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A review by _michelle_
Attack of the Fiend by Joseph Delaney
5.0
2/4/14: Waiting for book #3 in the mail before I get to this; I just wanted it lined up for when I finish #3.
2/14/14: Just finished book 3 yesterday, have to finish this quick because it's due back at the library on the 18th.
2/17/14: Review
Attack of the Fiend is probably the best in series since book #1, Revenge of the Witch. AotF breeds spooky atmosphere with just small amounts of blood and gore (it is middle-grade to very young YA, after all). Imagine if Tim Burton was an author of novels, and that's the kind of atmosphere you can expect in these books. Personally, I like that kind of thing. I can handle gore in books/movies, but I don't go "Oooohh! Aaaahhh!" when someone gets de-limbed, so if you're looking for that, you won't get it here. It's more subtle.
I really liked Alice in this book. She could still go either way, of course, but I liked that she proved herself and stuck by Tom & the Spook when not only were they going up against witches (a group Alice has openly sympathized with in the past, as well as used a few spells and concoctions of her own), but most of the witches were her extended family. It showed she's not just a loose canon, behaving only because she fears the Spook's retribution. She could have joined her family and (tried to) help run Tom and the Spook out of town, but she proved Tom means more to her; and that's not only a good thing for Tom, but Alice too. Her family doesn't love her and dark witchcraft would steal her soul (metaphorically, anyway).
After reading this, the 4th book in the series, I created a new shelf in Tom's honor: get-in-the-trunk. It seems like Tom is always getting himself kidnapped. It builds tension, sure, but he's 14 now and he's been an apprentice for over a year; he should know better than to trust strangers, and run off without the Spook's support. It doesn't seem like this should still be happening.
All in all, if you're looking for a good scare, read this book. A lot of adults wouldn't expect to find decent horror in a kid's book, but this series is craftily written regardless of "target audience." Check it out.
2/14/14: Just finished book 3 yesterday, have to finish this quick because it's due back at the library on the 18th.
2/17/14: Review
Attack of the Fiend is probably the best in series since book #1, Revenge of the Witch. AotF breeds spooky atmosphere with just small amounts of blood and gore (it is middle-grade to very young YA, after all). Imagine if Tim Burton was an author of novels, and that's the kind of atmosphere you can expect in these books. Personally, I like that kind of thing. I can handle gore in books/movies, but I don't go "Oooohh! Aaaahhh!" when someone gets de-limbed, so if you're looking for that, you won't get it here. It's more subtle.
I really liked Alice in this book. She could still go either way, of course, but I liked that she proved herself and stuck by Tom & the Spook when not only were they going up against witches (a group Alice has openly sympathized with in the past, as well as used a few spells and concoctions of her own), but most of the witches were her extended family. It showed she's not just a loose canon, behaving only because she fears the Spook's retribution. She could have joined her family and (tried to) help run Tom and the Spook out of town, but she proved Tom means more to her; and that's not only a good thing for Tom, but Alice too. Her family doesn't love her and dark witchcraft would steal her soul (metaphorically, anyway).
After reading this, the 4th book in the series, I created a new shelf in Tom's honor: get-in-the-trunk. It seems like Tom is always getting himself kidnapped. It builds tension, sure, but he's 14 now and he's been an apprentice for over a year; he should know better than to trust strangers, and run off without the Spook's support. It doesn't seem like this should still be happening.
All in all, if you're looking for a good scare, read this book. A lot of adults wouldn't expect to find decent horror in a kid's book, but this series is craftily written regardless of "target audience." Check it out.