A young boy wakes up in a strange location remembering only his name, and with all evidence of the outside world seemingly erased. What has happened? And who are the strange monks looking after him? A chilling science fiction adventure from a master storyteller.
Category: Children's fiction
Download Chapter 1: The Stone Room
A boy wakes up in bed in a room built of stone. He knows his name is Stephen, but he can remember nothing else about himself. He discovers that he's in a remote monastery being looked after by a group of monks. Beyond the monastery walls, all traces of human life have simply disappeared. Villages deserted, doors left open, with taps left running, but no people. And with all means of communication down, he has no way of knowing if the rest of the world has disappeared too.
Then the visitors arrive, strange men with unnatural powers, and when he discovers who they really are it turns his whole world inside out and changes everything he ever believed.
Out of Nowhere was shortlisted for the Reading Association of Ireland Award 2001.
Gerard Whelan was born in Enniscorthy, County Wexford, and has lived and worked in several European countries. After some time living in Dublin, he has returned to live in his native Wexford. He is the author of many books for children and a multiple award-winner. His first novel, The Guns of Easter, won the Eilís Dillon Memorial Award for first-time writers. Dream Invader later won the Bisto Book of the Year Award. He has also been shortlisted for the Reading Association of Ireland awards. Gerard is also the author of A Winter of Spies and Out of Nowhere.
'enthralling thriller with a great twist at the end'
'An excellent book ... I found myself intrigued by and drawn into the fascinating world that Whelan weaves around his characters. The frenetic pace keeps us constantly turning the pages.'
'The sort of story to make your hair stand on end. It keeps its biggest surprise to the end --as all good thrillers do!'
'By page ten I was so absorbed. This is an absorbing action-adventure story, but it's also a study of what it is to be human and how difficult it is to disentangle oneself from violence. It's far more imaginative and better written than most and its essential seriousness is undercut with humour. A damned good read, no matter what age you are.'
'It makes the X-files look cosy.'
'In this taut thriller Whelan has created an imaginatively eerie new world.'
'Not for the faint hearted! This thriller, with its twists and turns is certainly one that kids will love to fear!'
'Prepare to accept the fact that the world as you know it no longer exists...'
'This is science fiction with a strong allegorical element to it. It is also fun.'
Download Teaching Guides: Teaching guide for Out of Nowhere from O'Brien Teaching Guides for Second Level Schools.
