Eighteen-year-old Ashley Anowiak is an eco-warrior who is prepared to go to any lengths to
bring to the world’s attention the plight of Planet Earth. She’s already burned down the office of
the local oil company. Now she’s ready to move out of her own Arctic community and into the
international spotlight.
Ashley’s part of a group called the Dream Drummers, who have been invited to perform at New
York’s Carnegie Hall. Here the adventure only begins, as she and her group of friends are pirated
off to Australia by an embittered former environmentalist bent on executing a mysterious cataclysmic
gesture which will endanger everyone.
It’s at this moment that Ashley and the Dream Drummers are called to perform on the massive
Scorched Earth Stage, in front of an audience of half a million, and a television audience of half
the world’s population.
Jamie Bastedo’s story takes place against a big canvas—moving swiftly from Arctic Canada to
urban New York to the Australian desert, with astute observations and insights into each environment.
His protagonist is a spunky teenager, his villain a classic dark force—and his story a cautionary
tale for the 21st century that is bound to inspire young readers into learning more about the biggest
crisis to face the world in its history.
Reviews:
"Riveting. A rare combination of storytelling and science writing that keeps you reading."
-- CBC North
"Although aimed primarily at young adults and absolutely suitable for them in every way, this
novel will be enjoyed by older teens and also by adults. There is a great deal of sound science
underlying the adventure, travel and mystery, and the imaginative story is an excellent vehicle
both for eliciting concern regarding the environment and for promoting steps for change . . .
The novel leaves no doubt regarding the crisis facing us, but it also reinforces the idea that
everyone, like eco-warrior Ashley, can make a change if only we channel knowledge and passion,
head and heart, towards healing our planet for this generation and those to come. This novel is
entertaining yet provocative and deserves a priority spot on everyone's reading list as well as
on library and classroom shelves.
Highly Recommended." ****/4
-- CM Magazine
"Sila's Revenge is a thought provoking novel. Bastedo includes simple and interesting
science to help understand global warming, along with personal accounts from the characters to
personalize climate change. . . A good addition to environmental fiction."
Rated G (Good, Great)
-- Resource Links
"Bastedo folds fact and theory on climate change into a fantasy novel that urges readers to hope,
rather than anger. Plot, more than character, propels the story, but what sticks in the mind is Ashley's
initiation into a dramatic geography and geology, a reminder that it’s in confronting the natural world
that we are motivated to save or repair it."
-- The Toronto Star
"Red Deer Press is a wonderful Canadian company and they have the most wonderful YA novels. . . Bastedo
created a very well crafted, informative, entertaining and surprisingly 'mystery/like' novel that passes
along the eco message loud and clear yet, kept me completely hooked into the storyline and attached to
the main character."
-- Bookshipper.blogspot.com
"As mighty and mending as 10,000 drums! Sila's Revenge is a global adventure with a uniting message.
Jamie Bastedo is truly at the top of his game."
-- Richard Van Camp, author of The Lesser Blessed and The Moon of Letting Go
"This youth thriller set in a forbidding future ... picks up where Bastedo’s last novel, On Thin
Ice, left off. Our heroine, Ashley Anowiak, is now 18 and her informed passion for protecting the
planet has intensified ... Ashley has explosive youthful energy and raw determination on her side,
but can she summon the collective action needed to change the climate's future?... A powerful voice
that demands to be heard."
-- News North
"The glowing core of this adventure story is about the Power of One - how one person with a little
passion, talent, and heart can help tip the environmental balance away from destruction and collapse
towards hope and healing."
-- Dr. David G. Malcolm, PhD, Former Executive Director, Canadian Circumpolar Institute
Jamie Bastedo's work is all about taking science and natural history to the streets. Whether
hosting lively nature shows on the radio or writing about his northern home, Jamie spreads a contagious
enthusiasm and love for the land. Well established as a popular science writer, he has written books
on northern nature and numerous natural history features in magazines including Up Here, Backpacker
and Winter Living. Jamie lives in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.