I had a suspicion, from the very first minute I heard about Thunderpaws and the Tower of London, that we are onto something special. I genuinely believe this might be the next great British phenomenon, the children's series to travel around the world and set young minds alight. I'd love to see this series come to life on the big screen and think it would be perfect as an animated series.

Teufel (pronounced Two-Full and translated from the German 'Devil') is a very proud cat of a very nice vicar. He lives a nice, boring life in Devon until one day his world turns upside down. All of a sudden, Teufel is transported to the Tower of London where his vicar is now a chaplain and there are more ghosts than he can shake a catnip tree at. Oh, and there are big, fat ravens too.

In time, Teufel, or Thunderpaws to those who know his clumsy ways, will learn that the ravens of the Tower of London are not to be touched but not before he has a wild adventure that takes him to Battersea Park, St Dunstan-in-the-East and Big Ben, all the while saving London and the world from the biggest threat yet.

There is a lot to love about Thunderpaws and the Tower of London. The print edition is absolutely exquisite with text doodles and beautiful colour illustrations by Japanese illustrator MonoKubo. If you're buying this book for Kindle, do ensure that you open it on the Kindle app from time to time to see those illustrations.

If, like me, your two major loves in life are cats and London, you're in for a real treat with Thunderpaws and the Tower of London. I really enjoyed the depiction of Thunderpaws as a snarky, teenage boy. I have a much-beloved 15-year-old boycat Seth, an old man now but very much master of his kingdom back in the day; he could be the white-and-black cousin of Thunderpaws, and author Ben Housden captured that big attitude perfectly. He's clearly been owned by a cat or two in his time.

Any good London-based tale will teach you a thing or two about our history and Thunderpaws and the Tower of London is jam-packed full of ghosts and historical figures, especially those who met their demise at the Tower. Speaking of ghosts, there is a whole host of ghost cats and wise mice, heroic rats and misunderstood polar bears.

Ben Housden states that Thunderpaws and the Tower of London is suitable for readers aged 9 to 90. As a seeker of superior middle grade and young adult fiction, would I recommend this book specifically to readers aged 9 to 15? Absolutely. It's funny and silly, with enough cat farts and manipulative miaows to keep most readers entertained.

My only complaint was that much of the book was heavily plot-driven, which can make for slow reading. The story really ramps up towards the end though and we see Teufel's character begin to develop. As I often do at the end of series, I may well revise my rating up once I've read the sequel.

For being the most original book I've read this year, I give Thunderpaws and the Tower of London an excellent four out of five stars and recommend to everybody, especially fans of Rivers of London, A Street Cat Named Bob, A Darker Shade of Magic and The Infernal Devices.

My 9 years old son said about this book: ' amazing plot, great story full of action and betrayal, cats, ravens, lions and ghouls'. We both enjoyed reading it. We cannot wait for more adventures of Duke of Magnificent :)

Teufel, called Thunderpaw is vicar’s black cat in the Tower of London, just understood that should save the future, country, the whole world, very soon defeat ghosts, ghouls, and all manner of monsters.

It's a fantasy story full of famous ghosts such as Lady Jane, Queen Anne, King Richard III; three cool cats who try to deal with the most famous birds in the world, Ravens; a magical mouse with cat eyes, another mouse in size of a cat; Lions, Pole bear, Dragon, and so many

This was an interesting, entertaining, and funny story! I like Teufel, has so amusing vocabulary, Dog off, Don’t give a dog’s, "Simple pleasures get you back on track, too. Like a good poo.", You’re all bananas. ‘Problems are opportunities.’ oh, this was things the rat way. :)

This was the first story in Nature's Claw Series, I like to read the next adventures of the black lucky cat who wants to save the world, with beautiful Illustrators for each section.

Many thanks to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op. for giving me the chance to read Thunderpaws and the Tower of London (Nature's Claw Series, Book 1) by Ben Housden, Illustrator by MonoKubo, I have given my honest review.
Published Date 01 Dec 2021
My review on 03 Dec 2021

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for access to this arc.

Nope, I am not the audience for this book. The cover caught my eye, the blurb sounded interesting but at 30% I'm still trying to figure out what is going on and find a hint of a plot anywhere. And worse, the cat whom I thought I'd adore is annoying to the point I don't care what happens to him - or the plot where ever it might be.

2.5stars
Teufel or of course Thunderpaws, since he hasn’t been able to catch any birds, is now living in the famous Tower of London, where his humans moved to from Devon. But being the new Tower Of London Cat is not as easy as it seems and has far too many rules. He soon discovers that there are ghosts with their own plans, ravens who hate him and can read his mind, and a governor who would rather he wasn’t there.
Teufel has to accept his duties once and for all and accept his destiny told by a mouse, to be able to save both the Tower and whole London.

The book read exactly as if it was a cat talking. Like, I could actually picture the snotty feline! Headstrong and with a disregard for… well, pretty much everything, Teufel is a black cat destined for making history! Or so he is told… He hasn’t come to terms with everything yet… From a peaceful life in Devon, he has now to adapt to it all – ghosts, mouse telling prophecies, ravens that are apparently more important than him and more. It’s a lot to take in for any cat, but especially for our little devil!

Even tho he is the complete contrary of everything he is supposed to be, you can’t but care for his welfare. And so we are taken through all the adventures that await him.

The writing is very distinct and makes Teufel all too real. It’s also fun to follow him and to hear his thoughts on everything and everyone. He is very entitled, he is a cat after all, but he comes to care for something other than himself for a change.

I read this as an e-arc so I only saw the illustrations in black and white, but they complement the story very well.

Overall tho, I though it went too much in circles and it didn’t work for me, I think I would have loved it as a kid tho. I think this would be more enjoyable for a younger audience than myself but it was still enjoyed following Teufel around as I do have a very soft spot for cats! It’s cute and fun so it’s a shame the plot didn’t do it for me.

My thanks to High Gate Press/Victory Editing and NetGalley for a review copy of this book.

Thunderpaws and the Tower of London is an action-packed and entertaining fantasy–adventure which takes us into some interesting realms—the past and the future! And what is most fun is that it is narrated in first person by our main character, Teufel or Thunderpaws, a black tom.

As our story opens, Teufel wakes up a bit out of sorts, finding himself in a place which is ‘not home’, and wondering when he will go back. We soon learn that Teufel lives with a vicar and his wife (whom he refers to as Vic and Mrs V), having taken over as church cat (though he denies this) after his mother’s death. Now the Vicar has been appointed Chaplain at a new place, and no ordinary place at that—the Tower of London. Here Teufel begins to explore his new surroundings, making plans to make a meal of the Tower’s ravens, though he finds that the Governor is opposed to his very presence in the Tower, and will take the first opportunity to get rid of him.

But these are small worries compared to the adventure he finds himself in the midst of. The Tower is still inhabited by the ghosts of those who were once imprisoned and lost their lives there, among them Anne Boleyn, Lady Jane Grey and Sir Walter Raleigh who hold court there. Led to them by a ghost cat, Magnificat whom Teufel befriends, he finds he is the subject of a prophecy. Then he meets another group of ghosts with their own plans, opposed to the Tudor court, and who also want him to do their bidding (in fact, will stop at nothing to ensure that he does). But which of them can he trust and what does the prophecy really mean? Meanwhile, he also has an interesting visitor, a rat, Mushika, who is unlike any ordinary rat, and she has some rather curious things to tell him as well. Teufel soon finds that he and his new friends must act quickly, for these ghostly plans will affect not only the ghosts themselves, but also the real world and the people Teufel loves.

Teufel was a fun character to follow; he is rather a typical cat, independent minded, loves his humans but will pay them back if he thinks he has been badly done by, speaks his own mind, and is reluctant to obey ‘orders’ of any kind. Initially, I wondered at his attitude and at when (and if ever) he would settle into the adventure, but as the story went on, I actually liked that he stays true to his cat personality, doing what is needed to protect those he loves, but in his own way.

The plot itself was interesting, with elements of the past in the form of ghosts of historical figures, cats, and even a band of mice (there are ghost lions and a ghost bear too) forming part of the story but also some futuristic elements coming in with Mushika and the information she brings. The two threads did connect up in a way, but we have one part of the troubles being dealt with while the other is left open for the next instalment in the series. The story is action packed, and things sometimes do get a little crazy and over the top, and a little hard to keep up with at some points. I enjoyed the thread with the two sets of ghosts, the weaving in of different legends (like of the Trafalgar lions and Bran the Blessed, on which Teufel and his friends must rely to defeat the villains), and also loved the different animal ghosts we meet. I also liked Mushika (loved the Indian inspiration in her name), but since I generally am not as much a fan of sci-fi futuristic elements, was a little less enthusiastic about that thread than the one with the ghosts. Still, with the aspects that were left open, I would want to see what Teufel gets up to next and where his adventures take him and his friends.

The volume also has some very lovely illustrations which I absolutely loved (I was thrilled that the proof copy had coloured illustrations); there was also a beautiful map of the Tower at the start, and each chapter has a pretty little picture/figure with the chapter number reflecting its contents. I’m sure the physical book is a very pretty volume indeed, and adds to the charm of the story.

Great fun, and a book which cat lovers would especially enjoy!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of Thunderpaws. (Is that a great name?)
But Thunderpaws doesn't like his name.
I requested this book and then saw it was written for a YA audience of which I am definitely not.
I love cats and the idea of a cat taking on the Tower of London was very appealing.

This is what I want to say. Ben Housden is going to be a really good writer. There were shining parts in this book. But there was too much going on, it was hard to keep up with everything (maybe not for a teenage brain but for mine) that was going on. ON top of that, Mr. Housen is very bright, and fascinating thoughts jump in out of nowhere and disappear just as fast

The story is fun. The jury was out on how much I liked Thurderpaws, he is quite the arrogant soul!!! but in the end....

so if you are in the YA age range, I suspect you would enjoy this book. Meanwhile, I'm going to wait for Mr. Housden to keep practicing his craft because I have a suspicion I will like his work in the future no matter who it is aimed at..

This book was exactly what you would expect from the title of THUNDERPAWS.

So many things come to play in this wildly witty and eventful adventure. From teleporting mice to mythical ravens, the ghosts of Britain’s royals and army’s of rats. The world building was so much fun bringing in very real historical figures and places and mixing them with interesting and unique fantastical counterparts. My favorite part by far is the dialog between this ragtag cast of characters. The snark, sass, insults, and pleasantries are so much fun. I found myself laughing out loud quite often which I haven’t had from a book in a long time.
I would absolutely recommend to anyone who is a fan of historical fantasy. And definitely recommend to anyone who needs some fun and cleverness in their life.

A huge thank you to @netgalley and @highgatepress for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thunderpaws and the Tower of London by Ben Housden showcases the story of the cat Teufel, also known as Thunderpaws, as he is caught between two parties who are at odds. Who can he trust? What should he do? Armed with his curiosity and common sense, Teufel needs to discover the answers to these questions and explore the secrets of the Tower of London.

In the beginning, I greatly disliked the stream-of-consciousness narration from the protagonist Teufel’s point-of-view. It felt annoying being exposed to Teufel’s every action and thought, especially with his arrogant and stubborn attitude. Although that was what I thought initially, when Teufel begins conversing and interacting with many different characters, his snarkiness becomes more interesting and adds personality to the character instead of being just a haughty nuisance.

The large cast of characters, and different parties and allegiances can be confusing at first, but it’s made better with basic knowledge of the historical characters that have to do with the Tower of London (Anne Bolelyn, Richard III, the significance of the ravens at the Tower of London, and so on). This Historic Royal Palaces page may be helpful to get a very basic understanding of the history surrounding the Tower of London. As the story progresses, it becomes easier to distinguish the characters and the groups they belong in, so the large cast of characters is also not a big issue.

The plot is a mixture of adventure, science fiction, wackiness and fun. The last two “ingredients” tend to be present in many works aimed at children. The carefreeness and non-adherence to the rules makes the story and its elements innovative and at times ridiculous, but still carrying the youthful and energetic spirit often found in children’s books. Sometimes it makes the book charming, sometimes it makes the book utterly absurd, and sometimes (as is the case with this book), it makes the book a good adventure.

This may be a nitpick, but though I understood the Star Wars references, it may not be the same case for all readers. That’s the tricky thing about references, how can we be sure the audience understands the references? Is there any point in including references when not all of the audience will understand it, and will likely be left bewildered and unsure of what the author is trying to convey?

One of the parts I enjoyed the most about this book is the beautiful illustrations by the artist Monokubo, who also shares lovely art on Instagram and Tumblr. The writing and plot are already energetic and exciting, so the more sober colours and detailed illustrations lend the story a sense of gravity, that is, not entirely ridiculous. The art further aids the readers to imagine and visualise the action and the drama of the various situations.

I wasn’t fond of the ending of this book, though I suspect this is just my personal preference. It might have been nice for this book to be a standalone instead of branching out to a series of time travellers and possible mythical beings (it somehow reminds me of Mr. Peabody & Sherman).

Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this book if you’re looking for a diverse cast of characters or for strong character development, and sometimes the plot can be confusing, but it’s a fun adventure through some parts of London (and of course, it’s still centred around the Tower of London). It’s still exciting, and despite my personal preferences, this series (dubbed Nature’s Claw in Goodreads) may be a nice way to get people interested in the history of the places and people mentioned.

Very enjoyable book about an unapologetic cat, which as an animal sci person I found accurate.

Let me just say this book is extremely English and unapologetic about. But the story follows a chaplain's cat right after they move to the Tower of London. Teufel, like most cats, has a very high minded opinion of himself, but that gets exasperated by two courts of famous dead royals he gets mixed up in. Also maybe some multidimensional tomfoolery...

Reasons to read:
-If you are a bit of an anglophile
-You enjoy historical call outs in a story
-Cats cat-ing all over the place
-Truly fantastic art for some of the chapter breaks

Cons:
-If a person doesn't pick up on the lingo they will be lost
-Cats get covered in gross stuff and that's just a nightmare of nasty, but I like things to be clean.

This was an odd book from a cat's perspective, but I enjoyed it. The author captured the way at least my cat behaved with his attitude and arrogance and the ending was fun.

A hilarious and delightful story about a cat who always finds himself in trouble! Teufel, nicknamed Thunderpaws for his inability to catch a bird successfully, is a chaplain’s cat who has just moved into the Tower of London. He meets a fright of famous historical ghosts, including Queen Anne Boleyn, Lady Jane Grey and Sir Walter Raleigh, and finds that he is prophesied to save the world.

This book immediately made me think of the BBC series Ghosts, and I think if it were adapted to the screen, that cast would not be out of place in this story! It has the same sense of dry humour and so would be perfect for fans of Ghosts (or Horrible Histories for a younger reader!). The story is ageless and its accessible writing style means that children and adults can enjoy this book alike. I would recommend this for readers aged nine and up.

As an experienced cat owner I loved the “typical cat” things Teufel did, like throwing up to spite his owners and pooing on the Tower Green. Even just the way he was described as sitting sometimes – I knew exactly what the author meant. Sometimes when an animal character is humanised by having the ability to talk they can stop feeling animalistic, and that was definitely not the case with Teufel. He reminded me a lot of my own black tom cat which made me love him even more.

Thunderpaws is full of exciting, yet daft, adventure and when things seemed a little ridiculous I just chose not to question it – suspension of disbelief is probably an important thing when going into this book, but I would categorise it as a fantasy so the fact that some things didn’t seem entirely plausible is okay!
I really loved the full colour illustrations that accompanied this story – I’ve recently found I adore illustrated books. Not only were they beautiful, but they captured the action perfectly (and especially captured Teufel’s grumpy cat face!)

This is a wonderful book perfect for all the family. It is set around Halloween and Bonfire Night, so is fantastic for those autumnal TBRs! I’m really excited to read the next book already and to re-join Teufel’s world of ghosts, ravens, rats and legends.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy to review.

Creative and adventurous concept that while at times was hard to follow, still delivered on entertainment. The plot was generally meandering and a bit muddled with a lot going on that was not always explained in a timely manner, but the cat voice of the main character was very funny and light.

I requested this book because I like cats and ghosts, and it sounded like it would be amusing. However, the humor just didn't connect with me - it was too dry and/or too British for my liking. And I found the main character, Teufel, to be too much of a jerk.

I enjoyed reading a book from the perspective of a cat, and I thought the author did a great job of portraying a cat's mindset, but personally I felt the plot was aimed at a younger audience than I am myself. I would however have absolutely loved it when I was about thirteen years old.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Ahoy there mateys While this story has a great concept, I had a lot of trouble getting into it because of the writing style. Overall I just wasn't feeling it and abandoned ship. I hope this finds its audience. I am not it. Arrr!

A other book that isn’t my usual type but I am a total animal lover, especially if cats! It was a good read and I want to read the others! Well done.

3/5 stars! I thought this book was just okay -- there were parts I liked and parts about which I wasn't the biggest fan. Wouldn't buy it for myself but would probably check it out from the library.

Teufel (also known as Thunderpaws) is the cat of the new chaplain of the parish church of the Tower of London. Teufel isn't even given enough time to get used to the move from Devon before he gets caught up in ghostly adventures at the Tower - the most haunted place in Britain. But there's even more than meets the eye when it comes to the mysteries of the Tower, and Teufel soon finds that the fate of Britain, and the world, is in his paws.

Things I liked: I love London and British history and I was excited that the author included so many historical characters who lost (or may have lost) their lives in the Tower. I also enjoyed the story from the cat's perspective (since it's been a while since I've read anything from a non-human/humanoid perspective). I think the author portrayed cats' generally egotistical mindset well. I also liked the illustrations, some of which were very true to the Tower itself; I could definitely picture myself there. I believe that the physical copy of the book will include these illustrations in color, but they were black and white on my Kindle and still looked nice!

Things I wasn't a huge fan of: this book is definitely a book for younger readers (though the description says "fantasy action adventure for readers aged 9-90). The language used was definitely middle grade (or younger) focused and there were a few too many fart jokes for my liking. Because there wasn't that much character development (don't get me wrong, the pace of the book is great, but it's very plot-focused), I found it hard to pick up and read for long stretches, but that's just the nature of books with a younger target audience.

A fun romp through history....with a twist...Thunderpaws moves into the Tower of London and wow, what a bunch of characters he meets there! As a big fan of cats, history and books this was a no brainer. Done in a light hearted way, with excellent humour, this was enjoyable and I look forward to any sequels

Loved it. Lighthearted and fun. Kept me reading all day and I read it in a day. Perfect for any magical Harry
Potter fans. Definitely recommend