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The Monster Librarian Presents:
Reviews of Dark Fantasy for Young Adults
Below are reviews of fantasy titles that have a horror theme or horror elements to them. They can act as gateway titles to both horror and/or fantasy genres.
The Chaos King by Laura Ruby*New Review
Harpercollins Children's Books, 2007
ISBN: 9780060752583
Available: New and Used
Georgie Bloomington can become invisible, and her friend Bug can fly. But they
are hardly the oddest people or occurences in their world, a slightly off-kilter
version of New York City. Both Georgie and Bug are friends with the mysterious
Professor, who has created a pen that, when used, has a rather chaotic and
erratic effect on the world. When the Professor and the pen both go missing, Mr.
Fuss, the operative tasked with finding them, decides to hire some freelancers
to threaten Georgie and Bug into giving up the location of the pen. A Punk
artist breaks into Georgie’s bedroom, and vampires threaten her family.
Meanwhile, Bug is forcibly dragged into a rather unusual book club whose members
have a job for him. Giant cephalopods and sloths invade the city, and, at the
New York Public Library, strange doings are afoot as Patience and Fortitude
stalk the library stacks. There really is no good way to describe The Chaos
King, and perhaps that’s Ruby’s intent. The Chaos King is an original,
intelligent, fantastic, multilayered, funny, frightening, optimistic, magical
urban fantasy with vividly drawn characters, creatures, and places. Tweens and
older readers who liked Balliett Blue’s Chasing Vermeer , but who have a
darker twist to their minds, might want to chase this one down. Note: This is
the second book in a series. Although it does a reasonably good job of filling
in the backstory, readers will enjoy the story more if they read the previous
book, The Wall and the Wing, Highly recommended. Contains: violence,
torture, death, the supernatural
The
Stowaway
by RA and Geno Salvatore*New Review
Mirrorstone, 2008
ISBN: 9780786950942
Available: New
Maiman is an orphan desperately trying to unravel his past. A mysterious elf forced him to flee from the home of the woman who raised him. He was taken in and educated by a bard who seemed to know much more about Maiman’s past but was unwilling to reveal it. Then he is given a piece of his heritage, a stone that a fearsome demon is seeking.
Maiman’s adventures take him across the Sea of Swords, with merchants and pirates. He lands in some of the biggest and brightest cities along the Sword Coast, and also meets some of Faerun’s most memorable characters. Familiar places are brought to life as Maiman travels to Baldur’s Gate and sails on the Sea of Swords, and readers who have followed the adventures of the Forgotten Realms will enjoy new encounters with characters such as dark elf Drizzt Do Urden, along with Wulfgar and Cattie Brie.
This book is a real treat for readers interested in the world of the Forgotten Realms. It is a pleasure to read, and the only complaint readers might have is having to wait until 2009 to see what happens next.
Contains: Violence
Review by Bret Jordan
The
Oak Hotel: The Chronicles of Burnam Tau’roh: Book One
by Walter G. Klimczak
Autumn Harbor Press, 2008
ISBN: 978-0-6152-0160-3
Available: Pre-order (June,2008 release)
When Kayleigh’s grandfather dies, her parents tell her that she can choose a few things for herself. Kayleigh decides this is an excellent opportunity for an adventure. She convinces her friend, Lincoln, to join her in a journey from their hometown to a mystical world, where they are pursued by the mysterious Mayor Stitch. The Oak Hotel is the beginning of an intriguing new young adult fantasy series. Kayleigh and Lincoln are appealing characters who will hold readers’ interest. Many fantasy novels depend on exposition to establish their setting, but The Oak Hotel flows well, and the pacing will keep the reader turning the pages. Unfortunately, the book has a maddening ending, with an unfinished and unsatisfying feel. Readers caught by the story will be impatient for the next installment in this series. Recommended for public and school libraries.
Contains: N/A
The
Inferior by Peadar O GuilinDavid Fickling Books, 2008
ISBN: 0385751451
Available: New(Pre-order)
Stopmouth has a speech impediment that causes others in his tribe to underestimate him. He is part of the human tribe, hunting rival alien species to survive. When he is betrayed by his ambitious brother, Stopmouth encounters a strange woman, Indrani, who seemingly falls from the sky, leading him on an adventure that will alter the fate of humanity. The Inferior is an ambitious science fiction/horror tale, and O Guilin effectively takes his reader on a grand adventure in a hostile world. Developing a new science fiction/fantasy world is always tricky and O Guilin does a fantastic job of revealing it to his reader. The novel’s ending begs for a sequel, as there is still more to be unveiled about Stopmouth’s world, and it is clear his adventures are not yet over. The Inferior is an action packed sci-fi/horror tale that will appeal to readers of both science fiction and horror. Highly recommended for public libraries.
Contains: Mentions of cannibalism, inference of rape, violence.
Hallowmere:
In the Serpent’s Coils
by Tiffany TrentMirrorstone
Books, 2007
ISBN: 9780786942299
Available: New
Corinne Jameson is an orphan, sent by her guardian to a boarding school for girls, in the post-Civil War era. Not all is as it seems, though. The students are peculiar, the teachers are secretive, and Corinne herself is being seduced by dangerous supernatural forces. As girls from the school begin to disappear, s series of incomplete love letters by a monk entangled with a race of vampiric Fey catch Corinne’s attention, and her fascination draws her further into a web of deception and destruction. Trent does a good job of painting an ominous and disturbing environment for the story, and creates sense of real unease. A flaw is that readers experience the story only from Corinne’s point of view. Unfortunately, Corrine’s thought processes are opaque and her decisions don’t make much sense. Since almost everyone is trying to keep her from finding out what’s going on, the story may leave readers shaking their heads. Still, hints of forbidden love and the strange world of the Fey will appeal to many teen girls, and the abrupt ending will keep Trent’s readers waiting impatiently for the next installment in the Hallowmere series, By Venom’s Sweet Sting. Recommended for public library young adult collections and middle and high school library media centers. Contains: witchcraft, mild kissing, mild violence.
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