Kindle Edition Amazon Amazon Category:  Children Publisher: Create Space ISBN-10:  149351444X Type: Fiction Pages: 112 Copyright: October 17, 2013 ISBN-13: 9781493514441 Price: FREE! (eBook) Born underground, at the edge of the world’s destruction. Twelve-year-old Toby has never seen the sun. Created by six scientists who accidentally gave him cat ears (and a tail), Toby decides to leave the safety of his cavern world to seek answers.  Adventure Seekers, Young and Old, Join Toby, Small, but Bold ... Born underground, at the edge of the world’s destruction. Twelve-year-old Toby has never seen the sun. Created by six scientists who accidentally gave him cat ears (and a tail), Toby decides to leave the safety of his cavern world to seek answers. Did anyone survive the Great Destruction? Why has he been hearing a mysterious Voice? And, most important of all, does he have a soul? Excerpt One inch farther... Toby's fingers stretched for the patch of energy. The soft beam splashed his skin and heat flowed through his tiny person. True light from the real sun! He wanted to hug himself in delight but his other hand clutched the rock wall, fingers laced through the Swiss-cheese texture.

refreshing, adventure-filled fantasy
Do you have any idea what a trilby might be? Twelve year old Toby was created by six older scientists who had taken refuge in an underground shelter during something called the “Great Calamity” which caused extensive devastation on the surface of the earth. These caretakers, or “grambles” as Toby calls them, were lonely and wanted a grandchild, so they strung together human DNA, added some cat DNA to fill in the gaps, formed him in a test tube, and brought him to life in an incubator. He has some characteristics of a cat—ears, tail, and claws, but is mostly like a boy and can talk. They called him a trilby.

Toby has lived his entire life in the caverns and received an excellent education from the grambles. But as a result of his studies, he has a question which they can’t answer. Does he have a soul? Then one day he hears a mysterious Voice calling him to go into the outer world. There he meets a group of swamp people who worship a goddess Natura, and he rescues a girl about his same age named Mia whom they are going to offer as a human sacrifice. Toby’s hope is for Mia and him ultimately to return to the grambles and build a house near the cave. However, after they travel on a bit, Mia gets hit with an arrow shot by a man who is protecting his village. What happened to cause such a disaster on earth? Will Toby and Mia survive? And most importantly, will he ever find out if he has a soul?

The Amazing Adventures of Toby the Trilby is identified as “Christian Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Dystopian,” but don’t let the word “dystopian” turn anyone off. Much of the current dystopian literature for children is dark, gloomy, and often godless, but while Toby and Mia face many trials and hardships, this book is solidly based upon a Biblical worldview and offers glimmers of hope. It is such a refreshing change of pace for those of us who believe the Scriptures to read an adventure-filled science fiction/fantasy type of work in which someone seeks the “Soul Creator,” and in which there are no elements unsuitable for children. Also, Toby is a good role model for courage, perseverance, and kindness toward others. Author Angela Castillo has already written a sequel, The Further Adventures of Toby the Trilby in which a bright light falls from the sky and Toby finds himself on a quest to find the source of the light.

Lovely Read!
I received a free copy of "The Amazing Adventures of Toby the Trilby" from Story Cartel in exchange for an honest review. This is such a lovely middle grade read! Toby was created by some aging scientists out of a need for a child to love. Those scientists had to use the DNA they had available after going underground, and unfortunately had to add some cat DNA. So lovable Toby has is smaller than most 12 year olds, and has cat ears and a tale. Toby ventures above ground trying to find out if he has a soul. Great Christian fiction. I will be putting the two other Toby books on my to read list. I give it five stars, I loved it.

Perfect Family Read
I read this book with my husband and 12-yr-old and we all LOVED it! It's really sweet and a special story. A tale of a pure-hearted hero on his journey to find God. Super-glad we have the whole series to read. We've already started on the second book!