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The Nethergrim
Author:
Jobin, Matthew
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Series:
Nethergrim, #1
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Class:
Fiction
Age: 10-14
Language: English
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LC: PZ7.J578
Grade: 5-9
Print Run: 50000
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ISBN-13: 9780399159985
LCCN: 2013005309
Imprint: Philomel
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Pub Date: 04/08/2014
Availability: Out of Print Confirmed
List: $17.99
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Hardcover
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Physical Description:
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356 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.
H 9.25",
W 6.25",
D 1.28",
1.2538 lbs.
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LC Series:
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The Nethergrim ;
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Brodart Sources:
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Brodart's Insight Catalog: Teen
Brodart's TOP Young Adult Titles
Brodart's YA Reads for Adults
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Bibliographies:
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Texas Lone Star Reading List
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Awards:
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Horn Book Guide Titles, Rated 1 - 4
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Starred Reviews:
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TIPS Subjects:
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Fantasy
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BISAC Subjects: |
JUVENILE FICTION / Fantasy & Magic
JUVENILE FICTION / Action & Adventure / General
JUVENILE FICTION / Legends, Myths, Fables / General
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LC Subjects:
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Fantasy
Wizards, Fiction
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SEARS Subjects: |
Fantasy
Wizards, Fiction
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Reading Programs: |
Accelerated Reader Level:
5
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Points: 13.0
Lexile Level:
750
Reading Counts Level:
4.6
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Points: 20.0
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| Annotations |
| Brodart's TOP Young Adult Titles | 04/01/2014 |
| Decades after a legendary knight and a famous wizard are said to have vanquished the Nethergrim that once unleashed horror upon Moorvale, animal disappearances give way to vanishing children. When his little brother is added to the missing, Edmund joins his friends to take a stand against an evil that gives new, terrifying life to the Moorvale legend. The Nethergrim is back. Nethergrim series, 368pp. |
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| Journal Reviews |
| Booklist | 04/01/2014 |
| 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. Comfort, Stacey. 368p. AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, c2014. |
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| Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books | 04/01/2014 |
| R. Gr. 6-8. Tom is an abused slave, Katherine is a girl who resists the traditional expectations her small village places on her gender, and Edmund is boy whose wizarding interest and fascination with books have only ever caused him trouble. When the Nethergrim's minions begin to kidnap local children, however, the trio springs into action as unexpected heroes. They know that the kidnapped children don't have long to live, so they decide to not leave things in the hands of the adults, even while realizing the limitations of their approach, which is to set off and hope for the best. This is a surprisingly quiet (and occasionally languid) novel for its subject, and the character development is careful and methodical, lending depth to a story that's more about people than adventure. The Nethergrim itself is indeed the stuff of nightmares, and Jobin judiciously doles out details about it, heightening suspense further. Patient fantasy fans will find much to enjoy in this elegant gem of a novel, and the haunting message that the monstrosity of some humans can rival even that of ageless creatures is so carefully and effectively inlaid that it will likely linger even after other details fade. AS. 368p. THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIV. OF ILLINOIS, c2014. |
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| Horn Book Guide | 11/01/2014 |
| 3. 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. alb. 355pg. THE HORN BOOK, c2014. |
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| Kirkus Reviews | 03/01/2014 |
| 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). 368pg. KIRKUS MEDIA LLC, c2014. |
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| Publishers Weekly | 01/27/2014 |
| Ages 10-up. 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 cliches 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. Agent: Eleanor Jackson, Dunow, Carlson & Lerner. (Apr.). 368p. PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, c2014. |
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| School Library Journal | 04/01/2014 |
| 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. 368p. SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, c2014. |
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| ~VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates Magazine - Retired Journal) | 02/01/2014 |
| 4Q 4P M J. In Moorvale, the exploits of three men are well known: the knight Tristan, the wizard Vithric, and the humble John Marshal. Sixty men left to fight the powerful, evil Nethergrim and its horrific minions, but only three survived and returned triumphant. Years later, three young friends attend the fair celebrating those heroes. Edmund seeks to learn magic and his friend, Tom, is an indentured servant who is horribly abused. The last of the trio is Katherine, the daughter of the quiet hero John Marshal. As animals begin to disappear, the townspeople start to fear that perhaps the Nethergrim is returning. When several children disappear (Edmund's brother among them), it becomes clear that the evil has risen again. Edmund and his friends join John Marshal on a quest to find and defeat the Nethergrim anew and to save the children of the town. This series starter is reminiscent of epic fantasy series such as C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia or J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. It is appropriate for and appealing to younger readers as well as older teens and adults with an interest in fantasy. The characters are strongly drawn and the reader is quickly lured into their quest to save their town. There is a compelling blend of magic, romance, looming evil, and noble sacrifice. This book is a highly recommended purchase for libraries serving readers of middle school age and up; many readers will be eagerly anticipating the next entry in this promising new series.--Sherrie Williams. 368p. VOICE OF YOUTH ADVOCATES, c2014. |
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9780399159985,dl.it[0].title
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