Deep in the heart of the Atlantic Ocean, where the full moon rests on the horizon, lies a secret kingdom called Darksea. Ruled by the Pirate King, Captain O'Malley, Darksea's tranquil waters have, of late, been haunted by an invisible and deadly monster - a monster that is eating the once-beautiful islands in gigantic bites. On the other side of the horizon, at his home in Galway, Max Reid and his family are battling a different monster. His big brother Christopher is in hospital and getting sicker - and his parents have begun to talk of miracles. Then one night a loud, bright red parrot taps on Max's bedroom window, carrying an invitation from the pirate king. Captain O'Malley needs a new crew member for a dangerous quest; and the reward is everything Max has been hoping for. But in Darksea, not everyone is as they seem. When Captain O'Malley's secret threatens to upend their mission and destroy Max's chance to help his family, Max realises he's going to have to navigate much more than he bargained for...

• 8-12 years