London: According to literary pundits, she is a name to watch: Catherine Banner, who jotted down ideas for her first novel during school lessons when she was 14, has just published her first book.

Now 19 and heading for Cambridge University to study English, Banner's fantasy novel, The Eyes of a King, is tipped to become a bestseller, according to publishers Random House.

The book, the first in a trilogy, depicts "young people and their adventures in a world of magic," and, with Banner already on the third instalment, there is talk of a film version.

Some reports have hailed her as the new J.K. Rowling, the author of Harry Potter. "It's a real honour being compared to J.K. Rowling and pretty daunting," Banner told the London Daily Mail newspaper.

The Eyes of a King tells the story of 15-year-old Leo, whose prospects in life are limited. He attends military school, lives with his fearful grandmother, and looks after his brother.

Leo constantly resists his innate powers, because those who demonstrate any sort of magical ability are considered enemies of the state.