The Nethergrim

January 27, 2014
The secrets of the past return to haunt the present when an ancient evil awakens, 30 years after being defeated by a group of heroes. In this entertaining coming-of-age fantasy, which opens in a quasi-European medieval village, several teens must pick up where the previous generation left off. Fourteen-year-old would-be wizard Edmund, chafing at his parents’ plans for him to inherit their inn, wants to rescue his younger brother, who has been kidnapped by the shadowy minions of the Nethergrim. Added by his best friends—tomboy Katherine, whose father is one of the few survivors of the first Nethergrim campaign, and Tom, enslaved by a cruel taskmaster—Edmund sets forth to prove himself and save the children intended as sacrifices for the Nethergrim’s power. First in a planned trilogy, this is a solid debut for anthropologist Jobin, who steers clear of genre clichés while offering up a refreshingly metaphysical take on magic, a believably dark setting filled with unusual threats, and a seductive and manipulative villain in the nebulous Nethergrim itself. Ages 10–up. Agent: Eleanor Jackson, Dunow, Carlson & Lerner.

March 1, 2014
A dark fantasy strives for epic grandeur but mostly achieves ponderous squalor. Edmund Bale desperately wants to be a wizard, but his innkeeper father mocks his studies; after all, their remote village hardly offers much opportunity for magic. Then the bestial servants of the Nethergrim--long thought vanquished--reappear, slaughtering livestock and kidnapping children, including Edmund's younger brother. Now Edmund has to call upon his scanty spellcraft, the sword of his secret crush, Katherine, and the folk wisdom of the orphan slave Tom to face an ancient, monstrous evil that even the greatest knight and wizard had failed to defeat. This story aims for the detailed worldbuilding of Tolkien and grim realism of George R.R. Martin but unfortunately falls short. Despite flashes of startlingly effective imagery, the prose far too often slips into pretentious pseudo-archaism. Fully two-thirds of the narrative is spent on setup and back story, portraying a dreary landscape filled with petty, cruel and spiteful inhabitants, scarcely worth saving. Edmund himself is whiny, arrogant and self-centered, and his friends are mere caricatures of the spirited tomboy and wise simpleton. At the horrific final confrontation, Edmund does prove unexpectedly clever and valiant; but few will make it far enough to cheer. One hopes that the inevitable sequels will discard tedious infodumps and dismal travelogues for dynamic adventure and satisfying character growth. (Fantasy. 10-14)

COPYRIGHT(2014) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

April 1, 2014

Gr 7 Up-Thirty years ago, three heroes-the knight Tristan, his friend John Marshal, and the legendary wizard Vithric-were the only survivors in a battle against an ancient evil known as the Nethergrim. A generation later, three misunderstood 14-year-old friends living in the medieval village of Moorvale become embroiled in events related to that dark past. Edmund wants to study magic but is forced to work in his parents' ale house. Katherine, Marshal's daughter, is an expert horse trainer and accomplished with a sword, but generally disliked for not being more ladylike. Gentle Tom has a talent for healing with herbs, but he is owned by a cruel master who beats him mercilessly. It becomes apparent to the teens that some evil magic is pervading the area, although no one else wants to believe it until Edmund's younger brother and other children are stolen by monstrous bolgugs. After the apathetic Lord Aelfric refuses to help, Marshal sets out to rescue the children. Unwilling to stay behind, Edmund, Katherine, and Tom soon follow. As in most epic quest fantasies, the overmatched heroes endure much hardship and pain, battling horrific monsters and suffering losses before the eventual showdown in the beast's lair. Although the prologue is somewhat misleading, once the story gets going it is an engrossing read. The main and secondary characters are clearly defined with personality traits that evoke sympathy or disdain from readers. Jobin combines elements of suspense and mystery with a pervasive sense of impending doom in this opening volume of this trilogy.-Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2014
Grades 6-9 Edmund, a young boy who yearns to be a wizard, is trapped under his father's thumb at their inn and alehouse. Forbidden by his parents to study magic, Edmund resigns himself to his fate of running the inn and marrying the gawky neighbor girl, Katherine. When his brother, Geoffrey, vanishes one night after a string of disappearances that foretells the return of an old evil, Edmund, Katherine, and their friend Tom, all interesting and well-rounded characters, fly in the face of the terrifying legends as they seek out Geoffrey and what they hope will be fantastic destinies. They travel untold distances and battle frightening things, both human and magical, to meet their fates. These three brave, smart, and virtuous heroes embark on the beginning of what is sure to be a sweeping, epic fantasy series. Debut author Jobin tells a riveting, slowly building story, and his rich, evocative writing style only adds to the package. Perfect for imaginative readers craving a hearty magical adventure.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2014
Novice wizard Edmund, indentured slave Tom, and combat-trained Katherine are forced into a dangerous quest when an old terror, the Nethergrim, revives and kidnaps Edmund's brother. Revelations about the Nethergrim's evil nature play off the slowly unfolding tale of Katherine's father's troubling quest to kill the creature decades before, generating fascinating parallels in a story rife with supernatural beasties and bloodcurdling encounters.

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)