Jason Steed (Book series)

From Encyc

Fledgling Jason Steed, otherwise known as Fledgling: A Jason Steed Adventure, is the first novel in the Jason Steed young adult spy series by British author Mark A. Cooper.[1] The book, about an 11-year-old martial arts expert, is notable for originally being a self-published internet hit.[2][3] Fledgling and its sequel, Jason Steed: Boudica, were sold to Chicago-based publishing company Sourcebooks in May 2009.[4] The firm is to repackage and republish the first book on September 1, 2010, and the sequel in 2011.[5][6][3] In March 2009, Fledgling Jason Steed was voted the Top Young Adult Book for 2009 by Fictionreviewer.com. The book "narrowly beat" the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer.[7][8] The book was also a finalist in the Young Adult Fiction category of the 2009 Next Generation Indie Book Awards.[9][10] Winner of Beverly Hills Book Awards Juvenile Fiction 2013

The books[edit]

The original version of Fledgling A Jason Steed Adventure (ISBN-13: 9780741449344) was published in September 2008 by Infinity Publishing.[11] The 214-page novel followed the life of British-born Jason Steed, from his tough babyhood to his adventures as an 11-year-old British Sea Cadet.[12] Cooper originally wrote Jason Steed as an action/adventure story for his son but, after self-publishing the book, he was "stunned" at the positive reaction on the internet.[1][13]

The fictional father of Jason Steed, Royal Navy officer Raymond Steed, was written as a tribute to a real-life British war hero.[14] Raymond Victor Steed was a galley boy on a Merchant Navy ship when it was blown up after hitting a German mine off the African coast on 26 April, 1943.[15] Raymond, from Newport, was 14 years and 207 days old when he died - just five months after joining up.[16] Raymond has been officially recognised by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission as the second youngest recorded fatality of the British service war dead.[17][18]

The original version of Fledgling A Jason Steed Adventure was voted Fictionreviewer.com's Top Young Adult Book for 2009, beating the Twilight saga by Stephenie Meyer in an internet poll of readers.[19] The award citation read: "The magnetic appeal for most young teens is the simplicity of the book, fast action and drama. The new ‘Text Age’ teens find it easy to read and fast; something fitting for the modern world they now live in."[20][21] Fledgling was also a finalist in the Young Adult Fiction category of the 2009 Next Generation Indie Book Awards.[9].

The new version of Fledgling A Jason Steed Adventure (ISBN-13: 9781402239991) is listed as 240 pages long, having been "cut and edited" before republication by Sourcebooks.[21][22] Mark A. Cooper said in a pre-launch interview: "My original version was unedited and longer. Some of the background scenes have been cut in the new version, to make the adventure run faster."[1]

HRH Prince William declared in May 2011 that “Fledgling Jason Steed” is his favourite book.

Book 1 Fledgling Jason Steed Was released in 2008 & 2010 by Sourcebooks inc. (ISBN -13: 978-1402239991

Book 2 Revenge Jason Steed was released in March 2012 by Sourcebooks inc. (ISBN-13: 9781402264290)

Book 3 'Jason Steed Absolutely Nothing' was released in November 2013 (ISBN -13: 978-1492259688

Book 4 Royal Decree Jason Steed Released in October 2014 (ISBN -13: 978-1500561291

Book 5 Face-Off Jason Steed Released in May 2016 (ISBN -13: 978-1533464941

Book 6 Nautilus Jason Steed Released in December 2018 (ISBN -13: 978-1790606795

Book 7 Fatal Wrath Jason Steed Released in April 2021 (ISBN -13: 979-8724626415


Joe Craig, award-winning author of the Jimmy Coates teen spy series, reviewed the new version in July 2010 and wrote: "The pace is unlike any thriller I’ve read before, while the period setting and the backstory built up around the characters mark it out as something different from other action adventure books for a young audience. Basically, you have to check out Fledgling: Jason Steed. He’ll win your heart, then get it pumping with adrenaline. It’s James Bond meets Karate Kid, and if either of them ever met Jason Steed, they’d be in big trouble."[23]

The author[edit]

The author of Fledgling A Jason Steed Adventure, Mark A. Cooper, was born in Battersea, South London in 1963, where he attended Battersea Grammar School. He moved to Launceston, Cornwall, as a teenager, where he attended Torpoint High School. He went on to study at Plymouth University in Devon. Cooper worked in shops, factories and banks after leaving university, before moving to Sarasota, Florida with his wife and son in 2003. He is also the author of Moving to the United States of America and Immigration, as well as A Movement in Time with Breitling & Rolex an Unauthorized History.[24] The second book in the Jason Steed series, Revenge, Jason Steed, is now being edited.[25] Cooper signed to a literary agent, the New York City-based Barbara J. Zitwer Agency, in March 2009, and his first two Jason Steed books were bought by Sourcebooks in May 2009.[3] Rumours that Jason Steed was written under a pen name by Alex Rider writer Anthony Horowitz have been denied by Mark A. Cooper.[19]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Read All About It. Sunderland Echo. 23 August 2010. p. Centre spread. Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  2. ↑ The Bradenton Times - Erica Newport (2009). "Author finds persistence pays in the book trade". Retrieved 2009-07-4. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Barbara J Zitwer website (2009). "Barbara J Zitwer Authors". Retrieved 2009-07-4. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help) Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "agent" defined multiple times with different content
  4. ↑ Publishers' Marketplace website (2009). "Jason Steed Sold (Must pay to log in)". Retrieved 2009-06-03.
  5. ↑ Scribd.com website (2010). "Fall 2010 Trade Catalogue". Retrieved 2010-05-26.
  6. ↑ markacooper.com website (2009). "Behind the scenes". Retrieved 2009-05-31.
  7. ↑ Fictionreviewer.com website (2009). "Book of the year award winners". Text "http://www.fictionreviewer.com/2009awardwinners.htm" ignored (help); Missing or empty |url= (help); |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  8. ↑ AuthorNation website (2009). "It Can and Does Happen". Retrieved 2009-05-28.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Indie Book Awards (2009). "Winners and Finalists of the 2009 Next Generation Indie Book Awards". Retrieved 2009-05-27.
  10. ↑ Jacketflap.com (2010). "Fledgling Jason Steed". Retrieved 2010-05-26.
  11. ↑ Worldcat websitewebsite (2008). "Fledgling Jason Steed". Retrieved 2009-06-11.
  12. ↑ PRWEB website (2009). "It's the Summer of the Spy at the Museum of Nature & Science". Retrieved 2009-07-4. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  13. ↑ Authors Unleashedwebsite (2010). "Interview with Mark A. Cooper". Retrieved 2010-02-28.
  14. ↑ Authornation.com website (2008). "Raymond V Steed Youngest World War Two WWII Age 14". Retrieved 2009-03-29.
  15. ↑ mowbars.plus.com website (2008). "A Galley boy Named Raymond Steed". Retrieved 2009-03-29.
  16. ↑ BBC website (2008). "Honour bid for youngest war hero". Retrieved 2009-03-29.
  17. ↑ ss-tregenna.co.uk website (2007). "Raymond Victor Steed - Empire Morn" (PDF). Retrieved 2009-03-29.
  18. ↑ Commonwealth War Graves Commission. "Casualty details—Steed, Raymond Victor". Retrieved 2009-04-22.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Goodreads.com website (2009). "Mark A Cooper". Retrieved 2009-06-10.
  20. ↑ Fictionreviewer.com website (2009). "Young Adult Book of the year 2009 Award Winner". Retrieved 2009-03-29.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Sourcebooks.com website (2010). "Jason Steed". Retrieved 2010-08-24.
  22. ↑ Google Books preview website (2010). "Jason Steed". Retrieved 2010-08-24.
  23. ↑ Mark Cooper website (2010). "Joe Craig review". Retrieved 2010-07-01.
  24. ↑ Mark A Cooper (2009). "Mark's profile page". Retrieved 2009-05-03.
  25. ↑ Authornation website (2009). "Mark Florida's profile page". Retrieved 2009-03-29.

27. http://photogallery.thestar.com/981070

28. http://www.nowmagazine.co.uk/gallery/gallery-specials/31770/1/3/prince-william--the-lowdown-on-kate-middleton--039-s-man/1

29 http://www.beverlyhillsbookawards.com/2013-BHBA-Winnners-and-Finalists.htm Winner of Beverly Hills Book Awards Juvenile Fiction

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