Peter and the Sword of Mercy
Encyclopedia
Peter and the Sword of Mercy is a children's novel that was published by Hyperion Books, a subsidiary of Disney, in 2009. Written by Dave Barry
and Ridley Pearson
, the book is an unauthorized prequel
to the original Peter Pan, or the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up by J. M. Barrie
, and tells the story of an orphan named Peter
. It was illustrated by artist Greg Call
. It is a sequel
to Barry and Pearson's three earlier "Starcatchers" books, best-sellers released in 2004-2007, and said at the time to be a trilogy. This book was released on October 13, 2009. The next book, called The Bridge to Neverland
, was published in 2011.
. Molly Aster, now Molly Darling, is married to George and a mother of three: Wendy, John, and Michael. Her mother Louise has been deceased for a while and her father Leonard is ill. One evening, she is visited by one of the original Lost Boys: James, who now works for Scotland Yard
. He informs Molly about his suspicions with Baron von Schatten, an advisor to Prince Albert Edward. James thinks von Schatten is being controlled by Lord Ombra, but Molly brushes it off as foolishness, saying that Ombra was destroyed at Rundoon. Along with this, the Starcatchers have been few since the incident.
Meanwhile, on Mollusk Island, four men known as McPherson, O'Neal, Kelly and DeWulf wash up on shore in a boat. They claim to have been lost at sea for a few weeks, but Chief Fighting Prawn becomes suspicious when he says that they look like they were out at sea for a few days. He and Peter keep a close eye on the four men, especially O'Neal.
Back in London, Molly decides to talk with James, only to be told by his employer, Blake, that he is on vacation. Puzzled, Molly returns home and is almost grabbed by a bobby on the Underground. George is not too pleased when she tells him her story. He fears that he could lose his job due to a minor incident like this. Molly decides to talk to Wendy about the Starcatchers, knowing that her daughter is the only one who could understand. So, after Molly tells her daughter that she is actually in the Starcatchers, Molly sets off to her father's house, hoping to find some answers. But she, too, mysteriously disappears.
Meanwhile, a hideous man-like monster named The Skeleton, one of the "Others" that can cause pain with but a mere touch, looks for the missing tip of the sword Curtana- a.k.a. the Sword of Mercy. He finds it in a church window, disguised as a bishop's miter.
To keep his children safe, George sends them to stay in Cambridgeshire
with Neville Plonk-Fenster, an inventor and their uncle. At Uncle Neville's place, Wendy is able to get an ornithopter, one of her uncle's inventions and uses it to find Peter. Before this, she visits her grandfather, Leonard Aster, who gives her a locket of starstuff and tells her to seek out Peter. Before he loses consciousness, he tells her to "confess". Wendy is confused, though, as she has no clue as to what he meant.
In Molly's prison, she notices that men pass her prison every day. She believes they have been digging because of the dirtiness.
Wendy finally finds Peter on Mollusk Island with the help of some porpoises.
Dave Barry
David "Dave" Barry is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American author and columnist, who wrote a nationally syndicated humor column for The Miami Herald from 1983 to 2005. He has also written numerous books of humor and parody, as well as comedic novels.-Biography:Barry was born in Armonk, New York,...
and Ridley Pearson
Ridley Pearson
Ridley Pearson, born on March 13, 1953 in Glen Cove, New York, is an American writer. Pearson has historically written suspense and thriller novels for an adult audience, but has also begun branching out by writing adventure books for children....
, the book is an unauthorized prequel
Prequel
A prequel is a work that supplements a previously completed one, and has an earlier time setting.The widely recognized term was a 20th-century neologism, and a portmanteau from pre- and sequel...
to the original Peter Pan, or the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up by J. M. Barrie
J. M. Barrie
Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet, OM was a Scottish author and dramatist, best remembered today as the creator of Peter Pan. The child of a family of small-town weavers, he was educated in Scotland. He moved to London, where he developed a career as a novelist and playwright...
, and tells the story of an orphan named Peter
Peter Pan
Peter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie . A mischievous boy who can fly and magically refuses to grow up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang the Lost Boys, interacting with...
. It was illustrated by artist Greg Call
Greg Call
Greg Call is an artist who illustrated the Peter and the Starcatchers series.April 2003, Simon Pulse published a new edition of the 3-volume "Harper Hall of Pern" with new cover art by Greg Call....
. It is a sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
to Barry and Pearson's three earlier "Starcatchers" books, best-sellers released in 2004-2007, and said at the time to be a trilogy. This book was released on October 13, 2009. The next book, called The Bridge to Neverland
The Bridge to Neverland
The Bridge to Neverland is a book by Ridley Pearson and Dave Barry. It follows Aidan and Sarah Cooper, the main characters in the story. It all starts when the two find an old document in a secret compartment in their father's desk. Strangely enough, the document seems familiar to Sarah. After much...
, was published in 2011.
Plot summary
The story is set in 1901, 23 years after the events of Peter and the Secret of RundoonPeter and the Secret of Rundoon
Peter and the Secret of Rundoon is a children's novel that was published by Hyperion Books, a subsidiary of Disney, in 2007. Written by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, the book is an unauthorized prequel to the original Peter Pan, or the Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up by J. M. Barrie, and tells the story...
. Molly Aster, now Molly Darling, is married to George and a mother of three: Wendy, John, and Michael. Her mother Louise has been deceased for a while and her father Leonard is ill. One evening, she is visited by one of the original Lost Boys: James, who now works for Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard
Scotland Yard is a metonym for the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service of London, UK. It derives from the location of the original Metropolitan Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Place, which had a rear entrance on a street called Great Scotland Yard. The Scotland Yard entrance became...
. He informs Molly about his suspicions with Baron von Schatten, an advisor to Prince Albert Edward. James thinks von Schatten is being controlled by Lord Ombra, but Molly brushes it off as foolishness, saying that Ombra was destroyed at Rundoon. Along with this, the Starcatchers have been few since the incident.
Meanwhile, on Mollusk Island, four men known as McPherson, O'Neal, Kelly and DeWulf wash up on shore in a boat. They claim to have been lost at sea for a few weeks, but Chief Fighting Prawn becomes suspicious when he says that they look like they were out at sea for a few days. He and Peter keep a close eye on the four men, especially O'Neal.
Back in London, Molly decides to talk with James, only to be told by his employer, Blake, that he is on vacation. Puzzled, Molly returns home and is almost grabbed by a bobby on the Underground. George is not too pleased when she tells him her story. He fears that he could lose his job due to a minor incident like this. Molly decides to talk to Wendy about the Starcatchers, knowing that her daughter is the only one who could understand. So, after Molly tells her daughter that she is actually in the Starcatchers, Molly sets off to her father's house, hoping to find some answers. But she, too, mysteriously disappears.
Meanwhile, a hideous man-like monster named The Skeleton, one of the "Others" that can cause pain with but a mere touch, looks for the missing tip of the sword Curtana- a.k.a. the Sword of Mercy. He finds it in a church window, disguised as a bishop's miter.
To keep his children safe, George sends them to stay in Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
with Neville Plonk-Fenster, an inventor and their uncle. At Uncle Neville's place, Wendy is able to get an ornithopter, one of her uncle's inventions and uses it to find Peter. Before this, she visits her grandfather, Leonard Aster, who gives her a locket of starstuff and tells her to seek out Peter. Before he loses consciousness, he tells her to "confess". Wendy is confused, though, as she has no clue as to what he meant.
In Molly's prison, she notices that men pass her prison every day. She believes they have been digging because of the dirtiness.
Wendy finally finds Peter on Mollusk Island with the help of some porpoises.