Beast Quest: Soltra the Stone Charmer by Adam Blade

The woman was two heads taller than him, her body swathed in a shining, rippling garment-like a cloak made out of black water. He gazed up into the woman's face-but found that she had no face, just a featureless surface, marble smooth and milky white. Then the final terror came. The whole of her face folded up on itself like a huge eyelid-and from beneath that eyelid stared a single green eye, as green and cleaar as an emerald.

Beast Quest: Claw the Giant Monkey by Adam Blade

Claw was an enormous monkey. His chest was as wide as Storm was long, and his limbs were thicker some of the tree trunks around them. He sat hunched among the branches, a hideous creature with a lethal-looking claw at the tip of his long, snake-like tail. Huge, hairy black arms, legs and feet ended in vicious, curved. His face was covered in matted black hair, but his squashed snout was hairless. Drool hung in ropes from his long teeth. And his fierce yellow eyes were trained directly on Tom.

Beast Quest: Zepha the Monster Squid by Adam Blade

Kicking away from the rock, Tom swam towards the golden gleam. But as he reached for the helmet, he spotted movement just beyond. A dark shadow was rising up from behind the rock. It was so huge that it took Tom a moment to realise it was a head with staring, bulging eyes and a mouth like a gaping beak. Seconds later the body followed, with a mass of giant tentacles. Tom could see through the creature's skin, to where three red hearts were pumping.

Beast Quest: Epos the Flame Bird by Adam Blade

Then Epos came swooping down from the rim of the volcano. Tom saw two red eyes glaring at him. The Beast's giant beak snapped open. Her dark, glowing wings unfolded, and her talons glinted in the dim, crimson light.

Beast Quest: Nanook the Snow Monster by Adam Blade

She was bigger than any monster Tom had ever imagined. Her fur was white, her eyes redder than a blacksmith's fire and her ivory claws looked sharper than daggers. Her hideous face was scrunched up with anger and hate, and around her raw, welted neck hung a tiny bell on the end a a gold chain. It glowed with evil energy, Nanook pulled at the chain, trying to tear the bell free, then howled ferociously and stamped a paw on the ground. The whole snow dune shuddered.

Beast Quest: Tagus the Horse-Man by Adam Blade

Then the mist parted once more and Tagus appeared, still on the other side of the river, his hooves pawing the ground in fury. His muscles rippled beneath the shiny black coat of his horse's body. He flicked out his tail in agitation. His face was square and handsome, but his hair was matted and wild.

Beast Quest: Arcta the Mountain Giant by Adam Blade

Arcta the mountain giant was as tall as the highest trees, with a body almost as wide. His arms and legs bulged with muscle, and his feet left huge indentations in the ground. His gnarled hands ended in yellow claws and his mouth gaped open to reveal crooked, brown teeth. Unlike the Beasts Tom had already freed-the fire dragon and the sea serpent-there was no enchanted golden collar around his neck. Instead a black blindfold covered the Beast's eyes, held in place by a glowing knot. This was Malvel's curse. The Beast must be driven mad by the loss of his sight.

Beast Quest: Sepron the Sea Serpent by Adam Blade

Rearing out of the sea was the huge head of the sea serpent. They were face to face with Sepron! The Beast's eyes were huge and pale, flashing with icy anger. Shimmering scales in all the colours of the rainbow covered and neck and sea water foamed all around it.

Beast Quest: Ferno the Fire Dragon by Adam Blade

Ferno the fire dragon was gigantic. Towering over them all, with his huge, jagged wings extended, he blocked out the sky. His head was coal-black and spiky; and tight around his neck was the enchanted collar, held in place by a golden lock that glowed with a strange, magical light.

Beast Quest: Arax the Soul Stealer by Adam Blade

Desperately, Tom threw his head to one side to avoid it. The leather cord snaked past him and sank its barbs deep into the Beast's heart. With a roar of despair, Arax flung his wings wide-Tom was free! He fell to the ground,rolled to his feet and jumped clear. The Beast raged blindly up and down, the whip dragging after him as he tried to pull it out of his chest.

Beast Quest: Vedra and Krimon Twin Beasts of Advantia by Adam Blade

Tom left the stables, gazing up at the tall purple spires and sea-green domes of the Royal Palace. The towns and villages, fields and forests of Advantia were white with late winter snow. But in the Great Hall of the palace, a part was taking place to celebrate King Hugo's birthday.

The Secret Country by Jane Johnson

Ben stared at the door as if by sheer force of will he could employ X-ray vision and see exactly who was out there. The next thing he knew, someone was fitting a key into the lock and the door was creaking open.

Beast Quest: Creta the Winged Terror by by Adam Blade

Tom rolled over onto his back with a sigh of contentment. He linked his hands behind his head and stared up at the sky. The stars glittered like dimonds in the black, velvet night, and the half-moon cast its soft light on the mountainside. From up here, Tom could see the whole of Advantia spread out in a silvery glow. His stomach was full and he felt rested.

Beast Quest: Kragos and Kildor the Two-headed Demon

The rays of the rising sun showed a huge, splintered hole in the door of the forge. It looked as if something had kicked its way inside.

Beast Queast: Spiros the Ghost Phoenix by Adam Blade

The wizard brought his hands together in a loud clap that echoed through the forest, then rubbed his palms. Tom looked on, baffled and even Storm and Silver stepped closer. A thin trail of smoke emerged from between Aduro's clasped hands. It rose into the air, forming a cloud. Then, in the middle of the cloud, a shape emerged. It looked like a bird, but its wings were ablaze with a golden flame.