Sentinel. Cambridge is essential to Sentinel. It’s a city that has moods – it broods in the rain and beams in the sunshine – and it reflects the moods of the characters.”
