''The Ivory Trail'' is a 1999

young adult A young adult is generally a person in the years following adolescence. Definitions and opinions on what qualifies as a young adult vary, with works such as Erik Erikson's stages of human development significantly influencing the definition of ...

horror novel by

Victor Kelleher Victor Kelleher (born 1939) is an Australian author. Kelleher was born in London and moved to Africa with his parents, at the age of fifteen. He spent the next twenty years travelling and studying in Africa, before moving to New Zealand. Kelle ...

. It follows the story of Jamie Hassan who is coming of age in a traditional mysticism bohemian family. He has a talent he does not want; reliving the lives of the long dead. After receiving an ivory carving he is sent on journeys through time in order to find his spiritual guide to succeed in his journey, to reach his mysterious goal and to meet an equally mysterious stranger at the end of it all.

Background

''The Ivory Trail'' was first published in Australia in 1996 by

Viking Press Viking Press (formally Viking Penguin, also listed as Viking Books) is an American publishing company owned by Penguin Random House. It was founded in New York City on March 1, 1925, by Harold K. Guinzburg and George S. Oppenheim and then acquire ...

in trade paperback format. In 2001 it was published in the United Kingdom by

Puffin Books Puffin Books is a longstanding children's imprint of the British publishers Penguin Books. Since the 1960s, it has been among the largest publishers of children's books in the UK and much of the English-speaking world. The imprint now belongs t ...

. Its front cover is used in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

as a visual text in the

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

English Stage 6 Syllabus Journeys Stimulus Booklet. ''The Ivory Trail'' was a short-list nominee for the 1999

Aurealis Award The Aurealis Award for Excellence in Speculative Fiction is an annual literary award for Australian science fiction, fantasy and horror fiction. Only Australians are eligible for the award. History The Aurealis Award was established in 1995 by ...

for best young-adult novel and best horror novel but lost to

Dave Luckett Dave Luckett (born 1951) is an Australian children's writer born in Stanmore, New South Wales. He has written three non-fiction books about cricket and medieval weapons and armour. He has also written three series of fantasy books as well as a nu ...

's ''

A Dark Victory ''A Dark Victory'' is a 1999 young adult fantasy novel by Dave Luckett and is the last book in the ''Tenabran Trilogy''. It follows the story of how Will is preparing for his final battle as Prince Nathan's armies mass on the moors. Background ...

'' and Christine Harris' ''

Foreign Devil ''Gweilo'' or (, pronounced ) is a common Cantonese slang, Cantonese slang term for Western world, Westerners. In the absence of modifiers, it refers to white people and has a history of racially deprecatory and pejorative use. Cantonese speak ...

'' respectively.

References

1999 novels Australian young adult novels Australian horror novels Novels about time travel Viking Press books {{1990s-ya-novel-stub