The Various

by 3 books in this series
#1 - The Various
#1 - The Various
A gritty and captivating story of courage and strength against terrible odds, this is the story of Midge, abandoned with her eccentric uncle during the holidays, and her adventures with the Various, a band of earthily realistic fairies. The existence of the Various, who are strange, wild and sometimes even deadly, has been kept secret since the beginning of time, but when their world begins to clash with that of human beings, their livelihood is threatened with extinction. This is a wonderfully imaginative story of love and loyalty, and is the first in a powerful trilogy.
#2 - Celandine
#2 - Celandine
Set seventy years before The Various, the second book in the trilogy follows the adventures of young Celandine at the onset of the First World War. Having run away from her detested boarding school, Celandine is too afraid to go home in case she is sent back. As she seeks shelter in the Wild Wood near her home, little does she think she will encounter in a world where loyalty and independence is fiercely guarded, and where danger lurks in the most unlikely places. Celandine's troubled character finds both refuge and purpose among the secret tribes of little people that she alone believes in. These novels are full of mystery, beauty and adventure; this second novel is both page-turning and life-affirming. This is a truly remarkable trilogy.
#3 - Winter Wood
#3 - Winter Wood
In this astonishing final part of Steve Augarde's captivating trilogy, past and present are connected and the interwoven threads lead to an astonishing series of revelations.

Midge's discovery of the hidden tribes is like a dream to her now, their existence all but forgotten - but then a voice calls out to her in the winter darkness. The Various have returned, and their desperation has made them all the more dangerous. They must travel to Elysse or perish. The only way that Midge can help the little people is by tracing the whereabouts of her great-great-aunt Celandine. But Celandine must be long dead, surely?

A story of danger and magic, friendships and betrayals, this is fantasy writing at its very best.

Sign up to the Penguin Newsletter

For the latest books, recommendations, author interviews and more