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Darkside:
Book 1

by Tom Becker



      Fourteen-year-old Jonathan Starling's life has never been normal. His mother is just ... gone. His dad is distant and strange - sometimes strange enough for periodic trips to the asylum. His neighbor is the closest he has to family, and she's keeping secrets. Jonathan adjusts, because there's nothing else to do, but when it becomes clear that something is after him - something not quite human - Jonathan must run and keep running until he uncovers the secrets his dad has hidden from him all his life. Secrets that lie in a part of London most people never see: the Darkside. The Darkside is filled with dark magic and darker creatures, and Jonathan's life may depend upon a wereman detective and a mysterious young girl.

As a long-time fan of urban fantasy, I was delighted to see a new series for young people, especially one that pays such clear homage to Simon R. Green's Nightside series. The twists and turns of the plot keep us guessing - why are so many creatures of the Darkside after Jonathan? Who was his mother and where has she gone? And what's with the strange behavior of London's head of the Special Investigations Unit, Carter Roberts? Some questions are answered completely, others only hinted at - this is the first of a series, after all - but the novel brings us to a satisfying conclusion while still leaving just enough strings dangling to make us want to read the next installment.

Because of the creepy, atmospheric style of the novel, the pace is not as breakneck as most reluctant readers want, but there is plenty of action to keep adventure and fantasy lovers turning pages. Darkside isn't a nice place, and people get hurt there - but most of the truly gruesome action takes place "off stage," keeping the novel well acceptable for readers ten and up. Sometimes scary, always creepy, Darkside would be a good choice for readers who enjoy adventurous thrills.

The Book

Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic
February 2008
Hardcover
0545037395 / 978-0545037396
Young Adult Fantasy
More at Amazon.com
Excerpt
NOTE:

The Reviewer

Jan Fields
Reviewed 2008
NOTE: Reviewer Jan Fields is the editor of Kid Magazine Writers emagazine and has written dozens of stories and articles for the children's magazine market.
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