Tight, cliffhanging YA fiction studded with demigods and moral dilemmas.
A menagerie of supernatural forces fights for humanity’s spiritual standing.
In this YA novel, Pershing (Ordinaries, 2014, etc.) brings a vast cosmological and theological battle quite literally down to Earth. Tiamanicus, an otherworldly spirit enrolled in the legions of Lucifer—known as the Great One by his followers—finds himself shocked, cold, and struggling as he’s dragged out of a lake near the town of Inspiration, a place “swimming with demons.” This watery entrance marks the beginning of his tumultuous transition from a Whisperer, or disembodied spirit, into one of the human-seeming forms known as a Talker. While Whisperers dedicate themselves to spreading Lucifer’s influence throughout Earth by planting thoughts in the heads of humans, Talkers effect sin and corruption by their actions, using their bodies, and not merely suggestion. Placed in a household with several other Talkers, whose checkered and painful histories he’ll eventually learn, Tiamanicus, now christened Zachary Sable, pursues his task of throwing Emma Louise Green off her holy track. Protected by angelic spirits from the Christian God whom Lucifer opposes, Emma turns out to be a tough assignment. Zachary soon starts to wonder about the depth of his commitment to the mission handed to him by Zagan, a demon in Lucifer’s service. Zachary eventually becomes attracted to Emma. But Lucifer abandons Talkers who fall in love with humans, Zachary is warned; and the Great One represents the only hope for those who, like Tiamanicus and his kin, weren’t made in God’s image. Pershing has fashioned a raucous hybrid of coming-of-age tale and Miltonian epic. Marbled with a handful of plotlines that eventually unify, including a scheme by Emma to unveil the corruption of a local pastor who has been preying on young women, this story of adversity becomes complex but is strengthened by its intricate threads. Zachary encounters daunting obstacles in his new life; at one point, Emma asks him to accompany her to church (“Zachary tilted his head and thought about it. Church. Was it safe? He knew they couldn’t see him, but what if the Selfish One, the Christ, was actually there? Not even a Talker could hide”). A few themes run like currents beneath the sparkling dialogue and rapidly changing scenes, including the importance of placing one’s own happiness above official duties and the fickleness of allegiances and promises.
Tight, cliffhanging YA fiction studded with demigods and moral dilemmas.Pub Date: Aug. 15, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-9975129-0-8
Page Count: 372
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: July 12, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2016
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An otherworldly setting, grounded by irresistible melodrama and an unshakeable protagonist worth rooting for.
A Florida teen unhappy at home and tormented by bullies at school discovers a dreamlike world where she can escape and that may be more real than she knows in this YA fantasy debut.
Ever since her beloved Gramma Rose died, Sadie Myers’ life has been immersed in melancholy. Her once-cheerful parents are perpetually grumpy, and Sadie’s alienated others, including former best friend Melanie Greene. Having no friends makes her an easy target for resident bully Dave Jablonsky, who spearheads the students’ unremitting ridicule. Sadie dreams of a terrifying shadow man chasing her but takes solace in visions of her grandmother and Rose’s lost cat, Barnaby. Barnaby leads Sadie to a towering tree, whose voice the girl can hear, and a gateway to another realm, Mystashan. Sadie evidently holds the key to Mystashan, a place she soon prefers to the world she’s currently living in. Meanwhile, amnesiac Finn Montgomery awakens to foster parents who tell him his name and estimated age (13). A voice in his head tells him to play the part of a nice guy, but Finn’s prone to violence, which ultimately lands him in an institution and later juvenile hall. Plagued by visions of an unknown girl, the murderous Finn will somehow cross paths with Sadie. At the same time, Sadie’s disturbed by recurring and menacing flashes of red. Before enlightening readers about Mystashan, the authors relay a sound drama of a despondent girl and psychologically unstable boy. It’s unquestionably riveting, even if it’s hard to stomach the deplorable Dave pushing Sadie into a mud puddle or Finn’s rampant cruelty, calling his juvenile hall cellmate Beagle without learning his name. Romance for Sadie seems doomed: boyfriend Christopher has gone to New York, and the nervous heroine introduces herself to the charming Sam as Annie. But the story’s not all gloomy, as Sadie encounters fantastical characters, like Thelo, a somewhat reptilian but good-natured guide to the mysterious realm. Sadie’s link to Finn and the truth about Mystashan (is it real or only in the girl’s head?) are best left unspoiled. Suffice it to say that the Engels sufficiently resolve the story while leaving nagging questions to be tackled, presumably in Book Two.
An otherworldly setting, grounded by irresistible melodrama and an unshakeable protagonist worth rooting for.Pub Date: Dec. 15, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-61984-931-0
Page Count: 398
Publisher: Gatekeeper Press
Review Posted Online: April 7, 2016
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An unhurried but engrossing start for a potentially riveting paranormal series.
A teenage outcast’s new friends help her discover her supernatural abilities and shocking origin in Craven’s debut YA urban fantasy.
Most people stay away from 15-year-old Allie Carmichael, as they have an apparent aversion to her touch, which renders her nearly friendless. Her parents’ jobs keep the family moving from place to place, but Allie feels that their latest move to Cleveland might not be so bad when she meets Aidan McBrien. He’s not the least bit intimidated by her, and their mutual attraction is instantaneous. It’s odd, though, that, like Allie, Aidan and all of his pals are adopted. Allie, who’s accustomed to being a pariah, suddenly has friends, including Aidan’s older sister Sasha, and later, a new boyfriend, Vince. When a fireworks accident turns into a raging fire, Allie, Aidan, and their friend Kayla miraculously survive. Aidan’s family feels that they have no choice but to explain some things to Allie on her 16th birthday. It turns out that it’s the time of her Awakening, a painful rite of passage for Immortals during which she begins to exhibit other extraordinary, supernatural abilities. Many in her circle of friends have endured their own Awakenings. Before she can fully register this information, she’s undergoing weapons and martial arts training and honing other skills, such as clairvoyance. She’s reluctant to fight anyone, but she may soon have to battle the members of the Coalition, which is run by mortals but armed with Immortal allies. The bulk of the novel follows Allie as her mentors train her, and she can see their memories; one trainer, Emma, for example, may have witnessed the Coalition’s genesis back in 16th-century Paris. Allie’s concurrent high school life, however, is unfortunately dropped from the plot. Her romance with mere mortal Vince generates searing melodrama between the couple and Aidan, who wants more than Allie’s friendship. The narrative defines various powers more clearly as it goes along: Aidan has healing capabilities, for example, and Allie can, among other things, absorb solar energy. The best power, however, is one that Allie and Aidan share, which later proves to be a hilarious distraction when Allie goes on a date. The buildup regarding the oft-discussed Coalition has a superb payoff when the baddies finally make an appearance, resulting in a bloody, intense confrontation. The story leaves plenty unresolved, of course, paving the way for sequels.
An unhurried but engrossing start for a potentially riveting paranormal series.Pub Date: April 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-9909819-1-6
Page Count: 438
Publisher: Midnight Hour Studio
Review Posted Online: April 20, 2016
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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