Ancient magic and all-new heroes in a battle between the living and the dead!

When evil spirits overrun her island home, Evie is saved only by the powerful gemstone her parents entrusted to her. Her best friend Arthur is not so lucky - caught in the magical crossfire, he finds himself turned into a cat.

On a mission to return him to his body and defeat the ghouls, Evie and Arthur team up with Cai, a trainee shaman, who helps them discover the truth. The terrifying Blackheart Man is plotting to steal the four magical gemstones and use them to destroy the barrier between the worlds of the living and the dead.

With Evie's magic, Cai's bravery and Arthur's talent for thievery, can our heroes stop the Blackheart Man before it's too late?

An epic story of chaos, myth, and adventure for fans of Percy Jackson.

´Children's fiction at its finest. Thorpe is a talent to watch!´ - Lizzie Huxley-Jones on Ashley's debut THE BOY TO BEAT THE GODS

©2025 Ashley Thorpe (P)2025 Saga Egmont
Cover artwork reproduced by permission of Usborne Publishing Limited
Cover illustration by Gashwayne Hudson © Usborne Publishing, 2025


´I enjoyed it immensely. It's a deep dive into Jamaican folklore, belief systems and vivid storytelling.´ - Alex Wheatle, author of Crongton Knights



Ashley Thorpe, a British author and Storymix editor, turns diverse childhood dreams into epic tales. His debut novel, ´The Boy to Beat the Gods´, is shortlisted for the 2025 Branford Boase Award and the 2025 Jhalak Children's & YA Prize.

Ancient magic and all-new heroes in a battle between the living and the dead!

When evil spirits overrun her island home, Evie is saved only by the powerful gemstone her parents entrusted to her. Her best friend Arthur is not so lucky - caught in the magical crossfire, he finds himself turned into a cat.

On a mission to return him to his body and defeat the ghouls, Evie and Arthur team up with Cai, a trainee shaman, who helps them discover the truth. The terrifying Blackheart Man is plotting to steal the four magical gemstones and use them to destroy the barrier between the worlds of the living and the dead.

With Evie's magic, Cai's bravery and Arthur's talent for thievery, can our heroes stop the Blackheart Man before it's too late?

An epic story of chaos, myth, and adventure for fans of Percy Jackson.

´Children's fiction at its finest. Thorpe is a talent to watch!´ - Lizzie Huxley-Jones on Ashley's debut THE BOY TO BEAT THE GODS

©2025 Ashley Thorpe (P)2025 Saga Egmont
Cover artwork reproduced by permission of Usborne Publishing Limited
Cover illustration by Gashwayne Hudson © Usborne Publishing, 2025


´I enjoyed it immensely. It's a deep dive into Jamaican folklore, belief systems and vivid storytelling.´ - Alex Wheatle, author of Crongton Knights



Ashley Thorpe, a British author and Storymix editor, turns diverse childhood dreams into epic tales. His debut novel, ´The Boy to Beat the Gods´, is shortlisted for the 2025 Branford Boase Award and the 2025 Jhalak Children's & YA Prize.

Ancient magic and all-new heroes in a battle between the living and the dead!

When evil spirits overrun her island home, Evie is saved only by the powerful gemstone her parents entrusted to her. Her best friend Arthur is not so lucky - caught in the magical crossfire, he finds himself turned into a cat.

On a mission to return him to his body and defeat the ghouls, Evie and Arthur team up with Cai, a trainee shaman, who helps them discover the truth. The terrifying Blackheart Man is plotting to steal the four magical gemstones and use them to destroy the barrier between the worlds of the living and the dead.

With Evie's magic, Cai's bravery and Arthur's talent for thievery, can our heroes stop the Blackheart Man before it's too late?

An epic story of chaos, myth, and adventure for fans of Percy Jackson.

´Children's fiction at its finest. Thorpe is a talent to watch!´ - Lizzie Huxley-Jones on Ashley's debut THE BOY TO BEAT THE GODS

©2025 Ashley Thorpe (P)2025 Saga Egmont
Cover artwork reproduced by permission of Usborne Publishing Limited
Cover illustration by Gashwayne Hudson © Usborne Publishing, 2025


´I enjoyed it immensely. It's a deep dive into Jamaican folklore, belief systems and vivid storytelling.´ - Alex Wheatle, author of Crongton Knights



Ashley Thorpe, a British author and Storymix editor, turns diverse childhood dreams into epic tales. His debut novel, ´The Boy to Beat the Gods´, is shortlisted for the 2025 Branford Boase Award and the 2025 Jhalak Children's & YA Prize.