GABRIEL'S CLOCK

In this imaginative effort, a half-angel, half-demon boy must navigate the perilous implications of his unusual heritage.

Jonathan has reached the age of 12 believing he’s just a normal kid, unaware that his father is an angel and his mother’s a (kindly) demon. Then a monstrous trio of Corvidae, evil disciples of archdemon Belial, attacks them, trapping the small family. His mother escapes with badly injured Jonathan and delivers him to the care of his angel grandfather, Gabriel—who will, predictably, become the guiding-elder figure—in the magical village of Hobbes End. It’s inhabited by a variety of quirky residents, including a sarcastic talking cat, a werewolf’s daughter, useful and funny gargoyles, and many others. The mild comic relief is a welcome respite from the brutality of the demons, who are determined to capture Jonathan and twist him to their nefarious purposes. Battle scenes feature more than ample gore, with a few dismemberments thrown in for good measure. Debut author Pashley periodically edges into the realm of telling rather than showing, and some elements of the plot are just too convenient. Still, the fast pace of the action is nicely sustained, the characters are mostly distinctive, and the situation’s sufficiently unconventional to overcome that deficiency.

With not all of the threads wrapped up, the way is open for a sequel, of course—readers will be happy for Jonathan’s return.