Beyond the Deepwoods

Beyond the Deepwoods is a children's fantasy novel by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell, first published in 1998. It is the first volume of The Edge Chronicles and of the Twig Saga trilogy; within the stories' own chronology it is the fourth novel, following the Quint Saga trilogy that was published later.

Plot summary
The book tells the story of Twig Verginix, a forthling who has been raised by Woodtrolls. After he strays from the path and gets lost, he must journey through the perilous Deepwoods. He meets many dangerous creatures that live there, such as Halitoads, Rotsuckers and Hoverworms. He witnesses the hatching of a Caterbird, who promises to watch over him. He journeys to a slaughterer village and a gyle goblin colony, but never feels as if he fits in anywhere. At long last, he meets some sky pirates who had been caught in a storm. He helps them find the ship which is called The Stormchaser and their giant rock that allows them to fly (flight rock). He discovers that the captain is actually his father, and intends to stay with them, but they leave him behind. In the climax of the book, he stumbles across the Edgelands, a howling cliff that is inhabited by wraiths and ghosts. There he meets the Gloamglozer, a mythical, shape-shifting creature that was accidentally released by his father years ago. The Gloamglozer tricks him into jumping off the cliff, but in a twist of fate the Caterbird carries him until he is above his father's sky ship, and he crashes into the deck. Once he has recovered, his father reveals his true identity and Twig joins his crew.

Characters

 * Twig Verginix
 * Gloamglozer
 * Quintinius Verginix
 * Tem Barkwater
 * Stope Boltjaw
 * The Stone Pilot
 * Slyvo Spleethe
 * Spiker
 * Mugbutt
 * Banderbear